Just like traditional gas-powered vehicles, a hybrid car battery can be jump started when the battery is discharged. Jump-starting your hybrid shouldn’t stray too far from the process of their gas engine counterpart, though the same amount of caution should be taken.
Please note your jumper cable connectors should not be touching unless they are fully disconnected.
Park your vehicle on a flat and dry surface
Turn the vehicle off alongside all electrical components including the headlights and radio
Place the positive jumper cable clamp (+) colored red on the positive battery terminal of your discharged hybrid battery or positive jump post
Place the positive clamp on the positive terminal of the functioning car battery
Place the negative battery (-) colored black on the negative terminal of the functioning car battery
Place the negative clamp on the negative battery terminal of the dead battery or negative jump post
Start the engine of the vehicle with the functioning battery and lightly press the accelerate for about five minutes
Start the engine of your hybrid with the discharged battery
Remove the negative clamp from the previously-dead battery
Remove the negative clamp from the functioning battery
Remove the positive clamp from the functioning battery
Remove the positive clamp from the previously-dead battery
What Causes a Hybrid Battery to Die?
While it may be difficult to narrow down the exact cause of your hybrid battery dying, there are a few main culprits that tend to pop up:
Loose battery terminals can cause a discharged battery in both gas and hybrid vehicles. In order to avoid this, inspect your battery terminals when your Toyota is turned off.
Extremely cold temperatures can negatively affect the 12-volt battery by slowing down battery chemistry
Parasitic draw happens when something electric, like a cabin light being left or a door not being closed all the way, drains your car battery.
Founded in 1908 by O.D. Smart, Smart Motors is one of the nation’s oldest automotive dealerships, the Midwest’s largest hybrid dealer, Wisconsin’s Largest Toyota Certified Used Vehicle dealer and one of Wisconsin’s largest volume new Toyota dealers. Located in Madison, Smart Motors is Wisconsin’s only two-time President’s Cabinet Award recipient from Toyota Motor Sales for superior customer service & sales volume.
Vehicle winterization – whether this will be your first winter in Wisconsin, or you’re born and raised in cheese-country, it’s something every Wisconsinite must prepare for. The morning temperatures are dipping below freezing, highs are lucky to break freezing, accumulating snow will soon be piling up, but have you winterized your vehicle? Thankfully, most of us only need to brave these elements for brief periods at a time, usually as long as it takes to go from a heated building to one’s vehicle and back into another heated sanctuary. But if the freezing temps, gusty winds, and icy snow in the Madison area are hard on you for the few moments you’re out, think about the brutal beating your car takes.
Does your vehicle need winterization help?
Your vehicle may have been sitting out for hours. The last thing you want to do is trudge over the frozen landscape, reach your vehicle, turn the key in the ignition, and – oh no! – all you hear is a hideous series of click-click-clicks, groans, and exhausted whirs. The engine isn’t turning over. Why didn’t you winterize your ride!?
Luis Roman, Assistant Service Manager at Smart Motors in Madison, says there’s no time like the present to start getting your vehicle in shape for the unpredictable winter season. He says every year he is asked by multiple people what the most important factors are when preparing a vehicle for the challenges winter can pose. And with the Farmers’ Almanac predicting a snowy winter with colder than normal temperatures, it is probably a good idea to take note of the winterization check list he shares with others.
Luis Roman – Assistant Service Manager
“The top item on any vehicle winterization list is fairly obvious,” he says. “It’s having a quality, fully charged, and undamaged BATTERY.”
Roman says it takes more power to start a car in the winter because battery power decreases as the temperature drops. If your battery is already having problems, your risk of breaking down or becoming stranded increases. It is recommended to have a battery with at least the vehicle manufacturers CCA rating, most hybrids will have 12 volt batteries under 400 CCA which are fine for that application
Car Battery Tester
The second and third items on Roman’s list are TIRES and BRAKES. Thankfully the cold doesn’t necessarily harm these components, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure they are in the best condition to handle the hazards of winter driving. He says most drivers don’t think about their tires until they have to swerve or brake suddenly – often with serious consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about nine percent of vehicle crashes are tire-related and could be prevented with proper tire maintenance.
“All-season tires are what I recommend to most drivers,” says Roman. “They’re great for people with short commutes and little reason to veer far from the beaten path.” According to Roman, all-season tires are also very convenient, as they don’t need to be swapped out with any other set of tires seasonally.
Tire Tread Depth & Stopping Distances
“When people need to commute to and from work from a rural area, I almost always say they should go with snow tires,” says Roman. “They can swap out with their regular tires in early November or so. And having two sets of tires puts less wear and tear on both pairs, so you can have them for quite a long while.”
The fourth item on Roman’s list is WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES. He says that there are blades specifically made for winter driving, and they could really be a lifesaver.
“You really never know what winter is going to throw at you, so it’s best to be prepared,” he says. “It could be freezing rain, wintery mix, wet snow, or the car in front of you splashing your windshield with the dirty, salty slush on the road. Windshields really take a beating in the winter.”
Wisconsin Snow Plow on City Streets
The amount of debris that could potentially block your view needs to be cleared for you to be able to navigate the winter roads safely. Roman says he constantly hears about harrowing journeys drivers make with bad wipers that just smear the slush around instead of clearing it off the windshield. Or there are the wipers that don’t make contact with the windshield at all! These wipers need to be replaced for your safety and for the safety of others.
“Wiper blades are inexpensive, and many people can install them themselves,” he says. “So please check yours before the snow flies. The last thing you want to do is drive blind.”
Roman says there are a few other items that you might want to have a professional check for you before winter is in full swing:
What Should I Have My Mechanic Inspect On My Car Before Winter?
• The cooling system – Your automotive service technician can tell you what antifreeze should be used and the appropriate coolant-to-water ratio to avoid potential freezing. • Belts, hoses, spark plugs, wires and cables – While they can go bad at any time, if they do in the winter, you could be stuck in the cold for an unfortunately long period.
“These areas might seem small compared to the engine or fuel intake system, but without the small things aiding the large items, your vehicle will not function properly,” he says.
Aside from vehicle winterization, Roman says for safety reasons all motorists should have a cell phone and a phone charger handy, and drivers shouldn’t let their gas go much below a half tank in the wintertime, either. Plus he recommends keeping a worst-case-scenario-kit in your vehicle, filled with the following items:
What Items Should I Keep In My Car During Winter In Wisconsin?
• A blanket • Several heavy duty garbage bags: Can be a makeshift rain coat; keep your clothing off the wet ground when changing a tire, or to collect wet items. • A shovel • Kitty Litter – which can help aid in traction • Jumper cables or a battery-powered portable booster • Flashlight or emergency light • First aid kit • Food • Jack and spare tire: Know how to use them — practice if necessary.
About Smart Motors
Smart Motors was founded in 1908 by O.D. Smart and is one of the nation’s oldest automotive dealerships, is the mid-west’s largest hybrid dealer and one of Wisconsin’s largest volume Toyota dealers. Located at 5901 Odana Road, Smart Motors is Wisconsin’s only two-time President’s Cabinet Award recipient from Toyota Motor Sales for superior customer service & sales volume. For more information, check out their history.
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