How to use a hybrid to jump another car?

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I have a 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid. I thought I wold use it to jump the battery on my old Honda Accord. But I don’t seem to see an ordinary battery in the Hybrid? Is there one, can I use it to jump my other car’s battery? In the top front left area of the Camry engine there is a big boxs with cover that says “Hybrid synergy drive” – it has two massive terminals coming off the top. Is that what I would use to jump off of?

2

The auxiliary battery is in the trunk under a panel on the passenger side.

If you need to jump to start, you should have your battery and charging system checked.

Be careful anytime you’re under the hood. some of those cables are high voltage and can be dangerous.

3

So, it is “OK” to use that auxiliary battery to jump start the other car?
Another forum seems to indicate it could damage the Hybrid:
http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f49/jump-start-23500/
but is not very clear.

If I would need to take the Hybrid in for “checking”, maybe my better/cheaper option
is to buy a new battery for the Honda – it has been doormant for two years, and so I guess
may not be good to go after charging anyhow.

4

It’s not something I’ve encountered myself, but it is a 12 volt source. I do know the 12 volt system is separate from the hybrid high voltage system. I don’t see anything obviously wrong or dangerous, the vehicle should handle the jump like it handles any other system draw.
I would suggest you have the hybrid running and AC on when you jump.

I wasn’t talking about having the hybrid checked. I meant have the battery and charging system of the Honda with the bad battery checked. Sorry for being unclear.

…and 2 years is a long time to have a discharged battery. Expect to replace the battery, but a system check is always a good idea at time of replacement.

5

As good as much of the advice is here, the ONLY instructions I would follow for this are those in your owner’s manual. What does it say?

6

A good precaution

7

While your owner’s manual is the final authority, I think I would find a different way to start your Honda rather than jump it from the Toyota Hybrid. These hybrids have a lot of electronics that could be damaged. I used to jump start my 6 volt 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck from my 12 volt 14 horsepower riding mower. However, neither the truck nor the mower had sophisticated solid state electronics.