Replacing a Gen I Hybrid battery

Three restarts will clear most lights but the code(s) will remain.

You can clear the codes by disconnecting the 12 V battery ground for about 5 minutes. This resets all of the ECUs including the fuel trim so you might have a rough start or run but after a drive or two, the car will relearn the fuel trim. This would help determine if the codes come back from a problem versus left-over from before the change.

You also have options on the codes:

• ScanGauge (~$150-175) - with an adapter described in the thread, you can now read out the hybrid vehicle and battery codes. We don't have the engine or other ECUs, yet.
• Graham miniscanner ($150 deposit, $15/mo, rental) - I have one out and another available. This unit can read out codes for the engine, hybrid vehicle and battery ECUs.
• Auto Enginuity (~$400, plus your PC) - this OBD reading and software pretty well sees all ECUs and can read out their codes. But it is a little expensive.
• Tc/Ts - by tying the correct signal to ground, you can clear the codes. But the OBD connector is in an awkward location.
• Check Engine Light == generic reader - I don't care for them because they don't know the other ECUs and leave the owner blind. However, a crappy reader should be able to read out the "check engine" light code. Check if they have a return policy, read the code and return (or keep it.) Be sure it says "ISO-9141" compatible and be aware they can 'spike' other controllers with false codes.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

I haven't posted for a while now, but my 2001 hybrid battery finally gave up the ghost after a full 10 years and over 280,000 km..

Codes indicated uneven state of charge, and a problem with cell #19.

I ordered a remanufactured pack from Taylor Automotive/ReInVolt- thanks to Dave and Tracy for their excellent customer service and willingness to help arrange shipment of the battery up to Canada for me..

The installation was actually quite easy: 2 hours, 20 minutes, start to finish (not including the hour it took to clean out the trunk and the stuff in the back seat first).. I did it entirely on my own, I did have pneumatic tools to speed up all the bolt removal/reinstallation, and it would have been easier with two people to take the old battery out and put in the new, but it is very much possible to do it by yourself.

You do need to remove the back seat and the fan duct, but unlike what's suggested by the Toyota service manual, you don't actually need to completely remove all the luggage trim from the trunk (just the piece covering the battery and the barrier behind the rear seat), and neither do you need to completely disassemble and remove the cabin air duct (just loosen the screws and it separates in two pieces about midway up on the passenger side of the car). It took a bit of figuring out exactly how to lever the battery out of position (lever it up over the mount points from the back seat, push it rearwards a bit, then pivot it from the passenger side into the trunk space, and then remove the lower portion of the cabin air duct from the pack, exit the vehicle, and lift the battery out from the trunk opening; reverse this procedure to re-install). The battery *is* heavy, but I was able to wrestle it out of the car without too much problem: wear good thick work gloves to avoid getting cut by the sheet metal- pull the battery to the back of the trunk (leaving the mat on top of the spare wheel compartment helps), lift it up onto the trunk lip, grab the end and put your other hand into the duct opening on top of the battery and lift it out. It helps to have chair or stool or some other raised platform nearby to place the battery on as it is heavy; I never weighed it, but the ReInVolt battery pack with the GenII modules seemed to be much lighter than the original pack..

The installation was basically plug-and-play: unlike a Toyota battery where you have to swap over the ECU and other things from the old battery, the remanufactured battery comes complete with everything already in place; the only thing you have to swap over is a little plastic vent tube. After the battery is bolted back into position and the power leads reconnected and the ECU plugged back in, I used my Prius Miniscanner to clear the codes and the car started right up.. I've driven the car a few hundred kilometers since installation and it has been absolutely flawless; not only that, the mileage is noticeably better- I had thought the mileage was worse because I was driving more short trips, but the new battery has definitely improved things, even with the short trips.. The Miniscanner is also showing a difference in the State-of-Charge of the battery when the car is operating: in the last year or so, I've noticed that the SoC has hovered in the 61-68% range vs. the 56.5-59.5% range when I first got the car.. I always thought that this was because I had learned a driving style that maximized regeneration and energy recovery, but with the new battery, the SoC levels have dropped back down, so it seems that a symptom of impending battery failure might be elevated SoC levels.. In any case, I'm very happy with the replacement battery as it's basically given me a new car..

So thanks again to Taylor Automotive! I'll close off with the statement that the only thing missing from the package would be a nice ReInVolt decal.. They really should supply one with every battery: I'd proudly display one of these on my bumper..

 

OK, I'll finally chime in on this...
Is it possible to buy just the modules brand new from Toyota, or whomever supplies them?

Would it be better to buy a new Gen2 battery from Toyota, do the module swapout yourself, than buy a new Gen1 battery from Toyota?

Lastly, arranging some sort of rube-goldberg-esque array of laptop batteries in a series in the trunk (there is an awful lot of room back there) maybe feasible, but definitely not too safe?

Won't have to think about this one for awhile, but I am interested in sometime over the weekend, doing a visual of the HV battery for myself on Midori.

 

Normally, Toyota sells a box with the battery modules, ~$2,200, and then the electronics are swapped over.

Do-it-yourself is interesting if you like and have an interest in the technology. However, there are pitfalls and I've read of unsuccessful rebuilds and ones whose reliability might be suspect. That is why having a profession group like Re-InVolt who is aware of the key aspects and had time to develop the tools and techniques makes a lot of sense.

Check out PHEV enginer kits.

Without instrumentation, say a ScanGauge or equivalent, a lot of stuff will be difficult to impossible to understand.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

True, but I was more interested in corrosion, etc. I don't think there would be any at 65K miles, but you never know...

Kyle

 

It is not possible to buy a single new module from Toyota.

Since the G2 traction battery has 28 modules while Classic has 38, you would need two G2 traction battery assemblies (yielding 56 modules) to populate the Classic battery case. This is reasonable if you are buying salvage G2 batteries for $500 each, but would be quite costly if you are buying new.

 

Besides the other facts that were mentioned already (such as the Gen-2 not having enough modules) I looked at it this way when I replaced my Gen-1 battery at 162,000 miles. The car is already 8 years old. If the second battery lasts at least as long as the first one, then the car would be 16 years old with over 300,000 miles on it. I think it is reasonable to assume the car would be ready for retirement at that point.

 

True,
I usually keep a car until it blows up ;-)

No, I'm not a car-bomber. I literally mean, until it becomes too expensive to repair for what it is worth to me personally (not on a financial basis, unfortunately for my wife, but to me personally.)

This last car we got rid of we donated to Goodwill. It needed a lot of work, and I couldn't find parts at the local junkyard anymore.

Would I have been able to fix it for what I just spent on the Prius?

Undoubtedly, but it would've been close.

At the end of the day, I would've been driving a car from the past century, and not the current one.

So, if and when the time comes to replace the battery on the Prius, I will probably do so.

 

If anyone wants these, please send me an email at [email protected], with your mailing address and I will drop one in the mail.

 

David, I do not think this is correct. JK450 objects to ANYTHING Bob Wilson ever says, you just read the ones about batteries. It may be some comfort to know that:

1) Mr. Wilson is generously giving as sound and reliable advice as anyone on PriusChat
2) JK450 never gives any help, except in the sense that he derides Bob Wilson's advice.

Should Bob Wilson quit mentioning ReInvolt batteries, JK450's objection to them would disappear instantly. I personally would call that a net loss, but it is not my product being dragged through the mud with no substantiated facts, and not enough identification to 'correct' the mudslinging going on.

Mr. JK450
My explanation would be easy to disprove, either get permission to give Mr Taylor contact information on the Prius owner who received a bad battery, or apologize for starting (and perpetuating) rumors you are not willing to substantiate. It should be child's play to recall all the times you agreed with Mr. Wilson and post an example thread showing I am wrong about that, as well.

 

"The new battery is also showing a difference in the State-of-Charge of the battery when the car is operating: in the last year or so, I've noticed that the SoC has hovered in the 61-68% range vs. the 56.5-59.5% range when I first got the car.. I always thought that this was because I had learned a driving style that maximized regeneration and energy recovery, but with the new battery, the SoC levels have dropped back down, so it seems that a symptom of impending battery failure might be elevated SoC levels.. "

Thanks for that write up!
We think alike, as a matter of fact lately in our 03 (original battery still) has always been around 58 +/- 3 soc, but lately I have been purposefully driving it down a long hill just before parking it overnight or even two days, and will get the soc up to say 62max. So I think I will not do this anymore, 58 (where it wants to be) is good enough as long as it holds it over night etc. And this one still holds for at least three days, but I try to drive everyday.

 

Hey folks,

I'm not here for a feud as the moderators in their own way reminded me. So my "User CP" has three entries because like the old CB radio days, I've had to 'turned up the squelch' to improve the 'signal-to-noise' ratio. As my signature points out, I prefer to deal with people who have 'skin in the game.'

Along that line, my earlier endorsement of Re-InVolt was based upon my studies, great threads such as "oldnoah", private discussions, the "Prius Technical Stuff" group, and helping install a Re-InVolt locally. The good news is for reasons I'll discuss in a new thread, I've bought a Re-InVolt traction battery with NHW20 modules and two hours ago put it in the trunk of our 2003 Prius. There will be more details in a separate thread following my usual posting style.

I'm here for the technology and the three on my ignore list, well they seem to have different interests. So I just avoid their postings.

Bob Wilson

 

Just finished my hybrid battery install on my 2003 Prius with 160,000 miles. Thanks to everyone on here for their input and instructions. I received my battery from Adopt-a-Part. Came out to $1,700 shipped to Alaska. The only bad thing about the whole thing was that the packaging and crating was horrible. I've never seen such a horrible crating job and I get things shipped here all the time. Even if this battery was shipped ten miles it would have been in bad shape. There was only a few wires holding the battery down and about a foot of extra space for the battery to slide back and forth in the crate. I had to spend a lengthy amount of time re-bending the metal so it would bolt into my car. Besides that I'm glad to have the Prius back on the rough roads of Alaska. I added a pdf of the install steps for any future installs. Thanks again for all the helpful info.

 

I'm glad to have the Prius back on the rough roads of Alaska. [/QUOTE]

How is your Gen I Prius holding up in Alaska? My 01 has performed well in southern IL winter, but in under 20 degree temps my gas mileage drops to around 35-38 mpg. I'm facing HV battery replacement as I speak and it only has 111K miles on it's old self. I only sunk $7500. plus $1500 in repairs in it and drove it 82K miles since I bought it in 05, so I think it's going to be worth replacing the HV battery either way I decide to go - ReInvolt or new.

 

Is your car fixed?

 

Is your car fixed? I fix pruis in illinois

 

Hello, I own a 2005 Toyota Prius. The hybrid battery needs to be replaced. I have 173,000 miles on this vehicle. It really has been a great vehicle for me. The dealer wants $3,400 for a new hybrid battery. I read your post and wanted to ask is it easy to replace the hybrid battery myself. I am pretty good with working on cars. Also, can you tell me where you purchased your hybrid battery? and was it new or used? I live in California and really cannot afford to pay the dealer what they are asking. Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Harry

 

Hello, my name is Harry. I own a 2005 Prius with 173,000 miles on it. The hybrid battery finally died. The dealer wants $3,400 for a new hybrid battery. I read your post and looked at your pics of install. It looks pretty easy. I am good with working on cars. I live in California. Any information you can give me on your battery, where you purchased it from and any install tips, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.