Replaced 3 bad cells. Electric Engine turns off after one mile.

Hey guys,

I'm new to auto work in general and just bought a 2004 prius off CL. I was aware that the red triangle was one when I bought it and decided to fix it myself.

I popped the HV battery out and saw that one cell was completely bad and that the two neighboring cells had registered physical damage. I bought 3 new cells off ebay and put them in. All cells register 7.8 volts exactly now, but when I put the battery in and drive the electric engine will shut off shortly after getting on the road ~1mile in. Also, on the energy flow screen the batter will not charge passed the final two bars to get into the green zone.

Is this a fuse problem? Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Thanks,

Nick

 

The big red triangle and the check engine lights are on. I test drove it for about 25 miles 2 nights ago.

I can tell it shuts off because on the energy flow screen it stops showing flow to or from the electric battery after a mile, as well as all noise shuts off from the battery area, and my ability to accelerate with any effectiveness also stops. So, to me that means its on gas engine only.

Thanks guys.

 

Thanks Patrick,

I think you might be right. I just put the battery back in and turned the car on. She started no problem, but after about five seconds of the gas engine running it turned off. I'm going to go to autozone and ask them to pull the codes, and then I may have to go to the Toyota dealer.

 

The display looks like the first picture when I turn the car on. I can hear the gas engine running. Then it goes silent, and looks like the second. The same thing basically happens when I'm driving.

 

Will do! Reporting back in a few!

 

I went into inspection mode. The gas engine does remain running. I'll go to autozone next and get the codes.

 

Update: I took the car to autozone. They ran the codes and got P3018 "Battery block 8 becomes weak". The car was behaving much better. Got for brief periods the battery on the display to get within 1 block of a full charge and saw green for the first time since I bought it. I ended up taking a 60+ mile drive quite by accident and it only once (about 48 miles in) did the thing where all the energy flow shut down on the display and I lost my acceleration power. I pulled over restarted the car and it was good again until I got home.

What's my next move guys? I was going to take the cover off the batter and look at the 8th cell from the left and start there.

Thanks so much for your help guys. Super cool forum.

Nick

 

I will admit, I got the impression that their code reader didn't get everything.

 

This morning I checked the voltage of all 28 modules. Each one read 7.8 volts. I will check again in 20 minutes or so. When I'm counting the blocks do I start from the Left side or right side of the battery?

 

Ok, so yes, I'm ignorant. Would have been the first to admit that. How do I tell balance? I was under the mistaken impression that if the cells had measured the same voltage they were in balance.

 

Ok, so yes, I'm ignorant. Would have been the first to admit that. How do I tell balance? I was under the mistaken impression that if the cells had measured the same voltage they were in balance.

 

Update:

My new cells are in block 8. I just took the battery apart and remeasured the voltage. Every one of them is now at 8.2 volts! I'm gonna slow my roll before this thing blows up.

Any ideas fellows?