2005 Dead Hybrid Battery

Given the price differential of $300 for a genuine Toyota brand new pack, I'd save up the extra $300 and get the genuine Toyota pack every time. No more battery worries for at least 10 years.

 

I'm not sure how involved a pickup of a new HV battery is but I might be able to assist as I live in Riverside, about 20 mins from San Bernadino Toyota.

 

^^ Very kind of you.

Regarding a new battery, the more important question to sort out is the installation. The old battery has to be removed from the car, the electronics and ECU switched over to the new battery, and then the case reinstalled.

Even with shopping around this is going to cost $2500 easy when all is said and done. OTOH it is likely to be a much longer lasting repair than the reman route -- I'd figure three times longer. So long as Holly plans to keep the car long term I think this is a pretty easy choice.

 

Although it is very kind of writes123 to offer his help, I'm not really sure she should trust someone she doesn't know to bring her a $2000 battery.

 

I've read through your post. Bummer about the craigslist battery. I can send a replacement (refurbished) battery and help you through installing it for just under $1,900. 3 year warranty.

I am an independent hybrid mechanic who has worked on hybrids for over 10 years.
I have run the local hybrid car club for over a decade and provide outreach education about hybrids as well.

I think you are on the right track for making a decision. Call me if you want to talk through things even if you don't plan on buying through my shop. I'm happy to help.
608-729-4082

 

We are 27 messages into this thread and I don't have time to go back and review but if you have not tested or replaced the 12V battery and had it's charging voltage tested, you probably should do that FIRST. Cost will be $200 or less and it might just clear up most of the codes.......long shot though.

 

I haven't read through this thread but I had to inform everyone about this guy Prius Hybrid Battery Rebuild Replacement He came to my house (San Antonio) and fixed my battery for $900. He pulls out the dead battery takes it to his shop and refurbishes by draining all the fluids and replacing them. Then he places it in the next persons car who has a dead battery. The car has been running much better for the last 7 months since he did that. He will drive to a lot of places and is very knowledgeable about the prius. Anyways go to the website and contact him he did amazing work and was super helpful.

 

"draining all the fluids", did he tell you this was his process?

 

No I think he actually said he runs something through it. I'm not exactly sure. The way he made it sound was he hooks it up to a computer to see exactly whats wrong with it like what cells are bad etc. and then he runs something through it. I'm not sure about his process I just know that for my car it has worked very well.

 

Here this is from his website. I know the site looks a little sketchy but I really think he is an honest good mechanic

If you live anywhere in TX you are qualified to have your Prius 04-12 bad hybrid battery replaced with a complete rebuilt hybrid battery pack using
(28) Completely re manufactured Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery modules with 12 month unlimited miles warranty installed free with our mobile service 24/7 anywhere in TEXAS.
We have a passion to serve all our Texas customers and to help them stay on the road saving lots of money on gas!!! Our customers refer their friends and neighbors to us and this is how we get most of our business!!

 

Most people are quite happy with their batteries right after they are replaced by a "rebuild". However about 3 or 4 months later, their happiness usually turns to anger and frustration. With the age of the GenII cars now (10 years old on 2004 models), most of those "good" modules aren't really "good" for long.

 

I'm at 8 months so far and things are going well. I will let everyone know if things change

 

Also their warranty, that's where the anger and frustration comes in. They like using the line "the warranty only applies to the modules we replaced" not the ones (27 others) that we didn't replace.

 

Which I think is fair enough as long as it is clearly disclosed. After all, how could they, in all reality, warrant something of unknown condition?

 

A rebuilt should be tested and rebalanced, all the modules should be equal after rebuild. Most are just doing fast module swaps and calling it a rebuilt. it's hard finding the people that rebuild them properly, not too many of them around.

It's crazy to just only warranty the replaced module and not the entire pack

 

The rebuild is supposed to swap out the bad modules, implying they checked all 28 and left the good ones. If that is the case, then why have a problem with a warranty that covers the entire pack ?

The answer, unfortunately, is as JC posts: the rebuild is crap.

 

On his website he says "using (28) Completely re manufactured Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery modules" so it sounds like he replaces or fixes all of them who knows if this is actually the case.

 

Well yours is going strong, that's a good sign