Can P0A80 code occur without actual hybrid pack failure?

Sorry in advance, but this is going to be a fairly long post.

I have a 2007 with just over 145k miles which just gave the RToD. I pulled the codes with an OBDII tool at Advanced, and got a P0A80 and P3015, indicating a malfunction in Block #5. (Please feel free to correct me if I get anything wrong here. I've owned hybrids for almost 12 years, but this is the first time I've delved into an HV battery issue by myself.) Though my searches found that the P0A80 code could have a generic "replace hybrid battery pack" meaning, I've found other sources that say it's deterioration due to overheating. So, this, coupled with the fact that the cooling fan comes on high as soon as the vehicle is turned on lead me to believe that Block 5 possibly has a shorted cell. My girlfriend reported the RToD shortly after going too fast over speed bumps she couldn't see. Is it possible the jolt cracked the separator between the plates causing a short?

Now, the reason I asked the title question is that I have a 2005 with a guesstimated 360k miles (odo stopped at 299,999) which is only giving the P0A80 and P3190 (poor engine power), with no indication of a bad block. Thinking that the HB code was from overheating, I pulled the fan, and it is caked with dust to the point that it may not be producing any airflow.

For comparison, here's the fan from the '07, which will be cleaned before reinstallation.


The vast majority of the mileage was accrued delivering newspapers, which seems to have been good for the battery pack, as I was still getting about 45 mpg with a bad O2 sensor (bank 0, iirc), probably fouled by burning oil, before the tranny broke. The pack still has enough juice to start the gas engine, though the engine shuts down after about 15 sec of putting out noxious fumes, and I get both error codes back after having cleared them.

Thanks to the excellent tips from users of this board, I plan on replacing the bad module(s) in the '07 pack. (Questions about that will be coming in a different post, when I get ready to do the rebuild.) However, I really need the car back on the road ASAP. So, is it possible the '05 pack is in good enough condition to be transplanted in the '07 as-is? Is there a way to tell without cracking open the case, or performing plug and pray?

Also, is the Prolong Battery Reconditioning Package a good option for testing modules, and balancing and conditioning a battery rebuild before use? How much would it improve my chances of a successful transplant as I described? How difficult is it to wire in?

 

I thought I had read that, too, but I wanted to get verification. Also, with well over 300k miles on the pack, I wanted to see if the experts thought it was possible that the way I used it has effectively been reconditioning it, so that I might get a few thousand more miles out of it. The 07' I bought used with 124k miles, and I could tell by its condition it wasn't used the same way I used the '05.

And, from what I think I understand, that gunk would almost certainly cause an error, even with a brand new pack. The heat build-up from lack of airflow could inhibit proper operation whether the battery was charging or powering the MG, and even if it was operating fine, I'm pretty sure a sensor would still report the high temp to a control module, causing it to throw a code.

 

That's what I was thinking, since the OBD scanner found no faulty blocks. Not long before the tranny died, I had a scan done that showed no battery codes. I had other issues that were throwing codes (part of why I didn't invest in replacing the tranny), so I missed when exactly the P0A80 code first appeared. I'm hoping that the pack is still relatively (at over 300k miles) healthy. As far as reconditioning goes, I know my limitations and don't trust my attention span to step down the light bulbs. Unfortunately, your new discharger with auto-shutoff probably wouldn't get to me before early April if I pre-order. Do you think balancing alone could improve the health of the pack to get me by until then?

I was planning on rebuilding the pack from the '07, your products seem to be just the tools I need to do a proper job of it with a minimal investment of time, and I'd rather spend the money on tools than on a refurbed pack. I could build a load tester myself for a little less than what you charge, but that would take time. BTW, you might consider a package that adds the tester cables to your reconditioning package for use with the MM already included. I'm also surprised that there is no discount on your packages over buying the components separately...

Anyways, I'd appreciate the referral to the module supplier, since you can never be certain of what you'll find on the web. Also, I haven't been able to find high-voltage protective gloves that I think will allow me to handle 8mm nuts. Any suggestions? (And maybe you could add some to your packages in the future.)

 

I figured small-scale production costs were keeping you from offering discounts on the packages, especially when you factor in R&D costs for a relatively small number of units sold. I think I'm going to order just the discharge ready package for now, pre-order the new discharger, and hope for the best. Charging/balancing should at least keep the cells from reversing, if they're in danger of doing so, and I'm afraid there's more danger of me ruining modules trying to use the simple discharger. Just to verify: the pre-order discharger does automatically drop the current as needed to safely get to the voltage set for that discharge cycle and shut itself off at the end of the cycle?

EDIT: One more question: Do I understand correctly that the Prolong charger for the 2010-2015 Prius can be used for 2004-2009 Prii, but not the reverse?

Also, the module supplier and any suggestions for gloves?

By the way, thanks to everyone for the help. Being new to delving into the HV battery, I'm trying to gather as much info as possible to make sure I do it right from the start.

 

I looked at the install before I had even started this thread. Seems pretty simple, but I was concerned about the voltage underneath the white tabs, since I read somewhere it could be 120V even after pulling the safety disconnect, and I will need gloves when I crack the case for the rebuild.

 

So, I ordered the Discharge Ready kit, and hopefully I'll be able to pre-order the new discharger this coming week, if finances permit. I have a few more questions, and then I think I can leave you alone, at least for a while.

On the battery with the failed block code, is it possible a full reconditioning could bring it back to life, since the code could just be that the performance of one of the modules is way out of sync with the rest of the pack?

Before load testing modules, is it a good idea to at least balance the pack, if not attempt reconditioning? What are the dangers if a module has gone bad, like from a reversed cell?

I haven't found any corrosion so far, but if I do while installing the harness, will vinegar effectively stop any I may find?

 

UPDATE: So, I installed the harness and charger early this morning. I left the main power from the pack and the 12v disconnected after the transplant. When I reengaged the pack's service disconnect, the charger dropped to 209v at .349a. As of this writing, almost 1.5 hours later, I'm at 227v with amperage fluctuating between .348 and .349. So far, so good, I think...

 

Since you have a Prolong setup in your Highlander, I wonder if you could answer a question for me. (BTW, I also have a 2006 Highlander Hybrid with over 400k miles, only one HV replacement at just over 300k, but a ton of other problems.) Nowhere in the instructions did I find anything that said how you would know when the balancing was done. Will the unit shut itself off?

 

OK, so it will turn itself off. Since that's the case, it must still be balancing. It's been reading a steady 240v for several hours now, and .348a with the very occasional dip to .347a. The steady 240v is what concerned me, since that should be max voltage, right? Or is that just the voltage the unit is currently trying to feed into the pack, but it's not quite there yet?

 

And now we're up to 241 volts and steady...