Traction battery down to one bar flashing indicator

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by B. Roberts, Jun 17, 2017.

  1. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    2013 Prius V being pulled through car wash in neutral, engine on, and big battery indicator goes to 1 bar and requests that car be put in "Park". That can't happen until the car is released from the car wash, so when it does finish, shifted to Park for charging. After a while the battery charge indicator reached 1/2.

    This Prius V just had it's 60,000 mile checkup and fluids change. Since that time the battery charge indicator has not climbed above the 1/2 full level. Had been cycling to full bars before the checkup.

    Any ideas why all of a sudden this might be happening?

    Still picture of yellow flashing battery level indicator and Energy Monitor below.


    [​IMG][/URL][/IMG] [​IMG][/URL][/IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #1 B. Roberts, Jun 17, 2017
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    It is normal for a battery to cycle and also normal to go up high and to not go up high. It is more common that the battery stay a couple bars below full, that's its happy level.

    When you get to 1 bar, you still have 40% battery left. The message just means that the car wants to charge the battery and you as the user are doing something that is preventing the car from being happy. Nothing wrong with that, and as long as you don't drain the battery to next to nothing, all will be fine. Once you shift into P or D or B then the engine is allowed to spin and recharge the battery and everyone is happy.
     
    #2 2k1Toaster, Jun 17, 2017
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  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    (1) How many bars were showing before you entered the car wash? If city driving patterns immediately prior to entrance produce a low battery level, then it isn't surprising to have it drop to alarm levels while in the tunnel;

    (2) Was AC running? This drains the battery particularly fast.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, Jun 17, 2017
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  4. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    #4 Air_Boss, Jun 17, 2017
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    don't panic, give it some time. when did you go through the carwash?
     
    #5 bisco, Jun 17, 2017
  6. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    Looks like it might have had 3 bars at the beginning of the car wash. A/C was most likely on, but the fact that during the few days it has been after the car went in for its 60,000 mile maintenance, the battery has not cycled above the half way point or 4 bars, even during a 122 mile highway trip earlier today, it's a bit concerning. It would always eventually fully charge, especially on the downhill side of the trip. The car is scheduled to go on a fairly long trip on Monday, so they will keep a close eye on it.

    I wish I had more details, but I wasn't in the car when all this happened. Thanks all for the info... I'll continue to check back for more responses and will update what happens during the first leg of their trip which should initially cover about 700 miles.
     
    #6 B. Roberts, Jun 17, 2017
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  7. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    I think it's on the dash display... 1:47 pm?
     
    #7 B. Roberts, Jun 17, 2017
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    today? it's probably fine. drive it for a week and let us know how it's going.
     
    #8 bisco, Jun 17, 2017
  9. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    They will be on a fairly long trip starting tomorrow. Will definitely be driven some.
     
    #9 B. Roberts, Jun 17, 2017
  10. Tiffany Melendez

    Tiffany Melendez New Member

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    Good pictures!
     
    #10 Tiffany Melendez, Jun 22, 2017
  11. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    Update:

    The first part of the trip from southwest Virginia to north central Massachusetts has been made. The traction battery charged and discharged as it would normally do. It topped off during the early phase... 100 miles or so... of the trip. I'm pretty sure now that the perceived low traction battery level problem and the dash warning that it caused was due mostly the circumstances of their trip preparation, short errand distances, the heat, and the long wait at the car wash. The next leg of the trip will bring the Prius v here to the hills of Maine for about a week and I'll get a first hand look and maybe even a drive in the thing at that time.
     
    #11 B. Roberts, Jun 23, 2017
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  12. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Looks good to re-dispatch to final destination!
     
    #12 Air_Boss, Jun 24, 2017
  13. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    My two cents worth: I find it quite interesting that it took 100mi to bring your traction battery to full charge. Mine will go from 1 or 2 bars to full charge in about 2 miles of driving. I have car in normal mode (not ECO or POWER). I wonder if there isn't something else going on.
     
    #13 EZW1, Jul 17, 2017
  14. Bmr4life

    Bmr4life Member

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    #14 Bmr4life, Jul 18, 2017
  15. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    We have never gotten the HV battery's very top semi-bar to illuminate. "Near full"
     
    #15 Air_Boss, Jul 18, 2017
  16. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    Last week I needed to sit in the car and tweak some of the settings on my ScanGauges. It was very hot & humid here in Southern New Hampshire, and so the A/C was on, and I noticed that the SoC went from 66% (green/blue bars) to 40% (purple bars) in about 10 mins. The ICE cycled on/off to keep the TractionBattery charged to at least 40%. Later, I needed to use the car, and even though it was only a short errand (~12 miles) when I returned home, the TractionBattery was green bars, with about 65% SoC. I mentioned this in a recent post, so why am I repeating it here? :confused: Why indeed? :rolleyes:
    Moral: Let the computers in your Prius do their thing, don't over agonize, don't worry! (…be happy! :rolleyes: :whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle:)
     
    #16 WilDavis, Jul 24, 2017
  17. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    So sorry, I should've clarified in the original post: I meant to say "Mine will go from 1 or 2 bars to 8 bars in 2 mi of driving" (near full). The only time I've got all 10 bars lit up is regen braking downhill for about 30 secs or coasing down a long hill using engine brake. Sorry for the confusion.
     
    #17 EZW1, Jul 25, 2017
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