I don't recommend the aftermarket battery from newpriusbatteries

fix your old failed battery and put it back in the car. See if anything changes.

It could be the battery causing issues or it could just be your driving. Ex 80psi air pressure? 90mph on the freeway? You need to look into this a little more.....

but with all things, there can be defective products and if so, this should be replaced if the battery is not up to snuff (maybe just a single block)

 

By "upgraded" are you referring to the ones with cylindrical cells? I once had a conversation with a fellow who researches NiMH batteries. He thought the prismatic type used in the Prius were much better than the cylindrical ones used in the Honda Civic Hybrid (and apparently also used in at least one non-Toyota new battery pack for the Prius). My own experience with a replacement pack for my last car, a HCH, was that the pack went bad very quickly. Above and beyond the theoretical differences in the two battery types, the quality of the Chinese made cylindrical batteries seems not to be so good. Conversely I have not yet heard anybody claim that Toyota's replacement packs are not as good as their original ones.

 

You can load test the modules, see if the capacity is similar in the entire pack.

I had a 2006 that had engine issues that have new poor mileage, even with a new battery. The engine would need more than usual battery assistance on hills and it brought the SOC charge lower at a much faster rate.

But you mentioned this happened right after the change, so I think you should load test

 

I'll say the same thing I said before. It is highly unlikely that a battery can be causing the problems you are seeing. With a high mileage vehicle such as yours, it is much more likely that something else like brakes, tires, engine itself, etc is contributing to lower mpgs. The battery was needed but it wasn't the only thing needed.

The batteries are tested in production multiple times and before shipment. While highly unlikely, it is possible you got a test escape. But the symptoms you describe is not similar to what you would have with a bad battery as you'd see codes. What you are seeing is that your car is working harder to go forwards than it should be. That lowers the mpg's and does everything you are seeing. I'd start looking to see what is causing that.

 

Not the same. The whole reason the product exists is because the modules that existed previous were crap. Our modules are as close as possible to the prismatics but in cylindrical form. It does mean ours is more dense (less volume for the same energy) which is one reason why back in the early 1990's they had to go with Prismatics even though they wanted to use cylindricals. Technology improved over 30 years and the cylindrical form factor is no longer a limitation.

The Honda hybrid system is the limiting factor. One reason I don't sell batteries for the Honda hybrids even though I own some.

 

please repost this in one of the two (or both) newpriusbatteries threads, so other users can comment

 

It did NOT happen right after the change according to previous emails. The efficiency dropped gradually over time and became very bad. The original battery also died and it was replaced at that time. This is common to most failed batteries but it also masks other problems that aren't the battery. When the battery is new and the problems don't go away, that means something else is causing it.

If there is actually a problem with the battery, we can swap it for another kit. But I see no evidence it is the kit.

 

What jumps out at me on this report is the lack of codes. Most everything that can go wrong with the battery (and all of the electronics) sets some sort of code. Anything as bad as what you describe would probably set the triangle of death.

Something's dragging, like a brake or a broken part in the engine or transmission. I'd still expect a code to be set. No handling problems?

This just doesn't smell like a battery problem. Do a full Techstream health check to see if there are any codes set that aren't serious enough to trigger the triangle of death.

 

You should check your max tire pressure rating, I don't think 60 psi is a safe level. they should max out at 50.

The battery SOC meter in the car is not an overall reading of the complete 28 modules in the pack (14 in your case). It pretty much reads the lowest block and the highest block voltages. So if you have a weak block, it would charge and discharge quickly. That's because the energy storage capacity is reduced in a weak module. Also the car's design is not to fully charge and discharge the battery, you SOC meter should hold around 5-7 bars. If it's fluctuating up and down a lot, there's something not exactly right. And that something else could be anything...bad engine, brakes, battery, anything. As mentioned on my earlier post, I had a 2006 that did this with a newer battery and it was the weak engine I had in the car that caused the issues.

I have read you can do load testing of the battery with apps like Dr. Prius and hybrid assistant. I haven't done it myself but there should be some write up on it. You can load test the pack and see if there is indeed a weak block that's causing you to see the reduced capacity and quick discharges. It only takes 1 block out of the 14 to do what you're seeing.

 

Okay , first thanks to the OP of the thread. I am also a owner of this battery pack style as well. The past five years I have purchased and tried rebuilt Dorman hybrid battery pack, Toyota OEM hybrid battery pack, and the "NewPriusBatteries" hybrid battery pack.

The Dorman fail on the first get go and I swap that pack for a warranty return which failed as well then got a OEM Toyota and had no issue

I tested my New Prius Batteries and had the similar issues the OP has stated.
The Toyota OEM pack is the best way to go.

IMHO
New Prius Batteries
Really have the following issues

Will have additional labor assemble time because of a inferior design structure quality

Not OEM quality level

Cylindrical Pack/Cell lifespan quality not independently third party tested

 

First I'm hearing of this. You bought a kit and it had problems? Returned it?

These issues as described however don't sound like a battery pack issue. We've had nothing but positive outcomes from people that have sent in updates many thousands of miles later

 

What you're saying is the battery capacity is not like an OEM battery? Where it won't throw a failure code but the battery is very weak?

 

A weak battery (low capacity) will not throw codes as long as the modules are in relative balance.

However for this to be true of our brand new pack, we would needed to have failed capacity in all 14 new modules. Once one module has poor capacity it will charge and discharge out of whack with the rest of the pack. This is the same things that causes whack-a-mole replacements. If 13 of the 14 new modules were good at 6.5Ah and the 14th below that, even by a little bit, codes WOULD be thrown. The only way for this to be true without codes being thrown is that all 14 modules would have had to be faulty and missed detection at the factory multiple times and at the shop in Colorado before shipment. All 14 would have to fail yet pass the tests. This would mean we basically had no tests. It is highly unlikely for this to be possible. It is possible, but the number is so low, it is what a non-engineer would call impossible.

All of our equipment, at 2 separate geolocations with 3 different models of test equipment, would have to be faulty or not calibrated in the same way to fail in the same way. Highly unlikely. That's why test plans are written that way. Different equipment, different areas run by different people needing to get the same results multiple times and at different times.

 

I would like to Return the kit if that is what you are suggesting?

 

Yes has issues and problems

 

If it is not used, then we can take it back. We have had no returns, yet we have had multiple people claiming to have purchased kits ask for refunds and returns that never made orders.

You can PM me your order number or email me. I don't seem to have a record of any email about your problems. Like I said, all has been good except for people with installation problems which have been worked through.

And still without any type of codes, it's unlikely it actually is the battery. These are going in vehicles with 200k or 300k miles. It's not going to be like brand new.