Hi guys....so my mechanic tells me I need a new hybrid battery because it’s complete dead. I have an 04 with over 300k miles on it. Yesterday I couldn’t get the car to turn over at all...the power button got up to orange and that was it. What is the best way to fix the issue? I understand it can cost 2500-4k to buy and replace the battery correct? It’s at the shop now and the mechanic is trying to charge up the 12v battery and see if he can get the gas running. Suggestions on where to go from here are most appreciated.
Without knowing the DTCs (OBD2 codes), it would be difficult to offer direction at this point. A HV battery assembly is running 1700+ tax/core at a somewhat local dealer, you can call around to see if a closer dealer will price match : Parts like G9510-47031 Installation, including cleaning up the HV battery fan assembly shouldn't take over 4 hours. This may not include 'part pickup', or core return. There are a bunch of DIY videos online, maybe someone you know can do the install or offer you a hand.
yeah, you can't do much with a bad 12v. get that out of the way first, and come back with the real problem, as diagnosed with prius aware code reader. be cautious of mechanics without one
Since you're near Tampa, it may be worth your time to speak with Todd at Tampa Hybrids. The owner is a member here and he's been known to work on a few batteries. Not sure if he's still doing batteries, but if not, he could surely point you in the right direction. The Prius is not very friendly toward mechanics that are unfamiliar with Toyota Hybrid systems. That typically ends up being very unfriendly to your bank account while you're paying for guess work. Home - Tampa Hybrids Inc. And..... The 12v battery is not the battery that gets the gas engine running. The 12v battery powers up all the electronics, headlights, etc. When you put your foot on the brake and press the power button, the 12v system closes the main relays in the HV battery to allow HV Battery power to be sent to the rest of the car. Once the 12v system gets the car to READY condition, the HV battery applies power to the inverter. Then, in simple terms, the inverter then sends power to the transaxle to make it act like a large starter motor. The transaxle spins the engine to make the engine start. If the 12v battery is dead or weak, it won't be able to properly power up all the electronics in the car. If the electronics aren't properly powered up, the car will have a difficult time getting to READY condition.
