P0A80, no signs of bad battery

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by rose908, Apr 29, 2020.

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  1. rose908

    rose908 Junior Member

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    I have a 2006 prius purchased used about 8 months ago which now has about 120k miles on it. We have not been driving it often for about a month and a half, although have tried to take it on a drive every week or so. A bunch of lights came on and the code read P0A80 and says HV battery needs to be replaced. When I had bought the car, I was told the hybrid battery had been replaced a few years prior and I believe it was new when replaced. We checked the 12 v battery and it was around 10.5 which is very low, so we changed it, thinking it could have caused the error code. After replacing the battery, the lights did not come on until the second drive and the error code came out the same. We are wondering if maybe we did not install the 12V battery correctly. I don't know why the HV battery would be bad, unless we just didn't drive it enough. Its a relatively new battery with less miles. We checked the battery power on the screen and it was going up fine and not fluctuating super quickly or staying at one bar. Also, no other error codes came up to indicate other issues, or specific issues with the HV battery. After replacing the 12 V battery some message came up on the touch screen telling us to call the dealer because there was something with the battery, it had a picture of a battery, and I am also wondering if it was the 12v or Hv battery it was talking about. The car seems to drive fine though although we haven't taken it on longer drives. We are going to have a mechanic check the codes in further detail to figure out exactly what is wrong. Any ideas what it is or why the code is coming up or the battery would fail so young?
     
    #1 rose908, Apr 29, 2020
  2. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Welcome to PriusChat!!

    Check the dealer service and maintenance history by running the VIN at : https://toyota.com/owners

    There is a possibility that your replacement HV battery wasn't a new OEM battery, and was actually a used battery with old modules.

    There are a slew of reasons for why a HV battery could fail, and being old or a lack of use is definitely a couple of them.

    If the vehicle currently goes "ready", then we can assume that the 12v source is fine. You can check it at the jump points with a voltmeter.

    Please post the OBD2 codes (DTCs) here once known. What device are you currently using to read the codes with at this time?
     
    #2 SFO, Apr 29, 2020
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  3. rose908

    rose908 Junior Member

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    So I have had issues with my 2006 prius hybrid battery. Had diagnostics done and was told battery life is around 30-50% and cell 6 is weak and needs to be replaced code P0A80 and P3000. The mechanic I was talking to was willing to replace and rebalance and recondition for 1200$ which seems a bit high. My husband is willing to just replace the cell, but I am afraid it won't last because he may not take into account reconditioning and rebalancing the cells. Is it worth him trying to do it? Is it necessary to recondition and rebalance? The mechanic told me if he did it, the battery would still last only 2-3 years. I am thinking it might be worth it to just pay for a refurbished battery that comes with a lifetime warranty. I called a bunch of places and it ranges from about 1500-2000 with installation for a refurbished battery that should last 3-5 years before needing a new replacement, and its covered by the warranty so it would be free or just installation costs to have them repair or replace the battery whenever the refurbished one fails. I also saw one that replaces it for about 1900 with a rebuilt battery with all new cells and was told it should last around 100k miles although it only has a 4 year warranty. The places I have looked include Priusking, GreenBean Battery and Green tec Auto.

    What do you recommend? Should I try to replace the bad cell? Is it worth trying at home for cheap? If I buy another battery who do you recommend? Any thoughts on the companies I mentioned?

    #1rose908, A moment ago
     
    #3 rose908, May 5, 2020
  4. rose908

    rose908 Junior Member

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    thanks
     
    #4 rose908, May 5, 2020
  5. George W

    George W Senior Member

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    Rebuilt HV batteries are always a risk, and the companies you mention will mix modules of varying age. If you use these companies, read the fine print as their warranties are not all the same. You may find yourself quite happy for a year, or you may find yourself seeking a warranty replacement in 6 months.

    An option to consider, new compatible modules from http://www.newpriusbatteries.com. $1600, and a DIY installation. It's not hard, takes a day, and full instructions are provided. The one glitch in that option may be that Covid-19 has created delivery backlog for some overseas products.

    If you are going to go with a price tag in the 1500-2000 dollar range, I'd select the new modules over used.
     
    #5 George W, May 5, 2020
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if your husband is willing to give it a shot, get a new battery from 'newpriusbatteries.com' for $1,600.
     
    #6 bisco, May 5, 2020
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  7. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    I would normally recommend newpriusbatteries but I think they have stock issues right now.
    Another option might be the Prolong charger and discharger from Hybrid Automotive along with buying replacement modules from them as needed. Their system balances and uses deep discharging and charging to extend the useful life to the battery.
    @Raytheeagle and others here have used that system successfully for a while.
     
    #7 Prodigyplace, May 5, 2020
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  8. kenoarto

    kenoarto Senior Member

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    A genuine Toyota battery can be found for less than $1600. Many Toyota dealers are currently giving 25% off all parts and repairs. I just had mine replaced for $1700 plus $445 for Toyota labor, taxes and a rental car. It also includes a three year nationwide Toyota warranty.
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #8 kenoarto, May 5, 2020
  9. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    As others have said above, the quality of the rebuild can vary, so if you're willing to rebuild the battery, so can be money ahead:).

    I found the prolong equipment to be effective at maintaining the batteries health, but it can also be used to rebuild batteries successfully;).

    One of the batteries we rebuilt out here lasted over a year and a half after the rebuild with no other maintenance. If the battery was maintained every so often, I bet the rebuild would still have been in service:).

    Good luck with your decision(y).
     
    #9 Raytheeagle, May 5, 2020
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  10. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    I second that. New over old all day long, if you want a reliable solution that you do only once and then forget it for another 10 - 15 years, that is. If you would consider that amount of money, you can try shopping around Toyota dealers to see if they will sell you a new OEM battery. To buy the battery may cost anywhere from $1620 to $1950 plus taxes and a core fee of $1350 that is refunded when you return the old battery. If your husband would consider attempting a module swap, he can do this.

    The thing with all of those second-hand (re-whatever) batteries, is you will need the warranty and probably multiple times until you get fed up with the whole thing. Lifetime warranty is a joke, and what do they class as a lifetime, anyway? I bet it is vastly different from your perception.
     
    #10 dolj, May 6, 2020
  11. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Many here replace bad modules with success, others don't want the risk of potentially breaking down again, and will buy a new OEM pack.

    Will vote for DIY at home, or try finding a verified decent used pack from a wreck online, or at one of the local junk yards. http://car-part.com/

    If you like the car, buy a new OEM pack from toyota and do a self installation. A new OEM will last 10 yrs or better.

    Here is a new OEM pack in Chester for $1847 :
    G951047031 - Toyota Battery assembly, hv supply. Electrical, wiring, cable | Loyalty Toyota, Chester VA


    And if you can drive a bit, here is a new OEM pack in Frederick MD for $1657 :
    G951047031 - Toyota Battery assembly, hv supply. Electrical, wiring, cable | DARCARS Toyota, Frederick MD


    There are other options as well.
     
    #11 SFO, May 9, 2020
    Last edited: May 9, 2020
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