Decided to replace my HV battery. About to finish installation. Have I missed anything?

I just picked up a new battery from Toyota for 2k after returning the core and all. I'm blocking out all of today to work on it. Wish me luck!

 

It is usually recommended to return the core after installing the new pack. If you forgot to remove something from the old one you will need to buy that part new.

 

Yes, thankfully @ericbecky reminded me of that before picking it up.

I should've clarified that it'll all come out to around 2k after I return the core.

 

Sorry. I assumed you already returned the core

 

@2k1Toaster would need to answer that.

I believe the warranty is 2 years, the same as buying a new Toyota pack and installing yourself. To date he has never had a warranty claim. I imagine the first kits are now outside their warranty.

 

Yes, warranty is 2 years / 25k miles. Double the time Toyota gives for self-installed packs. We also warrant fleet usage like Uber/Lyft/Taxi whereas Toyota says that's an automatic violation and the warranty goes to zero.

The first kits are now outside warranty. Mine is the oldest pack in use and works like new. The taxi company I last heard from had about 200k miles on it. Apparently this thing is driven 24/7.

We have had zero pack claims. We have had a total of 4 customers come back a year later and say they had an issue. In all 4 cases, as soon as the pack was opened the nut on the battery terminal was hand loose. Asked if it was tightened as per the instructions, the answer was "whaa?". So they were installed without a torque wrench and basically just tightened randomly by hand. Not understanding the high currents that flow through them let alone how vibration in a car affects the mating over time. And unfortunately when you get to the point you notice there is a problem, the pack has been unbalancing for usually a year. So it will take lots of miles to put it back into balance if you can't grid charge over many cycles.

We have had 2 installations gone wrong. 1 was posted here on PriusChat by my recommendation after my debug/analysis wasn't being listened to. I told them to solicit the advice from the herd. The resounding advice was exactly the advice I had given him. I felt bad his car had another problem, but that isn't my problem. I do advise people publicly here on PC and in private that putting a $1.6k battery in a car worth about as much is a very personal decision based on your car and only you know your car. And even then, if the engine blows up tomorrow, what are you going to do? The second installation was an older gentleman who I don't think had any mechanical abilities unfortunately. He attempted to install the pack, car would not boot. I troubleshooted him a few times but eventually he took it to a "mechanic" for help but he couldn't get it going. He was pretty angry and abusive towards myself and staff, but I took the pack back. Found out he removed all the end caps and then put them back on randomly breaking a few in the process. So his battery was not all in a serial daisy chain, but about 4 of the modules were in backwards. The car was smart enough to recognize this and not boot. So the batteries themselves were unharmed. That pack is currently installed in a different car and has been trouble free from installation to now after I replaced a lot of the end caps. We try to make the packs easy to install, but there are always ways to make it hard on yourself.

 

Customer is ALWAYS wrong with 2k1. He just can't resist the urge to lash out.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Buy a pack and find out yourself instead of continuing to slander myself and my business for no reason.

We have lots of stories where we have received the highest praise from customers. Replacing stolen packs for free. Replacing packs that literally blew away in a hurricane for free. We give out wiring harnesses and testers to those that need them. Had a few customers "upgrade" from a used Gen2 that died of other problems and then bought a Gen3 and transferred the pack over. Requires a new wiring harness which we sent for free. Have given some packs to people for free that have tough life situations. But I guess I am the hostile bad guy...

 

LOL! Case and point...2k1 just can't resist his urges to vent his anger. He thinks he is never wrong!

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

This is a totally uncalled for post.

I really don't know what problem you have with 2k1Toaster and his product, but really you need to check in your rage.

And having to deal with customers myself I can tell you that the customer IS very often wrong, especially when they are ignorant. But in the spirit of "customer relations", you suck it up (as did 2k1Toaster in these 4 cases).

Personally, I appreciate 2k1Toaster's candor relating to the experience he has had with these customers. I don't see it as the customer is always wrong, but I think, in these cases, they were. But that's just me.

 

To you it's worth what you paid until it dies. For a new buyer if you're trying to sell the car, it will vary on their level of knowledge about hybrid batteries. An experienced buyer will know it has zero additional value. A newbie will believe it to have a "new battery" and assume it's $3k-$5k worth from the dealer.

I believe the value of the pack you have now if you were to sell it is roughly equal to a pack of random salvaged modules which is what you have. $20—$30 per module, 28 modules.

 

Just placed my order tonight 2k!

 

I'm coming right up behind you @edthefox5 !