Prius 2006 dilemma with low miles

What is the dilemma? The weak block, having to replace it, or may be a continuous project.

Pristine Prius with 69K miles and having the skills to recondition and rebuild the HV battery shouldn't be a dilemma. I would look forward to the project. Depends on your mechanical skills.

How far miles to drive and driving restriction, shouldn't be a problem if no check engine lights or red triangle.

 

You’d be crazy to sell it for this reason.

 

with a gem like that, i would put in a new battery. no worries as long as you keep it, and when you're ready to sell, it will be worth more.

 

And if your later question was for opinions about tightening things to the specified 48 inch-pound torque, yes, that's important.

48 inch pounds is quite a low torque (by automotive wrenching standards) and requires using a torque wrench with a suitably low range so that 48 inch pounds will not fall in its inaccurate lower region. Overdoing it can risk direct module damage by breaking the studs, and underdoing it can risk damage through localized heating.

 

It is certainly possible that this could turn into a "continuous project". The problem is that the modules that you purchase are unlikely to be in the same condition (effective capacity and state of charge) as the existing modules in the pack. So the voltages may not be very close to each other under all charge and discharge conditions. If the voltage differential between any of the blocks (1 block = 2 modules in series) becomes too large then the battery ecu will set more codes.

Based on the various threads in the forums, I would guess that "just replacing the bad module(s)" has around 10% chance of being successful.

What seems to work better is to perform slow discharge and charge cycles beyond the normal upper and lower voltage limits. Some use a grid charger to cycle all the modules at one time, while others use (multiple) hobby RC chargers to do individual modules. Both take more time and knowledge to perform well vs. just replacing the entire pack.

Use the search function to find days of reading about refurbishing the battery.


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After replace the failing module(s), you should recondition/balance the HV battery by using a "grid charger".

Though I've traveled on the Autobahn in a tiny Polo at 220+ kph, I wouldn't recommend exceeding 120 kph in a Prius with an older battery.

 

Well, search and read posts. Lots of people replace a module or two (no other balancing or cycling), maybe it goes a week or two or maybe it doesn't work at all, and the ecu sets a P30xx- "block #xx becomes weak". So they replace THOSE modules. And repeat as needed.

There's a name for it here. Whack a mole.

I think I have seen A single thread where someone got a year or two with no problems. Maybe a couple others where they went 6 months to a year.

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let us know your results!

 

are you experiencing the high prices of used cars like we are?

i would never take a dealers word for anything

 

I’ve been down this exact same road 5 years ago with an 06 with only 42k miles. (See link in signature below).

The repair method (wak-a-mole) fixes the weakest link in an old chain of modules..... till the next bad link breaks. To continue the analogy, a 17 year old battery is a very rusty chain.

Replacing the battery with a new one is the best in terms of both performance and reliability and will only increase the value of the vehicle. Other than a higher initial cost, there really is no other downside.

 

A low mileage 06 Prius is a rare find and worth fixing and keeping. It's worth throwing a new HV battery in it and when you go to sell it having a new battery with a receipt will make it worth more on the already high used market. Just do diagnostics on all the major systems and if it checks out OK, spend the scratch on a new HV pack (not refurb) and you will have a very reliable vehicle for a long time with good resale value when you're done with it.

Unless you are willing to spend a lot of time trying to revive an old pack, and doing that on a regular basis going forward, you should really consider a new HV pack.

 

Could also build a cheap grid charger.

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