Hybrid battery not charging when idling in drive

your battery is on the way out. may not be too late for a prolong reconditioner, but likely is. yes, we have seen a number of gen 3 batteries die, but what that number is, we don't know. and it doesn't really matter.
a mech working hybrids for 13 years should have a copy of tech stream diagnostic software.

 

In the drive-thru, are you idling in P(ark) or D(rive) or N(eutral)? P is best, D still works (though isn't as safe). Don't use N, because it prevents battery recharge.

Drive-thru car washes are an issue when entering with a low battery charge while using air conditioning in hot weather, even with a good battery. It is worse with an old weak battery, which you likely have. Make sure you go in with the battery as high as practical -- at least 6 bars -- and turn off as many accessory loads as possible, especially the AC. If this still isn't enough, then your battery may be a short-timer. And use a different type of car wash, one where your car stays stationary during the wash.

 

The title and last sentence both stipulate in Drive.

It's the battery. If it was the inverter, you'd have issues either all the time or when it's overheating but that usually shuts the whole party down when it goes south.

 

Ambiguous, especially with lower case, clarification is needed.

I regularly deal with folks who commonly use that level of ambiguity, driving many misunderstandings and miscommunications.

 

Don't want to be blunt or too direct but before you actually buy any prius of any model, run it down to 2 bars and observe what happens in the next couple of minutes when idling. It shouldd never go down to 1 bar. Drive in EV with 2 bars, ice should kick on to charge the HV battery for 3 minutes on idle, HV batt then be back up to 2 - 3 bars with ICE going back to off.

There are a lot of great used prius out there, this is my method to help others to test and know which ones to not buy because without this basic HV battery test, youre buying someone else's problem.

 

Mine is when they dont' use the search feature and want to be hand feed everything, or when their glove box has the answers as well.

 

I'll just note that the folks I referred to here are outside PriusChat, in my face-to-face world.

 

it does sound like the battery is going south. we have seen some gen 3's go bad. 8 years and 240k, it is not unexpected. please keep us informed of your progress.

 

I have a 2011 prius nearing its batterys life cycles it still runs and drives fine just that it acts out from time to time gets sluggishly slow charging. I live in a hot climate use ac all the time. You dont need a grid charger per say you need to take it on a 400 mile highway trip going no less then 70mph to charge the battery because it needs a deep long charge to recover the cells from deep discharge. My car recovers for a few weeks and goes back to short charging cycles which cut mpg. You can buy an ebay hybrid grid charger but you will have to do the install yourself which isnt hard but requires some basic hand tools and safety gloves. You can buy a used low milage battery from a wrecking yard way less then dealer.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

There are many threads here recommending to NOT use those types of car wash for a Prius due to discharging when in Neutral. Since your HV battery is quite old, the symptoms of doing so are more pronounced.
At this time a Prolong battery reconditioning system may extend the life of the battery but using the car wash like that shortens the remaining life by discharging the pack deeper than normal.

 

Okay that pinpoints you're issue. "ONLY in neutral," and then a few more times that you mentioned. HV battery never gets charge in neutral, not even when going down hill at hwy speeds. You need to leave it on PARK even when idling, it's not like a regular car. Never go neutral, never ever because HV battery will never get charge.

 

Get a waterless car wash bottle, those work great. Saves money and 100 gallons of water per wash.

 

If you absolutely need to use drive in car wash, avoid the ones that requires you to put gear into neutral. AM/PMs here have those you pull up and stay stationary the whole time. It might not be as clean-effective as the one your going to but it will save a chunk of money replacing the HV battery.

 

The thread title is misleading then. You are not idling in Drive, but idling in Neutral. Big difference for a Prius.
If the issue is happening in Drive too, the battery may be too far deteriorated for reconditioning to rescue without some careful module replacement. Hybrid Automotive who sell the Prolong charger also sell good used modules if needed.

 

If a penny was put in a piggy bank for the each time I've come across a misleading thread title on priuschat, Id be a millionaire.