Opinion=Is Hybrid Battery Reconditioning, just a temporary fix?

Nothing lasts forever

 

Purchased my 2006 Gen2 with a bad HV battery and bad 12V battery from the prior owner (after they got the more than $4000 estimate for HV battery alone from the local Toyota dealer). I paid $800 for a reconditioned HV battery installed about 5 1/2 months ago. Since getting the reconditioned battery installed, I have put more than 8000 miles on my Gen2. Now HV battery charges nicely.

IIRC, SOC reported by the Torque Pro app is usually between 62% and about 72% (sometimes goes a bit higher after a long downhill grade - say 75 or 76% after a long downhill grade). Car goes nicely in EV mode at between 25 and 35mph. I am averaging between city and highway driving between 46 and 48mpg (we have had a warmer spell lately and fuel economy has increased a bit but is NOT reflected in the 46 to 48mpg numbers). All battery cells are within 2/10V of each other as reported by the Torque Pro app.

 

Of course. Batteries don't last forever. One just needs to define "temporary".

I wanted at least another year out of a failed battery (threw codes, turtle mode, etc) and got that by replacing the failed module(s) and conditioning it for the next year.

 

I've had no luck with reconditioned cells etc. I went and got a new gen3 battery from toyota for $3k and installed myself. Car has been running well for 2 years now with max mpg and no CEL lights and minor battery depletion overnight.

The only reason I spent so much money, was because I'll take the battery with me to a new car if I have to. All toyotas use same gen 3 battery to 2010.

SM-G960U ?

 

Is it temporary? Of course. So is a new car.

Probably, but it depends on the condition of the battery and how good of a job you do.

See the above answer.

All it would cost me is parts.

 

And that result is no different than the results obtained in the last 100 years or so for all battery types since they first came into common use.

There is a "snake oil" solution for almost any problem.
And there never is a shortage of people willing to buy it.

 

I paid $800 for my rebuilt battery installed and it appears to be working properly. Especially, now that I learned State of Charge (AKA "SOC") should not exceed 80% ( a gauge on my Torque Pro with Gen2 PID) . Remember, I bought a pig in a poke when I bought my Gen2. As both the 12v and HV batteries were shot. As a result, I had to rely on the Toyota analysis of the problem and their recommendations on fixing the problem. I would never have paid $2000 for a new HV battery for such a car (with so little knowledge of its running ability).

PS I paid under $1000 for my Gen2. Thus, a $2000 HV battery was a no-go initially.

PPS If I decide that I am going keep this Prius for the long haul (say another 100k miles) then maybe I would buy a new Toyota HV battery and sell my existing battery for what I have into it.

 

it's like an oil change. good for the car regarding longevity.

 

Yes... Exactly... You aren't "fixing" something that's broken... Reconditioning is a basic maintenance requirement for all nickel-based batteries and Toyota decided it was more profitable to design the vehicle to run on only 50% capacity due to a lack of a built in reconditioning system. And think of how much money they've made selling brand new packs because a healthy battery in need of reconditioning maintenance isn't offered as an option? Yet another example of a lack of consumer protection laws...

 

I do not think you will find an answer on this since results vary from a few days to few years. I had a battery reconditioned at 160k 8 months ago and now I have 170k and luckily still no codes.

I paid $580 including reconditioning, 2 trips to my house, loaner battery for 2 weeks and removal and installation of both batteries.

 

Here we go again with off the wall claims.
"all" nickel based batteries are NOT the same.
Things that you learned about NiCad batteries do NOT (generally) apply to other nickel formulas.