Recommended source for replacement traction batteries?

I've bought used tires many times. The problem with your analogy is that a tire is a mechanical device. I can look at it and tell immediately how much life is left in it. A battery is a chemical device, and without sophicated load testing equipment, the average person cannot accurately measure how much life is left in it.
To the point @fotomoto made, these batteries are getting older. And a battery wears out as much from time as it does use. If I was looking for a salvage battery from a wrecking yard, I would much rather have a 3 year old battery with 100K miles than a 10 year old battery with 20K miles.
When you buy from these "rebulders", you have no idea of the age or miles of the cells you're buying.

 

Stay far away from any commercially rebuilt batteries. They are not reliable. Call Tampa Hybrids. They can usually get a pack from a newer lower mileage wrecked car. I believe @jerrymildred here did that and was very satisfied.

 

I say you work for Green Bean or get commission on referrals. Your advice is directly against the experience of 90% of the users here. People ask questions here to profit from that experience.

The only users here that are recommended have had NO warranty claims. The issue with Green Bean and others is that the car is unreliable and you WILL need their warranty. When Green Bean themselves posted here we asked for warranty claim percentages to compare with a user here. The user gave his zero percentage and Green Bean fled.

 

The point I'm making is not that tires are like a battery. It's about buying something (anythihng) used at a much lower price with the knowedge that it's not as good as a new one, won't last as long as a new one.

 

The main issue with commercially repaired packs is they repair them with used, not yet failed modules and cannot spend the time to properly match modules, balance & test while still making a profit on the pack. You end up with a car that functions again but will likely fail at any time with no advance notice. People usually depend on cars for reliable transportation. They lose the reliability with a commercially repaired pack.

Some hobbyists here like @TMR-JWAP spend the time as a hobby and enjoy providing reasonably reliable, tested packs. He runs almost every pack in his own car before selling.

 

I had a "rebuilt" battery in a 2006 done in a shop that is still fine now over 3 years later. He charged $500 and gave a 1 year warranty. I'm not defending greenbean or any other company, just making a point that new isn't always the only way.

 

There's a very quick way to determine just how "tested" a rebuilt battery is. Look at the warranty. If it says the warranty is void if the car is unused for 30 days? Run away....because that means they're concerned about the modules having significant self discharge problems. Anyone can build a battery with modules that have self-discharge problems and it will work perfect as long as it's driven frequently. Park the car for 30 days due to vacation, life issues, COVID, etc and guess what? Warranty is now VOID. This clause is in pretty much all 'big' rebuilder paperwork, usually near the bottom or near the end of the paperwork.

An OEM new battery can sit for 2+ years, be installed in a car and fire that puppy right up. Often, the Gen 2s in my driveway may sit for 6 months or more without being used. I've never had a problem. The batteries that I've build for people? I don't care if you let it sit for a year or more. I know that HV battery will be fine. If it's not, that's because it had a module in it that should not have been used. If an HV battery codes out because it sat longer than 30 days? Well, that's something that was well within a good builder's realm of responsibility.

Directly from their website....

THIS WARRANTY EXCLUDES FAILURE DUE TO:

• Improper installations conducted by individuals or businesses that are not Green Bean contracted installers
• Batteries installed in vehicles that are stored for a period of thirty (30) days or more.
• Physical damage caused after the delivery of the battery to the customer
• Removal, tampering, or damage to warranty labels
• Any modification or bypass of vehicle systems not in congruence with manufacturer specifications
• Reinstallation of the HV battery into a different vehicle
• Poor vehicle maintenance – including engine failure to start or poor engine power conditions which discharge the hybrid battery due to the engine failing to start or properly run.
• Vehicle conditions that may cause premature failure.
• Flooding, Fire, or other damaging incidents in which the batteries environment is compromised.
• Any condition beyond the control of Green Bean Battery, Inc.

 

Well I guess you can now finally know that throughout your life, when you thought you were right, you were completely wrong.

 

He poked me for taking the time to quote his zillions of posting about Green Bean. Definitely the pot calling the kettle black since he took much more time in his spirited promotion of the company in writing all those messages in the first place. LOL.

Holy crap, the Green Bean excludes that? Seems like that speaks volumes for what is really going on during the build process. That alone would cause me to avoid.

 

If it is 2007, I will get a reputable mechanics to install new pack battery for about $2000 (parts only). Or you an just do it by yourself replacing each battery blocks (28 peaces). In Tallahassee, FL there is a shop called Import Authority who can do new battery from Dealer installed for less than $3k, I believe it was $2800 total. But for cars that worth less than $3000, I would get used battery or repack battery for about $800 installed from Ebay or locally for 1 year warranty and sell it. Or if you love it so much, $3000 for excellent running Prius is worth .

 

Tampa Hybrids is another reputable shop. Todd sometimes can find a low mileage pack from a wrecked Prius. @jerrymildred here can vouch for Tampa Hybrids.

Todd was the first to put Gen 4 NiMH modules in a Gen 2 Prius.

 

I just paid $1700 plus $445 for install, taxes and fees = $2145 total for a genuine Toyota battery, at my friendly local Toyota dealer. They even threw in a free rental car. Glad to have Toyota's nationwide three year warranty, too.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Are you talking about 06 highlander hybrids? Can I get a quote for a good Hybrid battery and installation? I’d like it to last at least 5 to 8 years or more. Some Toyota parts stores sell the highlander hybrid battery ( part number G951048011 ) for $4,000 after core deposit.


Is it difficult to install this on your own? This video for 06 highlander hybrid

makes it look easy. How much would it cost to get a third party mechanic to install it since it’s about two hours of work.

If reconditioned are bad, what mechanics are recommended and how much for cheaper?

 

What would you charge for an 06 highlander hybrid to replace or fix the battery and total cost?

 

is a used highlander hybrid battery worth it? I was under the impression they break down mainly bc of age. Why are 2006 to 2007 highlander batteries less prone to break down I thought the earlier gens like the earlier Prius were prone to failing or are you referring to newer gen highlander hybrids.

 

Insert your source(s) below please.

 

the old Toyota hybrids used NiMH batteries. In consumer applications other than EVs these batteries originally had a very short lifespan of a few hundred to at most a thousand cycles which works out to only a few years. I.e:

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/cycle_performance_of_nicd_nimh_and_li_ion

 

So do some Gen 4 Prii like my 2017 Trim Two. The Li-Ion has been used it the PiP since 2012. Based on next to zero failure rates mentioned here I say your claim is BS.

 

I don't think this is a reasonable expectation for a 14 year old car and battery to survive to 22 years old. So you could invest thousands into a new battery and hope its holder (the rest of the Highlander) makes it to 22 years old. Your questions suggest that you are not a DIY mechanic. Any old car can get very expensive when you have to pay others to keep it running.

Well, I seem to be the source.

You'll have to accept my first hand experience as my source. The second Gen Prius out sold the early Highlander Hybrid about seven to one in the US so there are alot more Prius batteries out there that can fail. Compared to the hundreds and hundreds of Prius batteries I have rebuilt I have worked on just two Highlander Hybrids and two Lexus 400h. All four of the batteries failed because they got wet. One was a flood car, the owner of another cleaned the interior with a garden hose, the third was subjected to an over active car detailer, and the fourth went through a rain storm with the sunroof and windows open. When Highlander interiors get wet the water pools in the bottom of the battery where the relays and computer are located. It's not pretty. I have yet to see a Highlander battery die a natural death.

So yes, the Highlander batteries do not fail anywhere near the rate the Prius batteries do.

Not many people want to invest $5800 in a 14 year old car. Used batteries can be bought from junkyards starting at $300. Add in installation labor and that's a reasonable investment to get a few more years out of an old car.

 

Is there some design reason why highlander hybrid batteries fail less in your professional opinion? Or is it simply that bc there’s so few on the road that you statistically see less. So let’s say there’s an equal number of the 06 to 07 highlander hybrid to priuses of that hybrid tech produced, why would the highlander hybrid battery be more reliable?

I see Toyota part G951048011 is sold at many Toyota stores for $4000 after core return. But I am unsure if Toyota stores will sell it and accept the core if I install it myself.

How much is installation and warranty from you if I were to do a new genuine Toyota hybrid battery and installation? What would you personally recommend for this car - new cells, remanufactured, used, etc.? How would one even go for used at a junkyard? Seems like a rare vehicle to find and then you’d have to disassemble it - is that something you are able to find?

I just did the spark plugs, water pump, radiator, timing belt, and timing idlers/tensioners for $1000, so if the car lasts me another 4 to 10 years I’ll be happy maintaining it. I like the suv a lot bc I often put the 2nd and 3rd row seats down flat and nap, or use the vehicle for car camping with AC at night in humid Florida weather in the keys, truck stops when I’m traveling cross country and need a place to rest, cities, etc. Love the reclining third row where I sit and put the second row seats down and spread my legs out, the ability to tow 3500 lbs, and I have CarPlay, JBL premium Bluetooth audio, roof rails, and backup camera. 0 to 60 mph of I believe 6.6 to 6.9s which rivals many midsized luxury sedan acceleration like the 2015 e class Benz e350 which is 0 to 60 of 6.5s. I also think the exterior styling of this car is attractive vs the Prius which I’m not so fond of. I only pay 15 dollars a month in car insurance given the age of the car (on a family plan). A 30k highlander hybrid would cost me $120 a month in insurance so I figure I am saving about $1000 a year from car insurance. Depreciation is also minimal to zero. In four years, this vehicle could be sold for $4000, and I paid $6800 originally. Engine has 158k miles so I’m hoping it will go another 100k miles for at least another 4 to 5 years.

If I can upgrade the hybrid battery for about $4000 self install, or about $4400 total if a mechanic does it, and the battery lasts ten years to me that seems better than buying say a 2017 highlander hybrid for $30k and after three years it depreciating $8500. Or a 2010 to 2013 highlander hybrid for $16k. I’ve seen listed 06 to 07 highlander hybrids being sold between 200k to 500k miles.

It seems the main issue after that is the abs actuator failing and that’s a $2500 job but other than that it seems overall reliable and long lasting. The VIN for mine is also when the inverter problem was fixed.

I also saw an installation video for the 06 highlander hybrid battery on YouTube and it looks easy but I’m mostly concerned about the high voltage and it possibly killing but the instructions have you disconnect and discharge, and wear 1000v gloves for protection. It’s a simple disassembling of the seats, and battery replacement for about two to three hours of work.

Here’s the video: