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HELP! Hybrid battery died.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Desert Flier, Apr 24, 2021.

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  1. Desert Flier

    Desert Flier Member

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    Weekend greetings! I got the red triangle of death this morning with all of the associated chimes and other lights. Battery charges up and depletes within minutes. Sometimes won't charge at all and shows one bar. I will confirm codes with my Techstream and update the post when the car gets towed home. My question is simply what is the best company for a replacement hybrid battery. I can do the work myself and would pay extra for plug and play but am capable of tearing the pack down and building it up of needed. For the record I'm not interested in changing out one or two bad cells. I'm looking for a complete rebuild. I know this info is on here somewhere but I'm in a time crunch so I apologize for asking a question that has been asked hundreds of times and posting it in the general forum. Just in a pinch.

    Dave
     
    #1 Desert Flier, Apr 24, 2021
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    #2 bisco, Apr 24, 2021
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    duplicate
     
    #3 bisco, Apr 24, 2021
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  4. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    #4 mr_guy_mann, Apr 24, 2021
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  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Don't spend money before reading the codes. It could turn out you've got one of the other couple hundred reasons for that triangle to light up.
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Apr 24, 2021
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    except for the rapidly fluctuating battery icon
     
    #6 bisco, Apr 24, 2021
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  7. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    Earnhardt Toyota $1657.50 Online? Probably.

    Auto parts Mesa, AZ | Earnhardt Toyota

    Camelback Toyota $1699

    https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-battery-g951047031

    earnhardt toyota.JPG
     
    #7 alftoy, Apr 24, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2021
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  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    If somebody wants to precommit $1700 based on that before asking the car what it wants to tell them about, I guess I can't stop them.
     
    #8 ChapmanF, Apr 24, 2021
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did the price go up?
     
    #9 bisco, Apr 24, 2021
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  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    @ChapmanF is right. Make sure it's really bad before you spend four figures on replacing it. (Which I assume from your original post, you intend to do.) At that age, a failed battery wouldn't be surprising, but it could be corroded wiring or other things.

    If it is the battery, the two best options have already been supplied -- Toyota or New Prius Batteries. Next best would be a near new used one from a junkyard.
     
    #10 jerrymildred, Apr 24, 2021
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  11. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Does the HV battery fan located near the back passenger seat run at a higher, or more audible speed ?
    Assuming you need such, and If you have some time and a few extra bux, you might want to get in line for the new lithium pack.
     
    #11 SFO, Apr 24, 2021
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  12. Desert Flier

    Desert Flier Member

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    OK thanks for the replies. I had a little time tonight to check some codes. P0A80, P3023, P3000, C1310. Battery fan is running on high continuously until I reset codes. Once codes are tripped again the fan runs on high. I inspected the fan and ducts a year ago when I was repairing a hatch seal leak and they looked very clean. The inlet to the fan seems to be pulling air easily. Looking at live data block 13 was always 1.0 volt lower than the rest of the blocks and at one point was 1.24 volts lower. All other blocks seem to be behaving normally. Cleared codes. Same codes came back within a few minutes. Engine sounds "different"...idles up and down slightly and acts like it's under a slight load at times while in park. On the information display screen I noticed that the battery would indicate anything from fully charged to fully depleted within just a few minutes while idling in the driveway. A few weeks ago I started noticing that the display showed the batteries charging and depleting faster than in the past (I'm not the primary driver so I didn't think too much of it). The other morning I started the car and noticed that the indicator showed 1 red bar after sitting overnight. The previous night the car was just driven home about 10 miles and parked without any idle time.

    Tomorrow I will disconnect the 12V battery and test it to see how healthy it is and recheck tech stream data. I don't know the history of this battery as I bought the car used. When I had the trunk apart last year I noticed some yellow crayon/chalk writing on the battery case that did not seem like something you would see on an OEM battery so I am assuming the original battery has been replaced or worked on.

    Members seem to like newpriusbatteries.com or OEM from dealer. I have also researched:

    Greentecauto.com NEW upgraded capacity cells with 48 month warranty plug and play $1650.

    Greenbeanbatteries.com. RECON high capacity cells, lifetime warranty, includes plug and play installation in my driveway $1450

    Dave
     
    #12 Desert Flier, Apr 25, 2021
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  13. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    You can NOT "recondition" old cells.

    Unless you want to repeat this problem over and OVER, any company that only replaces the "bad" cells in a pack probably is not a good choice.

    It is a big gamble and the odds are against you.
     
    #13 sam spade 2, Apr 25, 2021
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  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Ok, I was waiting for those, but now that you have them, they are completely consistent with the problem being the traction battery.

    Little need for that that I can see. Sometimes it's suggested that the ECUs make up 'bogus' codes because of 12V battery issues, but even if you buy that idea in the abstract, you can see in your case that you have a set of codes that's internally consistent, makes perfect sense, and matches up with other symptoms you're seeing.
     
    #14 ChapmanF, Apr 25, 2021
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  15. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    Sam,
    An "old" module often has a lower capacity because the 6 cells inside the module have drifted apart in their State Of Charge. Rebalancing a module gets all 6 cells to the same SOC and regains some lost module capacity. This is a tested and proven fact. The rebalanced module does not regain the full capacity of a new module, but the procedure does lengthen the module's useful life and makes a "reversed cell" less likely which immediately ends a module's usefulness.

    JeffD
     
    #15 jdenenberg, Apr 25, 2021
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  16. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    Greentecauto.com NEW upgraded capacity cells with 48 month warranty plug and play $1650 48mth warranty??

    Same price as new Toyota battery.
     
    #16 alftoy, Apr 25, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2021
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  17. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    I think that you will find that a replacement Toyota battery does not have a 10 year warranty, but it is likely to outlast the rest of the car. I was unable to find any actual specification of the "upgraded" capacity of the Greentecauto cells on their web site.

    JeffD
     
    #17 jdenenberg, Apr 25, 2021
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  18. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    And that is because they are wearing out at slightly different rates.
    You can not reverse that or really make up for it.
    But believe whatever you want.

    Legions of owners have found that what you propose turns out to just be a huge pain in the a s s.......and mostly a waste of time.
    Actually battery scientists found that out maybe 40 years ago but some urban myths die hard.

    My considered opinion is: Suggesting to the "average" owner that a "reconditioned" battery is a good choice.......or that he do it himself.......is just not responsible advice.
     
    #18 sam spade 2, Apr 25, 2021
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  19. Desert Flier

    Desert Flier Member

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    #19 Desert Flier, Apr 25, 2021
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's a great price, and the route i would go if i could get it.
     
    #20 bisco, Apr 25, 2021
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