HELP! Hybrid battery died.

congrats! i don't think you'll regret it

 

DO not forget to swap ALL your old parts to the new battery. The black plastic piece that slips onto the clamp bars is one that gets forgotten sometimes and will cause your battery to overheat by allowing air to flow out the electronics section instead of being forced down through the modules.

 

congrats, well done!

 

DESERT FLIER

How much did Toyota charge you for the Labor to install it?

 

Curious, what did you do with your old battery? I read elsewhere that Toyota gives a $200 credit on the replacement but not sure they do that anymore.

If/when the time comes for my 2005 HV battery to be replaced, I'm thinking I'd like to try DIY with a 2k1toaster battery, but I don't know what I'd do with the old OEM battery. Selling individual modules on ebay sounds like a PITA (and a pain to ship safely).

Maybe could be a project for a camping/solar battery or mini-powerwall? EDIT: never mind, NIMH is a lost cause for solar/offgrid power: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/prius-battery.5988/post-130474

 

When I replaced my 2004 HV battery in 2014 with a ReInVolt rebuilt one My Toyota dealer installed it for me ($400). I rebalanced my 27 good modules and sold them to 6 other Prius owners to fix their batteries. Shipping the NiMh modules is not a problem as they are not dangerous like LiOn batteries.

JeffD

 

Amazing how prices keep coming down. I paid $2500 a few years back for the HV battery.

 

For anyone reading this who's contemplating a dying or dead HV battery, it's great that Toyota's OEM new battery has become less frightening in cost, but local talent in most parts of the world has also advanced. At least near Boston, there are shops that will rebuild your HV battery if you bring it to them, shops that will swap out your bad battery and give you one they've reconditioned and there's Youtube and a bunch of people who have documented how to do the job yourself. Of course, new modules will last the longest, but the rebuilt batteries/rebuilt modules approach works pretty well and may buy you quite a few years. During Covid with boredom and lockdown, I rebuilt/rebalanced my 2004 HV battery NIMH modules about 5,000 miles / 8 months ago. I've checked the health of the battery with the paid version of the Dr Prius app, and it seems to be holding healthy. Check the Wiki section for a write-up I did on how to DIY.

 

If you're talking about the so called 'professional rebuilders', I beg to differ.

If, however, you are talking about someone like yourself, then yes, it is worth a go if you are prepared to do the learning and work. There is a big however, though. There are so many variables that govern success or failure, a short term fix or a longer term fix, so outcome will definitely vary.

But to you sir, I say, congratulations and long may your battery keep running.

 

I’m curious. What is the warranty they give on replacement battery? Is it another eight years?

 

Sounds like my 2006 battery but we traded for RAV4HV a year ago,

I am confused about the net HV batt cost from Toyota. $1950 with a $1350 refund for old batt?

 

If you are taking the battery to self-install then there is a $1350 core fee added to the $1950. The $1350 is refunded when you return the old battery as a core. The core will be checked that it is packed correctly and if it is not and requires them to repack it, most charge a repacking fee of ~$80.

If you have a dealer do the install then there should be no core charge or even a mention of it as the dealer deals with the old core internally as part of the install deal.

 

Packed correctly? Curious what you mean by that. Do they require you package it a certain way for shipping or something? Or do they take the case apart and check the modules?

I'm also curious about the warranty. I was told I'd only get 12 months doing a self install (3yrs otherwise).

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Correct. I believe there are instructions for repackaging somewhere inside the crate of the new battery.

That is correct. Three years if installed by a Toyota Service Center otherwise the standard one-year over-the-counter parts warranty when installed by anyone else.