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12 Volt battery problems after replacing hybrid battery?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Michael Levy, May 15, 2016.

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  1. Michael Levy

    Michael Levy New Member

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    I have a 2004 Prius. I'm the original owner. It is now 12 years old and has 188,000 miles on it. Two weeks ago all the warning lights on the dashboard lit up and stayed on. I took it to the dealer, they said the hybrid battery needed to be replaced and quoted me $3,550 with a 3 year warranty. I shopped around and went for a remanufactured battery from a known firm that cost me about $1,500 with installation and came with an 18-month warranty. (I'll keep the firm nameless for now, they may have done nothing wrong and I don't want to sling mud).

    Here is my problem:
    1. The technician replaced replaced the hybrid battery today.
    2. He ran diagnostics on his computer and everything was fine.
    3. There were no warning lights on my dashboard or MFD.
    4. I drove the car about five miles and stopped for gas, everything seemed fine. After filling up I started the car and all the warning lights came on again.
    5. I called the tech and he came back to my home to run diagnostics again.
    He said that the cells on the replacement battery were all fine and my problem is likely the 12 volt battery. He said there are no 12 volt diagnostics he can run, but he has seen this before and replacing the 12 volt battery was needed after replacing the hybrid battery.

    My 12 Volt battery is less than 3 years old. The dealer replaced it. I assume it is still under warranty.

    Before I throw more money into this and replace the 12 volt battery, is this plausible? I don't know if this matters, but my car sat off for about two weeks while I was waiting for the hybrid battery to be replaced. Could a failed hybrid battery and sitting off for two weeks discharge or damage the 12 volt battery?

    To test the 12V battery, I followed the instructions in "How To Check Toyota Prius 12 Volt Battery 2004-2009 Models". When first displayed, the 12V battery is showing 12.3V. Under load, my 12V battery is showing 11.9 to 12.0 Volts. When I power up the car, it shows 14.3V. The article says "anything below 12.0 Volts is unacceptable". So this would say the technician's advice is correct.

    Does this sound like a 12V battery issue? Is it just that the 12V battery needs to be charged? or does it really need to be replaced. Can I just drive the car and let the 12 Volt battery charge up?

    Do you think my 12V battery is still under warranty? (The sticker on it shows 8/13 which I assume is the manufacturing date).

    Do you think I really still have a hybrid battery problem and the firm should replace it?

    Thanks, any advice welcome.


    PS. this forum won't let me post a link. But the article "How To Check Toyota Prius 12 Volt Battery 2004-2009 Models" was on hubpages under HubPages»Autos»Hybrids, Electric & Alternate Energy Vehicles»Hybrid Car Tips

    12vDiagnostic.png
     
    #1 Michael Levy, May 15, 2016
    Last edited: May 15, 2016
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I suggest that you start by charging the 12V battery overnight, to see if that helps. Use a charger intended for AGM batteries, 4A current setting.

    It is too early to say whether the high voltage traction battery has a problem, or not.

    Find the receipt for your 12V battery and see what the warranty terms are.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, May 15, 2016
  3. Michael Levy

    Michael Levy New Member

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    I removed the 12V battery today and brought it to the local Advance Auto Parts. They tested the 12V and the result was the battery is good but requires charging. They offered to charge it for me. I'll let you know after I put it back in the car.
     
    #3 Michael Levy, May 17, 2016
  4. Michael Levy

    Michael Levy New Member

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    After charging the 12V battery, the car started right up and there were no warning lights. Once again, I drove for about five miles and everything seemed fine. I turned the car off. About an hour later I went to drive the car, and all the dashboard warning lights went on. I took it back to the shop to read the diagnostic codes. They reported:
    • P0A80 - Replace Hybrid Battery Pack
    • P3011 - Battery Block 1 Becomes Weak
    Their diagnosis is the hybrid battery pack must be replaced.

    I called the firm that had installed the remanufactured battery and today they replaced it under warranty. So, now it seems I'm OK. The problem wasn't the 12V. The remanufactured hybrid battery they first installed was no good. I'm hoping the one they put in today will last.
     
    #4 Michael Levy, May 26, 2016
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats! now that 'the firm' has lived up to expectations, can you share so others might benefit. keep in mind with reman batteries, it's not the quality, it's the warranty and ease thereof.
     
    #5 bisco, May 26, 2016
  6. Michael Levy

    Michael Levy New Member

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    I used Green Tec Auto. (I can't post links yet to forum so google their name). On the phone and by email, people I spoke with were all friendly and helpful. The technician was great and he came to my home three times:
    • first, to install the first remanufactured battery
    • then 30 minutes later after I called his cell he came back to do some tests - but he did not have an extra hybrid battery with him, so he had to leave and I went about my 12V tests and charging.
    • today he came back and did an install of the 2nd remanufactured battery
    The Technician did a fine job. I guess I just was unlucky with the first replacement.

    My comments on Green Tec Auto are simply:
    1. Their quality assurance procedures could be improved. It would have been best if the first replacement battery had been better tested before sending it out to me. However, they did stand by the warranty and there was no friction getting the replacement authorized.
    2. The logistics of getting the Hybrid battery replaced took some patience. The firm's closest technician was about 150 miles away and he covers a large territory. If you live close to one of their locations, I would think you're likely to get faster service.
     
    #6 Michael Levy, May 26, 2016
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  7. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Having block 1 fail after an install can simply be a case of the original tech or battery builder not tightening one of the module nuts. As opposed to the module itself being bad.
    Good that they stood behind the install.

    As a mobile tech myself, it is a good idea to bring a 12 v battery yesterday with on an install. As well as a 12v trickle charger or jumper cables. Often customer 12v battery is marginal at best.
     
    #7 ericbecky, May 26, 2016
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  8. Michael Levy

    Michael Levy New Member

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    Well, I wanted to post an update. We have done another 3,000 miles on the car since putting in the remanufactured battery and everything has been working great. Sadly, I don't think it is the battery that will bring an end to my wonderful car... Everyone is fine, but the car may not be going back on the road after an accident today.


    IMG_20160715_142321300_small.jpg
     
    #8 Michael Levy, Jul 15, 2016
  9. Willwortman

    Willwortman Junior Member

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    I have had experience with Green Tec in Tampa.
    I bought my 06 in 1/14 with 208,000 on her. When I test drove the car at a Toyota Dealer I had no knowledge about the Prius, except that it was a hybrid and was supposed to get good mileage. I do home inspections and average about 55,000 miles a year, so I really wanted to increase the mileage from the 22 mpg that I get in my 05 GMC Canyon.
    When I was test driving the car, I noticed the "Triangle", but did not know what it was, but I did notice that the car never shut down., even at a red light. I had them at Toyota check it out and luckily I was with the tech when he did and he told me that the hybrid battery was bad. Well, I was on my way out the door when the manager came up and said that they would put a "New " battery in it. I said OK and bought the car. I drove it about 20,000 mi when the triangle came back. I do my own work when I can so I started doing research and decided to pull the battery. I checked all of the modules ( with the busses attached) and they all were within 2/10ths of a volt to each other, so I decided to pull the busses and test each individually and in the process I found out that the tech had completely left off one nut on a bridge between two batteries. It was making good enough contact at first to work, but after 20,000 mi it had arced and corroded enough to stop. Cleaned it up, put it back together and Good to go for another 30,000mi. Then " Battery Block 3 becomes weak".
    This brings me to Green Tec
    I went to Green Tec in Tampa and purchased their 1500.00, 18 month rebuild. I brought it back and installed it myself. I drove it for 22,000 miles and then got the Battery Block 5 becomes weak, I think. I towed the car to them and they put another battery in it, no questions asked. They did charge me $75.00 because I had done the original installation, no problem. That battery lasted 50,000 miles, about 12 months when I got the triangle again. Battery block malfunction. I was about two months away from the 18 month warranty when I called them. They said no problem and I towed it to them again and they put another battery in it.
    Green Tec has honored their warranty as good as I could have expected.
    This latest battery after about two months, 8,000 miles, I left the car home for a couple of weeks for three days and when I come back, for some reason I had it on the energy mode and noticed that when I started the car, it would have about 5 or 6 bars but then drop down to 1 or 2 rapidly, but then charge and work normally. But then the other day the triangle came back P0A80, but that was all, cleared the code and it came back again. Since then, I cleared the code and it has not come back as of yet.
    Still trying to sort that out.
    Back to GreenTec. They honored their warranty, but if this ends up being a bad HV battery again, I will have gotten about 75,000 miles on an 18 month unlimited mileage warranty. Not bad I guess, the prius at 3 dollars a gallon was saving me about 250 to 300 every month in gas. But being down for a couple of weeks at a time and dolly rental is a pain.
    I read some of the Luscious Garage posts as to their experience with rebuilds and they make sense. From what I have read, there are no more "New" Gen 2 modules, so rebuilding is a hit or miss proposition.
    I would love to hear some feedback from other Green tec customers about their experience (especially if you put a lot of miles) and opinion.
    The one thing about them that does concern me is that every time I had occasion to be at their shop, there was an entirely different set of people there. No continuity.
    I love the car and I will be a hybrid tech before this is all over, but once you get the dreaded "Beep", every beep I hear makes me jump a little.
     
    #9 Willwortman, Jul 17, 2016
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  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You should have never given up your new battery from Toyota, chances were your battery was out of balance because of the poor contact from the missing nut. A balance was all it needed.

    Greentech is a hit or a miss, probably more of the latter
     
    #10 JC91006, Jul 17, 2016
  11. Willwortman

    Willwortman Junior Member

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    So the grid chargers actually work? Hope so, I just bought one.
     
    #11 Willwortman, Jul 17, 2016
  12. Willwortman

    Willwortman Junior Member

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    The Toyota battery did go another 30, 000 miles before it went. I'm still learning all of this stuff.
     
    #12 Willwortman, Jul 17, 2016
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