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Gen 2 New OEM Toyota Hybrid Battery Replacment April 2023

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by kyg626, Apr 1, 2023.

  1. kyg626

    kyg626 New Member

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    Hello all,

    Here is my experience replacing my hybrid battery with a new OEM from Toyota. Cost $1950 in FL.

    I recently had the Red Death Triangle appear while driving. I got to my destination fine but then the car would not go into drive. Code P0AA6 isolation fault had occurred. I towed the car back and opened up the batter pack to find one of the cells leaking to the case (cell 12 had a direct connection to the surrounding case and its full voltage could be measured from the negative terminal to the positive lead on my multimeter attached to the metal case). Several months ago I had replaced the ECU and harness that had a short and have seen evidence of leakage and corrosion so I knew a new battery was aged and a new replacement would be the only true fix. The original one was at 15 years with 178k, Dr. Prius App recently said it was at 52% with the life expectancy test.

    I live in north/central Florida and called about 7 Toyota dealerships and got a range from $1950-3300 for a brand-new battery pack. One had it in stock that day and the other dealerships could overnight it. The closest dealership to me in Gainesville wouldn't sell the battery to me as an individual and said I needed to be hybrid certified.

    Ended up buying one from the dealership in Brandon that could overnight and had it ready at 9am the next day. $1950 for the battery with a $1350 core deposit.

    The new battery came in this huge coffin of a box. The battery came without the end with the computer in it but did have all-new bus bars and wires already attached. After attaching the old ECU end the battery bolted up and ran without any issues. Dr Prius APP says Life Expectancy now at 110 %. 70197520431__AA7E11E2-EC46-464B-99AE-DA31A303AC29.jpg IMG_6841.PNG IMG_6838.jpg IMG_6825.jpg IMG_6821.jpg IMG_6818.jpg IMG_6816.jpg

    I've considered Lithium and aftermarket but my original Toyota battery has done me well and I trust in its reliability.

    Let me know if you have any questions about this process!
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    This is exactly how mine came just a year ago and only paid $1,400 and North Carolina Rick Hendrick with the same deposit that you paid was refunded me the next day when my old battery with that cover went in their coffin I put it there I installed this thing pretty much right there in the dealer parking lot talking to the parts guy while he smoked a cigarette I will take the Toyota reliability for the battery too and my goodness reading voltage straight from ground to case should have fried your battery ECU or done quite a disservice in there that's why I keep a few battery ECUs around as I strip them down and throw them away The cars that is now to be honest about it the way I understand it is I can buy 28 modules for about $1,200 or something like that I just saw them the other day Panasonic branded modules so I may look into that The front end and the computer I have cases I even have even the clamps I just need the 28 modules bus bars nuts you know that sort of thing so that may come out a little bit less and assembly time is pretty quick so not too bad I'll have to check it but I don't need any batteries for about another 10 years It looks like
     
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  3. ski.dive

    ski.dive Active Member

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    Was the shipping of the new battery Free, to deliver it to your house?
    How did you return the old core battery to the dealer?
    Was it free to return it ?
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Generally if you order the battery online it'll be sent to the dealer that you're ordering through it online for me it was Rick Hendrick the racing guy so I order the battery it's $1,430 they're going to put 1430 * 2 basically on my credit card one of the 1430s essentially you get knocked off with the proper return which means it needs to not have a green tech or colored cover on it needs to be silver etc whatever you have to do to make that happen You do that If you don't your battery will not be considered okay for the refund and you're out two times the 1430 or close to this not going to squabble over a hundred bucks so you drive to the dealer pick up your battery take it home take it to a shop whatever the next day or two days later you drive back with your old battery be prepared to pick it up and everything because Toyota's not going to do it drop it in that big case in the pictures above and they walk it off within 12 hours they'll accept or deny your return and notify you by email You want to make sure that your return looks just like what you're picking up in the pictures above If it does not it will not be accepted so fix that before you do everything My battery was a green tech and had their name all over it and everything I went to a junkyard and got an extra cover for $20 or something and put that on the battery I was returning instant acceptance beware of these facts or you will pay dearly
     
  5. kyg626

    kyg626 New Member

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    Shipping was overnight to the dealership and was free. Had to pay in full in person. Not sure if they offer shipping to your house, although each dealership seemed to have different policies. Returned to old core in the box I got the new one, so far so good, still waiting for the refund.
     
  6. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

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    Nice! I had the same experience late 2022 and paid the same price. i was not expecting the huge coffin
     
  7. Sunny Reddy

    Sunny Reddy New Member

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    Thanks for the info guys! Been trying to gauge how much I should budget for a hybrid battery replacement on a car that hasn't had it done yet
     
  8. Aegean

    Aegean Active Member

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    bisco likes this.
  9. kyg626

    kyg626 New Member

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    No I didn’t check the battery modules for the manufacture date, I do think I remember seeing 2022 written somewhere though.
     
  10. Christopher Kim

    Christopher Kim Junior Member

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    so I would need my old ecu etc?? They only give you the cells / bus bars??
     
  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    They give you the whole battery case minus the front end that little section that houses the relays the HV computer module the ground strap and the sensor that the wire goes through everything from the 10 mm bolts on the front of the case back you get new from Toyota from the 10 mm bolts forward that little four and a half inches or whatever it measures You don't get anything that's in that and those would be the two main relays and the high voltage battery computer with the orange plug and the other plugs that are on it they are not coming from the dealer so you need to remove that from your old battery all they want is the 28 modules what's holding them together The bus bars the orange wires that run into the front end case and all that is going to drop into the shipping box to go back to Toyota it'll be exactly what you pull out of the box when they bring it out to you on the loading dock or however this is going.
     
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  12. Don Ellifritz

    Don Ellifritz New Member

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    Another nube here. I recently acquired 2008 prius touring package 5 with 23k miles, heated shop/garage (55*) in northern nevada from (yep, a little old lady who bought it new) my mother. I know its history. 3k at most freeway miles to dealer 170 miles away (reno) for service and a couple of recall fixes until warranty expired. Its going to be in a unheated garage now (doesn't freeze but can get into high thirties and will be used as daily driver, maybe 50 miles a week
    No problems, but concerned about the age of battery pack and ran across this thread. I also have been considering nexcell lithium or a factory replacement from dealer if even available. I'll be doing the replacement. I've always done my own work. Old drag racer, gearhead and the family farm. But I've never turned a wrench on this car other than replacing the 12 volt battery.I ordered the veepeak obd and downloaded dr.prius to dive deeper into battery status to see if i even need to be concerned yet. I'm sure there will be some corrosion issues.
    Been researching on everything i could find (you tube and now here)
    I think there's better diagnostic software out there after reading the posts. So I'm looking for some advisement on software for either tablet or laptop and whether to replace battery pack now or just drive it until it has a problem.

    .
     
  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    23,000 mi You haven't even made it to proper break in yet but the age of the car wow that is if you want to call it amazing keep an eye on your inverter pump your battery just by the years old it is but if it stayed in that garage most of its life on point then corrosion may be way minimal because it's been in about the 55° garage in Nevada for all its life it looks like like gone to the grocery store and back in the doctor's appointments literally so the car should be like brand new essentially about a 9,500 generation too here in the south You have leather interior and or the standard tan velor or? Sounds like a nice car just I would say drive it until something happens with 23,000 mi I wouldn't go looking for trouble unless you plan on doing extensive traveling which in Nevada I can't imagine.
     
  14. Wrecit

    Wrecit Active Member

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    Glad to hear that OEM prices are down to something reasonable (was over 3000 here when I was in the market.


    I did end up going project lithium at about $2000 if I remember correctly. Was an easy swap and I gained 10mpg on our 2006 running in Pittsburgh pa
     
  15. Don Ellifritz

    Don Ellifritz New Member

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    Thanks for the input. Yes, has leather and every option available in 08.and just like rand new. I will check out the inverter pump. At 19k miles the engine waterpump started to leak. (Couple of drops on garage floor) I was thinking not good for a pump that new. Went to a trusted local shop. Ended up being a defect in the casting that was just starting to crack. Fresh factory coolant, Tires also at 19k. Thinking factory crap tires but now after reading the owners manual (now i know what the B is for, lol) that and the light clicked on about regen friction. Like duh.
    Lot to learn about it still and finally just going to be town driving. Have other ride for long trips.
     
  16. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Man I drive the hell out of my '08 Prius I almost never get out of it I'd hop in any of the four here and drive at the California from North Carolina without even having to check the oil before I leave I wouldn't dare do that in a generation 3 or up No sir and I would hate to get way out with the generation 3 and have something fail yikes I can't carry all my tools when I travel. Unfortunately or else I'd be driving a snap-on truck better take it every so often instead of the other car because you need to whip it up and so on. Prius's don't like not going anywhere no car does but a Prius especially doesn't.
     
  17. Don Ellifritz

    Don Ellifritz New Member

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    Lol. So after a few days of driving, 40 miles of town and a 18 mile freeway jaunt. It's actually a very capable car. Plenty of zip when needed. Fun to drive. I believe the bat pak is fine. Tends to stay between 30 to 70% (not 40 to 75 i read about). I do have a 1 1/2 to 2 mile 25 limit hill that I'm at the bottom of. Steep Enough that in drive it will gain speed but in B will slow it down. Ist time i did it, I saw the battery turn green fully charged. Next morning, was still green. Doesn't take long to drop to around around 40%. From what i gather and read, its right about right.
    Brings me to my next question (i remember your, don't go looking for trouble,lol) it's probably closer to (curiosity killed the cat.)
    The veepeek obd never made it and have to reorder from Amazon. Was wondering if the dr.prius app or torque only work on Bluetooth? I normally use a obd/usb cable to my laptop for my other vehicles such as forescan (ford)and vagtaco (VW bug) (got rid of it and got a saturn wagon to tow flat footed behind my motorhome. Damn thing was always setting codes)
    I plan on using my android tablet for this car. I do have a type c to usb adapter for data transfers for my tablet. Just wondering if you had any experience on it. I looked around the forum and didn't find it but i might not be in the right place. Still learning my way around it. It's really because I'm curious. I'm still going clean the cooling fan just to see how much dust in 23k miles in the desert.
    You also mentioned the inverter pump. Yep, something to look at. (Thank you) After learning that they were two separate cooling systems, I was going to change it (actually all the fluids, tranny, etc. Just because of sitting so much. I figured to change out the pump when i did it. I found a few recalls on the pump but i don't believe that this 2008 was changed or even a notice.
    I see they redesigned the replacement pump but the only one i found was from dorman and not toyota? Any thoughts?
    Appreciate your time
     
  18. Don Ellifritz

    Don Ellifritz New Member

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    Found the inverter pump thread
     
  19. atxdatta

    atxdatta New Member

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    Thank you - I have decide to go this way as well, just picked up the unit from the dealer; Would you have the instructions on how to detach the ECU etc from old unit and reattach to new unit? I was able to pull the full hybrid battery pack from the car, but could not find a reliable resource on how to replace the old OEM with new OEM. Given the high voltages at play, I want to be cautious.


     
  20. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    Will that "coffin" fit in the back of a Gen 2 with the hatch closed?
    What are its dimensions?
    What does it weigh?
    (This may be a job for my son's F350.)

    I see one of these on a local dealer's site for $1641 with a $1350 deposit. In stock. I tried to check a few other dealers but they have all lobotomized their parts web servers and now the only way to find out what they charge is to call them one by one. How inefficient. The description on the dealer's web site isn't adequate to tell what is in, and not in, a "G9510-47031" compared to a complete pack.
    In addition to the new modules I believe it comes with new bus bars, does it also have new nuts? Remind me, the ECU transfers from the old pack to the new one. Anything else move, some of the cables or the temperature sensors maybe?