Hybrid Battery Expected Life

By DAVID HASSALL 1 September 2008
Toyota has sold more than 10,000 Prius models in Australia and has replaced only three batteries due to wear and tear, each of which was recycled at Toyota’s expense.
Toyota Prius - Toyota defends hybrid recycling program - News
Read it for yourself if you like
Oh, Prius hit the market in Australia before it made it to the USA so the series 1 Prius has been on the road here longer than in the USA.

 

so those 10.000 models are also the gen1 battery pack!
and 3 have bean replaced!
i think from model gen1...

 

My other car is a '96 Subaru that has about 140k miles. In the past two years a mixture of repairs totaling about $2000 has come up, and now the car is doing very well. I mention this here not to deflect interest in battery failures, but because I hope their replacement costs will be kept in perspective of a car that *overall* has a very enviable total cost of ownership.

I hope my future plan to upgrade to a HEV system when the original traction battery wears out proves prescient. Well that, or a cheap replacement ;-)

I'm surprised the cables are such a big deal money wise. Should I be looking for corrosion ?

 

New member here... I was hoping to learn about the main battery replacement options as I just got the call from the dealer explaining all the warning lights are on because I need a new battery pack...

2001 w/ 110K miles parked outside but in sunny CA

qoute to replace the battery, cables and cover $3,650 before tax

I was really hoping I feel under warranty due to CA deing a CARB state but it sounds like I'm out of luck... ARGGGGH

 

The replacement options include paying your dealer to install a new battery; or trying to find a salvage part battery and finding an independent to install it (or else DIY installation). Not sure it makes sense to spend ~$4K to repair a 7 year old car with 110K miles.

The longer 10 year/150K mile traction battery warranty applies only to 2G Prius sold in CA and other PZEV states.

 

They informed me that they get destroyed when the old battery is removed... I questioned this as I did not think Toyota would design the car that way but he had no good response.... Has anyone had the repair done for less with a new battery. A salvage battery is not an option for me as I don't want to be back at the dealer in a year with the same issue as it sounds like mileage is not the only factor to consider.... Based on what I have read on this forum so far...

 

A new battery pack comes with its steel enclosure. The battery ECU and three system main relays are transplanted from the original battery pack. The battery cables connect to the outside of the battery and provide power to the inverter.

Now, if your original battery has tremendous electrolyte leakage and corrosion, then perhaps the ECU and system main relays may have been damaged.

What DTC (diagnostic trouble codes) were logged by your car?

Did you receive a written quote; if so can you list all part numbers and descriptions that are included?

 

I have not recieved a written qoute but I plan to go into the dealership this afternoon and speak to the servivce manager. I have called three dealerships within driving distance and recieved 3 different qoutes so far so I hope my dealer will honor the cheapest.
dealer1 3,650
dealer2 4,480
dealer3 2,722 (2,299 for the battery and 423 in labor)

Any other service items I should have done while I'm there? Invertor fluid, plugs etc? and if so what are the general prices for these services? I'll do a forum search but thought I would ask...

Thanks for all the help

 

The rate I saw based on something like 400k units was closer to 0.4%.

I think the failure rate is less important that an analogy. My generic response is:

A prius battery has about the same life span as a non-hybrid's transmission (manual or automatic). It costs about the same to replace. The Prius' "transmission" is kinda like a differential. It's called a PSD, and has lifespans in line with most differentials.​

Most people don't ask a the Corolla salesman "how long is this transmission going to last?"

11011011

 

I hope it isn't a Borg Warner differential!!

 

Nope it's a very simple planetary gear, but it's a simple way to compare it to components most people are familiar with. I've always believed the point of analogies are to grossly simplify something to the point to where anyone can recognize it. Hopefully those familiar with the Borg Warner differential would have a fairly good idea of the inner workings of the Prius PSD.

11011011

 

Sorry for not posting the links... here's a good set of PSD walk throughs. Hobbit was kind enough to take apart a PSD assembly at one of his sessions at HybridFest which is where I became interested.

John's Stuff - Toyota Prius - Animations
A simulation of Prius's Planetary Gear
http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/vi/w4_workshops/Miller_W04.pdf

11011011

 

Why do you say that? On the current gen (MY04 to 09), it's warranted to 10 years/150K miles in CA and other CARB states.

It would be VERY costly for Toyota for a large % of them to require replacement before that.

edit: Whoops, I didn't realize I was in the gen 1 forum until after my post. The Gen 1 has a shorter battery warranty.

 

Or dealer 3 is assuming nothing will need replaced but the battery itself, and 1 and 2 are more pessimistic.

There are some Toyota dealers that discount parts for internet sales. Here, for example. I've ordered some other parts from them before (never a traction battery though). My shipment came from a dealer in Puyallup WA. The battery's near 100 lbs so shipping would cut into the discount, but I don't know how much that would be to your location.

If you're in the bay area, I bet it would be worth getting a quote from Art's Automotive in Berkeley to install a battery for you. Theoretically you should also be able to call the phone number on the old battery and get a small bounty for turning it in. I'm not sure of the details.

-Chap

 

Sorry I think you missed my point, I hope the Prius power split device is more reliable than a Borg Warner Differential.
I know how the PSD works.
(Don't tell anyone, I'm a qualified motor mechanic with over 20 years in the trade.)

 

Well I guess there really is no telling till we get a few million PSDs with 200,000 mi + on them. My argument is simply that someone is taking on as much risk with the prius battery as they do with most any other "life of the car" type component like a transmission or differentail. Sure these components fail and do need to get replaced but I've never heard of someone asking "Should I replace my transmission at 60 k miles or 100k miles?". Point is, when the batteries or the PSD go out the owner either decides to scrap the car or fix it and drive for another 10 years. Same decision happens in "regular cars" every day. I'm in a prius because my Mazda transmission gave out. I decided to junk the car and get a new one. Never felt that I got a lemon because I only got 110,000 miles out of it.

11011011

 

Just to make certain I understand what has been said here. I have an 06 Prius with 30K miles on it. (15K/year) Runs like a dream. Are we saying I should expect to have to place the battery within the next 5 or less years. Oddly enough about the same time as its paid off.