I am looking for instructions on how to replaced a bad cell in my traction battery pack

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Mark Holder, Nov 5, 2015.

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  1. Mark Holder

    Mark Holder Junior Member

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    Hi I have a 2011 with 265k miles and got the check hybrid error. I took it to my local Toyota dealer and they did the recall. 15 minutes away from the shop I got the error again so I took it back. They said it was a defective battery pack and it would be $3500 or so. I researched and found that it is possible to replace a single cell and have found the cells for $70 or so each. Before I tear my prius apart I am hoping to find actual instructions so I don't shock myself to death by doing something stupid.
     
    #1 Mark Holder, Nov 5, 2015
  2. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    remove orange safety plug and disconnect 12 volt battery than follow the instructions on youtube, cells on e bay, 3 hours and about 100 bucks..takes pics as you take it apart so you know where everything goes
     
    #2 Beachbummm, Nov 5, 2015
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    If you do not know what you are doing, DO NOT get involved in a DANGEROUS task
     
    #3 mrbigh, Nov 5, 2015
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you don't want to play whack a mole, follow beachbummms advice, buy the mini vci, then search battery threads here to rebalance the pack.
     
    #4 bisco, Nov 5, 2015
  5. Mark Holder

    Mark Holder Junior Member

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    Thanks that was my plan, just hoping to find better instructions or videos than what was on youtube
     
    #5 Mark Holder, Nov 5, 2015
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Check Gen2 threads of course, This is one of the first Gen3 batt fails we've had here on Prius Chat. Not the first but maybe second or third.
     
    #6 wjtracy, Nov 5, 2015
  7. Siward

    Siward Active Member

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    When I first bought my Prius, I looked into how a cell was replaced. I got a little discouraged when they mentioned that you need to recondition the cells by discharging/charging them. A cell is bad if it can't be charged/discharged to a designated voltage. I'm not sure if you need to do it though.

    Gen II Prius Individual Battery Module Replacement | PriusChat

    Post #1 shows he just replaced the cells, but didn't get very far. Post #35 is a summary.

    I am no expert. I am just referrng you to what I read about cell replacement.
     
    #7 Siward, Nov 5, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2015
  8. zak.kapoor

    zak.kapoor Junior Member

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    I am into RC cars so charging/discharging batteries is not a big deal. However I have a single cell charger only. Charging/discharging one battery at a time will take more than a month to completely balance all the cells in the Prius. I could not survive without a car for that long.

    The Hitec X4 Multi battery chargers are expensive. Two of those can cost you $400 these days. However they cut the balancing time down to a few days. Considering the cost of linesman gloves and other accessories, it might be worth considering a refurbished battery pack. I believe these are selling for around $1,100.

    Anyway I just crossed 100K on my Gen II Prius. I think I have some time before I start worrying about the battery back. Let us know how it works out for you.
     
    #8 zak.kapoor, Nov 5, 2015
  9. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Time or money, right?
    You don't have time to do it properly, so just do it "good 'nuff?"
    Take one bad one out, quickly slap in a different one.
    Why not just skip the balancing and keep on truckin'?
    Repeat as needed over the next year until you get frustrated enough to buy a whole-pack balancer, get a refurbed pack, or new one?
     
    #9 ericbecky, Nov 5, 2015
  10. electrontechnik

    electrontechnik Member

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    I'm having a problem with a block or two, I've just been too busy to post about it. For reference, I'm at 211k miles on a 2010. Dash started lighting up about 1-1.5k miles ago.

    OP, if you haven't already, buy a Torque compatible OBDII reader, then go to torqueloganalyzer.blogspot.com and look for the the DIY hybrid check.

    Battery block V vs Time 11 14 15.png HV Bat Fitness 11 14 15.png
     

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    #10 electrontechnik, Nov 14, 2015
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