Featured Who has replaced hybrid battery

We bought a used, 2003 Prius in 2005. There was no problem with the existing battery but a rebuilt using better modules became available so I replaced the older style battery.

Bob Wilson

 

generally speaking, when most need a new battery, the rest of the car is suspect. that makes the decision more difficult cost wise.
but battery prices continue to drop, except for some unscrupulous toyota dealers.

how many years does the gov consider lifetime?

 

I've been reading PRIUSChat for about 6 years - at which time Gen 2 were getting OLD, Gen 3 were new, but TAXIs were getting to be high mileage - and Gen1 were close to extinct.

And read about very few Hybrid Battery changes. Generally, it seems that, as @bisco indicated, when the car is dying, so is the battery - or when the battery is dying, so is the car.

Just like any car - the clutch goes - not worth fixing because there's also the brakes nearly gone, engine rattling a bit on startup, needs tyres, rust, a few dents, upholstery ...

Maybe check with someone like Boulder Hybrids - they're dealing with lots of Hybrids - and often trying to eke a little more life out of older ones.

 

The poll is meaningless. There is no answer that will give a no replacement battery needed result.
Anyone who uses them in an Uber or as a Taxi is too busy to respond.
I see hybrids being used as Taxis all over the world. There is a reason.
There are various battery chemistries used and those results could be different.

The question is better framed have you had to replace a battery and after how many years and miles.

6 Toyota hybrids. Not one battery replacement. 225k, 120k, 100k, 90k, 20k, 10k. Not even a worry.

 

In my case, I have a 2005 Prius that has a module failure at 10 years (75,000 miles) but I still have the original pack after 16 years ( 140,000 miles) as I have replaced cells as required. I think our battery failed early but we lots of small trips and car was parked or much of its life in the sun.

To make survey better;
1. Include year of car
2. Model of car
3. Whether battery was re-furbished including date and miles
4. Date & miles battery was replaced

Then make this a permanent thread on the site and sub model pages.

Its would then be great if the survey data could be summarised.

Of course Toyota would have this .. but I have never heard of it being published by Toyota or for that matter any manufacturer.

 

Like all statistics - and I used to have to respond to them often when I worked in Govt. The Politicians would frame a question - we'd take one look at it <I'M SURE THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE AFTER> - give em what they asked for. And be ready for the PROPER question 2 days later.

 

The only hybrid with a history of batteries needing replacement were Hondas, mostly the Civic, with NiMH batteries. The reason for that was really because of a design defect. Their software pushed the battery too hard. Like increasing the power of the engine, that resulted in shorter life.

With proper management, hybrid batteries will last the life of the car. There will be some that fail early, but engines and transmissions can also do so.

 

Perhaps the original Insight?

Bob Wilson

 

That had battery issues, but some of the early ones were compounded by the driver being able to, um, 'lug' the battery with the manual transmission. Honda went to just the CVT in later years. Being a low volume model, I don't think the Insight's rate of issues is well known. The original IMA Accord was also a low volume seller from the time of battery issues, but I don't recall it being mentioned in reports on Honda's battery woes.

Honda seems to have fixed the battery management software in the Insight2 and CRZ. The IMA Civic was likely fixed by the final model years, but had also switched to Li-ion for the last year sold in the US.

 

This is the car that gets traded in for a newer one. A reputable used car dealer will fix any mechanical and cosmetic issues, and with proper maintenance the new owner drives it for another 100k miles.

I opted to replace the battery in my '01 Prius with hopes of making it to the 200k mile club. When I do most of the maintenance and repairs myself, it's still less than making car payments.

 

I replaced my 06 Civic at 110k
It now has 190k
I have 3 packs I rotate around.
All three are kinda weak now and I have to baby the car, especially through the winters.
I may try combining stick pairs from the 3 packs one day, but the % of success with honda packs at finding and combining pairs/modules is less than prius. wack a mole
Honda kept changing battery and IMA configurations. Insight gen1 and gen2 - mid term update ie: 2000 - 2005 and 2006 - 2009 as well as the first gen civic hybrid all had the same battery with 6 cell sticks and nominal 144v. Of cource the Civic IMA was much different than the gen1 and gen2 insight due to weight and difference sized engines and motors. Gen2 Civic hybrid 2006 - 2011 all had 6 cell sticks in welded pairs, much different IMA's engines and motors from the earlier models, there was a refresh 2010 that may have changed some of the IMA stuff too.
The next insight which was called gen2 (and the original gen 1 and gen 2 became gen1) was a complete rebuild using a smaller pack, 100 volt nominal plus or minus a couple, than the previous insights and was a bigger heavier car. It was marketed as the least expensive hybrid the first year. Than came the CRZ with the same 100 volt pack, but a much smaller lighter car. A lot of owners like them for their sporty handling, but the IMA was still to aggressive for the pack size, IMO.
After a class action suit out of Cali, from customers that couldn't get the EPA rated MPG from the Gen2 Civie Hybrid, Honda issued an IMA update across all their hybids, but al different per model and gen. I believe that update is what ruined my car, It took me a week to notice it, since the misses was the daily driver. And there was nothing on any paperwork I got about it.

Combining stick pairs, I only have an aging pack charger/discharger, that I may be able to configure for individual pairs/modules, if I can get the correct settings the first time.

 

The main issue is how often the vehicle will be used... A prius taxi cab can go 400K miles on the original battery no problem because the car is always on the road. But a hyrbid car that sits a long time, like all the government owned hybrid vehicles during the pandemic, is going to get a bad battery unless the pack is regularly charged and balanced with hybrid battery maintenance gear: Build Hybrid Battery Maintenance Gear For Under $100 | PriusChat

There's more to it than that... But what's most important in terms of cost is you're cutting your fuel cost in half compared to regular cars.

 

And allow for multiple hybrid owners like my family with 6.

 

I have never replaced the original hybrid battery at over 14 years and over 350k miles, and it's still going strong.

So I am wondering why the poll goes up to only >200k miles.

 

Can you advise you circumstance ... min/max temperature, parked in a garage, short trips versus long trips ?

 

climate Donauwoerth - Google Search

Garaged typically from 8:00 pm to 7:30 am, otherwise only seldom covered parking

Weekdays typically 25 km twice daily
Weekends typically 110 km twice daily
Several much longer trips per year