2001 Battery Question

[baja454]

I am new to this board and new to the Prius. I have bought an '01 to fix up and keep as a daily driver. It was diagnosed by the Toyota dealer as needing the traction battery replaced before I got it. I have been driving it a little and it run on battery alone for about 1 city block when starting from a stop. I was able to find a battery pack from a nearby salvage yard. Before I swap the battery packs, I took the cover off to measure the total voltage which was 289v. 289 volts divided by 38 batteries is 7.06 volts per battery. On 1 side of the battery pack I measured from one terminal block to the next terminal, which is 2 batteries at a time, and measured 15.19 in all but the last 2 which were 15.20 volts. Is this good enough to consider this pack acceptable to install without taking all the terminal blocks off to measure each individual battery? How can I do a simple load test to try and find a weak battery?

Thanks

[orange4boy]

Welcome!

Sounds like those are in good shape. My battery is fine and shows .1 volt difference between the highest and lowest modules. Yours shows .01 difference. Can I have your battery?

I don't think you need to do a load test because the voltage is so even. These batteries have a much more robust chemistry than lead acid and the Prius "babies" them. They will wake up nicely after a long time dormant if they have not been discharged too far.

Is there any corrosion on the terminals? That's something you should take care of before you put it in. Common problem on the gen 1 in hot or hilly country.

It will be interesting to see how bad the original pack is since you are still able to drive it. Is it throwing codes?

Check a couple of terminals and pop that baby in there. That's my two cents.

[baja454]

There is green corision on 1 terminal, it's the 1st one closest to the comparment that holds the electronics.

It is showing the yellow triangle and the PS but my scangauge II does not show any codes.

The main battery appears to be orginal, the previous owner that put most of the miles on it never replaced it. I put it on a battery tender and after a couple days I did get a green light, but I think I might replace it anyway since reading some of the posts that say a weak 12v battery can cause some issues.

[bwilson4web]

There is growing evidence that the electrolyte leak from terminals in the NHW11 modules can cause a P3009 code even though the modules still have service life. You may be able to clean the corrosion but more importantly, the electrolyte seepage to the case and restore the pack to service.

I would still keep the salvage pack and take time to refurbish it ... clean modules and terminals. You might contact "Re-InVolt" and look at their product offerings. Replacing the NHW11 modules with NHW20 modules would give you an excellent replacement battery.

Bob Wilson

[baja454]

I briefly looked at Re involt... Is it a drop in replacement or is there mods that need to be done like to the battery box?

[orange4boy]

It was diagnosed by the Toyota dealer as needing the traction battery replaced before I got it.

There is growing evidence that the electrolyte leak from terminals in the NHW11 modules can cause a P3009 code even though the modules still have service life.

Most dealers don't go past the codes when they do a check. "Code p3009? Oh dear. You need a new battery. $3009 please." There is a TSB out to clean and reseal the terminals for free if a customer asks but if the customer does not know then the dealer will just say you need a new battery. The voltage leak code P3009 Bob mentioned may point to that. I seem to think that this TSB can be asked for at any time even past warranty but I could be wrong on that.

It seems strange that you don't get a code on the scanguage though. Does the check engine light stay on while in ready mode?

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by orange4boy

...It seems strange that you don't get a code on the scanguage though. Does the check engine light stay on while in ready mode?

If a traction battery ECU DTC was logged, the ScanGauge is not going to pick that up. If you're lucky, that device will report engine ECU DTCs.

It sounds like the OP has a good salvage battery, once the corrosion is cleaned off.

OP's post #3 says that a PS warning has appeared. I assume that is on the MFD?

That means that the electric power steering has a problem (the Classic Prius electric steering gear is a known fault area), so the vehicle may have more than one issue. Does the steering wheel shake while the car is being driven?

[orange4boy]

Mine has the same PS symbol every time the warning lights come on (like when 'im doing "experiments") but my PS is fine and I never get a code.

I think that it's just a generic warning screen. Are the symbols greybatt, greyPS, red car! That's what I get any time it goes off which is only when I make it.

But if it shakes...that's the "wiper" issue , right Patrick?

[baja454]

Yes, the PS warning is on the MFD. The sterring wheel does not shake but it does have a very slight growl when the wheel is turned to the left a little.

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by orange4boy

...But if it shakes...that's the "wiper" issue , right Patrick?

Yes. The variable resistors within the electric steering gear are dirty, so that confuses the steering ECU and results in steering wheel shaking.