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Hybrid battery at 122k

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by yeldogt, Oct 3, 2015.

  1. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

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    Took my 2011 five to the dealer on Wednesday for a general going over and to have the most recent software installed. Asked them to check out the hybrid battery, that I'm hearing some minor creaking from the front suspension -- I just learned about the TSB for the loud clanking sound that I get occasionally when the car is cold -- so I called them back on that.

    I have felt for the past 10k or so that the battery has not been holding a charge as before. If I'm sitting with the AC on I feel as though the engine is coming on to charge the battery more often then when new and I also feel that the the car goes into the power area more often then before -- as if the electric is not available to the degree it once was.

    They called back Thursday to say all was fine with the car .. including the battery ....... added that since I was not picking it up until today (Saturday) they would run another battery test Friday. Called Friday to say all fine. My car was built after the TSB .. it's a late 11.

    Does anyone know what is done for the battery test -- some minimum parameters it must meet ... at 122k and almost 4 years old .... it can't be working as new.

    Car received new tires (michelin) at 90k and the MPG did drop from the OE Bridgestone's -- yes the original set lasted 90k .. and still above the bars. The car is unbelievable -- 10k oil changes and a few sets of filters. Still has the original wiper inserts! The MPG is often lower than 50 -- this never happened when new with the Bridgestone tires.

    I did the transmission fluid change and coolant refresh at 100k --- have the 4 plugs for the replacement at 125k siting in my garage.
     
    #1 yeldogt, Oct 3, 2015
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Toyota only guarantees the battery to not fail, no guarantees on it performing like new after a few years
     
    #2 JC91006, Oct 3, 2015
  3. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

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    Do you monitor the state of charge (SOC) on the display, i.e., the number of bars in the battery? A marginal battery (at least the Gen II) will swing rapidly up and down the SOC display, reaching max and min (used to be green and purple colored on the Gen II) after short periods of coasting or climbing. This was the indication of a battery losing its capacity. Our Gen IIIs are too new to notice any battery degradation, but I would assume the indications would be the same.
     
    #3 FuelMiser, Oct 3, 2015
  4. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    at 122k most regular cars are on their last legs or at least ready for new head gaskets or a transmission rebuild. At this point to me you have a "free car" so drive it and enjoy it and when it dies, get another one.
     
    #4 Munpot42, Oct 3, 2015
  5. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    Last legs? 40 years ago perhaps but not for most cars built after 1990.

    Not one of the cars I've owned that were build in 1990 or later have needed a head gasket or a transmission rebuild after 122K miles. That's for a Chrysler, two GMs, two Hondas, and two Toyotas - each of which were driven at least 135K miles, typically thousands more. The most miles on a car I've owned so far is my Prius, which has 241,400 miles as of today. By the way, the HV battery is original - 10.5 years and counting.

    One of the front wheel bearings failed on the Prius a few weeks ago. First non-maintenance repair after two years and 40K miles. So, it's not as reliable as it was when it only had 134K miles on it.

    I suppose I've been really lucky since none of the vehicles I've owned since 1976 have needed either of the two repairs you cited. And I've owned many, many vehicles since then.
     
    #5 jadziasman, Oct 3, 2015
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  6. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

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    I'm in a CA state so my battery is covered until 150k .. and the car has Toyota coverage until 125k.

    Just trying to understand how they check the battery -- and at what point it is determined to be failing. It drops faster then it did --
     
    #6 yeldogt, Oct 4, 2015
  7. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    False, unless they've been abused, or have a major design defect.
     
    #7 CR94, Oct 4, 2015
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    tech stream monitors the battery under load. if it is within parameters, (which it will be if you haven't received the dash warning light) you're good to go.

    in u/k, they do this if you pay them yearly, and extend the battery warranty. but we get it free, thanks to carb.
     
    #8 bisco, Oct 4, 2015
  9. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    You must have never owned a Subaru, or a Yukon................
     
    #9 Munpot42, Oct 4, 2015
  10. Munpot42

    Munpot42 Senior Member

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    Lucky you never had a Subaru......My Daughters Yukon XL needed a new tranny at 60k miles (she drives it mostly in an urban setting, that's the history I know.
     
    #10 Munpot42, Oct 4, 2015
  11. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    You're correct about the Yukon. I did own a Subaru long ago. It was still running well when last seen at over 190K with no engine repairs, although the body was rusty. Later Subarus had major design defects in the engines, as I already excluded.
     
    #11 CR94, Oct 4, 2015
  12. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    You probably got 4-5 more years on the battery. We have heard very few (near-zero) Gen3 batt fails so far. On the Gen2's we've heard quite a few fails of up to 2006 (maybe 5-10% of the population) and 2007 MY reports are starting to come in. Next year at this time we probably start hearing more 2008 reports, and so on.

    There is a natural tendency to worry about the battery as the miles approaches warranty limit. We need a name for that, BFAS? Battery Failure Anticipation Syndrome. I am afraid to test mine because as non-CARB I am way over and I know my batt is probably not the same. My BFAS is not unjustified, but I have no warranty need to prove to Toyota that the batt is 75 years old in dogs age.:)
     
    #12 wjtracy, Oct 5, 2015
  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    ...Funny thing.
    I guess I'm "lucky" that way too.

    ...I wonder if it's really "luck"?? ;)
     
    #13 ETC(SS), Oct 5, 2015
  14. yeldogt

    yeldogt Active Member

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    BFAS -- I like that !!!
     
    #14 yeldogt, Oct 8, 2015
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