2002 Prius with P3000 P3009 in North Carolina

I upgraded my traction battery to Re-Involt in November 2008 and never looked back. The new modules are much better than the original. I've talked with David Taylor and he has a clue.

Bob Wilson

 

1. It is true that P3009 can be caused by any component exposed to high voltage, including the traction battery, the battery ECU, the battery cable to the inverter, the inverter, and the transaxle.

2. Since you drove 50 miles without any issues after the DTC was cleared, that shows you that the high voltage leak is fairly minor at this time.

3. Even if the high voltage leak gets worse so that warning lights persist, the car can still be driven. However this constitutes a safety issue, so the issue should not be ignored indefinitely.

4. My suggestion is that when you decide that action needs to be taken, that you first have your local dealer determine the source of the high voltage leak. If the leak is due to the traction battery, see whether the modules can be cleaned (electrolyte leakage to the sheet steel battery enclosure can result in the high voltage leak.) Should you decide that the traction battery must be replaced, then Re-Involt provides a reasonable alternative.

 

I wouldn't do anything at this point but keep driving it. I would look for the DTC's to become consistent. The Gen I can give you false codes periodically.

 

Maybe time to change the trans fluid?

Luscious Garage | Blog | Toyota Hybrids P3009: High Voltage Leak Detected, internal to battery

 

Maybe listen for air in the inverter coolant and pump.. If they didn't change it coorectly you could have air and overheating the inverter... probably not likely at all.

If they didn;t put in T-IV it might account for high voltage leaks.

 

Your car is in the hands of one of the most respected, independent Prius shops. There is nothing more I could add . . . unless David would hire me as an apprentice 'shop boy.'

The P3009 is something I usually associate with traction battery issues ONLY because an electrolyte leak can induce it. High humidity can make it come and go. However, there are other potential causes including connectors. With your car in David's hands, I would stand back and take notes.

Feel free to let David know I said 'Hi.'

Just curious, have you heard a 'humm' that seems to be speed related and stays even if the car is rolling in "N"? The reason I ask is MG2 burn-out is progressive and one of the earliest symptoms is the 'humm'. It can also be associated with P3009.

Bob Wilson

 

You need 38 modules and a 2G battery contains 28 modules, so you will need to buy two 2G batteries and select the best 38 out of 56.

Further, if money is tight then you don't need to take any action at this time. The car is still driveable. It's just a safety issue if you have an accident, the system main relays for whatever reason remain closed, and the high voltage line or another part subject to high voltage is damaged and contacts the chassis.

 

I would offer that David also uses and balances the modules. Still, you know your budget better than anyone else.

Did he give you a read out of the module-pair voltages?

The good thing is you probably have a couple of months before things get icky.

Bob Wilson

 

No risk other than a potential waste of time. Any Classic used battery module is going to be 9-11 years old and you should expect that other modules will fail in the near to medium term.

 

I have many of the same dealings with my '02, what did you decide? What was your outcome?