2001 hybrid battery issues

Doug's suggestion about the battery sealing TIS is also worth pursuing. Toyota should be able to check if it was done via the VIN number.

If you check under "User CP" and "Edit Options," you can set your default to view the latest postings first and then click on the page numbers to review earlier postings. This makes it easy to see the latest posts without having click on the page numbers each time.

Bob Wilson

 

If you know it's the hybrid traction battery, just take it out and get one of those reconditioned battery packs for less than 1500. They sell them on eBay, and this price includes your old battery pack as a core charge. If you want to keep your old pack, it'll cost around 400 more. Either way, if you install a reconditioned pack it'll last at least another 100Kmi., and with the GEN2 cells it'll be that much better!@ Yes it's a nice car, why junk it?

 

The HV leak would have induced other problems. We've posted the options and sad to say, none of the are great.

Bob Wilson

 

Why do you say that?

 

Perhaps you might share your observations. It looks like Toyota moves the control electronics from the original pack to the new pack case. If you've done this, you might have some direct observations to share.

User reports and observations have shown multiple problems:

• corrosion at buss bar - increases the contact resistance leading to greater voltage drop showing up as an increased voltage difference between the modules. We've seen photos where the copper has been eaten away.
• multiple leaks - can discharge some modules and lead to a voltage imbalance. Even small leaks integrate the discharge over time.
• loss of sense wire - one of the repairs Re-InVolt does is to replace the sense wires with ones more corrosion resistant.
• housing and vehicle frame weakening - the KOH 'eats' metals.

The fix is to rebuild or replace the pack. If the owner doesn't have the tools, skills and motivation to rebuild it themselves, replace the pack with either a Re-InVolt upgrade, Toyota replacement, or salvage hope and pray.

Bob Wilson

 

Yes - Toyota mechanics have to remove the HV ECU, the vent hoses, temperature sensors, and many other things from the old battery to the new one. However, it appears that newer replacement packs are now coming with their own bus bars and sense wires, which is good because mine were in terrible shape.

Yep - had that happen on mine. Originally I cut the wire and soldered a new wire and terminal on the battery I was trying to repair.. but fortunately, as mentioned earlier, my new battery came with new bus bars and sense wires.

 

"corrosion at buss bar - increases the contact resistance leading to greater voltage drop showing up as an increased voltage difference between the modules. We've seen photos where the copper has been eaten away."

And greater voltage drop = greater heating at the contact (resistance) which in turn helps the leakage process even more, a ticking clock that ends with destruction.

 

I don't have enough information yet. That's why I asked the question.

I'm well aware of those, thanks. My question concerns your assertion that drewd's HV leak "would have induced other problems." While the root cause of an HV leak can produce multiple issues, I'm curious as to how you determined that this is so, regarding his or her vehicle.

 

If they were within an hour or two drive of Huntsville Alabama, I would drive over with Graham scanner, Auto Enginuity and tools. Once we surveyed the car, if they were ready, I'd help them remove the traction battery and diagnose the problem(s). Within the limits of resources, we'd see what could be done to get them rolling again. But Maine is more like a 20+ hour drive away.

So far, the codes reported suggest a leak to ground and traction battery module leaks in the NHW11 are common enough. The true test is to pull the traction battery and inspect for faults and damage. Assuming it is an electrolyte leak, we know what to look for.

Bob Wilson

 

I didn't state that drewd's HV leak "would have induced other problems". You did. I clearly called that statement into question, as the root cause of the issue cannot yet be determined with available data.

Rather than respond to my query, however, you then posted an altered "quote", with my name attached, which gives the false appearance that I have agreed with your statement, when in fact I have not.

Please do not edit your post. Leave it. That way, folks can read it for themselves.

 

Not always. The voltage drop often occurs between battery terminal and voltage sensing wire, rather than between battery terminal and bus bar. The voltage sensing wires don't carry much current.

 

It's not possible to say for sure until you retrieve the codes that triggered the warning lights. If the vehicle already had codes stored, you'll need to look at the order of occurrence of the codes. A good scan tool can do this.

Unfortunately, it's hard to get much for a Gen 1 with existing, undefined issues. Sorry.

 

Thanks for the update; hope you did not incur a significant financial loss during your 5-month ownership.