Need to replace battery AGAIN!!!

We'd be guessing without the diagnostic codes, or the pedigree of the replacement battery.

If you're using rebuilt batteries from the same source, I'd question that source.

 

How lucky can someone be? Look at my location.................I will do my best to help

 

Pull or have your DTC code(s) pulled and report back.

 

Where are you getting your batteries?

And just to confirm: it is the hybrid battery? I mean: that would be a bad track record for 12 volt battery, lol.

 

is it under warranty?

 

Kristen,

If you'd like help diagnosing this (forum member helping forum member), my Toyota techstream software is working again. I just had to reinstall from the CD again. I'm available all day Friday and Saturday. I could probably even help this evening. If your car is stuck and you need to get it moved we could probably get it going again, at least temporarily. Jim

 

unfortunately, remanufactured batteries are hit or miss. who replaces it for you?

 

Kristen, you have way more patience than me. When I original HV battery finally failed I went the Dorman remanned route initially as well. My experience with their remanned product was not favorable. My remanned battery had an internal fault straight out of the crate. On the plus side they did honor their warranty, or my local NAPA store actually honored their warranty. Either way they made it right by me. My time is worth more to me than spending it flattening my HV battery R&R learning curve and in the end I purchased a new HV battery from my local stealership and begrudgingly allowed them to install it to get the 3 year warranty. Your experience is not uncommon. As has been stated remanned batteries are a hit an miss opportunity. I suspect we (as a community) will see more of these types of threads as time goes on. Theoriticaly the newest modules that a remanned shop could use are now 8-9 years old/new. The OEM HV battery had a life expectancy of about 10 years so time is drawing near unless some other development presents itself.

 

As a side note for this conversation, I currently have a Dorman battery in my shop which just completed its initial testing. This is the hybrid battery that was previously installed in the 2005 Prius belonging to forum member PointCounterPt . I replaced it with a battery built using 2015 modules. The dorman battery was less than 18 months old and the warranty seals were still intact at time of removal. She was not the original purchaser of the battery, as it had been originally installed in a car that got wrecked. She purchased it from the wreck and had it installed. It didn't last very long. Disassembly was interesting. Cut the seals, removed the cover and immediately noticed there were no foam seals, NONE, anywhere. Every module had a small sticker of information stuck to it. 24 modules with a 2005 date code(228G) and 4 modules with 2003 date code(04ZE). The computer was 2004 part number. Initial checks showed one module (2005 code) was at 6.3v. The rest checked ok, voltage wise. Bus bars, nuts, wiring, etc looked fine. Bus bars appear to have been nickel plated and were corrosion free. Fasteners looked new and were corrosion free. Further testing showed the 6.3v module wouldn't even take a charge. Initial discharges of the modules varied from ~1300 to 2800 mah, with one outlier at 3888 mah. The module that was 6.3 was just junk. I've been a bit limited on time so I only did two cycles so far. The final cycle shows a range of ~4500-5200 mah for the 27 good modules. I'll probably let it sit for a bit while taking care of some other projects and then put them through 3-5 more cycles to see where they plateau in capacity.

I seriously doubt that Dorman does any testing, cycling, capacity verification other than a quick electronic check to get the info they put on the barcode stickers.

Here's the deal with the foam seals. Gen 2 fans provide cooling air to the top of the modules. The foam seals lock that air to the top of the battery modules and force it to flow down between the modules to the exit plenum under the module pack, and out through the plastic ductwork. Having no seals allows the air to flow out from alternate paths which do not provide cooling to the modules. IMHO, a sign of poor workmanship.

The Gen 3 batteries do not have the same foam seals as Gen 2 because the airflow initially enters the plenum at the bottom of the batteries and is forced up between the modules. There are no significant alternate flow paths for flow to escape. Once it passes up through the modules, who cares if it leaks out of the case. At this point, it's fine if it passes through the electronics portion of the case and then out through gaps. A little cooling to the ECU and electronics isn't going to hurt anything.

 

Well, been working around the house and building/testing another Gen 2 battery with Gen 3 modules. Heading to Myrtle Beach tomorrow for a few days relaxation. Never did hear if this ever got diagnosed or how this ended up. I offered free help, but certainly can't make someone accept it.........hopefully everything worked out ok.

 

Dorman uses a special orange paint on the battery cover that seals the battery to protect from wear and damage.