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Should my hybrid battery be replaced?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by bob nisbet, May 3, 2020.

  1. bob nisbet

    bob nisbet Junior Member

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    I did not drive my 2007 Prius for a month with the lockdown. Took it out finally, got the red triangle of death, VSC Check Engine lights. Dr. Prius and Torque give me P0A80 and P3000 codes indicating my hybrid battery needs replacement. The car has 144,000 miles on it. Is it close to 100% certain I should replace the hybrid battery?
    I'm thinking of using Green Bean.
    Thanks for any help in advance.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    probably. check your 12v first. personally, i wouldn't replace my hybrid battery until i confirmed it with tech stream and the service manual
     
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    +1 to Bisco's comment. You almost certainly have a dead or near-dead 12V. That often causes other codes to pop up. Get a good charge on the 12V and then see what happens.
     
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  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Just a question.
    All through this period, I haven't hesitated to occasionally use my vehicle. Just go for drives. Get's me out, let's me see sights. And my logic was self enclosed in my vehicle I have really good quarantine.
    The vehicle itself keeps a 6ft or more distance in most directions, windows rolled up, it's almost by definition it's own interior environment.
    Not to mention if I'm moving? Who's close to me?

    But I've read so many posts of people who have just let their vehicles sit. And now are worried about the consequence.
    I suppose I am preaching, but I'm really asking, why not just go on an occasional drive? You don't have to get out anywhere except in front of your own home. Think it's good for the vehicle and also good for the driver.
    Any view that isn't the living room TV, is a treat right now.
    Am I missing some reason why going on a drive, other than using Petro, and burning fuel, isn't a good idea right now?
     
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  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I feel the same way. I get out often enough in the course of the week, but even then, I've just gone driving for the fun of it. When I see people driving around wearing masks in the car I can't help wondering why they would need it in the car.
     
  6. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I can't get a real good answer on just "Driving". The mantra right now, is "Stay Home, Save Lives".
    So I'm really asking why, besides the fuel costs, and actually burning fuel, why just taking a drive seems to be considered behavior to avoid?
    If there is an argument why a healthy adult shouldn't just take a drive, for the good of themselves, and for the good of the vehicle itself, maintaining battery charge, etc, I'd like to know.

    I suppose if you're driving you're always at risk of an accident? But beyond that reasoning, I don't understand simply not taking a drive occasionally.
     
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    This is completely NOT the case here. Our traffic is down maybe 50% from before the virus. Due mostly, I suspect, to people like me working at home. I still take two walks a day and see plenty of other people walking. If walking or driving was spreading the virus, we'd have a whole lot more that 278 total cases so far in this county of 530,000+ people.

    I'm convinced that the mass transit that some people here have been clamoring for would be a far bigger source of contamination than most of the things people are freaking out at. Unless someone got into my garage and sneezed on my steering wheel, my car should be one of the most virus free places around.

    But we digress ... again. :D @bob nisbet, please let us know what you get when you get that 12V fully charged. If it is just a low 12V, it might take several cycles of turning the car on and off to clear the codes causing the lights.
     
  8. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Because most people are STUPID and must be told EXACTLY what to do.......or they can't figure it out for themselves.
    Really.

    IF.....the hospitals in your area are not packed to capacity with virus patients, then there is no good reason that you should NOT go for a drive or ride, as long as you don't STOP anywhere along the way. The only downside of that is you must stop for gas a bit more often.
     
  9. bob nisbet

    bob nisbet Junior Member

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    I drove my Prius Sunday for about 20 minutes, and yesterday a shorter time/distance. Now the warning lights no longer show up. So it appears my 12V battery was suffering, causing the warning lights to appear. I'm going to drive the Prius often to keep the battery charged, and maybe I can hold off on replacing the hybrid battery.
     
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  10. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    This is exactly the reason. If you get in a crash you put at risk other people's safe space, especially if there are injuries. Here in NZ, driving is not prohibited, but we are all encouraged to limit any outing to only essential trips and to keep it local. In terms of exercise, walking, driving to a place to exercise, it is not only allowed, but encouraged, but again keeping it local. The emphasis is being mindful to practice social distancing, i. e. keep 2 m/6 ft from others you see as you walk or exercise. Further emphasis is that home is the safest place to be so we are encouraged to stay there.

    Now back on topic, the other answer to the above question is there is actually no need to drive the Prius. In the absence of the need for essential travel, people can just make sure the Park Brake is firmly set, P selected then make the Prius READY. Let it do its thing for 60 minutes. Prior to shutting off, select the Energy monitor screen on the MFD, place foot firmly on the foot Brake, select D, press lightly on the accelerator to raise the revs a bit, and hold that until you have 6 bars on the MFD. Turn OFF and call it job done for a week. This needs to be done in a place where there is adequate ventilation, of course.

    This will ensure both batteries get a bit of exercise and a good amount of charge for sitting for the week.
     
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