1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

How to check battery health on used Prime

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by srivenkat, Aug 10, 2020.

  1. srivenkat

    srivenkat Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2011
    596
    91
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Hello,

    I am thinking of getting a used Prime. Wondering if there's a way to see the battery health.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    charge it up, and see how far it goes before the engine comes on.

    these things are nearly indestructible
     
  3. srivenkat

    srivenkat Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2011
    596
    91
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Thanks. I wonder if the Salesman would allow me to test drive for 25+ miles :). Is there a number somewhere in the menu that shows the available KWh or something on a fully charged Prime? Or thru the OBD port (I have HybridAssistant on my phone).
     
    bisco likes this.
  4. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2017
    710
    608
    0
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    If it is the Advanced model, the HUD shows the remaining miles available on EV operation. In Summer weather like now, with the air conditioner on, mine showed 29.2 miles when I started out this morning. After three years I haven't noticed a significant change. If it were winter time, it would start out at 24 or 25 miles. I would be more concerned with how many miles on the odometer.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    def on the obd, but i'm not sure which app people are using to read it.

    you should be able to find details in the range threads
     
  6. Prime_Time

    Prime_Time Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2017
    110
    74
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    I've heard a lot of people use the Dr. Prius app over OBD. I'm not sure what info it provides but it most likely can tap into battery health.
     
  7. srivenkat

    srivenkat Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2011
    596
    91
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Bump. I would be grateful for specific instructions on a specific app to see the remaining capacity (in KWh or whatever other metric) . I am looking at a new 2020 Prius Prime that has been on the dealer lot since June, 2019. The salesman says their service department periodically charges these. Wonder if there's a specific protocol they follow as far as not charging fully so as not to affect battery life.
     
  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    There is no app I know of that will give you clear read out of the traction battery capacity, but I can't imagine any 2020 Prime traction battery has degraded by just sitting on the lot. My feeling is that a dealer charging the PRIME on their lot is the same as what owner does at home. The charger in the PRIME will not allow full charge of the traction battery above 84% SoC (which is 100% SoC on the dash).
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It's exceedingly unlikely that you have anything to worry about.

    Here's the "simple" check. If they will turn you loose with a full charge (indicated 100% which is actually about 83%), see how far you get on the first 50% of the battery charge. It will be displayed at the top of the hybrid system indicator (HID) on the main display. It can be set to either miles or percent.

    But keep in mind that how far you go is dependent much more on how you drive than on the battery capacity. To know the battery capacity, you can estimate it by looking at your miles per kWh over that 50% SOC drive and calculating how may kWh you used in using half of the 6+ kWh available in a full battery. ie, If you went 15 miles on 50% of a full charge, and the display showed you getting 5.0 m/kWh then that would be a use of 3.0 kWh. (3 kWh at 5 m/kWh comes to 15 miles.) That would mean the battery has about 6 kWh available to the driver. This is very approximate since you can go quite a ways with the display showing 50% before it drops to 49%, so it's really a guessing game.

    Basically, though, don't worry about it. Unless it's been driven a ton of miles, it's under warranty.
     
    srivenkat likes this.
  10. DD1

    DD1 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2018
    24
    3
    0
    Location:
    Bethesda, MD
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Srivenkat, can you report if you found a good way to measure the battery capacity? Are you happy with the range that your new Prius gets?
    I disagree with people who think that laying around for a long time does not degrade the battery. If it was kept in direct sun in hot weather, the battery will start deteriorating from just sitting around for a long time (that is why your phone starts to complain when exposed to direct sun).