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"cooling performance of the hybrid battery is low consult a dealer"

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Shelby, Jul 14, 2014.

  1. Shelby

    Shelby Junior Member

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    Does anyone know what this error message means and would it be covered under the Platinum extended warranty. I have 61,000ish miles. I was told that by buying this warranty I would be covered for most anything. Called the dealer and they are very vague.
     
    Priuslover09 likes this.
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Sadly, you never filled out your location, so I have no idea if this is good advice.

    If you live anywhere in the USA, your battery has at least a 8 year/100,000 mile warranty. It may be longer in certain states, but then we are back to not knowing where you are.

    I believe Canada has a similar warranty, I hear rumors the UK only has a 5 year warranty.

    Step 1: Ask someone where you live, Step 2: Add it to your profile under location. It will help every question you ever ask here get correct answers.

    (The dealer is vauge as 'platinum warranties' are just a profit center never used)
     
  3. Shelby

    Shelby Junior Member

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    After checking with the NSA, I have determined that I live in the USA.

    Does the error message refer to the hybrid battery's ability to cool, or something else's ability to cool the hybrid battery? I obviously know nothing about this stuff. I had a 2008 Prius for 200,000 miles and never had a problem with the battery.

    Has anyone else received this message?
     
  4. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    The Hybrid Battery has a cooling fan that circulates air from the cabin through the battery modules to cool. The error message is telling you that this cooling fan performance is inadequate. Since your HV system is still under warranty take it to your dealer and have them correct the problem.

    If you have a dog or other pets it may be that the cooling fan has been clogged with hair. Also the cooling vent is located in the corner of the rear passenger seat next to the door. Be sure not to block this vent as this will block the air flow and could result in the error message.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    wow, i have never heard of this message before, pretty 'in your face'!
     
  6. Shelby

    Shelby Junior Member

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    If it is clogged with pet hair, would it be at a place I could get to in order to unclog it myself? I really hate going to the dealers available to me here. I've had malfuctioning window controls and a tire sensor that needs to be reprogrammed that I have ignored because of how much I dislike my local Toyota "service" departments.

    This will definitely be my last Toyota.
     
  7. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    It is not that difficult to get to the cooling fan but it does require disassembling the cargo area covers and gaining access to the HV Battery enclosure. If you are interested you can do a search for Cooling Fan and find a step-by-step procedure for accessing the Cooling Fan.

    You may want to try an Advance Auto or Auto Zone store and have them read your Diagnostic Trouble Code to verify it is reporting the Cooling Fan before attempting to disassemble.
     
  8. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Shelby...many here understand that sometimes going to a sub-standard Dealership is less than favorable, but you did spent the money for the Platinum. You own that service, so make them fix your car when it's covered.
     
    Grit, robertk328, kc410 and 1 other person like this.
  9. Sierra Mark

    Sierra Mark Junior Member

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    The warranty is good at any toyota dealer. try another dealer.
     
  10. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    Take it to your Toyota dealer and have them repair it.
     
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  11. kiwiscoot

    kiwiscoot Junior Member

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    why not use a vacuum cleaner and vacuum the air intake next to the seat. I heard of someone who has a plastic bag stuck in there.
     
  12. Manolis

    Manolis Junior Member

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    I just got this error on my 2014 prius with 61k miles (like many of us it seems) Just called Keyes Totyota in L.A. where I bought it and their service department said the filter needs to be cleaned for $160. I asked if there was a fan in there and they did not know. I vacuumed all around it - do not have pets and looks very clean in the vents.
    Any ideas?
     
  13. saltdiscus

    saltdiscus Member

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    I just cleaned my 2014 prius fan area was clogged.I had a plastic filter with tiny holes which I removed and washed with warm water.Now car seems more happy.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. PacificCoast

    PacificCoast New Member

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    Did the message "cooling performance of the hybrid battery is low", disappear from your dashboard and how soon after? I just cleaned my filter and the message is still there.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Did you check the fan too? Also:

    How many miles?
    Driving conditions, ie: pets in the car?
     
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  16. PacificCoast

    PacificCoast New Member

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    The fan was fine and didn't need cleaning.
    100,000 miles and no pets.
     
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  17. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    Maybe you need to clear the code with Techstream. Or, maybe the fan is just broken? I doubt it. Are you in the SF area?
     
  18. Autokomp

    Autokomp New Member

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    Connect the diagnostics, make a full scan, press the button to completely remove all errors and there will not be a problem. Before doing this, be sure to check the cleanliness of the battery inlet filter and the purity of the fan.
     
  19. AgentSmith

    AgentSmith New Member

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    This message came up on my 2015 Prius C with 26,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer since I extended my maintenance package for an additional 4 visits beyond the initial care package and it's still under the 3 year general/ 8 year battery warranty. After the initial inspection I was told it was so dirty that it had to be completely replaced & shown a bill of $325. I researched the error message which led me to this forum & several others where Toyota hybrid owners of various models, years & milage are having the same problem. I read through my warranty which lists coverage of the replacement of filters, and does not specify anywhere that this particular filter is not covered by the general or hybrid warranty. I also found a Technical Service Bulletin by Toyota, dated Dec. 2011, copyright 2016, which outlines this issue, how to address it, and states "Repeat this procedure as normal maintenance every 5,000 miles." You can view the full doc here:
    I was told that the regular cleaning of this filter is not part of the regular maintenance my dealership performs. I was never made aware of the need for cleaning every 5,000 miles, nor was I asked to do so at any point. The manual notes that the battery vent should be kept clean & never blocked, but the filter is not mentioned. I was told this issue is rare, but clearly you don't want it to happen to you. Toyota has known about this problem for years & they have not created a solution for their customers. Prepare yourself because my dealership did not want to assume responsibility for this issue, but I brought my research & refused payment. From now on I will have it regularly inspected & cleaned & I suggest we all take the initiative to spread the word that this service needs to be performed to properly maintain your vehicle. Hopefully we can spare others the shock & expense.
     
    #19 AgentSmith, Sep 29, 2017
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2017
    Robert Holt likes this.
  20. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Does regular maintenance normal cover that needed for severe driving conditions? I would expect that to cost extra.Your attachment specifically mentions severe driving conditions.