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Traction battery dead after accident.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Scaurex, Sep 26, 2015.

  1. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    Looking for some input on this. My wife's 2010 Prius was clipped from behind by a tractor trailer, but at low speeds on a main city street. Probably about 40kph/25mph. The drivers side rear is crushed but apparently the hybrid battery isn't hit. It tore the metal bumper, fiberglass fender and headlight off the semi-truck.

    After it had sat at the bodyshop for 1 week and they drove it down the street to assess the rear suspension damage at a shop. Then it sat another 2 weeks before they decided they would repair it, they went to move the car and it's dead. The 12V battery is fine.
    Towed to the local Toyota dealer who said the hybrid battery was completely drained and they had to charge it (this is what the bodyshop told us) The bodyshop also said there was a "light" on the dash. Unfortunately my wife took the call and didn't get any details on which light, yellow triange, red triangle....
     

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    #1 Scaurex, Sep 26, 2015
    Last edited: May 20, 2016
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I've been reading a lot about cars seemingly get bad hv batteries after a trip to the body shop for a few weeks. I always think in the back of my mind......."Was the battery swapped"? I only say this because this week I went to a body shop and I saw 6 Gen 2 prius cars there (possibly salvage fix ups).....so if one of those had a bad battery, would the body shop swap it with a customer's?

    I can't believe your car was not totaled. You should've backed into a wall afterwards to finish it off!!
     
    #2 JC91006, Sep 26, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2015
  3. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    force them to replace the battery pack if they are not going too total the car.
    odds are it has internal damage from the impact or was weak to begin with.
    driving the car daily would keep it charged so you would not have noticed.
    ask about the diminished resale value of the car with a wreck on its history.
     
  4. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    So far, it's not totalled. I have to wait until Monday to see what is going on with the battery.
    I wondered if anyone else had the HV battery go dead, then recharged it...i can't be the only one, can I ?
     
  5. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    Im shocked they put such a high value on it in the first place.
    its almost 6 years old and a new prius (on closeout) with all the toys is only $25,000 then we get the tax credits to bring it down to around 22,000
    maybe you will get lucky and they will total it.
     
  6. Alesf76

    Alesf76 Member

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    Maybe someone at the bodyshop left it in "N" ?
     
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    First off, a NiMH battery fully drained by self discharge will not be damaged. If it was fully drained by a load it can be damaged by cell reversal, but the battery computer is supposed to prevent this. It's in the box the battery is in. A NiMH battery will not be damaged by any chemical deterioration at full discharge.

    It's possible they left the car in "ready" and while sitting on the lot it drained the fuel tank (running the engine intermittently) and then the traction battery when the engine wouldn't start. Again, the battery computer is supposed to prevent this.

    IF they left the car turned off, there is nothing that can drain the traction battery. There is a relay inside of the enclosure that disconnects -both- positive and negative terminals from the car. There is also a ground fault circuit that will disconnect the battery if either terminal is connected to the car body (by crash damage, for example).

    Leaving the car in "N" will cause the traction battery to be drained, but again, the internal computer should prevent -total- discharge.

    Once the Toyota techs. have recharged the battery they can do a test of the modules to see if any were damaged by cell reversal. I would insist they do that test. They probably won't know what cell reversal means, but they will be able to see dead cells in half the modules.

    Those Americans reading this thread should keep in mind this is a Canadian car, and they cost more (in Canadian dollars) than a US Prius. Yes, about $10,000 more. The tech. package starts at about $35,000 for a 2015.
     
  8. IMkenNY

    IMkenNY Im just being nosy

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    I wouldn't be surprised to hear the the battery wasn't drained at all but the orange safety disconnect wasn't completely engaged or the battery is not hooked up properly (perhaps it was removed to complete body work).

    Based on your damage picture and your visual of the traction battery case I doubt the traction battery would need to be replaced.
     
    #8 IMkenNY, Sep 26, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2015
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  9. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    Mote likely that the orange
    Safety plug has been dissangaged for a reason and somebody forgot to reconnect it as it should.
    Or probably in purpose for your benefit of insurance purposes
     
  10. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    Interesting! I had no idea about the safety disconnect switch. Maybe they tripped it when they were ripping the inside of the cargo area apart. I'll see if i can get any info from the dealership about the battery. I feel that getting the straight goods info from the bodyshop is iffy, knowing that they don't get paid if they don't fix the car. And yes, back in 2010, tech pkg cars had a window sticker of $39225 with freight/pdi/bliz prl paint. We didn't pay close to that and bought 2 of them.
    No tax incentives in Canada for hybrid, only Battery electric.
    Tech pkg includes the 2 premium pkgs below it.
    options.jpg
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    when i had my '04 in for bodywork, they drained the hybrid battery so low, they had to order the special toyota charger to start it. not sure how they caused it to drain so low. then when they said it was ready to pick up, the 12v was dead.:mad:
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  12. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    I had a quick look at the dealership today and the car is there, I checked and it shows 2 bars left on the battery. I wonder how much they charged it?
    They are leaving it until monday to see if it holds enough charge to start the car.
     
  13. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    What body shop? I'd want TOYOTA doing ALL the work if someone else was at fault.

    With a 3rd party repair shop, you don't know who you're getting.
     
  14. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    so if it starts they will say its good???
    that's unacceptable.
    my 2005 sits all week and has 4 bars when I run it on weekends and that's an 11 yr old battery baking in the florida heat.
    Id refuse to accept the car with that battery in it.
     
  15. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    3rd party is mostly china replacement parts and ex con labor...any major body work kills the resale value of the car
     
  16. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    According to some of the data, the hybrid battery went dead "evenly" without any weak areas. So they think its fine.
    6 weeks since the Prius was in the accident, no body work has taken place as they are still assessing the powertrain.
    I'm trying to be proactive and get the info from Toyota rather than the bodyshop who of course stands to make $$$ by repairing the car, not totalling it.
    Yes, i'm PO'd that our car is tied up in this mess and the insurance company didn't write if off.

    Edit: They mechanic said the "triangle" was lit on the dash. He didn't say if it was Orange or Red, i'm not sure of the difference.
     
    #16 Scaurex, Sep 29, 2015
    Last edited: May 20, 2016
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think there is only one, it's just a master warning light.

    not sure how it works up north, but i think it's time to call your insurance company, fill them in and demand a total wreck.
     
  18. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    +1

    The time Toyota's put into the car has probably surpassed the value of the car. Remember, you have a right to a car restored to the condition it was in pre-accident. Drive train problems on a car this complex will cost $$$ to fix.
     
  19. neez

    neez Member

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    Do whatever you can to have the car totaled. In my past experience, repaired cars are never right. Gremlins always pop up later.
     
  20. Scaurex

    Scaurex Junior Member

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    So here is update; Got the car back yesterday, 3+ months in the bodyshop. Looks OK, not amazing....but OK. Drives fine, wouldn't know the difference, no squeaks or rattles, yet...
     
    #20 Scaurex, Dec 8, 2015
    Last edited: May 20, 2016