2007 with P0a80 and manual latch for hatchback won't work.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by T.S. Elliot, Mar 13, 2026 at 6:47 PM.

  1. T.S. Elliot

    T.S. Elliot Junior Member

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    I bought a 2007 sight unseen for way too much money and finally my luck ran out. Bad hybrid battery. To make matters worse I can't even open the lift gate. The little silver thing on the inside is stiff and it won't rotate to open the door. I just tried it on my daily to make sure I have the idea correct and it opens no problem. How am I going to get the liftgate open if the manual lever doesn't work??

    To make matters worse I cannot get the Dr. Prius app on my iphone to work with my obd reader even though I specifically bought the reader dr. prius app told me to use. I have an old galaxy s7 burner with the dr. prius app but haven't got it to work yet either. Assuming I can't get the app to work is there a way to manually measure voltages on the cells to find the culprit cell once I have it on the bench? Man, not off to a good start with this one.
     
    #1 T.S. Elliot, Mar 13, 2026 at 6:47 PM
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Manual trunk release yeah where is that.
     
    #2 Tombukt2, Mar 13, 2026 at 8:43 PM
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    will 12 volts not open it electrically?
     
    #3 bisco, Mar 13, 2026 at 9:22 PM
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  4. T.S. Elliot

    T.S. Elliot Junior Member

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    From the inside near the hatch latch there is a little silver tab that if you lift up it will open the hatch. In theory. It's like my silver little thing is already stuck up and not actuating whatever it is supposed to release.

    No go with the 12v. The switch is in rough shape from heat damage, but it does try to do something. You can hear it make a clunking sound, but the hatch is still firmly shut.
    [​IMG]

    I got the Dr. Prius app to work at least. What does this tell us about the battery? To the layman obviously it appears modules #3, 5, & 8 are different. Possible to swap the 6 cells out and be good? I know there are concepts of charging and balancing the cells that I know nothing about, and I obviously need to do a lot more research on my own. Just wondering if someone can point me in the right directions, pointers etc. I have 2 bad hybrid battery assemblies, possible to scrounge together all the good cells from those? Drawback is they were known to be bad packs already and I'm sure sitting for a couple years hasn't fixed them.

    Although I can't even dig into this HV battery fiasco if I can't lift the gate....
    ​
     
    #4 T.S. Elliot, Mar 13, 2026 at 11:18 PM
  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    On a gen2 the rear latch motor is in the floor. As a result you pull the hatch floor up to access the manual release.

    IMG_0779.jpeg

    IMG_0780.jpeg
    Remove cover of latch motor​

    IMG_0778.jpeg Once I had to move the manual release while jiggling the hatch door from the inside. There may be a way to unbolt the latch motor from that same access. Or if push came to shove pull out the angle grinder and try to cut off the strike.
     
    #5 rjparker, Mar 14, 2026 at 12:40 AM
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2026 at 1:29 AM
  6. highmilesgarage

    highmilesgarage Active Member

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    what you see on Dr Prius are blocks not "cells", a block has 2 "modules" and this is the one where you can buy elsewhere and swap/replace. Each module has 6 cells which are not replaceable. If you drive it long enough it will throw a code like "Block XX is getting weak" which mean it's voltage difference from other blocks is greater than .3v, looking at your graphs you have a voltage difference of 2v which is really high. Swapping modules will work but it also depends on your luck on how you reconditioned or swap the modules. They need to be at the same capacity (balanced) and sometimes it will last for a day, a week, a month or years but don't expect something long term.. worst if it could leave you on the side of the road for longer trips.
     
    #6 highmilesgarage, Mar 14, 2026 at 11:48 AM
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  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    If electrically it clunks but doesn't unlatch, and moving the lever (that you know from another car is the right lever) doesn't unlatch, it would seem something has failed in the latch. That doesn't seem like a common issue anyone else here would have advice about. It'll be a challenge. You may have to look for ways to carefully destroy the latch or the strike without destroying what's nearby.
     
    #7 ChapmanF, Mar 14, 2026 at 1:45 PM
  8. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Usually the latch has cloth or plastic jammed in it.
     
    #8 rjparker, Mar 14, 2026 at 3:43 PM
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