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Bad mileage after new NimH from Toyota

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by sharpdoug, Oct 27, 2022.

  1. sharpdoug

    sharpdoug Tig

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    When my car was newer, my mileage was 49-52mpg (gas in miles out). As the performance and mpg dropped I decided to replace the battery. At 190,000 miles on my 2015 Prius, my local dealership installed a factory new battery. The new battery only came with a 1 year warranty.

    After the new battery was installed, charge meter never achieved 7 bars and the mpg was 41-46. Toyota says it because my car is old. They won’t return calls and the manager just is too busy.

    Step 2 I bought and installed the Neopower Li ion battery pack. Instantly I’m getting 50mpg+ with quicker pickup and 6-7 bars on the battery charge meter. The replacement and install were $1,000 cheaper than the Toyota battery with install.

    So far it seems that Lithium Ion is a good choice. D9BA591E-DBAE-477A-BE70-423FF00AC6EA.jpeg
     
    #1 sharpdoug, Oct 27, 2022
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  2. PriusII&C

    PriusII&C Active Member

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    So you replaced your newly installed new NiMH battery with a Lithium Ion battery. How much did you pay, respectively, for the NiMH and the Lithium Ion batteries? Is it worth it for the a few MPG gain?
     
    #2 PriusII&C, Oct 27, 2022
  3. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Did you reprogram the ECU to let it know it's was charging a different type of battery?
     
    #3 ASRDogman, Oct 27, 2022
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Because the car is old I have a refurbed battery in my 2013 and it shows seven bars or top of the batteries all the way lit up and it does go up and down but not erratically and it seems to be doing reasonably well which it always has in this car The original battery had a 230,000 or so was given us fits so we changed it and everything's been fine ever since now that's only been about 8 months ago at most.
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Oct 27, 2022
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  5. sharpdoug

    sharpdoug Tig

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    $3615 for the NiMH and $2650 for the Li Ion. Both with install Li Ion was $2,250 + $400 for the install.
    Install was very easy the new pack weights 40lbs versus 82lbs. I’m a fan of the Li Ion already. I’m planning on keeping the Prius for several more years.
     
    #5 sharpdoug, Oct 27, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2022
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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    A Toyota is supposed to get old your car's not charging its battery because it's old I just sounds really dumb but okay.
     
    #6 Tombukt2, Oct 27, 2022
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  7. sharpdoug

    sharpdoug Tig

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    The technician did that yes. Looked for error codes none found. Was a flawless install took 2 hours and he’s going to try and sell the old-new Toyota NiMH for me to try and recoupe some of my money. This whole deal would have been worth it if i never dealt with Toyota as it is I’m losing money.
     
    #7 sharpdoug, Oct 27, 2022
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  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    That's the first time anyone has said the ecu was reprogramed.
    I wonder if he just SAID he did, and just cleared any codes????
     
    #8 ASRDogman, Oct 27, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2022
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the oem is worth about 2k, and they are hard to come by. where are you located?
     
    #9 bisco, Oct 27, 2022
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did you mean nexpower?
     
    #10 bisco, Oct 27, 2022
  11. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Even when everything is in perfect condition, the charge meter doesn't "achieve" over 6 segments until circumstances (e.g., more than a little regenerative braking within a short time, especially with cold engine) push it over the 6-segment level the programming tends to maintain.
     
    #11 CR94, Oct 27, 2022
  12. johnerh

    johnerh Junior Member

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    Lithium ion? I am using the lithium iron phosphate battery pack. I haven’t heard of neopower
     
    #12 johnerh, Nov 9, 2022
  13. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    That's a load of $ to replace a battery that was still working...twice...
    No biggie, it will pay for itself in about 400,000 miles...........
     
    #13 TMR-JWAP, Nov 9, 2022
  14. Mr. F

    Mr. F Active Member

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    Measured over how many miles? I can get it to show 99.9 MPG over really short distances—to get an accurate reading one typically would need to go through at least one tank of fuel.
     
    #14 Mr. F, Nov 9, 2022
  15. sharpdoug

    sharpdoug Tig

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    Nexpower is the Dr. Prius battery I believe. The mileage and power are better in my car than the factory new one Toyota of Ft. Bend installed. The charge rate is better and power delivery seems excellent. I’m from Sugar Land TX. (the battery pack from Toyota it is available, if your in the Houston, Austin, Dallas or San Antonio area.)
     
    #15 sharpdoug, Nov 9, 2022
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  16. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah I might have tried that but they were out of supply for a year a long time and I had to have my car so I have the Toyota factory battery brand new and it should last as long as the original I hope or close
     
    #16 Tombukt2, Nov 9, 2022
  17. B. Roberts

    B. Roberts Hypah Milah! Ayuh.

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    So, any performance improvement with the lithium ion battery?
     
    #17 B. Roberts, Nov 16, 2022
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  18. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Most of the folks with one say they're getting right at 50 mi to the gallon and they can go better up hills I haven't had any problems in the hills of North Carolina but I don't spend much time in them I'm getting between 47 and 49 with the factory Nimh battery. So I guess I'd get a mile or two per gallon better and much better hill climbing ability which I don't do so another $1,000 approximately just for the battery for a couple more miles to the gallon it would have to last a long time for payout which in theory it should but you see what's happening with all the newer cars batteries be they EV or hybrid seems to be some kind of manufacturing issue that nobody wants to cover everybody wants to point at somebody else so you spend a lot of time in limbo keep your gas car
     
    #18 Tombukt2, Nov 16, 2022
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