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Dead HV-battery? Prius -06

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by kevinprius, Apr 2, 2022.

  1. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    Hi everyone,[​IMG] [​IMG]

    Excuse me for my writing since English isn’t my first language.
    I have a 2006 Prius with 145k miles, bought it 1 year ago and it has worked well (until now).

    One week ago it displayed dash lights of red triangle and other warning lights (see picture). I visited the mechanic who got the codes:

    P3000 Battery Control System
    P0A80 Replace Hybrid Battery Pack
    C2318 Low Voltage Error (Power Supply Malfunction)
    B1421 Solar Sensor Circuit (passenger side)

    I drove the car to my work (200 miles), turned off the car, started it again and the same dash lights appeared again.

    Then I visited a Toyota mechanic. They ran a diagnostic test (see the picture) and got the P0A80 code. Also they checked the fan of the battery which was fine.

    From what I can see Block V.05 has a pretty big voltage difference. Could the temp of battery TB2 also play a big role here? The mechanic talked about a potential oxidation on the battery but they didn’t check this. They did though check that there was no water under the battery. But overall the mechanics didn’t seem to be really experts on prius cars, they hade only been Toyota mechanics for a few years and couldn’t answer some of the things I questioned.

    Driving home, maybe now paying more attention, I noticed lack of power from the car. After leaving the mechanic, driving about 1h, the passenger seat ventilation fan also started sounding pretty loud which I have never heard before.


    Maybe some important information:

    - The car had been standing for two weeks before I drove it and the warning lights appeared. Usually I drive the car few times a week. I was always worried about the HV battery but the battery bars has looked pretty good, pendling between blue/green on the highway and almost never going to purple. But when driving the car (after standing two weeks) this week it’s almost always on purple when I am not driving on the highway

    - I can see in the protocol from the previous owner that it has been some issues with the 12V battery. 2019 there was trouble with starting the car, needing a startbooster (?). The mechanics checked the battery and it looked fine but they replaced the 12V battery. Two months later same problem appeared again and the 12V battery died if the car had been standing for one week. Again the test showed that the battery was fine, but I suspect the 12V battery was replaced 6 months later again, also the smart key was changed. The mechanic suspected that something was draining the battery while sitting (don’t know the word in English).

    - A few months ago the 12V battery died for me, I suspect that I forgot to turn the interior lights off and let the car stand for a few days. Called for assistance and they charged the battery and it worked fine again, but the smart key now didn’t work, now I need to insert the key with the chip to start the car which I didn’t had to before.


    Sorry for all this text. I am no good at cars and need to fix this as soon as possible, really would appreciate all your help. Been reading most of the threads here for the last few days and you guys seem to be the real experts. Preferably I don’t want to throw another 2k for a new scan… but if it is necessary and if it can be fixed I will do it.
     
  2. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    Pictures
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!
    it does sound like something is draining the 12v when the car is off.

    that is usually a difficult electronic diagnosis, checking all the fuses with a meter to see how much power is being pulled through each circuit.
    there is a specification for the normal amount of electricity the car uses when off. if you are exceeding this, then something is wrong.

    it also could be a defective battery, but since it has been changed so often, that isn't as likely.

    regarding the hybrid battery, it may be on it's last legs, but if the car starts, it is still okay. one early sign is often the battery icon keeps oscillating between full and low bars, because the battery is accepting very little charge.
    you should have someone open the battery and inspect all the wiring and connections for corrosion.

    all the best!
     
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  4. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    The data shows that you have a failed high voltage battery. The battery has 14 blocks. Each block has 2 modules (28 modules total) Each module is a sealed 7.2V nickel metal hydride unit (6 cells x 1.2V).

    Block 5 is about 1.5V lower than the others. That is caused by a shorted or bad cell.

    The car might work for some time (weeks? - maybe) or it could fail to run very soon.

    The bad module has to be replaced. The most reliable repair is to replace all the modules with new units from Toyota. Some other option for new battery exist as well (newpriusbatteries.com). Install a new pack and you should have no problems with that for 10 years or more.

    You can have just the bad module replaced or install a "rebuilt" battery pack or "rebuild" it yourself. There is much higher chance of failure. Some people have gotten 1 to 3 years from this type of repair. Others have had problems again and again just a few days after doing work.


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #4 mr_guy_mann, Apr 2, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2022
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  5. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    I have seen other threads where people got the P0A80 code already when a block differed about 0.2 V. Seems to be that 1.5V is pretty much, shouldn't i have seen some of the warning lights way before?
    I really don't know if it is worth to replace the HV-battery, cost about 20k here at a Toyota mechanic, i bought the car for 50k.
     
  6. Another

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    Winter in Sweden can be cold and damp, isn’t it, so maybe sitting for two weeks got some condensed water into the battery connections and you have a bad connection.
    With costs of new battery apparently so high as you have stated, aren’t there hybrid mechanics that can take a look if opening up is beyond your skill level or desire?
     
  7. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    A battery can degrade slowly over time, or it can have a sudden failure.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  8. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    found a guy on a site equivalent to craigslist here in Sweden, who replace the bad cells for about 5k with a 1 year guarantee, so maybe i get in contact with him but I am worried that it could be a scam. Does 5k with a 1 year guarantee sound legit?

     
  9. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    SEK20,000 is about US$2,150, so is a good price really. As far as what you paid for the car, it doesn't equate to its value. At SEK50,000 (US$5,350) this is a huge discount on its real value. Is the used car market as crazy in Sweden as it is in the rest of the world? If so, it still might be a good choice to fix rather than replace. At least, you know what you have at the moment.
     
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  10. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    sorry, noticed now that i wrote the prices in SEK haha. Yes the used car market is pretty crazy, especially for automatic cars.
    Do I understand you right that you think 50,000 SEK was a good price when I bought the car (not so good reading comprehension in english..:D). And that you think that it is maybe worth it to pay 20,000 SEK?

    I talked to the guy who replaced the bad cells instead of replacing the whole battery, he says that he replaces all the modules under 70% capacity. Is any of the other blocks/modules in needing of replacement except of V.05?
     
  11. Another

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    If it’s SEK20,000 that is a reasonable price if it’s a Toyota OEM battery. If it’s more than one cell that’s bad, can’t find someone to diagnose the issue and you’re keeping the car, go for it.

    The ambiguous 20k reference you made earlier in the USA forum implied it was USD
     
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  12. kevinprius

    kevinprius New Member

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    Ok so found out that the guy on "cragslist" replaces all the 28 modules, the whole package. I am going to ask where this package is from? Probably an used prius?
    Do anyone has any information about replacing the whole package, so this cost about 500$. Any red flags regarding the work and price?

    I thought just replacing the block v.05 would be a good solution since the other blocks seem to have voltage, but maybe this is better?
    thanks for your replies
     
  13. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Yes, on the face of it it sounds like a fair market price. However, the real value of the car is more than that. How much more depends on its condition. Market price and value are not equal. Just look at what the same cars in the same condition are selling now compare to a year ago. The value is the same, but the market has shifted. Value can also mean something to you but not to another person. For example, my car has more value to me because I have owned it for 14 years and I know its condition and service history. A prospective buyer may not place that same value on the car and most likely will be guided by what cars s/he can compare it with that are currently on the market.
    The information you supplied indicates block 5 needs attention. It is impossible to say if there are any others without thorough testing.
    Better is a relative term. Replacing just this block will be quicker and cheaper but will not last long. All the blocks in the battery started out the same. They have all been used for the same amount of time and they are all wearing out. You will end up replacing one more, then another until you get tired of it and the continual inconvenience of having an unreliable car.

    If the car is in very good condition overall and you can see yourself keeping it for more than another 3–5 years, then a completely new factory replacement battery is your best option. Once and done, then you can forget about the battery.

    Module replacements and secondhand used batteries are just bandaids to keep you going temporarily.

    Only you can decide what suits you and is best for your situation.
     
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  14. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    What’s your time horizon?
     
  15. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Likely from another old used battery that was removed as a 'core' when he installs his "whole package".
    Yes. Though there are many toyotas models, and other brands that use the same sized prismatic modules in hybrids.
    That price in within the range (300-500) that you might find in some other parts of the world, hard to say if the quality is any better without looking at the shop and equipment. I've seen 300 installed, but you get what you pay for, and 500 doesn't always mean that it is better. With only 145k (miles?), I would fix the existing hv battery or diy install something newer(ish), even a brand new OEM.

    Did he mention cleaning up the HV battery fan during the replacement, if not that would be a big red flag right away, as he doesn't care about his work.
    Not a bad idea, and could cost 50 or less. After the replacement, you might find longer lasting success by top balancing or cycling the pack with a diy "grid charger" and discharger setup. Some will get lucky, and others will keep trying.

    Unlikely if that 500 battery is 'better' than what you currently have (a matched set with a bad module). You give up an aging mid mileage matched pack for 500, and get back a 'working' mystery pack of unknown quality and longevity. You can check the modules serials #'s on the 500 pack and see how old they are, or if any are still in sequential order.

    Basically you would likely be buying an old pack that was received as a "core" by the 'guy', who then replaces the one (or more) failed modules, and is now selling it for 500 to the next person, rinse repeat. Good gig if you can do one or more per day, though stealing cats is far more lucrative these days. Wonder if that could be the side hustle, once you know where the cat lives?

    If you do purchase a "used" hodge podge of a HV battery from a random guy, be sure you know where he lives or runs his business out of, as you will likely be trying to find him again in the near future for some type of warranty replacement option.

    Can you use this link to locate a newer battery from a verifiable low mileage wreck (ask the toyota dealer to check the VIN for mileage), doesn't need to be from an old gen2 (gen3 will work, and the NiMH gen4 as well), but that would require additional work swapping the modules into your case, and the wrecker may want a "core" or will charge you for such : http://en.bildelsbasen.se/