1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Driving on bad hybrid battery

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Keepdriving, May 23, 2018.

  1. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yes, must cleat the error code to drive normally. You could still drive but cruise control doesn’t engage and the ICE sounds like it’s gonna die if I try to push past 40mph. Also mpg sucks big time.
     
    jack black and Johnny Cakes like this.
  2. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    The hybrid battery must be on its last legs. Chs light came on 4 times during 15 miles of driving with AC set at the lowest setting. Made it home with ac off with no problem getting 53 mpg for those same 15 miles though. But definitely the battery is almost done, I think.
     
    DLC82SV likes this.
  3. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2016
    994
    755
    2
    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Keep us posted -- I've liked reading this thread because so few people are willing to just drive a car into the ground, even when that is the best option. That you have gotten an extra year out of the car shows that it was a good decision.
     
    DLC82SV, dubit and PokerMunkee like this.
  4. PokerMunkee

    PokerMunkee Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2018
    34
    23
    0
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I agree, keep us posted! Also what option you go with replacing it. I was quoted by a local place that they charge $2k for re manufactured battery pack. Surely there are cheaper/better options!
     
  5. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    It rained quite a bit last two days and I had on the lights, defogger, and wiper at the highest setting and the energy level went down from 7 to 2 in less than a minute. Turned off the defogger and set the wiper to intermittent setting and thankfully chs warning didnt come on. Also, this never happened before where the energy level showed 8 bars but since the chs first came on last year, several times it went all the way to the top. I guess it means not good. upload_2018-6-22_18-41-1.png
     
  6. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Yes, as you've pointed out correctly this is the car subtly telling you it's sick. That battery is doomed. It may last another year though you just don't know. Lots of people, myself included, have run such sick Prii vehicles for 2-3 years before the actual failure lights come on. And in my case, I ran for almost 8 months after that before I replaced a module with just clearing the codes more and more often.

    If you love the car and want to keep it, start saving for a new pack. Either new from Toyota or new from me. Don't even bother with reconditioned/refurbished.

    If you are looking for a new car, now would be the best time to trade it in. When the dash lights up like a Christmas tree, the trade-in value takes a huge beating.
     
    DLC82SV likes this.
  7. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    What’s an actual failure light? Does the car not start then? If I could drive for another 2-3 years I would be very happy. Probably will go over 250k miles by then. This weekend drove over 140 miles at 52mpg. Other than the battery discharging very fast, mpg hasn’t really dropped. I do pulse and glide more than before though.
     
    DLC82SV likes this.
  8. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2005
    723
    27
    0
    Location:
    Fort Wayne, IN
    An actual failure looks like your post #21 at the top of this page. I still wonder about intermittent connections, maybe corrosion on the battery, as an expended battery doesn't have the capacity yours seems to have when it it working. Also, I would expect a few more years out of a 2010. However, if you swap it out you will fix any corrosion. ;-)
     
  9. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2010
    6,035
    3,854
    0
    Location:
    Rocky Mountains
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Just re-read that you already had a failure 10-months ago. You're on its last legs then undoubtedly and the value has already dropped. So either keep it and fix it or sell it as junk.

    You should have seen this battery behaviour for the past 2-3 years just getting gradually worse and worse and worse. Then you get the code you got 10 months ago. You're driving on borrowed time. Eventually the codes will come back. And you will have to clear them weekly to keep driving, then daily, then it just won't move. Other faults like HV Isolation faults can strand you anywhere so make sure you have an OBDII reader/scanner/clearer with you. Driving on a known bad battery will make it run hotter. This can lead to the pack exploding, in the sense that the vent tops will forcibly blow off and release gas into the car and potentially the entire pack will start to deform and warp the assembly.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yup, that’s me. I had to clear the code 5 times in one day, 4 times within an hour period a few days ago with ac at lowest setting. Hopefully it will last me a few more months before I get a new car.
     
  11. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I think it’s best if I just get a new car instead of spending more money into a car that has 210k+ miles. I just don’t like the looks of a newest Prius. Maybe certified older model Prius might be the way to go when the time comes.
     
    DLC82SV likes this.
  12. Ray Moore

    Ray Moore Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2004
    857
    52
    0
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Inspiring story.
     
    DLC82SV likes this.
  13. Keepdriving

    Keepdriving Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2018
    35
    27
    0
    Location:
    Palatine
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    A year ago today my chs light came on. Drove exactly 20k miles since. Battery discharges faster each day it seems, but as long as I have the energy monitor on, and make sure the battery is charging as I’m driving, so far so good. But chs light came on about 10 times last week when in the parking lot looking to park. Bad battery doesn’t like me going at 5 miles per hour.
     
    DLC82SV and bisco like this.
  14. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2016
    994
    755
    2
    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Five

    You are my hero! You are playing with house money right now.
     
    DLC82SV and davecook89t like this.
  15. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,463
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Maybe you just have a bad gas cap
     
    m.wynn and DLC82SV like this.
  16. DLC82SV

    DLC82SV Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    241
    118
    0
    Location:
    81212
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    Dealers will do it for 2k now.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  17. DLC82SV

    DLC82SV Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    241
    118
    0
    Location:
    81212
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    So am I missing something? Why are all of you buying this techstream OBDII scanner? Does it clear something I can't from the MFD? I use the display button combined with flashing my headlights on the off 3 times and it brings me to a service menu on my center screen. I can view and clear my codes and voltage and everything right from there? Am I missing something or are you guys? 20180724_080916.jpeg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  18. DLC82SV

    DLC82SV Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    241
    118
    0
    Location:
    81212
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----
    ROFLMAO Or bad gas!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  19. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2017
    6,103
    4,032
    1
    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Apples vs oranges.
     
  20. DLC82SV

    DLC82SV Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    241
    118
    0
    Location:
    81212
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----USA----