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HV Battery Failing

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ErinScot, Feb 4, 2014.

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  1. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    Yesterday I had the full constellation of dashboard lights show up suddenly. Took the Prius to the dealership. They said there was debris from the fan (not sure exactly what it's called -- the one that vents in the backseat) that needed to be cleared out and that one of the cells in the main battery is failing.

    I had them clean out the fan and get that moving again (apparently it wasn't at all), to the tune of $358. But as I'm sure you know, replacing the entire battery is going to be significantly more expensive. And I absolutely do not have the money. I'm already upside down in the car as it is, so I don't really have a lot of options.

    I've looked into buying a replacement battery and doing it myself, but I'm concerned about some things I read where people are saying, "If you mess up, you'll kill yourself!" I also would at least appreciate the peace of mind of a warranty from Toyota on a replacement battery, but I don't know if that peace of mind is worth nearly $3,000.

    So, what are your thoughts? The numbers from the printout they gave me indicate that all but one cell is showing 16.3-16.5. The one that's low is 15.02 and 15.94, according to the two separate readings they did. I don't suppose there's any way of guessing when the thing will give out on me completely? Right now the fan is running constantly when I drive, which I'm sure isn't a great sign. I need to get this taken care of quickly, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
     
    #1 ErinScot, Feb 4, 2014
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I think you are on borrowed time, that battery will leave you stranded at anytime. How many miles are on your car? I would not mess with the battery unless you do more research and watch some youtube videos on the battery swap process. You can definitely kill yourself with the high voltage.

    Since you say you don't have the money for a new battery, you can consider buying a used or refurbished battery from a wrecked car. They can cost anywhere from $500 - $2000.
     
    #2 JC91006, Feb 4, 2014
  3. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

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    Where are you located? There might be a shop nearby that has experience with Prii and could throw a used or refurbished battery in for $1000-2500.
     
    #3 vskid3, Feb 4, 2014
  4. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    I'm in the Portland, Oregon area. I have a quote for one shop to put in a remanufactured battery for $2542.18. But I've seen where I can buy the battery myself for somewhere around $1300 (if I trade in my old one) and do the labor myself. I just don't know if it's worth that hassle. It's all going on a credit card anyway, so part of me just says to let the dealer do it for more and get the warranty.
     
    #4 ErinScot, Feb 4, 2014
  5. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You can buy an brand new battery from a Toyota dealer online for less than $2000. For that amount of money, why would you pay $2542.18 for a remanufactured one?

    Ask your local dealer if they will install a battery you bring them from another dealer?
     
    #5 JC91006, Feb 4, 2014
  6. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    And do we assume the car is out of warranty?
     
    #6 GrumpyCabbie, Feb 4, 2014
  7. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    The $2,542.18 is for another repair shop to get a manufactured battery AND install it. Not just the cost of the battery itself. I can get it for under $2,000, but then I just have a battery and an uncertainty about installing it myself. I don't know what kind of warranty Toyota would offer me on a battery I just bring them from somewhere online.

    And, yes, it's out of warranty by nearly 10,000 miles now.
     
    #7 ErinScot, Feb 4, 2014
  8. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I believe this would be about a $300 installation at most shops. The battery you buy for $2000 or less will be an original Toyota battery that carries I believe a 1 year warranty.

    Try calling corporate Toyota or the service manager and ask for a goodwill warranty on the battery. There are many instances where toyota covered the battery and you just pay for the labor to install it.
     
    #8 JC91006, Feb 4, 2014
  9. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    I spoke to the corporate customer service line. Their basic response was, "That sucks." I didn't use the term "goodwill warranty," though, so I guess I can try again.

    I talked to my service advisor, who told me the warranty on a new battery is only a year, but "this new battery should last 10 years." That quote killed me, since we're in the midst of talking about replacing a battery that is just barely eight years old.
     
    #9 ErinScot, Feb 4, 2014
  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    It doesn't hurt to try asking them again for the "goodwill" warranty. Tell them you are a long time Toyota customer, blah blah blah, all your friends and family have them. It's just outside the 8 year mark, it's very premature for such a highly technical car to have this failure....blah blah. Emphasize it's just outside the warranty period. They may cover partial cost of the battery or they may cover the entire battery. From past posts, they almost never cover the labor.

    You might have better luck if you have the dealer call this in for you....the goodwill warranty request.
     
    #10 JC91006, Feb 4, 2014
  11. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

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    That is not even close to be being worth the extra $1000. If you shop around, you could probably find a shop that would do it for less than $2500. Ask them how much it would be for them to just install a battery, then you can try to find a good deal on one online.
     
    #11 vskid3, Feb 4, 2014
  12. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    All parts from Toyota parts desk carry a 1 year warranty.
    This includes the 12v battery or the high voltage battery.

    Aftermarket, refurbished batteries from reputable services generally carry a 2 to 3 year warranty.

    Most places will also have a $500-$1,000 deposit on top of the cost of the battery.
    You get the deposit back when you turn in your old battery.
     
    #12 ericbecky, Feb 4, 2014
  13. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    No longer true, the 12V battery, still made by GS Yuasa in Japan, also has TrueStart stickers added bragging about an 84 month prorated warranty.

    See for example:
    Replacement Battery Pix | PriusChat
     
    #13 Patrick Wong, Feb 4, 2014
    dorunron likes this.
  14. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Only gonna work if it's actually true :)

    If you have a full book of dealer stamps for service then Toyota are likely (though not guaranteed) to help. If you haven't, then the line is usually drawn at the exact warranty.

    That's why I always use a main dealer, even if I have to negotiate their prices down. The extra £50/$100 you pay each time is more than made up later should you need flexibility after a warranty has run out. Personal gamble I guess though.
     
    #14 GrumpyCabbie, Feb 5, 2014
  15. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    I've only owned the car for two years. In that time I've maybe had four oil changes, only one of which I had done at the dealer, and one issue (replacing the auxiliary battery) that the dealer did. Not a lot of opportunity to prove my loyalty, unfortunately.
     
    #15 ErinScot, Feb 5, 2014
  16. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Well the horse has already bolted. But equally, you don't get if you don't ask.
     
    #16 GrumpyCabbie, Feb 5, 2014
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    battery life is more mileage related than time, so if you put another 160,000 on in 8 years, then it might only last 8 years. but that isn't bad for the price. also, the fact that your fan was clogged may have reduced your battery life, so if you haul around animals or such, keep an eye on it and that will be a big help. some even go so far as to put a filter over it. all the best!(y)
     
    #17 bisco, Feb 5, 2014
  18. ErinScot

    ErinScot New Member

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    I've got another call into Toyota, and my dealer is helping. So we'll see. I've pointed out that it might be nice to know when you buy the vehicle that there's some danger of this fan getting clogged. I didn't even notice the vent was there until a few months ago. I have no idea how excess "debris" could have gotten into it. My dogs have been in the car MAYBE 10 times since I bought it. And there's a car seat next to the vent, so the dogs have to sit on the other side. And my kid can't angle his arm to shove stuff into the vent, nor would he have the inclination to do so. So this problem of debris seems to be a Toyota design issue. And, at the very least, owners should be warned. If I had known I would have taped some pantyhose over it immediately.
     
    #18 ErinScot, Feb 5, 2014
  19. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    I wouldn't think the fan is the caused of your problem. It's just the battery has reached the end of it's service life. I'm glad the dealer is assisting you in requesting this warranty. It may just work out.....if not completely covered, partially covered.
     
    #19 JC91006, Feb 5, 2014
  20. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Maybe the previous owner knew? I know my HV battery is getting weak in the way that it swings from full to empty very very quickly.

    Carrying dogs 10 times won't clog the fan. Carrying dogs 10 times a week over 5 years might.
     
    #20 GrumpyCabbie, Feb 5, 2014
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