Our 2008 Touring Prius battery pack seems to have finally given up at 187,000 miles. We retired and don't drive much anymore, so the car will sit for several days between short trips to the store, bar, or restaurant. While searching the forums about battery replacement I read that the Prius is a poor choice for our usage. We love our Prius and would rather spend our money repairing it rather than buying a different car. On, the other hand I want to make a logical decision. I can do my own work for the battery installation. If I bought a NewPriusBatteries.com | Home is there an add-on that would mitigate our driving habits? Such as a plug-in charger, balancer, or something I don't know about?
no, but a newer battery doesn't mind sitting a few days or even weeks. i would be more concerned about the 12v and possibly keep a smart charger on it. i think a new battery would be perfect for you, '08 is a very well built car, and you have hundreds of thousands of miles of life in it. regarding buying a hybrid for your use scenario, i wouldn't do it, but since you already have it, it makes sense to keep it. if you can, take it out on the highway now and again for 10-20 miles, just to keep everything moving.
What code(s) are being reported? Be aware that there are some other big ticket items as well, like the brake actuator, and one or more of the AC parts. The list may go on.. Once you have the big three covered, the vehicle should last another 10+ years; assume you may also need bearings, struts, tires, etc. What kind of maintenance have you done so far? If you bought a new HV battery, you shouldn't need such for some years. There are a couple of retail options for reconditioning equipment (grid chargers), and a couple of threads that can help you build a DIY 'grid charger' (and discharger) for around 100ish.
Yeah, I'm worried about the brake actuator, it makes a pulsing sound when I sit at a stop light with the brake applied. AC is working great. I have changed the fluids as recommended and replaced the 12 VDC battery. It has been trouble-free car. Oh, I did the struts a couple of years ago. The friction brakes and suspension rubber could use a refresh. I need to change from halogen to led headlights. The headlight assemblies need to be replaced anyway. I don't know the codes, my code reader won't (OBDLink MX+) does not show any codes. I took it to my local shop and they said the battery pack is bad. I added a photo of the warning lights.
I can't buy a comparable car for the same money I would spend repairing this one. I might get an econobox but it would not be as comfortable as the Prius. I might add a plug to the 12 VDC battery, I already have trickle chargers.
It will go out and need replacement at some point in the future, hours of labor, and the new (recommended) part costs over 1k. If you've never serviced the AC, then now would be a great time to find a known shop/dealer that does "Prius AC" work. Sounds good. Have ever cleaned the HV battery fan? Or those assemblies can be buffed/sanded clear, then sprayed with a can of UV resistant clear coat. Warning lights will generally equate to OBD2 codes being stored. Which app are you using with your OBD2 adapter or 'code reader'? You may want to locate another shop, local or otherwise. Their diagnosis is suspect; is the HV battery fan in the passenger side backseat running louder than normal? A bad HV battery should also show a red triangle on the dash, and an icon on the MFD. Before buying a new OEM replacement (or a NEW aftermarket HV battery), please retrieve and post the OBD2 codes in this thread.
Sundy, I think you would greatly benefit from picking up one of the Lithium Cell Swap Kits Out there. I just bought the Project Lithium kit but if the NewPriusBatteries Kit really does include all new bus bars / hardware / etc. I would recommend going that route. I'm already $300+ in bus bars, misc hardware in addition to the actual battery cells, coming up on 3k total cost very quickly. It was a stretch to begin with, had a I known "total cost" I probably would have pursued the NPB kit. Make sure you have a ft/lb and in/lb torque wrench for the work and be comfortable working around high voltage. Otherwise a Lithium swap is perfect for your use case. Enhanced performance (or comfort with the enhanced AC performance under these kits), much greater shelf life when parked, overall lighter / improved technology.
Suggest Project lithium instead of NPB, Project Lithium in stock https://projectlithium.com/products/prius-lithium-replacement-pack Project Lithium customer review | PriusChat NPB has had problems delivering batteries after getting paid. Prius Battery Replacement (GenII) Like you've never seen - NEW Cylindrical Cells | Page 35 | PriusChat
I cannot believe I completely missed that in my comparison. Big whiff on my part, too many late nights at PC I guess. You are correct, Project Lithium is the only Lithium Swap kit on the market I would be installing. Thank you for catching that. Project Lithium didn't include any bus bar components and to me it certainly makes sense to replace the whole component with OEM copper units vs any other solution available, even for the added cost.
I finally took the car to Toyota and $180 later I have some papers. Pharr Toyota says the traction battery is fine.
This is a link to Photos, the pictures might be easier to see there. https://photos.app.goo.gl/qa5BoHurWUwPhETc8
If I replace the battery I will buy a 'drop in' replacement. I can do all the fiddly bits but I don't have the motivation.
i replaced mine last week with an oem battery. cost 1950 and im happy with that choice. the lithium solution looks great, but we already know the oem batteries can last up to 16 years, so the peace of mind is worth it to me
They listed the Brake Actuator nice person. for $1808 and labor of $778 for a total of $2586.59. I watched a video of the Brake Act. replacement and 770 does not seem out of line.
