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

Prius C Hybrid Battery Just "Replaced" by dealer under warranty,.. how to confirm?

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by mariocero, Jun 7, 2017.

  1. mariocero

    mariocero Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2017
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    Puerto Rico
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I just picked up my 2012 62K Prius C from the dealer. It was reporting a hybrid battery failure with code PA080. Apparently the Hybrid battery was bad, with a delta of 20%. Part Number G9510-52031.

    Dealer says the battery was replaced, so just to confirm, I took out the rear seat battery panel expecting a unit that "looked" new, in general. However it didn't, it was kind of dusty and the cooling fan fins are dirty, not what I expected from a new unit.

    Maybe the fan is not really part of the G9510-52031 battery assembly?. I am not sure, but still I would like to confirm somehow that what they put in was indeed a new/different battery.

    Any tips as to what I should look for?

    There is a long serial number visible from the front of the unit. It says Primearth EV Energy Co and has a QR barcode,...Is there a way to pull a manufacturing date from this Serial?

    Thanks all for your support

    Mario




    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  2. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
    2,515
    3,253
    9
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You'd think they would have taken a few minutes to clean the fan while they had it out.

    I assume you went ahead and cleaned it yourself while you were in there? Assuming it was dirty enough to warrant cleaning, of course.

    Here's some info on Prime Earth. Basically, they spun off from Panasonic and supply Prius & GM hybrid batteries.
    Primearth EV Energy - Wikipedia
     
    RCO likes this.
  4. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
    4,365
    3,209
    1
    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The # on the housing has a date code as part of it. But even then you can't be 100% sure without opening up the pack itself and looking at date codes on the individual modules. Why? Because I suppose it would be possible to put a new housing in an old unit. Or put the old housing on a new unit.

    If you really don't trust them it would have been best to have it documented ahead of time, or watched them do it, or asked to see the old part.
     
  5. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
    4,365
    3,209
    1
    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    DELETE
    (Duplicate post)
     
    #5 ericbecky, Jun 8, 2017
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2017
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,801
    48,999
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    good news, dealer installing old battery pack has never been reported here. if you have trouble down the road, that's the time to open the pack.
     
  7. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,102
    5,813
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I'm not sure about the C model batteries, but I know the Gen 3 assemblies you can pop off the ductwork above the ECU section and it provides enough gap to look at the serial numbers on the first few modules. I would imagine new modules should have an R (2016) or S (2017) for the 4th digit. It would also depend on where the serial number is printed. Some Gen 3 modules have the number printed full length near the top center of the module and others have it printed in two rows, but under one of the metal brace tubes, which makes it tough to read.
     
    RCO likes this.
  8. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
    4,365
    3,209
    1
    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It'll be too late by then.
    Heck, even now the dealer could say the customer changed it after leaving the dealership.
     
    RCO likes this.
  9. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
    4,365
    3,209
    1
    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    DELETE
    (double post)
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,801
    48,999
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    good point, but i wouldn't worry about it. think of the hundreds/thousands of people who get new batteries either warranty or not. how many open it up to make sure it's new? might as well get a second opinion every time you get a filling or other.
    now, i wouldn't put anything past dealers, but i hope toyota has a way of verifying these things.
     
  11. mariocero

    mariocero Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2017
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    Puerto Rico
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Hi all,

    Thanks for the feedback provided! However, I now have some bad news I would like to share. Today after returning home during the morning activities, much to my dismay the car once again flashed the “Check Hybrid System” warning message on the console :(

    There are a couple of things different from the first time it failed (a few weeks ago):

    1 – Previously, the error came up while driving; this time it came up when trying to start the car.
    2 – The car does not turn on at all, “ready” text is never displayed; last time I was able to drive the car to the dealer after parking the car overnight.
    3 – This time, my phone-based ODB2 adapter was not able to capture any error codes. PA080 was the original failure I read last time and it matched to what the dealer found.

    Any idea what is causing this? I plan to tow the car back to the dealer this Thursday and would like to ask the right questions.

    Also, please see the attached photos of the labels, warning lights, etc. maybe someone could help me decode the manufacturing date from from the hybrid battery.
    1.jpg 2.jpg 4.jpg 5.jpg 6.jpg

    Thanks again!
    -m
     
  12. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2014
    778
    514
    0
    Location:
    Outside Philly, PA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Welcome - sorry you continue to have a problem with your C.

    Now you have documented the serial number on the current pack housing, so you at least can confirm if they replace it again.

    Has the health of the 12 volt (smaller) battery been checked? If you can't get to Ready and all the dash lights are on, you might not have enough juice to boot the computers (which it pretty much what that accessory battery does).

    (Note of caution - if you try to jump the car, make sure you do it properly - lots of folks, including roadside service, make expensive mistakes there!)
     
  13. mariocero

    mariocero Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2017
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    Puerto Rico
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I removed the 12V battery today and will take it to Pepboys to have it tested just in case. I still have one day before the appointment with the dealer. 1497444247307.jpg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. mariocero

    mariocero Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2017
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    Puerto Rico
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I went to Advance Auto Parts and the battery tested ok. Service guy said that it might need more charge. Here is the printed results. 1497447672875.jpg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,801
    48,999
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    if that included a load test, it looks fine. i think you'll have to see what codes toyota comes up with. maybe when you reinstall the 12v, it will start.
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,737
    38,260
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah there's a measured Cranking Amps value.

    They might have just plugged in a speculative CA value for "rated": I had a hard time finding CA info for Yuasa, there was nothing on the label, and difficult to find on the web. I suspect "rated" input is just so the tester can give you a verdict, ie: good, borderline, bad.

    Cranking Amps is typically higher than Cold Cranking Amps? (n)
     
    RCO likes this.
  17. Oic120

    Oic120 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2017
    24
    4
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Touring
    So did you happen to see your dealership again? What happened next?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  18. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2010
    3,524
    981
    8
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    looks like batteries don't last in tropics?
     
  19. mariocero

    mariocero Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2017
    5
    0
    0
    Location:
    Puerto Rico
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    So I took the car back to the dealer as planned. Next day I received a call to come to pick it up. It turns out that the car's Hybrid battery service safety plug was not fully seated and eventually became loose, disconnecting the battery. The failure code reported was P0A0D. I see that this is a fairly common oversight when installing these orange plugs, they probably missed the last "locking" step.

    The car has been running fine since then. Now, I am trying to figure out why I could not read that failure code with the Torque app using the OBDC2 Bluetooth adapter I have. I also would like to somehow read the voltage on the individual cells inside the battery pack, just to better understand that 20% difference that was originally reported on the failing battery pack.
     
  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Glad it was simple. You're right; that happens a lot with the orange interlock.
    I suspect you don't have the Prius PID codes installed. This thread should explain.
    Gen2 Prius: Custom PIDs for Torque (Android App) with formulas | PriusChat