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Trouble with Hybrid Battery

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by arrosen, Jul 10, 2020.

  1. arrosen

    arrosen Junior Member

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    Hi

    I just had my Hybrid battery replaced. The car was running before replacement, just really low gas mileage and it wouldn't hold a charge on the energy screen (never got to green, and would jump from high-blue down to purple). In a few weeks I have to drive across the desert, so I didn't want to chance it - I got the battery replaced.

    Everything was fine for about 30 miles. Then the red triangle, DTC and check engine came on, as well as the "No Drive" symbol on the MFD. I pulled the code and it was P3016, which I think indicates a bad HV cell.

    I called the battery guy back out, and he said the battery was fine, and made some adjustment to "the computer". When he left, everything was fine, but I noticed that although the battery went to green, it still jumped down to purple after it hit the first blue line. I called him back again, and he assured me everything was fine. An hour later I went to turn the car on and again I get the dashboard lights. This time I pulled the codes (on my cheap little OBD reader) and it just said N/A 01/02 and N/A 02/02. No idea what that means. I then cleared the codes, drove it for a mile, and everything seems to be fine (although I didn't drive enough to charge the battery).

    I hooked up Torque, and all of the cells are showing between 16.5 and 17V.

    I'm just not sure where to go from here. The battery guy insists the battery is fine, but something keeps tripping the check engine light. But then again, it seems to run fine after the codes have been cleared.

    Any ideas what I should do next? I don't really want to take it to a different mechanic, and i am in discussions with the original guy to come back out again, but if there is anything I can do to pinpoint the problem, that'd be great.

    Thanks
     
  2. JerryScript

    JerryScript Junior Member

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    You need to take it for a longer drive, preferably ending at a trustworthy mechanic's location so he can hook up a better code reader and give you a better idea of what's what.

    I'm betting the battery guy was resetting the maint-required light. Not an issue if the battery he installed is ok, but you need codes and possibly run a stress test (Dr Prius app and I think Torque Pro have them) to see.
     
  3. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    Apps : Hybrid Assistant, and the sister app Hybrid Reporter which will graph the data for the pack.

    You don't have a location listed, where on the planet are you currently located?
     
    Raytheeagle and Prodigyplace like this.
  4. arrosen

    arrosen Junior Member

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    I'm near Los Angeles (about 50 miles north)

    I reset the codes and drove it for about 20 miles today. Voltage on all cells stayed between 15 and 17. But when the HV KW got to about 14 on Torque (was in purple on the screen), I warnings came on again, but the car still drove fine. No decrease of power, no noises, and the battery still charged back up to blue (about 31KW). There was only a single code this time - P0A80 - which scared me a bit, but there was no noticeable degradation in acceleration or overall ride. I cleared the codes, drove the 6 miles home over moderately rolling hills, with no issue.

    I've installed Hybrid Assistand and Hybrid Reporter, and will try another test drive.

    Does anyone know of a good, trustworthy mechanic in the Conejo Valley area?
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    is hybrid fix too far?

    who did the battery? there are a ton of shady operators. we usually recommend new, unless you are diy'ing
     
  6. arrosen

    arrosen Junior Member

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    Someone in Santa Ana - SoCal Hybrid Repair. Lots of good reviews and 1 referral. Unfortunately, I cannot afford new, I got a refurbished.

    I have attached the graphs from Hybrid Assistant from a 40 minute drive. The car did not throw any warnings/errors, but I got awful gas mileage (~26 mpg). If anyone can help me interpret these, I'd be forever grateful
     

    Attached Files:

  7. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    P0A80 is failed hybrid pack.

    You got yourself a whack a mole repair job. voltages are very important but the ability of an individual module to hold a charge and be able to provide rated power under is more is more important..And the impedance Of the cells.
    Another issue is the main connector rots out too.

    A full rebuild requires a full test of every single module which requires a full charge of each module then load tested to see if they can provide power under load at its rated level. Find the weakest sister.
    Replacement of the main harness and meticulous job of removing all corrosion off all interconnect usually they are totally corroded.

    Takes days and days and sometimes even then a module can fail because there are no new modules available.

    You got whacked which is just identify which module is flaking out slap a new one in cross your fingers and run.

    WAM is Incredibly common on this site and a big waste of time and money. Total rip off.
     
  9. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    This WAM aka whack a mole way of fixing things will get you back on the road and save you thousands of dollars.

    Watch some you tube videos.
     
    #9 AzusaPrius, Jul 13, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2020