Hi there! First off, so glad PriusChat exists. Already it's helped me tons in my three months as a Prius owner. Second, I'm unsure whether to go ahead and replace my HV battery on my 2009 Prius, 140k miles. I bought the car somewhat discounted knowing that it had a "weak" battery (as my new hybrid specialty mechanic told me). Supposedly my battery could last me anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 years. I haven't been able to find any answers about whether driving around (and I drive a lot for Uber) on a weak battery is a bad idea. For the most part, I can deal with the inconveniences of having a weak battery, like being conservative with the AC while parked -- but might it be taxing on the rest of the car's components to drive on a weak HV battery? Am I losing out on gas mileage or acceleration? (I'm currently getting around 40 mpg.) Having not driven a Prius with a newer battery, I'm not sure what to expect from the car. Thanks! I look forward to hearing from anyone.
If you recondition the battery now before it fails and then maintain it regularly, you can get a lot more life from it before it truly fails. Can be done for under $500 and only take a few days over a weekend: What causes hybrid batteries to degrade and fail? - Hybrid Automotive
Thanks Jeff! I've heard varying opinions on reconditioning HV batteries, but I'll add another vote to the "pro" side though! Thanks!
Thanks. If you were to recondition once, then never again (i.e. pulling the HV battery out of car then reconditioning it at the pack or module level) then it will not last long term. If it is reconditioned on a regular basis (i.e. with the battery still inside the car) then it will last for many years. This is what makes our products different (and what our pending patents specifically address )
Sure, although I'm a little fuzzy on the diagnostics my mechanic ran...it was a few months ago. I believe they have a slew of tests that gauge the battery. I'll check my records to see if I have any specifics on what they did. As for my own observations, the battery charge indicator thingy on the MFD fluctuates between 2 and 9 bars in a matter of minutes, usually after starting the car for the first time in a day or two, after running the AC for a few minutes while not driving, or driving uphill for more than a few minutes. Also, compared to my sister's 2010 Corolla, my acceleration is a bit pokey. Does that help?
yes, the battery charge indicator fluctuation is usually a dead giveaway. you will need to find the bad cell, replace it, then begin the charge discharge process. jeff above is more knowledgeable than me, and perhaps the reconditioning will work now, before the cell gets too bad. alternatively, there are rebuilt or slvage choices, both of which can be iffy, or a new battery in the low $2,000.'s plus a few hundred in labor.
Thanks. Yeah, I kinda assumed a battery replacement is imminent. Any thoughts as to the harm in driving until the battery dies completely or if I should go ahead and replace it?
hard to predict. with tech stream software, you can read the operating voltages on a laptop. otherwise, it's anyone's guess.
Rapid cycling of the pack charge level and/or re calibrations are the first sign of impending battery issues. You are smart to take action now. You can save several thousand dollars if you don't wait until it's too late.
