P3012, Red Triangle, but all module voltages stable...

It happens that the voltage sensing wires can become corroded, such that they will give unstable readings. If there was corrosion, that indicates some venting in the past. Hopefully you are good for a while.

 

Definitely sounds like a typical failed wire harness. I bet if you carefully inspect the old one you will find cracked or missing sections.
Sometime I probe them with a wooden dowel while the pack is still in the car as I monitor voltage. You can easily see when you get to a bad or failing section of the harness.

 

Hate to bring up an old thread like this, but I recently replaced my battery with a rebuilt one from GreenTec. Worked great for a week, then P3014. They came out and replaced under warranty. That one worked great for a few days, then P3019. So I am thinking that the issue might not come from the battery, but some short elsewhere. I have seen a few references to a failed wire harness, but not sure exactly what harness and how to check it out. Can you share some insight since this seems to be a typical thing?

Edit - just to add detail, this is an 06 with 206,000 miles on it. The original battery lasted till 205,000 but showed signs of dying. The replacements have driven great right up until the error codes.

 

This one belongs with greentec, maybe you'll need to get a refund

 

OK - so just dumb luck or bad rebuilds to get two in a row. Wanted to see if it might have been something else before I hit them up again. Thanks.

 

If it is not the battery module itself could be the voltage sensing wiring or the computer, but I would think Greentec would have checked that.

Sounds like you need to call them again.

 

2 in a row is pretty bad rebuilding. Doesn't give you much hope for long term reliability

 

This was my thoughts. But not sure OP could get out of commitment to them at this point?

 

Once they take your core, I don't know what options you're left with.

 

Out of curiosity, when they replaced the battery under warranty, was it a complete battery they installed, or did they just replace the module side and reuse your electronics? (similar to how a new battery is done at a dealership).

If they swapped the complete battery, it's kind of odd that two in a row would have a Block 4 error code. But from what I've seen and heard so far on Greentec, anything is possible.

 

Sadly, too funny, at your expense. But this is not unheard of for many of the large, high volume "rebuilders."

What do you expect from FraudTec (GreenTec). Gotta love their product description:

How did they open up the modules that are sealed, and contain no way for replacement of the internal components, to introduce better cells than what was originally in there?

What components did FraudTec "engineer," that was better than those which Toyota supplied? Toyota has Trillions in Annual Sales, and spends Millions on R&D. How much does FraudTec spend on R&D? Talk is CHEAP!​

Hopefully you only bought FraudTec's 6mo warrantied "rebuilt" HV Battery; but $900 is $0.01 too much. Apparently you were not aware of online Toyota dealers who will sell the HV Batter at a significant discount over retail. There are other online dealers.
$2200 at Toyota of San Bernardino, 2007 Toyota Prius Parts - Toyota of San Bernardino Online Parts Store

There is also member 2k1Toaster, who's company that sells unique cylindrical replacement. A great option, that might be more cost effective for people who don't live near a online Toyota dealer, who will sell to the public.
New Prius Battery Kit (GEN2, 2004-2009) - New Prius Batteries LLC

Remember modules are like used tires, but at a significant disadvantage for the unsuspecting consumer. A tire has tread depth that you can measure and you know when to replace. A used/"rebuilt" HV Battery contains used modules of unknown remaining life expectancy, that you can not physically see. Sure the modules can be tested, and "SHOULD" perform well. But, reality is a different story: hours/days/weeks/months later, is a different story that you know first hand, twice.

Remember the supply of modules for Gen2 Prius is getting older 2004-2009 = 8-13 years and counting. Who knows what Frankeinstein modules they slapped in, besides crème de la crap.

Now you are left with few options.
1) Continue with FraudTec's unreliable Frankeinstein's brothers.
2) Sell car.
3) Replace with cylindrical cells from 2k1Toaster's company.
4) Go 100% new OEM. New OEM will likely give you the same service life you experienced when the car was brand new; you got 11 years with the first original pack. Remember, this battery can be transferred into another Gen2 should something happen to yours. You can upgrade to a Gen3 with a dead HV Battery by swapping your young NEW modules into a Gen3 HV Battery case. You could always sell the young, used, pack, which will be far more reliable than FraudTec, Doorman, and the fly by night Craiglisters.

 

A nicely painted green HV Battery case. Which pisses me off, b/c I like the color green (more teal green and olivish).

Memories of the possible roadside stranding, the smell of the tow truck, and the joys of calling FraudTec.

 

Well - at least they are not arguing with yet another warranty replacement. But yeah - since they took the original in a core exchange, not sure what more I could do. If this one fails again, will see if I have any chance of getting any type of refund from them. But won't hold my breath on that one.

They replace the whole thing (modules and electronics), and it was a different bank each time (typo in the original post - P3014 and then P3019). So seems even stranger to me.

And no, wish I had seen some of those other deals prior to this, tried searching some, but managed to miss those. I should have focused my searching on here a little more.

 

No need to beat yourself about past decisions.

Sounds like they are getting another under warranty.

I guess if it came back again I'd see about refund or maybe an upgrade to NEW cells with a small additional fee? Hopefully it won't come to that.

 

hello was was wondering if someone can help me with my Prius its a 2005 over200,000 miles and i
I switched out the worst cell which was at 6.61v and the prius was running fine until after 20 minutes i got the red triangle and it would keep reviing the engine and would not be able to go up a hill. I was able to get home by disconnecting the aux12v battery and resetting the computer but still get back to the red triangle and the generator seems to be hotter then what im used too
kept getting theses error codes
i was also wondering how to post my own forum

 

You have several bad blocks.
Or bad/corroded wires
Or poor connections.

Go back and open up the battery and look things over.

Did you use an inch-pound torque wrench to tighten the battery post nuts? Or did you kinda just guess? I'd you just guessed then maybe you got it wrong. Spend the $25 and get an inch-pound torque wrench. Or borrow one.

Very carefully inspect every voltage sensing ring terminal for cracks. Especially the one underneath the negative lead. Look very closely at each of the crimps below the ring terminal as well.

Inspect the orange connector at the battery computer. Look closely at the pins of the computer and the female sockets of the plug. There should not be any corrosion.

Look at the live data of the voltage of the blocks. Record and graph if needed to look for anomolies.

Buy/build a high voltage charger to balance the entire pack.

Load test each of the modules and see if there are comparatively, any clunkers.

 

Thank you for responding
are the battery post the four in the whole unit right
i checked and just test loaded the batteries which i also kept and tried to keep at same voltage
which is the voltage sensing ring terminals

 

In photos 5 and 7 you show the orange voltage sensing harness. The skinny little wires have a silver crimped-on silver ring terminal at the ends of them. Looks these I we carefully for cracks.

At the other end of that orange voltage sensing wire is an orange rectangular plug. Check inside the female end of the plug for corrosion.

That same orange rectangular plug goes into the computer in the battery housing. Check the male pins for corrosion.

Call me to better clarify if needed 608-729-4082

Also I'm assuming you guessed at how tight each of those connections in pictures 5 and 8. That is a bad idea. Go buy and inch-pound torque wrench or borrow one. And then properly torque them. Do not guess.