Hybrid Battery module failures

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Shaun OBoyle, May 12, 2025 at 2:15 PM.

  1. Shaun OBoyle

    Shaun OBoyle Junior Member

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    I'm on my 3rd round of hybrid battery module failures in a month on my 2007 195K Prius. First time I relied on voltage and the computer to tell me which module was failing and replaced 1 module. After another red triangle I used a Viking battery tester on all the modules and replaced 3 modules (all I had), although the health on 7 other modules did not look great. The battery heath on these 7 was in the 80s%, showing higher resistence, although the voltage looked OK.
    I'm getting sick of playing whack-a-mole, debating if I should now replace these 7 modules for just over $200, or drop for a reconditioned battery for about $1300 from someone like Green Bean Battery.
    Any experience with Green Bean, or other recondtioned complete HV batteries?
    Am I going to do any better with a complete recondition battery vs replacing the modules myself?
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Well... A charge and balance of pack after replacing modules can make a big difference... But each rebuild of modules replaced DIY style lasts a shorter period of time and it seems like time for you to move on.

    The advantage with GreenBean and similar companies is they handle the install/swap and warranty stuff can sometime be to your advantage. Another option is Professor Joe sells rebuilt packs from Gen 4 Prius (2016-2022) and those are as close to brand new as you can get for OEM because brand new OEM prices have nearlly doubled: Prius | 2nd Life Battery

    Also check the link in my signature about Sodium-Ion, which I think is your best option.
     
  3. MAX2

    MAX2 Senior Member

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    If you plan to continue driving this car, think carefully about the amounts and reasonable investments in repairs.
    There may be a small investment associated with the purchase of one or two pairs of modules for a year. Then the problems with the battery will return. The new and old modules cannot work the same. Put an old nag and a young frisky horse in the same harness, make them run fast and soon one of them will die.
    Evaluate more expensive methods yourself.

    Food for thought.
    The original high-voltage Toyota battery has a warranty for 8-10 years, for a mileage of up to 150,000 miles. And it works for the entire warranty period and much more.
    The cost from the manufacturer Toyota of a new battery kit consisting of 28 modules for replacement, which will allow you to drive at least another 150,000 miles, can cost from $ 3,000 to $ 4,000.
    You can save some of this money or even half of the cost of a new original battery if you buy reconditioned batteries from a private company or non-standard "ersatz-replacement" batteries with different battery chemistry, but no one will give you a guarantee that in a year or two, after ten to twenty thousand miles, you will not have another problem with repairing such a battery. An extended warranty will cost even more than original batteries. Additional expenses may be required for replacement, delivery, testing and adjustment of non-OEM batteries. You can also be denied warranty under any far-fetched pretext. There are several topics on the Prius chat website where hybrid owners deceived in their hopes later faced a refusal to replace batteries and returned to the decision to buy and install a new original set.

    The choice is always yours.

    My Gen2 has original batteries installed from the factory, in a short period they will be 20 years old. And when they fail, I will replace them with original Toyota batteries of recent years of production.