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Battery dies too fast and takes too long to charge

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by DirkG, Mar 28, 2019.

  1. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    Well I seem to be plagued with battery issues right now.
    This is a 2007 and any time I need that extra battery power like to go up hills or accelerate for long periods or really just don't pay attention to how hard I pushing the pedal to maintain highway speeds, the battery level drops down to 1 bar and a lot of times 0 bars in just a minute or two and then may take 15 minutes to move from 0 or 1 bars. Then it goes full real fast.
    Is this a bad battery? There are no codes coming up. Could it be a bad connection or ECU?
     
    Nortnarg likes this.
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Early signs of hv battery failure;).
     
    edthefox5, Mendel Leisk, SFO and 2 others like this.
  3. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    [​IMG]
    So this is what I deal with on 2 80 mile a day trips in the freeway. 0 battery the whole way. Hope that image works..
    Here's the url if it didn't .https://s.amsu.ng/ScHp5G9gVXvN
     
  4. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Book Cover Judge

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    From link you posted:

    upload_2019-4-5_7-21-41.png
     
  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Hybrid battery is done. Expect to hear the hybrid battery fan in the backseat come on soon then followed by the rtod.

    Its becoming the most common post.

    I would like to refer you to the HYBRID BATTERY CARE AND MAINTENANCE SECTION but there is none. All hybrid battery posts
    for repair and replacement and rebuild etc are spread out all over this site. Thousands of them.

    Use Search Forums button up top and search:

    Hybrid battery

    You have alot of reading to do.

    Good luck.
     
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  7. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    What's and rtod?

     
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Red Triangle of death.
     
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  9. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    Nevermind. Red triangle has has never come on and no battery codes . Just a bad CAT
     
  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Glad I could help.
     
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  11. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    You mean right now;).

    Soon the hybrid battery will be failed and it will be the next repair up. All @edthefox5 is saying is be ready for this reality (y).
     
  12. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    What is that thing above your MFD? 2 longest lasting solutions are Toyota new battery or 2k1toaster.
     
  13. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Looks like it is a taxi meter;).
     
  14. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I'm guessing that is a meter for a cab.

    The picture you attached shows 1 bar, the way I see it. Does your car actually get to 0 bars? I've never seen that and did not know it was even possible. I'm curious because a few weeks ago my HV battery was not charging when I was on the highway with mismatched front and back tires. (After replacing the front tires, I was not aware the rear tires were a different size). The VSC light was on and the AC was running. If I hadn't happened to glance over at the MFD, I would have completely run down my HV battery. It was down to 1 bar and stayed there for quite awhile, even after I slowed down enough for the VSC light to go off, which allowed the ICE to start charging the HV battery again. I'm just wondering how close I came to killing the battery and having to junk the car. (With 275k miles on it, I won't be putting in a new battery).
     
  15. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    Ray- that's a taxi meter.

    It was not the battery. I out a new one in today. No change. Drove down to highway and battery went down to nothing, yes it does go to zero bars. Stayed there until I got off the freeway. So that was a waste of time and money.

    On top of that I got in it today and the hybrid brake warning buzzer was triggered. No electric brakes. I was hoping it was just because the battery was junk but new battery and still no brakes. I know I shouldn't have been driving it on the highway with no electric brakes but I did. This is the second time this car has had the electric brakes fail since I bought it 4 years ago.
     
  16. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    What batteries are you buying and from where?
     
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  17. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    Did you replace the brake actuator with a brand new unit?
     
  18. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    I don't remember, that was right after I bought the car. The mechanic will get to it and the battery issue today.
     
  19. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    Update.
    So the previous owner pried a hole in the firewall and previously water had gotten into the brake actuator ecu. Mechanic pulled it out a couple years ago, died it off and tried to seal up the hole and the car worked. Now it looks like water has gotten back into the ecu from the hole again. He is going to put it out and see if he can get it to work after drying it out and try to reseal the pried open area to keep water out again.
    Then we can look into the non-charging battery issue.
     
    bisco likes this.
  20. DirkG

    DirkG Junior Member

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    The PO did some strange things to this car including taking out the fog lights and pulling the HID system and replacing with halogen but not updating the wiring. So the halogens can't get enough juice and are only about 70% as bright as they should be. I'll be going back to his units soon. It also has aftermarket body stiffening braces and no horn.