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From: Allen on 19 Oct 2006 12:33

mrv(a)kluge.net wrote:
> Allen wrote:
> > mrv(a)kluge.net wrote:
> > > out of curiousity, have you had the SSC 40G hybrid battery resealant
> > > campaign done (or whatever campaign # it is in your home country)?
> >
> > My car was not subject to that recall.
> >
> > I have only had the steering rack and computer recall's
>
> odd, as nearly nearly every NHW11 (except for some late 2003s) were
> subject to the battery resealing campaign, along with the early Estima
> hybrids (same battery pack). It's about a 4hr (half-day) procedure,
> thanks to the curing time. You probably were asked to clean out your
> trunk for it, so that they could work on the hybrid battery (access is
> through the trunk).
>
> Info from the dealer's notification letter for the SSC 40G:
> VIN Range
> Year, VDS, Ranges
> 2001, BK12U, 0002009 - 0038684
> 2001, BK18U, 0002001 - 0038005
> 2002, BK12U, 0038687 - 0070195
> 2002, BK18U, 0038685 - 0070196
> 2003, BK12U, 0070198 - 0082299
> 2003, BK18U, 0069295 - 0082310
> With the note to check the Dealer TIS to be sure that the vehicle in
> that VIN range actually is involved...
>
> Since you say that your 2001 was part of the power steering recall, and
> that only affected 2001s in the VIN range 0002009 - 0007793, May 9,
> 2000 - July 21, 2000 production, then you probably should've also
> received a letter for the SSC 40G. (Unless you're talking about the
> steering shudders, which wasn't a recall but a warranty extension...)
>
> The only "recall" of a NHW11 computer that I know of is LSC 30D for
> some early 2001s. (Mine, produced in Dec. 2000, was too new for the
> campaign...) That was for a new PS ECU.
>
> You may have had the ECM replaced under a TSB (as I have), but that's
> not a recall - no letter is sent out to you, the replacement is only if
> you come in reporting certain symptoms (which includes certain error
> codes).


You are correct, the ECM was replaced when I complained that the car
was "surging" at highway speeds. When the dealer explained that it was
a known problem and Toyota would replace the ECM I just assumed it was
a recall item. But I never received a recall notice for the battery
and when I last had the car in for its service call, I has the service
manager check to see if there were any outstanding recalls or TSB's
that applied to my car. He told me nothing was outstanding.

From: Michael Pardee on 23 Oct 2006 09:58
"Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161200346.863575.300500(a)m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
>
> I have read many accounts of people running out of gas and the electric
> motor allowing them to limp to a gas station. But evidently the ICE is
> not very functional as a standalone power plant.
>
Not functional at all if the electrics fail; the electrics provide the
"ECVT" transmission action. It makes sense the ICE would rev freely under
those conditions. It is interesting that without the battery operating the
HV system is basically inoperable, but it's not terribly surprising.

> It would have been nice if the Prius had provided a little more warning
> when the battery condition was nearing its end of life since the
> battery failure will immobilize the car.
>

Like most of the other battery failures I've read about (mostly in the
Yahoo! forum), this one is almost certainly a failed connection inside the
battery pack. This is the first sudden total failure I've heard about,
though.

Mike


From: Michael Pardee on 23 Oct 2006 10:06
"Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161351137.057766.315240(a)i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> Toyota places a lot of faith in the main battery. They have designed
> software that they think will keep the battery working for the life of
> the car. So designing safe/driveable failure modes for the loss of
> main battery probably was not high on the engineers list.
>
> However, the battery is constantly monitored and will generally show
> signs of impending failure long before it actually fails. I just want
> the car to give me a warning that something really bad is going to
> happen in the next hour or so, so I will no be surprised when the car
> dies on the expressway.
>

Mostly, it does. This is the first one I've heard of that didn't become
balky and light the warning lights before quitting altogether. OTOH, most of
the on-road failures I've experienced with other cars over the years were
without warning. Clutches and sometimes automatic transmissions give warning
in the way they operate, but pretty much every other failure I've had on the
road was a surprise. Such is life.

Mike


From: wieken@gmail.com on 31 Oct 2006 19:28
What is the warranty on the battery? I have a 2005 and thought that
the warranty was only 36,000 miles.

Allen wrote:
> Driving to work this morning the Red Triangle appeared on the video
> display with a picture of the battery and the word "Main" under it.
> The car run begins to act very strange with the IC engine RPM going
> very high. I pull over and turn off the car, when I try to restart it
> is completely dead.
>
> I get it towed to my local Toyota Dealer and after a few hours they
> call to tell me the main battery must be replaced. The good news is
> that the entire replacement cost is covered by the warranty.
>
> I purchased the Prius in Oct of 2000 and it has about 75K miles. Other
> than the recalls, this is the first trouble it has given.
>
> Has anyone else replaced the main battery yet?
>
> Does this mean the new battery will last 5 more years?

From: mrv@kluge.net on 1 Nov 2006 13:00

wieken(a)gmail.com wrote:
> What is the warranty on the battery? I have a 2005 and thought that
> the warranty was only 36,000 miles.

The Prius actually has 2 different batteries.

The NiMH hybrid traction battery pack is covered in the US under the
hybrid system warranty for 8 years/100,000 miles. (Similar in other
countries as well.) IF you have a 2004-current AT-PZEV Prius in a
California emissions state (which states follow the CA emissions vary
by model year), the hybrid battery is further covered under the CA
emissions warranty out to 10 years/150,000 miles.

The Pb-A 12v accessory battery is another matter altogether. You might
be able to get it covered under the basic new vehicle warranty of 3
years/36,000 miles, but some dealers may (rightly so) consider it a
consumable item and not cover it. (Too easy for owner-caused problems,
like leaving the headlights on overnight to drain the 12v battery, for
example.)

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