Just had to replace the Main Battery in my 2001 Prius
in [Toyota Prius]
|
Prev: Engine coolant drain location
Next: New Prius
From: Allen on 18 Oct 2006 13:27 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: Bill on 18 Oct 2006 13:57 "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1161192471.152662.150360(a)e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... > 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? > I haven't replaced mine. The new battery pack will last until it fails. I'd like to hear from the Prius Techs as to whether or not one should pull over under these circumstances or keep driving to a more convenient stopping point such as a gas station with a towing service.
From: Allen on 18 Oct 2006 15:12 Bill wrote: > "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > news:1161192471.152662.150360(a)e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... > > 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? > > > I haven't replaced mine. The new battery pack will last until it fails. > > I'd like to hear from the Prius Techs as to whether or not one should pull > over under these circumstances or keep driving to a more convenient stopping > point such as a gas station with a towing service. In my case there was no option of driving to a more convenient place. The IC engine sounded like it was running 8,000 RPM and was producing very little power. I was just able to move accross the three lanes on I75 to the shoulder before it lost all power.
From: Bill on 18 Oct 2006 15:21 "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1161198745.452791.189680(a)m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com... > > Bill wrote: >> "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message >> news:1161192471.152662.150360(a)e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... >> > 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? >> > >> I haven't replaced mine. The new battery pack will last until it fails. >> >> I'd like to hear from the Prius Techs as to whether or not one should >> pull >> over under these circumstances or keep driving to a more convenient >> stopping >> point such as a gas station with a towing service. > > In my case there was no option of driving to a more convenient place. > The IC engine sounded like it was running 8,000 RPM and was producing > very little power. I was just able to move accross the three lanes on > I75 to the shoulder before it lost all power. > Sounds pretty grim. Eventually, every battery will fail, just like every hard disk drive. I was hoping it would fall back to an ICE only condition. I suppose the main battery is running stuff necessary to ICE operation. I realize Toyota expects the battery to "last the life of the car" but practically speaking about half of all cars are going to last longer than the average of all cars.
From: Allen on 18 Oct 2006 15:39
Bill wrote: > "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > news:1161198745.452791.189680(a)m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com... > > > > Bill wrote: > >> "Allen" <allen.massey(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > >> news:1161192471.152662.150360(a)e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... > >> > 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? > >> > > >> I haven't replaced mine. The new battery pack will last until it fails. > >> > >> I'd like to hear from the Prius Techs as to whether or not one should > >> pull > >> over under these circumstances or keep driving to a more convenient > >> stopping > >> point such as a gas station with a towing service. > > > > In my case there was no option of driving to a more convenient place. > > The IC engine sounded like it was running 8,000 RPM and was producing > > very little power. I was just able to move accross the three lanes on > > I75 to the shoulder before it lost all power. > > > Sounds pretty grim. Eventually, every battery will fail, just like every > hard disk drive. I was hoping it would fall back to an ICE only condition. > I suppose the main battery is running stuff necessary to ICE operation. I > realize Toyota expects the battery to "last the life of the car" but > practically speaking about half of all cars are going to last longer than > the average of all cars. 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. 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. |