Dealing With Your Prius 2007 Hybrid Battery Issues
Taking care of a prius 2007 hybrid battery usually starts with an unexpected sense of dread when that large red triangle jumps up on the dashboard. If you're traveling a 2007 design, you've got one particular of the nearly all reliable cars actually built, but let's face it—batteries don't last forever. Many of these cars are very well over fifteen years of age now, and if you're still on the initial traction battery, you've actually had a pretty good run.
It's easy to panic when the car starts acting funky, but understanding what's heading on underneath the engine (or rather, under the back seat) can save a person thousands of dollars. You don't constantly have to run in order to the dealership plus drop $4, 500 on a brand-new unit. There are plenty of methods to handle a failing battery that won't break your budget.
Signs Your Battery Is On The Last Legs
Usually, the car can tell you whenever something is wrong just before it actually results in you stranded. The particular most famous signal is the "Red Triangle of Death. " It noises dramatic because this kind of is—it's the car's method of saying something will be seriously wrong with the high-voltage system.
One more thing a person might notice could be the internal combustion motor (the gas part) running almost almost all the time. If you're sitting at the stoplight as well as the motor is revving like it's looking to cost the battery yet the battery degree on the display screen is jumping up and down just like a yo-yo, that's a vintage symptom. You might see the battery bars go from complete green to 2 purple bars within a matter associated with minutes. That's due to the fact the prius 2007 hybrid battery has lost the capacity; it can't hold a charge anymore, therefore it floods up and empties way too fast.
You'll also probably notice your MPG taking a nosedive. If a person were getting 45-50 MPG and all of a sudden you're struggling to hit 35, the battery is most likely at fault. The vehicle is relying method too much on the gas engine because the electric powered side can't carry its weight.
Should You Proceed New, Used, or Reconditioned?
This particular is the big question every proprietor faces. There isn't an one-size-fits-all answer because it actually depends on how significantly longer you plan in order to keep the car.
The Brand name New OEM Path
Going to the Toyota dealer and getting the factory-fresh battery will be the "gold standard. " It's going in order to be the most expensive option, often charging between $2, five hundred and $3, 500 plus labor. Nevertheless, it gives you the most tranquility of mind. A new Toyota battery will likely last another 10 to 15 years. In case your Prius is in mint condition and you also want to generate it until the particular wheels fall away, this is truthfully the best way to go.
Aftermarket New Electric batteries
There are usually companies now that sell brand-new tissues that aren't made by Toyota. They are often built with slightly better technologies compared to original 2007 specs. They generally cost a bit less than the dealership and frequently come with excellent warranties. This is definitely a solid center ground for somebody who wants dependability without the "dealership tax. "
Reconditioned or Refurbished Units
This particular is where items get a bit tricky. A refurbished prius 2007 hybrid battery is definitely basically a group that has been taken apart, tested, and had the "bad" modules replaced along with "okay" modules from other batteries. They will are much cheaper—usually around $800 in order to $1, 500. The downside? It's a little bit of a gamble. You're putting old parts into a classic battery. They may last 2 years, or these people might last two months. If you go this route, make sure the company provides a solid mobile installation and a guarantee that they actually honor.
The DIY Route: Changing Modules Yourself
If you're perfect with a wrench tool and have a healthy respect for high-voltage electricity, it is possible to repair the battery yourself. Inside that big metal case, presently there are 28 individual modules. Usually, when the battery "fails, " it's actually just a few modules that have gone bad.
You can buy individual utilized modules online for about $30 in order to $50 each. You take the battery out (which will be heavy, so get a friend), open it up, find the bad module with a multimeter, plus swap it away.
Wait, there's the catch. You can't just slap a new module in and contact it a day. You need to "balance" the particular pack. This requires charging and preventing powering the whole place so they all sit at the particular same voltage. In case you don't do this, the car's computer will discover the volts difference and throw a code again within a week. It's a time-consuming procedure, but if you're short on cash, it's a way to keep the particular car on the highway regarding less than a couple hundred dollars.
Safety Initial (Seriously)
I actually can't discuss the particular prius 2007 hybrid battery with out mentioning safety. That will battery pack retains about 200 volts of DC power. That is more than enough to be fatal in the event that you don't understand what you're carrying out.
If you choose to pull the battery yourself, you must pull the orange safety plug first and wait at least 10 minutes for the particular capacitors to release. Use insulated equipment and wear high-voltage rubber gloves. In the event that you aren't comfy working with electricity, please don't attempt the DIY method. It's better to pay a professional compared to to end up in the emergency room.
Steps to make Your Battery Stay longer
Believe it or not, you will find things you can do to prevent your battery through dying prematurely. The biggest enemy associated with these batteries will be heat.
The battery is cooled by the fan located close to the back traveler seat (you'll discover a little plastic vent there). If you have a dog that will sheds, or when you live in a dusty area, that fan could possibly get blocked with hair and dirt. When the fan gets dirty, it can't pull surroundings through the battery pack, and the particular cells start in order to cook. Cleaning that will fan every year is probably the single best thing you can perform for your Prius.
Another tip: don't let the particular car sit intended for a long time. These batteries hate sitting idle. In case you leave the 2007 Prius parked to get a month, the battery levels will certainly naturally drop, plus if they get too low, the cells can "flip" or die. Generating the car at least one time a week with regard to 20 minutes is usually usually enough to keep the chemistry happy.
Using Apps to Monitor Health
We all live in an excellent time for car nerds. You may buy an inexpensive Bluetooth OBDII scanner plus download an application like "Dr. Prius. " This application is awesome because it allows a person to operate a life-expectancy test on the prius 2007 hybrid battery .
It will show you the internal resistance plus the voltage of each block in real-time. If you see one block that is significantly decrease than the others whilst you're accelerating, a person know exactly which part of the particular battery is faltering. It takes the guesswork out associated with the situation plus helps you decide if you need to start saving up for any substitute.
The Decision: Is It Worthy of Replacing?
Many people think that as soon as the battery goes, the car is totaled. That's just not true. A 2007 Prius with the healthy battery is definitely still an incredible car. It's reliable, it's practical, and even with the cost associated with a brand new battery, it's less expensive than the new car payment.
When the rest of the car is in good shape—meaning the brake actuator is fine and the particular engine isn't burning up too much oil—dropping a new battery into it is an intelligent move. These cars can easily proceed 300, 000 or even 400, 000 kilometers. Think of the battery as a wear-and-tear item, such as a timing belt or a collection of tires. It's just a part that eventually wants some love therefore the rest of the car will keep performing its job.
Don't allow "Triangle of Death" ruin your week. Whether or not you choose to opt for a brand-new factory unit or a DIY module swap, there's constantly a way in order to get your hybrid back again on the road. Just do your research, remain safe, and maintain that cooling fan clean!