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Toyota Camry Hybrid Battery Pack Questions

144 messages,  Last post on Aug 14, 2012 at 10:30 AM

You are in the Toyota Camry Hybrid Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry Hybrid, Hybrid Cars, Sedan

Messages Page 15 of 15

#135 of 144 Re: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid sudden shutdown [mthomas3] by mthomas3

Jun 24, 2012 (10:50 am)

Replying to: mthomas3 (Jun 21, 2012 11:04 am)
The problem was with a bad inverter. Replacement solved the problem and I have the car back now. They also did extensive checks on the hybrid system functions to make sure there were no other problems. I will definitely trade in the car before it goes beyond the warranty.

#136 of 144 Re: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid sudden shutdown [mthomas3] by larsb

Jun 25, 2012 (6:20 am)

Replying to: mthomas3 (Jun 24, 2012 10:50 am)
Just as I had predicted. You'll enjoy the mileage, even in Phoenix. Good Luck !!

#137 of 144 2012 TCH XLE - Parking attendant left my car running for 4 days by joon

Jul 07, 2012 (10:53 pm)

My 2012 TCH that I purchased in March currently has about 4k miles in it. This past week, I took it on a long drive from So. Cal. to San Francisco and the car worked flawlessly. Since I was planning to go around San Francisco by walking and taking public transportation (hard and expensive to find parking around downtown and Fisherman's Wharf) I decided to drop off my car at a parking lot with attendants that move the car around the lot as needed. They also leave the key inside the car. When I picked up my TCH 4 days later I noticed that the hybrid battery was almost completely drained (1 purple bar) and it took 50 to 60 miles of freeway driving for the gas mileage to go from low 20s to low 40s, low 40s being my normal average under regular freeway driving conditions. Even when I didn't drive my hybrid for a few days the hybrid battery never drained before, so my strong suspicion is that the #$%*ing attendant forgot to turn the switch off and since the key was left inside the car, the car was running the whole time. I love this car and am planning to keep it for many many years (my last Camry, which I have owned for almost 18 years, has 235k miles and still runs strong). Does anybody know what the potential impact is of leaving the car running for several days? Will this shorten the life of the hybrid batteries or should I worry about other components going bad? This is my first hybrid, so still learning all the "ins and outs". Extremely impressed with the car. Thanks.

#138 of 144 Re: 2012 TCH XLE - Parking attendant left my car running for 4 days [joon] by larsb

Jul 09, 2012 (7:17 am)

Replying to: joon (Jul 07, 2012 10:53 pm)
What most likely happened was that it ran at idle for a while before they turned it off. That will run down the battery, such as sitting in crawling-along traffic will do.
 
It ABSOLUTELY did NOT run for 4 days. If it had, the gas engine would have started dozens if not hundreds of times while idling, to recharge the battery. You would have come back to a fully charged battery with a lot less gas in the engine.
 
Having a 2007 TCH which just ran out of warranty on 5-31-2012, I have confidence that your battery is just fine.
 
Happy Hybriding !!!
 

#139 of 144 Re: Hybrid Full Battery Charge? [cdn_tch] by hcpro

Aug 02, 2012 (6:33 am)

Replying to: cdn_tch (Jun 08, 2012 5:14 pm)
Mine has NEVER gotten above 60% and often has only two purple bars. It dramatically reduces mileage. When the charge is high (as it rarely is) I get ~ 50mpg. When it's low (as it usually is) I get 33mpg. Does this mean I have something that needs to be either adjusted, fixed or replaced? Anyone?Anyone???

#140 of 144 Re: Hybrid Full Battery Charge? [hcpro] by larsb

Aug 06, 2012 (5:54 am)

Replying to: hcpro (Aug 02, 2012 6:33 am)
If 'twere me, I'd take it in and have the dealer test the system.

#141 of 144 Re: 2010 Camry Hybrid 12V battery problems [druminstein] by gfr1

Aug 13, 2012 (11:15 am)

Replying to: druminstein (Jun 19, 2012 11:21 am)
Are you sure about the Hybrid Aux. 12v battery being AGM? I've checked with Toyota sales & service and couldn't find anyone that knew what an AGM battery was. They assured me that it was a standard water flooded car battery. Now the main battery is, sort-of. I guess it's actually a form of gel-cell. Toyota's internet information calls it a standard wet-cell battery. I'm interested in the facts, because I am in the process of buying a battery charger and maintainer charger. I want to get a charger for AGM type, if that applies, but what I've learned so far, it doesn't. Your comment is the only one I've seen that indicates that. Of course Optima now builds a AGM battery for the ver. 3 Prius, as a replacement, due to battery deficiencies, but that doesn't address the Camry issues, nor Camry fitment. Anyway, I'm guessing that it wouldn't fit a Camry.

#142 of 144 Re: 2010 Camry Hybrid 12V battery problems [gfr1] by mthomas3

Aug 13, 2012 (4:16 pm)

Replying to: gfr1 (Aug 13, 2012 11:15 am)
I checked out The Optima battery sold by my local Costco and it will fit. It is the 34/78 Redtop with dual post configuration. see http://www.optimabatteries.com/_media/documents/specs/34_78_082304.pdf.
 
Width and depth are the same as the Panasonic, but height is a little shorter. You will need to use the optional spacer that comes with the battery. Measure your battery size before you go in to buy one and check for yourself.
 
The Panasonic 12 V battery that came in my 2012 Camry hybrid is rated 57 Amp Hours at 20 amp discharge rate. Unfortunately, the Optima is only rated 50 Amp Hours at 20amps, so that is probably why it is not listed as a direct replacement. However, It would certainly work, but with 12% less capacity. See yellow top below for Prius.
 
I have read several places the TCH has an 12V AGM battery, but nothing from Toyota directly. Many people blame the cost of the battery on it being an AGM type.
 
I looked up the Optima Prius battery. It is a yellow top deep cycle battery. http://www.optimabatteries.com/battery_selector/
Looks like it will fit Camry and has a 66 amp hour capacity, so it is big enough.

#143 of 144 Re: 2010 Camry Hybrid 12V battery problems [mthomas3] by snaab93se1

Aug 13, 2012 (11:40 pm)

Replying to: mthomas3 (Aug 13, 2012 4:16 pm)
Almost positive the battery is AGM type and the original is produced by Panasonic. More information of this type of battery and options to replace it on greenhybrid link below:
http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f49/12-volt-battery-replacement-upgrade-2007-- toyota-camry-hybrid-photos-23466/

#144 of 144 Re: 2010 Camry Hybrid 12V battery problems [snaab93se1] by gfr1

Aug 14, 2012 (10:30 am)

Replying to: snaab93se1 (Aug 13, 2012 11:40 pm)
Thanks for the response and good reference. But, I retain my doubts, as is referenced in a 2012 Camry Hybrid manual. (Copy/Paste)
 
Hybrid Synergy Drive Component Locations & Descriptions
-5-
Component
Location
Description
12 Volt Auxiliary Battery 􀁮
Trunk Passenger Side
A lead-acid battery that supplies power to the low voltage devices.
Hybrid Vehicle (HV) Battery Pack 􀁯
Trunk Area, Mounted to Cross Member and Behind Rear Seat
244.8 Volt Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery
 
Notice it says that the 12v is a "lead-acid" battery. Recognizing that "lead acid" is pretty generic, I looked it up. Below is a "how to tell" statement from a battery article
  
Read the battery label. Liquid--or flooded--lead acid batteries will say "lead acid," "wet cell," "flooded lead acid" or "liquid lead acid" on the label. Gel-filled lead acid batteries will say "Gel-Filled" on the label. AGM lead acid batteries will say "AGM" or "Absorbed Glass Mat," "sealed regulated valve," "dry cell," "non-spillable," or "valve regulated" on the label.
 
So, why is this such a mystery? Further, I checked with one of Fort Worth's prominant dealer sales & service and they didn't know what an AGM battery was! Their considered sales authority went out to look and said that it appears to be a standard lead-acid & recited: Gp 26, Pansonic 240412, 20HR57AHCCA450B26JIS. He didn't designate spaces, but trying to read through this, from what looks familiar to me, it probably is a standard lead-acid.
 
Opinions?

Messages Page 15 of 15

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