Hybrid Battery Repair

A brief list of our hybrid battery repairs and services:

• Hybrid Battery Pack Inspection
• Hybrid Battery Pack Conditioning
• Hybrid Battery Pack Replacement
• Auxiliary Battery Replacements
• Auxiliary Battery Repair
• and more!

RX-450H Hybrid Battery

Experienced hybrid battery repair technicians

You can’t beat the sunny San Diego weather! And you can’t beat the efficiency of your hybrid vehicle. But when it comes to efficiency, the hot weather, how you drive, and where you drive play a role in the functioning of your hybrid battery.

At Escondido Auto Pros, we have assembled a team of highly experienced technicians with up-to-date knowledge in hybrid technology and training in the latest hybrid battery repairs to perform all necessary repairs and services, and help educate you on how to properly maintain your hybrid battery.

No matter if you drive a Toyota Prius or a Lexus RX450H, our goal is to accurately pinpoint any issues. Whether issues are due to the internal combustion engine or the hybrid drive, we provide the best and most cost-effective solution.

Hybrid battery reconditioning process

We use quality upgraded parts during the reconditioning process. Every hybrid battery goes through an extensive repair and rebuild process which takes several days. The process begins with load testing the battery and identifying its current overall state of health.

Toyota Prius Before Reconditioning Process

The battery is then disassembled and subject to a complete reconditioning process. The battery modules or “cells” are conditioned in a process that reverses aging of the modules and restores their ability to store electrical energy.

Toyota Prius After Reconditioning Process

The module’s capacity is determined and the module is placed in an “inventory” of similar capacity modules. The remaining components of the battery are cleaned, reconditioned, and tested to ensure proper operation. The battery connections or “Bus Bars” are reconditioned to remove corrosion and ensure top performance and long battery life.

Bus Bar Reconditioning – Before and After

The entire battery pack is then reassembled and load tested in its entirety in a real-world profile that puts the same demands on the pack as real-world driving. Every battery pack must meet stringent performance standards before it is installed in a vehicle.

Generation 3 Prius Battery

Now ask yourself…will your “hybrid mechanic” have this type of service? Will they inspect it? Put it through a process? We love what we do, and are very proud of our product and service. Period.

If you are considering a hybrid battery repair in San Diego County we encourage you to contact us to discuss a hybrid battery replacement with a completely reconditioned Escondido Auto Pros battery.

Are there Hybrid Battery Repair Alternatives? Of Course! But…

There are many shops and individuals in San Diego that claim they can repair your hybrid battery for as low as $500-$800. While the cheap hybrid battery repair may seem tempting at first a closer look will usually provide a different story. Simple hybrid battery repairs usually include only replacing one defective module in your battery. While this may clear the warning lights and get you back on the road for cheap it has many high-risk pitfalls that you may not be able to avoid. First, consider the replacement module – at $500 for the entire repair you can be assured that the hybrid battery repair person has no way of actually testing the modules that they are installing. They are simply buying used modules from eBay or some other used parts supplier with the hopes that the module is good. There is a 1:28 chance (or worse) that the module is, in fact, bad since most use modules come from defective hybrid batteries that are just disassembled and sold piece by piece. Furthermore, if your vehicle has lower mileage and the replacement module comes from a worn-out high mileage hybrid battery then you will definitely be in for a surprise when the warning lights return the first time you ascend a big hill or accelerate heavily. This is because the high mileage hybrid battery repair module has a much lower capacity than your original modules. So as you are accelerating or placing the hybrid battery and load all of the modules are being discharged at the same rate which means that the high mileage replacement module will run out of energy first and its voltage will drop quicker than the other modules. This significant drop in voltage will cause the warning lights to return and your vehicle to become un-drivable. What’s the fix? Another $500 hybrid battery repair which would mean that you have invested $1000 plus two towing bills into a battery that is doomed? All of this in a matter of days when you could have spent the same amount of money on the first hybrid battery repair by not repairing it at all. For around a thousand dollars ($1650 and up) you can have a completely reconditioned battery, guaranteed to work, installed with a warranty.

This article from Forbes is the same exact repair. Except the company charges $800. The author also suggests that Toyota offers this service to its Prius customers. They would never, based on the fact that it is unreliable.

What to look out for!

There are easy ways to find out if your hybrid repair shop is offering quality battery repair. Be on the lookout for cheap equipment. There are “round” chargers and discharges that can only discharge and charge a battery as a whole. They will never be able to tell you the remaining capacity of your battery and individual modules. “Light Bulb” discharge is another way of discharging the hybrid battery. This method puts a certain load on the battery as it is discharging. This can show the rapid discharge of the “bad” modules, which will be replaced. Again, you will never know the resistance and remaining capacity of the modules.

Our Recommendation.

Here is what we recommend: Call us when you see the red triangle or have a p3000 replace the hybrid battery pack code, or p0a80 replace the hybrid battery pack code. We will steer you in the direction that will save you money in the short term and long term. While spending $1650 (and up) initially may seem like more money, or “too expensive because I’m selling the car” we promise you that will spend more than $1650 and may never be able to sell the car if you go for one of those $500 hybrid battery repairs.

Call us today to talk about your options. Get it repaired correctly. 760-739-8838

Prius-C Hybrid Battery

Honda Accord Hybrid Battery

Escalade Hybrid Battery

Give us a call for your particular model and we’ll be sure to give you a quick answer!