2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

I have a 2007 Camry Hybrid with about 80,000 miles. Over the last year the MPG has dropped from 43-44 to about 38-40, same type of driving, a mixture of City and Highway, same driver, nothing has changed except the car is older. Service has been done almost consistently with the service manual recommendations. Nothing major (oil changes, filters, etc.) I have read some items that discuss the Hybrid battery is not kicking in like it should but I have no documentation of that. Thoughts? Should I take to a dealership? A local mechanic mentioned to me that he could retrieve the codes from computer. Would that show anything?

Thanks to all.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Given the age, I expect your battery is deteriorated. Have you noticed the battery meter going up and down to greater extremes or more rapidly?

If so, I suspect you are on the verge of a battery failure, and you are a good candidate for a Hybrid Automotive reconditioning system (charger + discharger).

I just installed one for a friend on his 2006 Prius. We did a charge and discharge. With the TEchstream software, I was able to calculate the state of health of the battery. Prior to the grid charge/discharge, it was 35%. After the grid charge/discharge, the capacity grew to 78%.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Thanks...Your thoughts were my thoughts about battery deterioration although I can't pinpoint it. The battery meter stays pretty consistent. I will look into TechStream software. I believe I have 10 years warranty on the Hybrid battery, the question is "how does Toyota handle the diagnosis?"

Thanks

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Search for MiniVCI on amazon. You'll need to supply a Win-32bit laptop.

Toyota waits until the battery fails and then charges a lot to replace it. They don't use it the way I do. I use the data recorded by Techstream to calculate performance. They just read codes and give the official diagnosis... "no codes. Nothing's wrong"

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Thanks for your information. I figured as much with Toyota.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Toyota is not setup to recondition batteries. It is time consuming and would take up valuable shop space. The cost for a Hybrid Automotive reconditioning package is a small fraction of what Toyota would want.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

yep, agreed..Thanks

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

This car is a perfect candidate for a Drive Cycle Stress Test offered by The Hybrid Shop. We supply full graphic results of the test that will (likely in your case) show one or more V-blocks under-performing. It sounds like this vehicle is just a matter of time/mileage before it starts throwing code for out of balance pack. Our battery conditioning service saves thousands vs. dealer replacement and is backed by a minimum 2-year warranty. Not sure where you're located, but if you're interested in speaking to one of our hybrid experts, you can find your nearest location on our website. good luck!

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Thanks..I am pretty sure it is still under warranty for 10+ years

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Unless you are in California the warranty is 8 years 100,000 miles. We had a similar vehicle in here last year with about the same mileage. Did a conditioning service to the vehicle and it did fine. This year we had another vehicle with 70,020 miles on it also a 2007 and since the person did not drive great distances conditioning the battery was not a great option. The second vehicle however did have the high voltage battery light on. If you are going to do something now is the time before the light comes on. Suggest you contact your closest Hybrid Shop and discuss getting it done.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Thanks for the information. I am in California so my warranty is 10 years I believe. My question is if I know that is a problem, will Toyota step up and repair the item under warranty.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

I would go to a dealer and describe all the issues. MPG drop is the first indication of a problem followed by more active gauge behavior.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Wow... single post "Hybrid Shop" folks offering to "lend a hand." That $60K franchise fee and $895/month maintenance necessitates some guerrilla marketing I guess... :)

Maybe this is more of the "value added marketing" you get for your franchise fees?

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

The dealer will not replace or do anything to the battery until the light comes on and the code says the battery is bad. Unfortunately you don't drive a lot so I suspect you will run out of years before you run out of mileage. We have several Hybrid Shop members in California and I would suggest you talk to one of them. Conditioning today will really help that battery now more so if you wait . The longer you put it off, the more it will cost to fix.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

If you decide to take matters into your own hands and do something before your warranty is up, you will get similar results at half the cost of the typical Hybrid Shop offerings with a Hybrid Automotive reconditioning package. You'll also have the tools you need to continue the maintenance yourself for years to come.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Thank you for your advice/information

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Hi S. Keith, any suggestions on how to go about this. I'm interested in learning the health of my battery. Is this an appropriate process: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/hybr...d-battery.html

Did you just charge/discharge with the system you have in your sig? Appreciate you sharing this info.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

It uses the same tools (Techstream) as described. The process is different but geared towards the Gen2. You could do this on your 2009 Gen2 and be confident of the results. The only uncertainty I have is if the A/C will operate at maximum load in cold weather. I am confident it works in mild weather or warmer.

With Techstream, I can monitor the current and confirm the results. I have done this on a 2008 and 2006 with near identical current responses.

http://priuschat.com/threads/how-to-...-answer.163112

The test is repeatable and correlates well to reality (20A testing of modules in the same pack confirmed capacity).

When you're on that site, you can follow the "Quantitative" link in my sig and see a far more aggressive discharge method.

Re: 2007 Camry Hybrid MPG dropping
 

Wow. This is great thanks for sharing S. Keith.