An open cell...??

Due to the design of the e/CVT the ICE alone CANNOT move the car.

 

Toyota does NOT provide this repair. They only do a full HV battery replacement. You can find technically oriented Prius owners that have experimented with module replacements (mostly in the earlier generation, 2001-2003) with some success and they do offer doing it as a low cost service.The ECU cannot do this.The small 12v battery is NOT "deep cycle" capable and a small number of full discharges will kill it. You can replace it with a deep cycle battery, but not from your Toyota dealer.Just be very careful not to reverse the terminals as this can (and probably will) result in a very expensive repair.

JeffD

 

Your TCH has basically the same "Hybrid Synergy Drive" as the Prius and I would expect it to have similar reliability as it ages.

As an aside, I would suggest that all of you consider one maintenance procedure that is not in your manual. Do an early (at about 30,000 miles) replacement of the "Type WS" ATF in your "Transmission" and then again after each 60,000 miles. Your dealer should charge you less than $100 each time. A group of Prius "Techies" (including me with 135,500 miles on my 2004 Prius) have been monitoring ATF wear via laboratory tests and find that this should extend the life of this expensive component of our cars.

JeffD