Hi,

I just bought a used 2007 TCH and after a few weeks I've noticed something strange. We use the INFO display to show us statistics and often have the display set to show the current hybrid battery charge when we park the car, so we make note of it.
We have noticed that after 48 or even 24 hours, the HYBRID BATTERY seems to be discharging to just 1 or 2 bars of power. When we park the car, the hybrid battery will typically show 6 or 7 bars (mostly full charge).
Has anyone else experienced a problem with the hybrid battery draining while a TCH is parked? This is NOT the 12v battery, AFAIK, but the hybrid battery that is shown on the display that shows the engine / battery / motor generator and which direction the power is going while you drive.
We have not left any lights on, nor does the clock remain lit.
What could possibly cause the hybrid battery to drain just sitting idle? Oh, we also keep the key fob about 60 feet away from the car in the house. We currently have 92,000 miles on this 2007 TCH. Will Toyota fix it if it is a problem?

Thanks,

Scott

 

The traction battery is made up of nickle hydride batteries and it's common for them to loose some amps/volts while sitting with no load on them. Your car having the 92K miles might also soften the traction battery some where it won't hold a charge as well as when it was new. The traction battery should still be in warranty by toyota. You might drop by your local toyota service and ask about the warranty and see if they would test your traction battery.

It would be nice to find another here in the forms to compare what you have found.

I had the '07 TCH and now the new '12 TCH. I drive the 2 miles from the highway to our house on a older paved country road. Driving at 25 in the EV mode the whole distance. The traction battery is usually run down to where the engine would sometimes start in front of the house or in our 250 foot driveway. Even with the traction battery at minimum overnight, the car would still start right up the next day.

 

Good news is - you have at least 100 000 miles warranty/ten years on it. Go dealer!! If you were in one of the CARB states - you have 150 000.

Also, friendly suggestion - stop freaking out. Let it be. Starts, drives, gets good mileage - BE HAPPY. Don't drive yourself crazy with all little noises and quirks she has.

 

Thanks for the friendly advice, but really I am not freaking out about this. Hope it doesn't sound that way in my post. I am just new to this type of car and really want to know what is normal and what is not. This is so DIFFERENT from the cars I have had in the past, I really have no idea what to expect.
But I am greatly enjoying my TCH so far! Just trying to make sure I don't need to make a visit to the dealer to get the hybrid battery (or anything else) fixed before the 100k mile mark (which is rapidly approaching!)

Thanks!

Scott

 

Your traction battery should not lose that much over a 48 hour period. Have your dealer take a look for a parasitic draw on the electrical system. If you don't want to go that route, hook a good multi meter in line between the negative post on the battery and the negative battery cable (yes, you must disconnect the negative cable to do this). anything more than a few micro amps (receiver for the key system and remote plus a few minor BCM controls) needs to be looked at to make sure your car is OK.

You could also have an internal voltage drop in a pack but that is VERY rare....

 

You talking 12V or traction battery? I doubt you seriously telling him to get his hands onto traction battery, right?

 

Yeah, takes time to get used to. They ARE different. Esp those on off jerks, whining noises, weird display data showing sometimes.
Seriously, have that rock off your shoulders - have her checked out by dealer. Ultimately - there was some reason someone sold her. Good cars are keepers.

 

Yes, the 12 volt battery that is located on the right side of the trunk. The traction battery charges the 12 volt system via the inverter. A parasitic draw on the 12 volt battery will pull down the voltage on the traction battery.

ukrkoz,

Sorry about the edit to add that comment into your post...I hit the edit button instead of quote. I went back and fixed it to what you had.

 

Hmmm... didn't I read somewhere that chaos and mayhem erupt if you disconnect the 12V battery in a TCH? I thought I remember reading a post somewhere that said that the car has to be brought to a dealer to be reprogrammed if the battery is disconnected? Is that true?
I do intend to continue monitoring the battery daily to see if I can determine if this leak is bad or just "normal" drain. My hope is to take the car to a Toyota dealer (closest one is about an hour away) for the 90,000 mile service in a month or two and ask him about the battery, the reverse grinding noise, and the cost of an extra keyfob.
If I can recover from the shock of the estimates from those issues, I'll decide what to do at that time.

Scott

 

I think you may have a serious problem with the battery, and you should have a detailed discussion with your dealer service department to determine the cause. It is not uncommon for rechargeable batteries to develop internal shorts over time. So, the battery could be internally discharging due to shorts within the battery. Or, as others have suggested you may have a parasitic load on the battery when it is shut off. The 12V battery does power up the controls, smart key system, etc when the vehicle is shut off. However, that should not affect the high voltage traction battery. I don't believe the high voltage battery attempts to charge the 12V when it is shut down, only when running. However, that is not a given, and should be discussed with the dealer too.

I would not recommend you test the high voltage battery yourself. It is over 200 volts and is dangerous. Toyota have sophisticated test equipment that tests the battery cell by cell and gives a readout of the condition. Demand that test, and ask for the results in writing. They should also be able to measure any parasitic load. Again demand that be tested and the results in writing.

A replacement battery could be as much as $4000, so this is worth taking very seriously. Make sure your concerns are documented if you are going to have any hope of collecting on a warranty.