I see Autopedia's post on his battery problems on his '07 TCH was just about a month ago. I was looking forward to his update on what the problem was, ECU reset or needing a battery.

 

The issue is yet to be resolved, the car has been pack since then. I'm still waiting for a solution to the problem

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Hi everyone, am new here. Been reading all your post an am very interested on the update of Autopedia. My '07 has the same problem with the same trouble codes but mine came out with check vsc for about an hour then No more. Only the check hybrid system is on.
I have no warranty since I imported this from the USA via the grey market since no tch is offered here. I am seeing maybe 20 Tch only here.
I do not want to believe that my battery is shot since no indication whatsoever that there was a problem prior to this event. Also there was no stopping of the vehicle, I drove it for a total of 5hrs on some errands before I took it to the dealership.
I only noticed that the engine doesn't shut down and the battery to wheel display does not show the arrow. I am also seeing the battery is stuck at mid level.

 

I had the same OBD code - P0A80 on my 2007 Camry Hybrid. This can be confusing because some interpretations are "Hybrid Battery Over Temperature" but the real problem is the Battery Control Unit has detected higher than expected differential voltages across multiple cells over two trips. The solution is replacement or refurbish the batteries (more on this later).

The problem originally manifest with a surge then loss of power accompanied by the "Check HYBRID system" message. This was followed with "Check VSC system" and the stability control light illuminated. I have learned this is normal - the system shuts off the VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) to preserve power.

My car has 109,000 miles but is only 6 years old. I purchased the extended warranty and have been faithful with factory prescribed maintenance. I took it to the dealer hoping it was a sensor or something inexpensive. I was presented with an estimate for $7000! $5000 was for a hybrid battery replacement plus 10 hours to install. The other $2000 was for completely unnecessary and unrelated work like a front end alignment (which I just had done at the 100K service). Apparently the dealer felt that after I got over $7000 sticker shock I would be relieved to only pay $5000. This led to mistrust, not relief - the dealer needs to get a clue.

I called Toyota asking if I could buy the battery and install it myself to which the answer was a resounding "absolutely not, this is a dealer job".

I also asked Toyota if they would give me a discount on parts since it was just a little past warranty, I am original owner, I bought the extended warranty, and my car was serviced properly. I also explained I have owned multiple Toyota over my lifetime (12 to be exact) and never one time had a major repair. Forgive me for thinking somehow this mattered.

I was informed that I "misunderstood my warranty" and the battery was only covered for 80,000, not 100,000. They were no help whatsoever. BTW, they were wrong - the warranty in my packet clearly states the hybrid battery is covered for 100,000! The only thing I really misunderstood was how well Toyota would stand behind their product and give even a little relief to a formerly loyal customer.

This sent me researching alternatives and I hope you will find some solace in what I learned:

First, expect your battery to fail somewhere between 100K and 150K despite what Toyota tells you. I have talked to numerous independent mechanics and a few Toyota mechanics - they all agree: what the sales people tell you and what is true is completely different.

Second, there are many people around that refurbish these batteries with "better than OEM" batteries.

Third, it should not cost you more than $2800 for all parts and labor to replace your battery with a refurbished battery that uses new cells and comes with a 3 year warranty.

Finally, there is a lot of misinformation out there. These automotive forums are the best source of information. Consider the source of the information and their motives.

My battery was replaced in 45 minutes (not 10 hours as Toyota claimed) at my home, in my garage, and by a very professional (far more professional than I encountered at the dealer) mechanic (greentecauto) for under $2800.

I also found local mechanics that will pull it out and replace the cells for under $1000.

If you are trained in electrical safety and careful you could probably pull the battery, replace the cells yourself in about 4 hours. Or you could just buy a refurbished pack and swap it out. It's more complex than a starter battery but if you download a $29 factory service manual from tradebit.com you can do it!

One final note: I have been driving on these new batteries for days now and they perform better than the Toyota OEM. My average MPG was between 36-37. I am now getting a solid 38-39 driving the same exact commute.

 

A friend of mine has a 2007 Prius that had the traction battery fail a thousand or 2 past the 100K mile warranty and the Toyota dealer did it all under warranty. Granted you were about 9K over, still perhaps if you had spoken to a "manager" or an "area manager", you would have at least gotten the battery free??? Just wondering...

 

Good info. Thanks for posting! I have done lots of research on the batteries and you are right on in your report. You can also get batteries out of wrecked cars (salvage batteries) for under $1000. Usually it is only one or two cells that are the problem out of the 34 cells in the pack. You can pick up the replacement batteries on ebay for around $40 each.

I plan to replace the cells myself if there ever is a problem. It really is not that big of a deal. There are some good videos and tutorials on how to remove the battery pack, break it down, replace the cells and balance them.

Where we live there is a local guy that actually rebuilds these batteries in his garage. I plan on paying him a visit over the next couple weeks just so I can see how it is done first hand.

 

Holy Macaronies.

Nice that you were able to go down from 7 grand to 5 grand to 2,800 hundred to replace your TCH battery, but if these things die at around 100k miles, that is really sh*tty

To spend 3 grand at 100k makes for a terrible investment. My 1993 Camry LE ( regular gas ) had 215k miles when I sold it and it was running just fine and strong. I never spent more than 500 bucks on any one repair and did not go over $2k total in repairs in 20 years.

So if 3 grand every 100k miles is the norm solely for batterys, we are screwed and I wont buy another hybrid ever.

A new 2013 TCH XLE owner who is now nervous...

 

What you are reading in this thread probably represents EVERY Camry Hybrid with a traction battery problem as everyone that has had that issue is up on the web trying to find out about the issue and they almost always show up here.

Think of how many 10's of thousands have been produced and do the math....I will take those odds any day of the week.

Have you checked on a late model car electronically controlled transmission replacement cost? $3,000 would be cheap for the tranny without any labor and you probably never thought about it on a normal car.

Relax and enjoy your Camry Hybrid as they are proving to be very reliable (except for a water pump...) compared to other cars.

 

Good point.

I have never spent that kind of money on car repairs because we always buy reliable cars, like our 1993 Camry I mentioned above.

So $3k may be "normal" for some but not for us and again, due to buying smart. Hopefully this super complex 13' Camry Hybrid will last a long time.