Got it - once again thanks for your help.

 

That's a bummer. I'd say you got a good run out of those batteries. As Keith as said, be sure you get the exact codes before doing anything. Preferably from someone that has the Tech Stream software. Failing 12v batteries can cause some bizzare issues in these cars. But, it is more than likely not your problem from the sounds of it.

Lots of options on the battery. Don't think that you have to deal only with the dealer for replacement. You can opt to clean and repair the battery yourself and squeeze a little more life out of it, or you can pay someone to come to you house and do it for you. IE: cleaning bus bars, replacing dead cells, etc... You or the same mobile tech can install a new or re-man replacement battery for typically half of what a dealer would charge.

I have a neighbor that has a 2007 model and he had an early failure at around 130,000 miles a few years ago. We pulled the pack, cleaned a ton of corrosion off the all the bus bars and replaced 3 cells. That was over 50,000 miles ago now. So, it is possible to fix them with decent results.

I have one of those "magical batteries" I guess. I just crossed 270,000 recently with both the original batteries and the original brakes and rotors. In fact the whole car is practically original except for replacing a drivers front hub bearing, 3 ICE water pumps and the AC evaporator.

Good luck in your endeavor. Let us know how it pans out for you!

 

Thank you for your input.

O'Riley came back with a P0A80 - Replace battery pack code. They want 2499.99 for a reconditioned battery pack with a 36 month warranty. Still would have to find an installer.

 

You can do it yourself. Toyota publishes removal guides on techinfo.toyota.com.

The hardest part will be lifting it out and putting it in - easily done by two grown men capable of lifting 50# each. I have done it 3X by myself. It sucks, but it's possible.

The risk of shock is absurdly low unless you dip your hands in salt water and start deliberately sticking your fingers everywhere you possibly can... Nitrile or simple mechanics gloves provide more than enough protection. Out of >50 hybrid battery installs, I have never worn gloves.


Nothing more than a few hand tools are necessary.


Check with Napa. I think they sell the Dorman for about $2000 with a 3 year warranty. O'Reilly might match their price.

 

You should search your local area for installers and see what you come up with. I bet you can find it cheaper than that. Seems like last time I looked (a couple years ago), local installers were putting in a Cardone pack for just over $2000 installed. The Dorman a little more. At that time a new battery from Toyota from one of those installers was right around $2500.

I also remember reading somewhere about the orange paint on the Dorman causing a pack to chassis ground problem and the paint had to be scraped off to get the car to boot. Not sure if they straightened that out or not, but worth looking into.

Check you local shops and craigslist to see who is out there in your area. You might be surprised.

 

I agree that you should look locally, but be vary wary. The majority of craigslist options in my area are not reliable or confidence inspiring. Pretty much everybody wants to make $400+ on a couple hours of labor.


If someone brings me a Dorman, I install it for $150... but they have to bring it to me... I'm don't muck about with picking it up or returning it.


List price on the Toyota new pack is nearly $3600:


https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/pa...D%20COMPONENTS


As you can see, it can be had for closer to $3000 before shipping (if they're willing to), but no way anyone is going to install it for that. The days of $2500, if they ever existed, are long gone.


Given that the OEM case is fully conductive steel, I can't imagine that the paint would be an issue unless it was actually insulating something that it shouldn't. Whatever any issue may have been with the orange paint (I've never heard of it), they continue to paint their cases orange. It's a great way to make shitty stuff look nice.


Also, the Dorman shipping crate is massive. It will not fit in the Camry.

 

Advance Auto Parts is $1678 for the Dorman - before I bought it we did a reset of the codes. Now all is good - operating 100% for now!

I did find a local installer who seemed very honest. He directed me to the better price, suggested the reset and would only charge $150 to install at my house. He said ' sometimes Camrys' - when reset will go a couple days - or another year!

Thanks for all the help and education.

 

Nice find on both fronts. HSDIII systems are designed to wring the last bit of goody out of packs. They can perform well even with a severely deteriorated battery, so when they code, it's for a very good reason. The reset is unlikely to last very long UNLESS your 12V is causing issues. If you haven't had it LOAD tested, you should - especially given its age. A weak/failing 12V usually gives you MANY more codes than just a P0A80, so I doubt that's the cause.


Note that the best you should hope for from a recondition is 3-4 years. They are full of modules with 160±50K miles.


Steve

 

O'Riley tested the 12V - probably the wrong test - for 350 corld amps. It came back good but needed a charging.

My install guy who has been helping guide me here, said he could get a new battery pack from Toyota for $2850. He also said the reconditioned would go 3 to 4 years, where I can expect about 8-9 years on a new one.

Is Toyota the only source for a new one? Is $2850 a good price?

I guess the question is - how much longer will I drive the car.

 

There's no reason your 12V should show needing a charge. If it does, it's almost certainly bad considering its age.

Wow... I don't know who you're talking to, but he sounds just like me. If you'll refer back to the link I posted, that's about 20% off list price, which is the typical cost to an independent shop. Add tax and installation, and that's exactly what I charge. Toyota only offers a 3 year warranty on packs they install. The pack from your guy will only have a 1 year warranty - not that it really matters... it's a new pack, and he's exactly right - 8-9 years (or more).

No other source for new. The packs are made by Primearth EV Energy company, which is 80% owned by Toyota.