I'm having an issue with a 2007 Camry Hybrid. I'm a newbie with Toyotas though I do have some experience keeping a 2001 Honda Insight going.

The '07 Camry recently reported this error: "P0A80, OBDII: Hybrid battery pack Deterioration." I cleared the error and grid charged it for 24 hours. It still reports error P0A80 but now also reports this error: "P3023, Toyota: High Voltage Battery Module 13 Fault; Battery block 13 malfunction."

This video shows the voltages of the battery modules after I start the engine:
As you can see, the voltage on block 13 jumps erratically between ~15.5v and 17.5v.

Is it obvious what to do in this situation? The car has 300k miles on it so I don't want to spend much. Replacing the entire battery isn't going to happen for that reason. But if I can get a few more years by swapping out a couple of cells I'm up for that (I've already opened up the HV battery compartment to install a grid charger).

The car had never been grid charged before yesterday. I have a discharger I could use on it if you think it might help fix these problem cells.

Thanks for any advice!

 

One of the two modules on block 13 has a failed cell. It spikes under charge, and it drops under load.

Continued driving in that condition can cause the module to rupture. I've seen it twice.

Concerning grid charging, unlike a Honda, over-use of a grid charger on a Toyota will kill the battery. They are more likely to vent than the Honda "D" cells. Repeated over-use and venting will rapidly kill the battery.

Keeping the battery cool with forced air during charging is beyond mandatory.

IMHO, a grid charger for a Toyota is a maintenance item, not a repair item. Out of 400+ Toyota failures, I've never seen one that could be fixed with grid charger. That said, it is extremely useful as a reconditioning tool being able to restore lost capacity in a manner similar to what you saw with your Insight.

However, all Gen 3/4 Toyota hybrids damage their batteries. They use them far more aggressively, and they screwed the cooling system up. Essentially any Toyota/Lexus hybrid that is NOT a 04-09 Prius falls into this category.

When you conduct a discharge, I recommend you pick target voltages of 245, 224, and 204. Record time, amps and all 34 module voltages. Terminate the discharge when the first module hits 3V. it is very likely that you have 7+ modules that are of extremely low capacity that can't be recovered.

Do not over charge these packs. Recommend 8125mAh max input at 350-500mA max.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate your thorough reply.

 

Follow-up question: When I installed the grid charger earlier this week, I noticed corrosion at many or all of the terminals for the battery modules on the bus bar. I was in a hurry and didn't take the time to clean off this corrosion (I very much regret this). In your opinion could this be responsible for the bad readings?

 

1000% no UNLESS someone has disassembled it and not properly torqued the nuts to 48 in-lb. The only portion of the bus bar that matters is the circular area that contacts the module terminal end face. With even the most disgusting black corroded bus bars from cars on the Florida coast, that area has always been at least 80% bright polished copper when removed.

Should you clean it? Yes.

My favorite method is to get the ~31% Muriatic acid for pools, dilute it with 50% water and then drop the bus bars in them for about 30-60 seconds while gently swirling. Beware of toxic vapors. They should not be inhaled.

Oxide should visibly disappear. Once clean, continue to dilute the solution, dump, rinse with water thoroughly, dry, and then scuff only the side with the contact faces with scotchbrite. The bus bars will be mottled (staining) in appearance, but all the oxide will be gone, and they'll be 99% as good as new. Should take you about 15 minutes.

Some folks just attack them with a wire wheel. That works too.

 

Many thanks!

 

which grid charger did you go with?