It's not a good idea to use the car like that long term, since if the battery does stop working altogether it will not start and you'll have to get a tow. I do recall some users here saying that battery failure even cause the car to stop while in operation, so it could also be extremely hazardous to you and other drivers.

Unless you know how to do a swap yourself, after getting a battery from a car in a salvage yard, your best bet is to get a new battery from Toyota. I don't know of any third party battery dealers or recondition shops here in Greater Vancouver, so unless you want to do some traveling to the US, which wouldn't be a good idea given the cars condition, you might not have any choice.

Edit: OK Tire's Vancouver location websites says they have some hybrid services (Kingsway location), you could give them a call and see what they do.

 

Unless you know how to do a swap yourself, after getting a battery from a car in a salvage yard, your best bet is to get a new battery from Toyota. I don't know of any third party battery dealers or recondition shops here in Greater Vancouver, so unless you want to do some traveling to the US, which wouldn't be a good idea given the cars condition, you might not have any choice.

What is the cost to replace the Hybrid batteries?

Assuming replacement is around $8k, with an older car this makes it not a cost-effective move.

So can we say that for older Hybrid being say 7 years or older, the second the Hybrid system fails due to battery, the car is junk? This is pretty disturbing.

 

Keep in mind, there is no direct connection between ICE and wheels and there is no starter. All that is done via electric motor.
I actually doubt you drive with hybrid system turned off. I don't think it's possible. it likely simply badly unperformes.

 

Joe, I accidentally edited your post, instead of quoting this very sentence. I apologize, I can't undo it.

I thought the Camry Hybrid battery had 150k miles warranty, no?

It is yes and no.In the US, TCH used to have PZEV designation and as such, used to have extended 10/150 warranty for vehicles originally licensed in CARB states and sold in such state to another CARB state owner. Eg, I bought my TCH in WA state. It was originally licensed in WA, happens to be CARB state. Hence, my TCH was under 10/150 battery and there was another component, warranty.
Reason I keep using past tense is apparently, new Toyota Hybrids do not have PZEV designation and, as such, do not qualify for that warranty. This, of course, needs to be investigated. Toyota site stiil states that warranty may be higher under certain circumstances. Without any clarification.
Canada does not have CARB warranty, I presume?

 

I thought the Camry Hybrid battery had 150k miles warranty, no?

In Canada the warranty on hybrid system has been 160k km (100k miles) or 10 years, which ever comes first.

 

I thought the Camry Hybrid battery had 150k miles warranty, no?

It is yes and no.In the US, TCH used to have PZEV designation and as such, used to have extended 10/150 warranty for vehicles originally licensed in CARB states and sold in such state to another CARB state owner. Eg, I bought my TCH in WA state. It was originally licensed in WA, happens to be CARB state. Hence, my TCH was under 10/150 battery and there was another component, warranty.
Reason I keep using past tense is apparently, new Toyota Hybrids do not have PZEV designation and, as such, do not qualify for that warranty. This, of course, needs to be investigated. Toyota site stiil states that warranty may be higher under certain circumstances. Without any clarification.
Canada does not have CARB warranty, I presume?

 

Go to fueleconomy.gov, put in the make model and year of the car, pull up the fuel economy, then select the environment tab then select the state. The EPA smog rating of the 2017 Prius and 2017 Camry Hybrid is PZEV if it's a California car, or a Washington car or just about any state that adopted CARB rules.

 

No, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and it's rules have no relevance in Canada, although our laws are similar. We have the EPA (Environmental Protection Act of 1999), which is similar in some regards. There are rebates for low emission vehicles, but almost all of them are now exclusively for electric vehicles. Toyota still provides a longer than normal warranty for the hybrid system, although its still 160k km, it's also down to 8 years.

As for the cost of a new battery in Canada, I inquired before buying my 20008 TCH a few years ago, and Toyota quoted $4500-5000 Cdn dollars for a new battery (part price). For a late 2000's hybrids it about half the current value of the vehicle, which is why most people traded them in when the 160km warranty ran out. It's almost impossible to find a low millage hybrid for sale here.

 

For a late 2000's hybrids it about half the current value of the vehicle, which is why most people traded them in when the 160km warranty ran out.

Yes this is the disturbing part for me. For a regular non hybrid Camry, the depreciation is linear assuming you take care of the car. My previous 1993 Camry lasted me 20 years and I sold it still running.

The depreciation curve on a Hybrid falls out and straight down as it reaches the warranty of the battery, 8 years or 100k miles in your case because the cost of the battery makes the replacement NOT cost effective.

If the Camry Hybrid could be made to continue to run when the Hybrid battery dies using regular ICE engine, then my statement above would be a moot point. BUT since the car CANNOT be driven ICE only, the entire car is being held hostage at the sole mercy of the Hybrid battery.

In short, the second the Hybrid battery dies the entire car will be WORTHLESS. :frown:

 

I think the concern is blown way out of proportion honestly. Other members of my family bought hybrids first, and did a lot of research before buying a used one. They met first generation Prius owners (cars from the early 1990's) and they had only replaced the battery once in over 20 years of ownership. Will some of the batteries fail? Sure. My 2008 TCH still has the original battery and shows no sign of degradation at all.

Now would I bother replacing the battery if it dies? Sure, it's way less expensive than buying a new model car. Vehicles are not investments, like a home, so the monetary value really don't matter much to me. The value is in getting me from A to B safely and reliably and the hybrid does that with few other costs. I'm saving around $700 hundred dollars every year on gas, vs. my previous non-hybrids. That more than makes up for having to possibly replace the battery at some point.

 

Well stated.

 

Just an update.... I figured that this is a 10 year old car, I would replace the battery pack with a refurbished pack. I went with a Dorman battery pack. It comes with a 3 year/100000km warranty.

After installation, I drove around for 15 min. My TCH stalled. It would restart, but stalled again after 2 min or driving. Finally, I have it towed back to the shop. After some phone calls and etc I was able to have the auto parts dealer refund my money.

I was about to throw in the towel and look for a new car. Everything I see thats on par with my TCH would be in 40,000$( Can) range.

I don't have that kind of cash, and besides my TCH was in very good condition and have not cause my any trouble at all in the last 10 years. So, I told the shop to put in a brand new battery from Toyota. The cost is 3500$ + labor.

I pick up the car the next day. It ran beautifully. The mileage was incredible, without even trying.

My take on this, if you decide to keep the car put a new battery in. It is well worth it.

Any maintenance/ service tips on 2007 TCH ? So far I have just changes the oil , transmission fluid was changed @ about 120,000km.

 

This is about the right example of what they say:
DON'T FIX IF IT AIN'T BROK.
IF IT'S BROK, FIX IT RIGHT AWAY.

 

happened to me. exact story - 2-3 months but the later you replace the pack the more cells will die - might just be 1 pack, luckily for me i have a friend who does the pack refurbish, takes a week to redo every cell from scratch and test it all.

 

Please, don't.
Yes, I should have not said "Toyota hybrids" but, you should have not brought Prius as example also.
2018 Camry Hybrid is
Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)56 and, as such, lost CARB state warranty.
https://www.toyota.com/camry/features/mpg/2559/2561/2560


2018 Prius is not PZEV also
It is:

SULEV51 with Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV)53
https://www.toyota.com/prius/features/mpg/1221/1223/1224

And Fuelly is not the last word on this type of classification.

Hope this helps.

 

Fueleconomy.gov I'd say is a pretty trustworthy source considering it's run by the EPA. Also I didn't mention 2018 Camry Hybrid, I said 2017 Camry Hybrid. 2018 Camry Hybrid is a SULEV30 vehicle and very well might have a crappier warranty. But the 2017 Camry Hybrid and 2017 Prius are both AT-PZEV vehicles. According to the Warranty Manual for the 2018 Camry Hybrid, 100K 96month warranty on the hybrid battery everywhere.

 

Also, it does matter state wise. Power train classification is same across the world but, there is only handful of CARB states in the USA. For a PZEV to fall under extended CARB warranty, vehicle has to be originally sold in CARB state. Period. You can't buy PZEV in a non CARB state, bring it to CARB state and claim PZEV warranty.
This is why state does matter.

 

had the same issue

I had my battery pack on my '09 TCH die on me, too.
I didn't have the kind of cash garage wanted for a replacement. plus i couldn't trust the condition a salvage pack (..in Nigeria).
I bought me a charger from hybridautomotive.com
While making the connections, I discovered that there was a lot of corrosion on the copper plates connecting the battery modules. So, I removed them all, cleaned them, connected the charger, put humpty-dumpty together again & charged for about 10hrs.
In the morning, unplugged the charger, replaced the HV fuse, got in the car & pushed the button. "READY" light came on. No error message. That was 6 months ago. It still runs. I get btw 35 - 40mpg. And now I have a "plug-in" hybrid

 

You CAN replace individual cells, so I've heard. Haven't found a source. HAVE found "reconditioned" for $1800 US, $2300 new. A BIG IDEA: Hybrid and pure electric batteries should be universal, and marketed through existing gas stations. On the bottom, between the wheels. A robot device could swap them. You wouldn't own your battery: you'd get a different one every time you "fill up"

 

that idea was tried but it failed. no chance of it happening now.