Tag: hybrid

Posted on by — 1 Comment

KIA Hybrid – 2 in 1 – Hybrid problems and potential “Warranty Abuse”

In our view, current hybrid designs with small, overworked batteries and a primary ICE engine are not truly sustainable. We have 7 severe cases: a Mercedes w205 with a burnt and cooked battery, a boiled VW GTE, 2 Kias with burnt and cooked batteries, a Porsche Panamera with a burnt and cooked battery, and 3 Toyota Priuses with burnt and cooked batteries. Choosing to drive a new diesel or a hybrid carries significant risks and costs, Besides being unreliable with very expensive failures, the savings are placebo and maintenance costs at 150k km can cost up to €20,000. A 2017 Kia Optima Plugin with only 160k km came in with a battery failure, hoping it was just a few cells, we called the owner in for diagnostics and repair. After disassembly and measurement, we found all cells to be inflated, cooked, and totally degraded. The system is air-cooled. According to the owner, the issue may have been simply reset during previous warranty service visits, giving a false impression that ‘everything is fine’ without actually fixing the problem. However, it is not fine, and on the third vehicle, by deceiving the owner, they erase the error via OBD to turn off the malfunction light and temporarily “solve the problem”. Potential KMAG warranty abuse according the owner on a battery that should be subject to an automatic global recall as the swelling of cells is a “safety risk” and could potentially cause a fire if a cell breaches the battery case. A new battery costs about €17,000 to replace for a 9kWh battery. The cells are LG Chem, non-standard dimensions 17x24x0.6 with a capacity of 27Ah. The internal resistance of the cells is about 4mOhm (2 is actually for recycling). Since it’s not just a couple of defective cells but the entire battery pack, repair is not possible. It’s not possible in that quantity because there are no new cells to replace it. At ~160,000 km, the vehicle in this case was beyond economical repair (effectively a total loss). Now you might wonder why? because much of the mainstream media coverage has portrayed EVs negatively while painting hybrids and diesels in a better light. Every day social media is full of the same propaganda and demonizing headlines against EVs. In practice, it’s quite different, only the Nissan Leaf has an irreparable battery, while every hybrid is a pile of expensive problem at 200k. The only hybrid that would theoretically be sustainable is with at least a 40-50kWh battery, primary electric drive, and a generator that recharges, like the BMW REX system, everything else is just costing you more, not saving you money.

OEM Price Kia: €17,000. 150k km
Mercedes: €15,000 160k km
Porsche: €18,000 180k km
VW GTE: €12,000 180k km
EVC: not repairable, needs new battery design and production – €8,000-€16,000

Part number: 37503-A8510, 37506-E6610

Error: P0A7F, P1B96

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Toyota huge battery degradation – Taboo topic

Toyota Auris Hybrid – A Case of Battery Degradation at 246,000 km

Battery degradation is expected in high-mileage hybrid vehicles, but this case stands out—not in a Tesla or even a Nissan Leaf, but in a Toyota Auris Hybrid. At 246,000 km, this battery exhibited 82% degradation, with more than half of the battery system showing signs of permanent damage, likely due to prolonged overheating and limited thermal management in the original design.

While the battery was reported as unopened, there are indications that it may have been serviced before—such as a clean cooling fan and four marked cells. In our experience, we often come across “never opened” batteries that have, in fact, been repaired or reconditioned multiple times, including cell replacements, rearrangements, or regeneration, yet are still presented as original and untouched. This contributes to the perception that these batteries consistently last 500,000 km, even though many have undergone previous interventions.

Real-World Battery Longevity in Hybrids

From the cases we’ve examined, we have observed that:

  • Extreme battery degradation (50%) typically begins around 150,000-180,000 km.
  • Only one verified case of an original, untouched battery exceeded 300,000 km—though by 150,000 km, it had already lost 50% of its original capacity.
  • Despite degradation, Toyota’s replacement battery pricing is notably lower than that of European hybrid models, with a new unit from the service center costing around €2,200—a fraction of the €10,000-€30,000 range seen in some other hybrids.

Efficiency Considerations

Given the extent of degradation and the hybrid system’s reliance on battery functionality, an interesting question arises: Would the Toyota Auris achieve better efficiency without the added complexity of the hybrid system once the battery reaches this level of wear? While hybrids offer fuel savings when the battery is healthy, high degradation levels may impact overall efficiency, raising questions about long-term cost-effectiveness for owners.

“Toyota hybrid batteries never fail”
“Don’t listen to EV Clinic, they think everything is bad”
“Batteries last over 500,000 km in all Toyotas”
“The warranty is 10 years” (they forget to mention it’s 180k km)
“Those guys are amateurs”

Understanding Toyota Hybrid Battery Longevity & Maintenance

Many drivers rely on real-world data rather than marketing claims when assessing vehicle reliability. In our work repairing hybrid battery systems, we also communicate with authorized service technicians, which gives us insight into common issues and long-term performance trends. Over the years, we have noticed misconceptions and misinformation circulating in Toyota hybrid communities, so we’ll address some of the most frequent questions we’ve received.

We have always stated that among hybrids, Toyota is the most reliable choice, making it a better alternative than diesel. However, compared to electric vehicles (EVs), the hybrid system has limitations—not all EVs are better, but Toyota’s NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) battery system has design challenges that impact longevity.

Battery Design & Common Issues

The Toyota hybrid battery pack features a passive cooling system, with airflow-dependent temperature regulation. The middle section of the battery is prone to overheating, as it lacks direct thermal management. In contrast, some hybrid models, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, integrate a chiller system from the air conditioning unit to improve cooling efficiency.

Key design factors that affect battery longevity include:

  • Limited monitoring & balancing – The Battery Management System (BMS) monitors every 5th or 6th cell but does not actively balance the middle modules, leading to uneven aging.
  • Minimal temperature sensors – The system uses only 2-3 temperature sensors, with no redundant protection in case of airflow blockage.
  • Variable degradation rates – Some batteries experience cell overheating as early as 80,000 km, while others last up to 180,000 km before showing similar symptoms.

Real-World Battery Usage & Repair Trends

Some owners report driving their Toyota hybrids up to 750,000 km on the “original” battery pack. However, our experience servicing hybrid battery systems shows that in many of these cases, the pack has undergone multiple repairs and cell replacements, but since the battery casing remains unchanged, it is still considered “original.”

Toyota’s advantage is that they offer replacement batteries at a relatively low cost—around €2,000 for a 1 kWh battery pack. While this is significantly cheaper than European hybrid models, it is still around 8 times more expensive per kWh than an EV battery, which typically costs €250 per kWh.

In fleet usage, such as taxis, we have observed:

  • By 200,000 – 250,000 km, batteries often arrive with 8-15 degraded cells, which is more than half of the pack.
  • Some batteries show signatures from multiple mechanics at 400,000 km, indicating previous repairs and interventions.
  • Some drivers manually clear error codes via Bluetooth OBD tools, allowing them to continue driving despite deteriorating battery health, until the car eventually stops functioning.

Myths vs. Reality

One of the most persistent myths surrounding Toyota hybrids is the belief that battery degradation is never an issue and that hybrid batteries last “millions of kilometers” without problems. While Toyota’s system is designed for longevity, real-world data shows that battery degradation does occur and affects fuel savings and overall efficiency over time.

Preventive Measures for Extending Battery Life

To maximize the lifespan of a Toyota hybrid battery, preventive maintenance is key:

  1. Use the air conditioning in the summer to direct cool air towards the rear passenger footwell—this helps the battery draw in cooler air for better temperature regulation.
  2. Disassemble and clean the battery cooling channels every 50,000 km—dust and debris can clog the cooling system, leading to increased operating temperatures and premature cell degradation.
  3. Avoid prolonged high-temperature exposure, as a single overheating event can cause permanent battery damage, regardless of the total mileage.

While Toyota’s hybrid system remains one of the most cost-effective hybrid solutions available, long-term maintenance and battery management play a crucial role in ensuring optimal efficiency and reliability.

Conclusion:

  • Their batteries do fail
  • They are easily repairable
  • Parts are very accessible
  • Batteries are cooked by 150k km
  • Preventive maintenance is a no-brainer
  • Toyota has the most sustainable hybrid system of all
  • Battery is poorly designed
  • Battery has a high tolerance for failure, doesn’t trigger an error
  • The cheapest new hybrid battery on the market
Posted on by

Audi VW Mild Hybrid disaster

The infection called “hybrid” has mutated into “Milf Hybrid”, a system where now you get even less for even more money. The system where the generator is also an starter, works at 48 volts via a VFD three-phase inverter mounted on a baredie HEXFET and motor that is cooled by antifreeze,  it should cool it but heats it with antifreeze to 95 degrees so it could fail as soon as possible. The electric motor only helps the fossil fart ICE engine to save some money for sponsoring an authorized service or us, so you can’t drive an electric motor independently like with classic Hybrids for sponsoring cottages. We have already had several calls on this topic, but none of them came for analysis. Even one Technician who works in an authorized service center in Munich offered 100 defective pieces to buy for €100 each, he took them out of the trash as if by accident and we should bought them as is, they say “never breaks down” “just fill fuel and drives” until it fails on the road trip to service center. They don’t break down so well that only 100 of them end up in the trash. In case of electric motor failure (aka MHD starter) then even the fossil engine does not start, and according to the “whistleblower” information, this failure occurs already after 50,000 km. Fortunately, the problem is not solvable, when the HEXFET burns out, there is no simple way to separate the baredie support from the aluminum cooler so that a new part can be inserted. Even if there was a method equal to factory quality, this factorz defect crap is not made to be perfect even when it is new, because they messed up the design. So the worrying fact is that this is an even lower quality version of the Hybrid car, the most worrying thing is that very often we hear the whining of mechanics who perform an ordinary service on a car and the customer comes back to them with excuses “that everything worked before, but now it doesn’t work since the service was done”. . Of course, the classic blackmailing of “thies” so that the mechanics bear the costs of maintaining the car. Recommendations to colleagues: avoid working on these vehicles.

Audi VW Mild Hybrid ⛔️ – Zaraza zvana “hybrid” mutirala u “Milf Hybrid”, sistem gdje sad za još više love dobijete još manje. Sistem gdje je alternator ujedno i alnaser, radi na 48 volti preko VFD trofaznog invertera montiranog na motoru sa baredie HEXFET koji se hladi anrifrizom,  hladi tj. grije antifrizom na 95 stupnjeva da što prije crkne. Elektromotor samo pomaže fosilnoj prdilici da uštedite nešto love za sponzoriranje ovlastenog servisa ili nas, znači ne možete voziti elektromotorom samostalno kao kod klasičnih Hybrida za sponzoriranje vikendica. Već nekoliko poziva smo imali na ovu temu, ali niti jedan nije došao na analizu. Čak je jedan zemo gastarbajter koji radi u ovlaštenom servisu u Minkenu nudio 100 komada neispravnih da kupimo po 100€, on kao slučajno izvadi iz smeća i mi kao kupimo, kažu “nikad ništa” “nikad se ne kvari” “samo toči vozi” do prvog servisa. Toliko se ne kvare da ih je 100 komada u smeću. Kod kvara elektromotora (aka MHD alnaser) tad ni fosilni motor ne pali a ovaj kvar po “zviždačkim” informacijama nastupa već nakon 50000km. Problem je na svu sreću ne riješiv, kod izgaranja HEXFET ne postoji jednostavan način odvajanja baredie nosača od alu hladnjaka pa da se stavi novi dio. Čak i da postoji metoda ravna tvorničkoj kvaliteti, ovaj škart nije napravljen da bude ispravan ni kad je nov jer su nešto fulali u dizajnu. Znači zabrinjavajuca je činjenica da je ovo još nekvalitetnija inačica Hybridnog škarta, zabrinjavajuća najviše što vrlo često čujemo kukanja mehaničara koji naprave obični servis na autu pa im se stranka vrati sa izgovorima “da je sve radilo prije pa sad ne radi od kako je servis napravljen”. Naravno klasične ucjene djibera da im mehaničari snose troškove održavanja škarta. Preporuke kolegama: izbjegavajte rad na ovim vozilima.

Price:

New – 2000€

EVC – 👀

Error:

U046900 a starter/generator control unit signal is unreliable;

C11CBF0-12V on-board power grid

P0A7D00-hybrid battery charge level is low

P0B2900-hybrid/high-voltage battery deep discharge

P1B1600-hybrid battery no external charging

Partnumber:

4n0903028m

4n0903028n

4n0903028h

4n0903028j

Vozila:

A6, S6, A7, S7, A8, S8

2018 – 2022

Processor: SPC564A70L7