Electrician Fixes $4,400 Toyota Hybrid Fault for Under $10
Ashley Allen / 10 years ago
Imgur user scoodidabop had a rude awakening when the dashboard of his recently purchased second-hand Toyota hybrid car lit up. After Googling the issue, he discovered that there was an issue with the hybrid battery, meaning the car was running on 100% fuel. He was distressed to discover, after an investigation by his local Toyota dealer, that the issue would cost him more than $4,400 to fix.
Being an electrician, though, he had other ideas. He pulled the massive battery from the car’s chassis and – taking proper safety precautions with the high-voltage system – took to examining each cell, one-by-one, with a multimeter, thinking that he might have to replace one or two of the cells, costing about $45 dollars each.
To his surprise, every single cell checked out. They were all fully functional. So he pulled the copper connecting bus bars, which were quite corroded. He soaked all 34 of them in a solution of white vinegar and baking soda.
And it worked! After reassembling the battery and connecting it to the car again, the fault had been cleared. The issue had been fixed, and it cost him under $10. If you’re electric car bugs out, be sure to check those copper connectors before paying to have the whole pack replaced!
Source: imgur
