It helps that the battery pack has a main relay that - if all is well - prevents voltage from getting out of the housing without a lot of monkeying around.
I’ve done multiple hybrid battery replacement and repairs , I have to say this is the most straightforward and detailed video on TH-cam I’ve seen , great job Chris!
Its crazy to me how far you go the extra mile. There will be a single bolt and yet you still set up an entire shot, Camara, lighting, everything just to get a one and a half second shot of a single bolt. Genuinely, i appreciate that a lot and so mad respect for you for really going the extra mile and then some!
I don't own a Prius or plan on buying one anytime soon, but Chris's car videos are just too educational and well-made to not watch. This is some high quality entertainment!
These videos are without a doubt the highest quality in the industry. It’s incredible how seamless all of his steps are. At times it feels like Chris can see into the future. Fantastic work as always!
I like the step-by-step format. When I rebuilt the battery in our older Prius I continually referred to his previous video. The only downside to these videos is that Electron Automotive probably has to deal with incredible demand peaks when these videos roll out. Really - why would any of the 9 1/2 million subscribers with a bad Toyota hybrid battery go elsewhere? (I went with them for my rebuild and I was not sorry.)
Find me one person who wouldn't spend 40 minutes not only learning how to replace the hybrid cells in a Prius, but also experiencing the passion this man has for his job. Shine on, Chris. I know nobody more down to Earth, and no bigger nerd (in the best way) than ChrisFix. Thank you for the years of entertainment.
I don't know if I am the only one who does not want to waste 40 minutes of my life but I am sure that there is more of us. Oh, and by the way I don't buy anything from Japan. Their automotive industry can't even come close to rest of the world with exception of India and of course China.
lol Do I ever plan to own a Prius? Certainly not. Did I somehow watch yet another ChrisFix video about a car I'll never own? Yup. I'll never know the guy irl, but I'm genuinely happy, after finding him years ago, to see his channel keep growing and he's now up to almost 10M subscribers(holy shit, go Chris!). You said it best; Shine on, Chris.
What I like is, he goes over the reassembly in detail as well. Some of the other channels, they'll do a nice disassembly, but then at the end just say "oh reassembly is the reverse of disassembly". ChrisFix leaves no stone unturned. Every last detail. Great stuff!
Chris, you did a great job making this video. The camera positions was perfect. You explained everything. My son-in-law recently purchased a 2011 Prius with 150,000 miles. It needed the batteries replaced but the previous owner opted to sell the car and purchase another vehicle. We watched this awesome video and purchased the batteries used in this video and we installed them yesterday. We took our time and referred to the video several times. Everything fit perfectly and we did not have any issues at all. Being an ex-mechanic, everything was pretty straight forward, but my son-in-law wanted to follow your steps. We even torqued the bolts and nuts to your specs. After installation, the car was charging up the batteries. Thanks again, for this fantastic video and recommending these batteries.
@@Matt_Alaric Nope. What happened was before writing this comment, and during me watching this video, I said “I wish this video never ends”. Therefore, the past tense of wish is wished. Adding an I swear to god to that makes up the sentence “I swear to god I wished this video never ends”. On the other hand, I wish this video never ended is a plausible form, although one of different meaning than the one I intended while writing this comment. Besides, I’m from FL. What native ears are you talking about?😂
Your preparation before filming is spectacular. Scripting to ensure you pantomime to match your voiceover, pacing to make sure sped up parts match the feel of the rest, and overall preparation (research on torque specs, for instance) is absolutely unmatched anywhere else. You also have branding down to a science. This is a must watch for anyone looking to create instructional content.
I'm impressed at how Toyota engineered this vehicle's battery pack. You explained / demonstrated it such that any DIYer could tackle this job. Thanks Chris!
It's super clever. It doesn't stop an independent mechanic from repairing it, but also serves as a good idiot check to make sure you don't zap yourself. Little engineering details like these remind me why people like Toyotas so much.
Thanks Chris for getting me into the automotive industry and since I'll be going into a vehicle related course at college this September, this is especially useful, 11 years of good quality videos and not one has let your channel down!
@ChrisFix same with me actually, I got into mechanics watching you a few years ago now I'm doing motorsport in college Thanks mate for all the great videos
@@fastandfuriousman "First, you are going to want to verify all the important parts are still attached. If any have come loose, be sure to reattach them with an adhesive that says it is for surgical use." (When I lacerated my scalp a few years ago the ER doc glued it back together with a purple "superglue." It worked great, immediately lowering the pain one lor two levels.)
I will never own an EV or a hybrid but I still watched this entire video. Great production, consice and to the point, no annoying background music, overall a great video.
Chris, it's a master demonstration. I don't own a Prius, but I enjoy the efficient way you explain every aspect of the repair, giving us useful tricks to become better weekend mechanics, It may even encourage me to turn EV after all. Thanks a lot.
Same. I don't even know anyone that owns a Prius, but I watched this whole video because it was so enjoyable and educational in how it was demonstrated and explained. Keep up the good work, Chris!
This isn't an EV though, this is a hybrid, which is closer to an ICE vehicle than an EV. This is not even close to being an EV, as that's a different ball game and dropping the battery pack on an EV is not this simple and requires way more steps.
I don't think I've ever done any of the work you do in these videos but I still love watching your videos. They're so well made, very detailed, and super informative. It's almost therapeutic.
Can we just appreciate for a second how good his voiceover skills are! 15:28 He squeezes his voice as he lifts the battery in the footage!! And the effect is so natural. Also the fact that 1:23 he called in a 4 year old client just to show that his previous fix works!!
@@Majki70 it could just be him. Good drones have flight path and object tracking so he can just have a flight path to the side of the bridge and have the camera track the car.
Started watching videos on how to detail a car and ended up here... I don't have a car, not even a drivers license, but these videos are so mesmerizing! Chris, hats off to you for going in such details and being so patient and explaining every step! I wish professors in schools had this kind of approach to reaching kids. Great job and keep being awesome! 😊
I love how this dude is one of the biggest automotive TH-camrs with videos that consistently break 1 million views yet he is still working out of he’s driveway instead of he’s own shop. Being hard working and frugal will do wonders for him later in life.
@@andrewiskb24 nope it's the same house he's done all his videos at from day one. Even seen his mom a few times, especially in some of the early Mustang videos
I don't work on cars other than my own personal vehicles and I don't own a hybrid, but I couldn't stop watching. What a GREAT video!!! Torque specs and all. Excellent work Mr. Chris!
I wouldn't have dared work on my car before watching Chris' videos because a lot of videos just assume you already know how to work on cars. He goes into so much detail and goes through the what ifs so it's near impossible to mess it up
I love the way he gets right into it. No 15 sec lead ins, etc. Then he clearly and succinctly describes the process in detail without being boring. My 2010 Prius is going to need a battery change soon and this video will save hundreds of dollars or more. Thanks for doing this Chris.
you know by him putting a larger capacity battery pack into the pruis that means the battery life will last longer due to the higher capacity as that means it takes higher mileage to get the same charge cycles through the battery pack to wear it down
Hey Chris, I love how you consistently emphasize putting nuts and bolts in bags and labeling. It just goes to show how that, even for small things like that, you really want to make sure the person who is following along in the video is just as suited to tackle the issue just as much as you are. I don't plan on being a mechanic, but even as a casual viewer, your quality stands out to me. Thanks a lot!
Yeah these basic tips Chris demonstrates, and thoughtfulness and safety emphasis (such as electrical) when it comes to taking apart and putting something back together, can apply to any machinery one might work on.
I'll probably never own a Prius but i still watched the whole thing. It's amazing how you take such an intimidating task and break it down to where it looks easy!
Hi Chris I had the problems with my 2010 Prius that you spoke of about the hybrid system light on, I was very nervous about getting the work done every one wouldn’t do it as far as do work on my car. They continue to say after putting the scanner on my car that I had a electric problem. And it would be expensive, So one day my wife said she saw Chris fix on TH-cam and take a look. I was impressed because everything he talked about with the Prius battery was the same problem I believe I had. I told my wife this seems like something I can do. So I ordered the battery which came in a few days (good) then I ordered the tools, and continue to watch this video with focus and concentration. Everything went really well, I followed the directions and it work, but the lights was still on so I called the hybrid battery techs and they ask did I torque everything down because when you don’t it won’t run right, I knew I didn’t torque everything down as Chris said thinking I can skip steps. So I took the battery back out of my car and torque all the bolts and screws exactly as he said and it worked perfectly, I was Sooooio please because I never worked on any car at all. So thanks Chris also my miles per gallon is around 46. If I can do it anyone can. Thanks again really appreciate your Great teaching and attention to detail, I’m 61 years old and done this.
Just completed my battery installation this morning! 2011 Prius with 191,188 miles on the original battery. Could not have done it without your excellent instruction, referral to this battery company, and your list of tools needed. For anyone wishing to do this yourself, a couple things to note: 1. Choose your sockets wisely. you will probably need a step up adapter for the 12mm socket if you use the recommended inch-lb torque wrench. My socket were made for a 3/8" connection, but the torque wrench has a 1/4" connector. Had to call for a ride to the hardware store to get an adapter mid project, and it ate u a lot of time. 2. If possible, do not break the nuts that hold the harness to the original battery with a socket. Use a 10mm wrench instead. Five of the nuts holding my harness got rounded over on. I had a "lightbulb moment" after the fact and determined it was probably my 10mm socket that damaged them. I lost around 3 hours between another ride to the HW store and trying to get the nuts off with all sorts of vise grips, nut extractors, and lubricants before finally resorting to cutting the harness off and leaving the frozen nuts attached to the battery cells (after removing and saving the needed wire, of course!). 3. Lastly, don't assume your Prius will accept the filter shown in the video if it doesn't have one. I received a free filter from the battery company due to backorder delays, but the housing on my Prius was not designed for a filter. There are no notches to accept filter pins/clips, and the opening is a very different shape that is not compatible with their filter. Surprisingly, the fan had zero dust on it after 12 years, but there was a lot of lint-like dust trapped in the crevices of the original battery pack. Hoping the open-air design on the new battery will make this a non-issue.
Thanks for the helpful sidenotes. Will definitely be sure to add each step of yours to my check off list. I am wondering if the reason one Prius vs the same exact year Prius goes out of miles a lot sooner has to do with no added in filter. Your Prius needed a battery change around 190,000 miles and others last right around 350,000. Such as mine did. Could the difference be the filter? Mine has one. The filter is a huge role in keeping a battery running longer. They sale filters you can put on the front part of it if you cant get one to fit behind it. I know have both added. Thanks again!
@@holylabs Filter must be one the keys to prolong battery life. I don't own Prius but we have a Lexus. Should we check for dirty filter every few years just like other filters?
What makes chrisfix so great is the close up filming of what he's doing. It's frustrating in other people's videos when they talk about taking off a tough piece, but you can't see how they did it. Thanks Chris fix! I already saved a ton replacing my own drum brakes!
31:46 this is exactly why I love ChrisFix, you go above and beyond for us man and I appreciate the hell out of you. You are organized, and detail oriented, and that gives me confidence to do these things on my own. Hands down the best Auto DIY channel out there. Thank you!
I don't even have a Prius, now I am looking for one with a bad battery. I was glued to this, while I just stumbled on it while looking for a totally different stuff. Good job Chris!
@@chrisfix after watching you fix this car up in that last video i was like there's no way i could sell it if i did all that work and its that nice lol
Been a tech for many years and just got my first Prius, 2012 with 83k on the odometer in excellent shape. I gotta say this is one of the most informative and best made videos I have ever seen. With no prior experience on hybrid vehicles I now feel much more at ease and have less anxiety about my 1st hybrid. Keep up the exceptional content and great work. Your dedication to doing the job right shows in everything you do. Subscriber for life.
There are so many technicians/mechanics that do not bother putting the wiring harness back into the right location whether its for a battery pack or just in general. Actually taking time to reinstall everything so you have no extra bolts or panel clips is what makes you a professional whether you are a DIY'er or working at a shop. Its the little details that will always be overlooked. Great work! leading by example to change the industry standards
I really appreciate the attention to detail and the step-by-step process of making this swap possible. Taking the time to set up your lights so there is extremely clear video of what you're doing is something very few TH-camrs ever do. Great video.
The level BEST instruction video available. Concise, efficient, informative, detailed and crafted in such a manner to hold the viewer's interest. I don't own a Prius, but if I did, this would be the video I would choose to help me replace the battery. Already subscribed.
Hey ChrisFix, I just wanted to say that it was thanks to your last Prius video I was able to replace the hybrid battery in my moms 2010 prius, I even used the same company you used since they are actually only 30 minutes from where I live! I was originally going to replace every cell like you did in the video but Electron automotive had a special where they gave a whole battery assembly for the same price. My mom passed away in November but I'm thankful that she never had to worry or stress about car issues. Thank you Chris!
Good on you! I took ChrisFix's advice and turned to Electron Automotive too, for a first gen (2002) battery pack. I wish all companies were as easy to work with. The only thing they couldn't help me with was removing the sealant (similar to the "construction glue" in hardware stores) from around the bus bars so I could get the old modules out. I found brushing on Techron (I had it on the shelf, but I think other oily solvents like SeaFoam would work) and scraping with moderate force. That problem does not appear in 2004 and later Toyota Hybrids.
@@flagmichael yeah, electron automotive is the only place I trust with hybrid batteries. There are so many companies claiming to fix hybrid batteries for dirt cheap (300-500$) but all they really do is slap a couple of cells into an existing battery pack or just grab a hybrid battery from a scrap prius and call it good. I know this because when we bought my moms Prius, one of the selling points was that it had a "refurbished battery" with a one year warranty. Sure enough, in less than a year we got the dreaded "replace battery pack" code. Took it to the place it was "refurbished" and the guy threw a couple of cells at it. Within 4 months we had the same issue again. After replacing the whole battery pack with the electron automotive one. The car has been good for, I want to say about 3 years so far.
I don’t own a Prius or a hybrid and I don’t plan to , but I just watched this because Chris explains everything so simply and in a straight forward manner , every video inspires me to actually do the work on my own jeep myself instead of getting ripped to shreds by the mechanics in my country
You are an amazing mechanic. Your organization, attention to detail and efforts to "do it right" are impressive. I wish all mechanics had your ethics. BTW, I don't own a Prius and I am not a mechanic (did a bit when I was young) but I watched this entire video because of your skills and clear explanation were entertaining and educational. Great job!
I own a 2010 Prius and have completed a lot of preventive maintenance over the years. I still get about 50 mpg with 123,000 miles on it. This is such a great tutorial Chris. I hope my Prius can make it to 300,000 miles.
Express Auto Care here in Colorado has your playlist of videos playing on loop on a TV in their lobby. The amount of people I see intimately watching what you're doing simply because of how simplified your videos are is incredible.
I'm hardly a car guy at all but I started watching this video and I could not look away! I -am- a retired engineer and the technical quality of this DIY video is spectacular! I had to take a break about 15 minutes in to write this because of how blown away I was feeling about the words you use, ChrisFix, to narrate. There are no extra opinion/fluff words AT ALL! Every word was important. I was literally hypnotized! I wish I could start my life over just to watch all your work, Mr. ChrisFix. Way to go and keep up the good work! Just great!
This was EXPONENTIALLY ***THE BEST*** Automotive repair video I've ever seen! Well done!!!! --Your explanations were perfect: the lighting was spot on. Editing was unbelievably crisp & sharp.... VERY impressive. (No extraneous tightenings, explanations or removal steps, etc.)... the best 40 minutes I've spent in years! Thank you!!!!!
Chris, like many others, I started pursuing automotive tech more seriously, I didn't go to college, but my experience and past knowledge gained from you secured a decent position in a well paying job. Love you bro!
⚠️WARNING⚠️ If any of you replace the Hybrid battery, make sure you get special training. If you get electrocuted by the battery it will kill you, not injure you, kill you. That is according AMD from the TH-cam channel Car Care Nut. He is a Toyota Hybrid Specialist and Master Diagnostic Technician. So be careful! P.S. Your content is awesome, Chris!
Good warning. I have worked with DC around those levels since my first encounter in 1967. That was also my strongest contact with 300 VDC. Short form, I had my hand resting on the radio chassis and clapped my other hand down on the field coil magnet structure of the speaker. For reasons unknown to modern man, one side of the field coil (used to filter the plate supply) was connected to the speaker frame. It was a tremendous jolt but I didn't black out completely. DC is not as dangerous as equivalent AC voltage - I have brushed up against 125 VDC battery voltage in electric substations a couple of times and it bit enough to make me jump. However, disrespect would be a very bad idea. Follow Ahmed's instructions and you will have a happier day.
I'm one of the most pedantic people I know and believe in scrutinising every Instruction Manual there is. That said, I can't think of a single thing you missed or left to the imagination. You went as far as manually removing the nuts even though you had a power tool that could do the job. You deserve manifold subscribers - your channel is the best there is, Mr. Fixtopher from Gotham, NY.
Just did this for the first time! Couple notes: -Make sure you have EVERY tool used in this video, it'll save you so much time. -Wear gloves!! When handling screws I took gloves off, but the rest your hands should be protected. -Have someone help lift/flip the battery. Chris makes it look easy. It's not, even with 2 people. -Double, TRIPLE check the placement of EVERYTHING. "Leave it better than you found it." Some wires might stick out, preventing you from properly installing covers. Other times you might be just a centimeter off from proper placement. Analyze each frame of this video, slow and steady. -You will have to be a little rough pulling connectors and pins out. Don't be reckless, but don't worry about breaking something if something requires a little more force than usual. -This is a forgiving installation. It doesn't have to be picture perfect, it doesn't HAVE to be gentle (although take utmost care.) -It seems easier in hindsight. You might get anxious (I sure did!) while in the process of installation, but it'll feel like a cakewalk once you're done. -Wear a mask while doing this. Mostly to prevent mouth breathing/snot (gross!) from interfering with anything. -Play some music in the back, it'll distract you from the idea of ripping your car apart with the looming dread of it maybe being for nothing. -Revel in the revival of your Prius! Electron Automotive is the best choice. Fast shipping, great communication, great packaging, and solid quality.
Not really a car guy so I've only seen your channel a couple of times but you're probably the BEST youtube DIY explainer across all genres! The first person view and the way you point to everything as you do it is really amazing. Very thorough and informative and there's no way for me to know but it doesn't seem like you leave anything out! Thank you so much for making great content!!
@@chrisfix @ChrisFix my head gasket blew between cylinders 3-4 on my nissan d21 causing 0 compression whilst cylinders 1-2 have 150 psi. can head gasket sealer be used on a head gasket blown between cylinders?
My sister is a Prius fan. She is on her second. After seeing your video I think I am going to ask her to let me buy it when she is ready to replace it. And then follow your instructions to replace the battery. A $5,000 Prius would be a nice addition to my stable of vehicles.
This has to be the best, clearest, well lit, well narrated, well edited car fix-it video I've ever watched. Very cool. My wife drives a 2008 Prius and her batteries were replaced by the dealership in 2012, still going strong today.
I’m new to your channel and I’m just in awe! It’s so satisfying to watch and listen to you. I used to have a first-gen Insight and I had the hybrid battery replaced at a specialty shop. Seeing you makes me feel like I could’ve done it myself. I could go on… but the other comments of positive energy speak volumes - and I feel the same way as they do. You’re quite the gem, Chris. Keep being awesome! 🙌❤️ -a new subscriber and fan from the coastal area of North Carolina Semper Fi 🇺🇸
This is hands down the best thorough guide ever. There was no cutting corner, leaving out some details that could leave DIY scratching their head lost. Great job, Chris! Keep up the great job doing what you love and sharing it with us, DIY.
What about me living in Senegal Africa Driving an old peugeot 206 at 26 but always getting totally obsessed with channels spreading this kinds of contexts… btw my main goal is to live in the US ❤
Okay, I have to mention something about safety. I worked near high-voltage lines for about 20 years and have worked with people who have died from them, so I know just a little bit about dangerous voltage, which this scenario is. Lockout tagout is absolutely crucial in a situation like this. Basically, you want to set up your environment so that you cannot possibly hurt yourself, no matter what happens. When you take out that orange safety plug, you are deenergizing the system from the battery, which is good if you are working on the system (inverter, generator, trunk to engine wires, etc), but you are still in danger from the battery, and the battery is what you were working on in this video. The battery is the source of the dangerous voltage that everyone is nervous about. It can shock you to the point of killing you, but that's not the only thing it can do. You can cause an explosion if the battery grounds to the frame of the car, which puts you at risk for blindness, getting injured by projectiles (in this case the entire battery or parts of it), getting severe burns from the fireball that will be caused when said grounding is accomplished, and probably some other things I'm forgetting at this point. Think of that battery as a bomb. You don't want just anyone handling a bomb if they don't have to. The safety plug splits the battery down to lower, BUT STILL DANGEROUS, voltages. Either way, the danger throughout this entire process is always the collection of 28 battery modules in one single location. As long as you have that, you are in great danger, from the time you are disassembling the trunk to the time you actually separate the modules in such a way that they do not have a reasonable chance of grounding out a certain voltage that will be able to kill or injure you ( basically when you're handling one single block away from any other blocks). Up until this point, you should at least have high voltage gloves and variety of other things as well as a variety of environmental safeguards to ensure that grounding is a very small possibility (such as putting an insulating barrier between the car frame and the battery, using insulated tools, safety glasses, etc.) When removing the battery, all sorts of things can go wrong. It's heavy and awkward, and you can easily flip the battery so that the terminals ground to the frame and then it's lights out, gloves or no gloves. The plastic bus bar covers are supposed to lower the risk but, as you can see, they are extremely fragile. They would not stand up to the weight of the battery if it were dropped. They are basically there to protect you from touching the terminals accidentally.. like touch.. touch.. tap tap.. Nothing forceful. When you do take out the battery, you must absolutely put it on a non conductive surface like dry wood, rubber mat, etc... No metal tables. There's probably a whole bunch of other precautions you need to take that are listed in a manual somewhere from Toyota, hopefully. I wish they'd put warning labels on these batteries so that people don't accidentally get hurt by something they don't understand..
The way he pry the bus bar cover open with a flat head screwdriver was a little dicey to me. I wonder if there's a safe procedure to deenergize the whole battery pack (drain the batteries completely) before working on it?
This is a great comment. The video makes it look easy but dealing with these types of batteries should really be left to the professionals or at least someone experienced with the safety procedures youve mentioned. Super easy to make a silly mistake in this case.
The safety switch disconnects the battery pins that are shown in the video twice. After you remove it, there is no circuit through the battery and no voltage on the battery board. And, you are relatively safe until you put it in place. Relatively, because the wrong wiring can do the job and shortcut some cells. It is super hard to do the wiring wrong, but possible if you try hard enough.
@@kanstantsin-bucha I learned that it could be quite easy. I was doing an experiment where I was trying to power something with two used battery cells that were not good enough to run in the car. I made the mistake of closing the loop of the two batteries even though I connected them in series. The connectors started melting and everything started sparking. That was just 18 volts. Imagine if it was 160 volts, or 200 volts. Also, that safety switch only splits the battery voltage into two sections, which are both quite lethal in themselves. It doesnt deenergize anything except the rest of the car from the battery, which doesn't help you if you're working on the battery itself
@@chrisfix I was one of those thousands. I didn't know where to go for a kit until I saw your video; then the video itself was my "manual" while doing the job.
Truly one of the absolute BEST produced, choreographed, documented, narrated, videographed, edited, sound engineered videos on car repair I've ever seen - EVER! Thank you. Been thinking of taking on a Prius. And now I have my answer. Your calling is in video production young man.
I don't think I will ever have to change the batteries on a Prius, but I watched this anyway. And as always, your narrative is very informative. This is so thorough that anyone could accomplish it.
I swap packs at my day job. It takes me about 1.5 hours. Couldn't tell you how many I've done. Occasional semantic cringeworthy moments aside, this was a pretty good vid. Personal safety gear is above and beyond, which for a DIY instructional about handling batteries, is a must. I label disposed water cups instead of ziplock bags for nuts/bolts, and nest them to keep track of order. I still think it's better :-) You don't need to undo the 12V and lose your radio presets, but doing so clears your previous batteries' error codes (& everything else) from the car's computers. Otherwise you can restart the car 5 times to reset the codes without wiping the radio by disconnecting the 12V battery... which you could just unplug on the positive instead of undoing the ground... but you don't need to. Never used Loctite. An impact gun is sufficient for all nuts/bolts except the two HV line nuts. They should be torqued to spec. We gun them to one-two clicks. You can blow the crap out of the HV battery fan with any air gun and it won't do diddly to the fan motor. They're tanks. Been doing it for 10+ years and only had a couple die due to prolonged hair buildup, never compressed air. I spin that stator in both directions somewhere outside to get it as clean as possible, from every angle. If you have a dog, annual fan or AM filter cleaning ends up being worth the battery life in the long run. My only criticism would be to stress TAKE EXTRA CARE IF YOU SWAP CELLS like Chris does. I rebuild OEM packs and have used cylindrical Headway cells for AM rebuilds since 2012, and many prismatic AM brands. With all batteries, once busbars are exposed (& ESPECIALLY after they're removed), accidental metal (a wrench, screwdrivers, belt buckle, etc) touching multiple battery electrodes (ends) can easily result in sparks or a fire... next to other flammable/toxic batteries. Let's just say there's a reason Chris rebuilt his pack outdoors on a nice day, aside from a great vid shot. Don't put anything near/on the batteries that is metal that could accidentally fall onto the battery ends. Even draping a clean shop towel over the ends when not working on the exposed electrodes prevents incidental fire. I know this has "don't lick a 9V" energy but I've seen sloppy work result in battery fires with trained technicians, and millions of DIYers going to see this vid. From one tinkerer to another, be aware around exposed battery terminals. It's the gas tank of EVs, with touching metal as the ignition source.
Just bought a Lexus CT 200h and this video is AMAZING. The battery replacement is rather expensive so having a comprehensive guide like this is extremely helpful and will help me save a fair bit by doing the work myself.
I’ve been on the fence about buying a used Prius just for the fact of knowing I’d eventually have to or pay someone to replace the battery. Watching your videos Chris give me so much confidence. You have this conviction and depth of knowledge that makes you know you don’t have to watch a single other video.
Chris is the exacly the type of person you want to work on your car, he takes time to fix even tiny details like a bolt missing or stuff like that, does 100% of the job properly
I own a 2011 Prius with 154,000 miles. The battery still charges fully but I know it may need replacing in the near future. 3/4 of the miles are highway, the rest small city. It has been perfect for the Prius. I think a key to battery longevity is returning with a fully charged battery when I pull into the garage. This video has given me the confidence to replace the battery myself or with the help of a friend. Very well done. The Prius runs great, very smooth, I avg about 45 mpg. It is definitely worth the price of a battery change when needed. I am aiming for the 300,000 mile club. Time will tell.
i used to be in the aviation maintenance field. the way you do your work, bagging ang tagging hardware, being safe, being clear and concise is excellent. i love watching your videos!
Great video. I particularly liked the fact you assumed your viewer had never worked on a Prius before and needed to be shown EVERYTHING. Great work and much appreciated. Not knowing where the clips and fasteners are is a huge frustration leading to broken bits and much frustration. Thanks for the tip about how to retain a fastener in a socket.
By far, you are the best TH-camr who knows what you are doing mechanically and also what you are doing when making these instructional videos. I have never seen a video of yours that was not of the highest quality Chris, and you most certainly are a true Master, and I don't think I have ever told anyone else that in the entire 53 years of my life. You truly ROCK!
I think we got mega lucky, when our 2007 battery went, our local mechanic out in Omaha quoted us 2,500 to replace, but just warranty on the work. The dealership decided to play ball and did the job for 2,600 + 10 year / 100k warranty on the battery. Thank God for small mechanics who keep them honest!
Content A+, Mechanical Mastery, Efficiency A+, Clarity A++, Video quality A+. This video is the new standard for mechanical videos. Thank you Sir. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Watched this video last year thinking "this'll come in handy someday". Replaced my battery today and even though it took me 4 hours in the summer heat, your video walked me through everything needed to know. Thank you!
I did an automotive course in hybrid/electric vehicles with a focus on the Prius and Leaf, but I'm still here to watch this cause it's always good content when you upload! And also, I want to keep an eye out for common pitfalls. I think it'd be well worth investing in your safety with a proper pair of Linesman's gloves this time around. Class 0, rated for 1kV. They're not cheap, but chances are you're only doing this once and won't need to recertify or replace the gloves. Like Chris says, make sure it's a bad battery, and not something else, like a loss-of-isolation (HV short to ground).
I did it barehanded on our first gen. I worked with similar voltages for about 20 years with tube type equipment. When I was an avionics tech in General Aviation (small planes) all of us would occasionally get our fingers into 265 VDC in the iconic nav/comm radios of the era, the Narco Mk-12 series. Yelps from various places in the room were common. DC can definitely hurt but it is considerably less dangerous than the equivalent AC voltage. The way the batteries are constructed it is not all that easy to make contact. Until the bus covers come off it is nearly impossible, and as the screws come out the risk disappears entirely. In 2018 I retired from IT Field Support - substations, mountaintops, and all sorts of pole mounted stuff - after 34 yeas with a Fortune 100 electric company. (I know there is only one of those in Arizona, but I still don't feel right naming them.) Safety was always one of the most important parts of the job, and that began with understanding the risks in whatever we were preparing to do.
Well done Chris. No time wasted. Great demonstration on panel and clip removal. Most importantly, the reassembly was perfect. The torque details and thread locking is such a gift in time saving and an important addition to others doing the job correctly. Great work!
Man... looks like you've done this a thousand times, and still you manage to make it sound as exciting as the first time you nail it! I don't even own a Prius but just could not stop watching. Probably one of the best instruction videos I've seen. I just hope you make a video of the next thing I have to fix! :D
I wasn’t planning to spend 40 minutes watching a Prius battery replacement, but I’m sure glad I did. Fascinating video, really passionate host who clearly knows their stuff. Awesome!
Just did this a few weeks ago on my 180k lexus is300h but rather than these cylindrical cells I used gen 5 cells from a 2022 rav 4 and simply placed all the new cells in place. Working great and definitely worth it - anyone can do it and it's worth a shot to prolong the use of a car!
Been watching you for almost a decade now Chirs, and you never fail to disappoint! I appreciate all the help over the years and all of your hard work to bring us quality tutorials / entertainment! Much love brotha 🙏🙏
What a great job, explained well with attention to detail. It is nice to see a person who goes the extra mile to make every little thing as good as it can be. The car seems well-designed, with the idea that it will be worked on at some point. I hate cars that take more time to get the problem then fix the problem itself. You found your calling, and you are doing a great job with your presentation.
I very much appreciate your videos; especially the fact that you explain everything without condescending. Some things may seem obvious to many, though not to all. I always catch myself saying, “oh, so that’s how you do that.” You’re a very good teacher. Thank you.
This is such a great video. Also, I think the term "common hand tools" gets thrown around too often but in this case (from what I saw) all you need is a basic "mechanic tool set" from HF, a magnetic rod, and panel trim removal tools and this entire job can be done provided you have patience and good organization. Thanks again for the good and useful content.
I've been seeing this in your videos for a while, but your closeup shots are absolutely unrivaled and make a HUGE difference in actually translating this to someone at home. Thank you!
Chris, this is the first time I watch a video from you and you just blew my brains out! I own a 2010 Prius, I starting to need work and I have always wondered about an after market battery, then you pop up with this video, thank you! I love the way you guide through every single step, in and out. WOW.
Hey Chris, I'm not a mechanic at all, but because of the detailed process you shared in this video (including the trusted vendor for the upgraded battery), I had enough confidence to attempt swapping out our old hybrid battery on our 2010 Prius myself instead of paying 💰💸 to a dealer or shade-tree mechanic. I spent the extra $500 for the entire pack from Electron Hybrid Solutions instead of just swapping out the cells, and, for me at least, that was money well-spent. There were a few hiccups along the way, but nothing insurmountable. I just filled up the tank today in town and reset Trip A just to see how the new battery is behaving. On the 21.1 mile trip back home, half on the highway at 70+ mph, half on country backroads, I averaged 65.6 mpg. Before the old battery bit the dust, I was averaging about 43 mpg. I'll take a 50% improvement any day of the week. Thank you so much!!! The hiccups: 1. The ratchet straps holding the battery tight in the wooden crate had loosened somewhat during shipment to me, so a couple of the mounting fins had been bent up pretty badly. I was able to gently bend them back good enough to get it properly mounted. I advised the vendor of this. 2. Also due to the loose straps, one brown, cigar-sized piece of electronics had broken off its mount and the square socket end where it plugs in had been broken. I just transferred the same piece off my old battery onto the new one and sent the broken piece back to the vendor with my old battery (notifying them of the situation). 3. Because my Prius had been out of commission for a couple months, the 12v battery had run all the way down, so I had to manually unlock the car and climb back through to the hatchback area to manually release the hatchback door latch to get it open....to even begin work. Also needed to jump start the car to test out the new hybrid battery once I'd gotten it installed. 4. When the Prius first started up after the new battery installation, the "check hybrid system" error had gone away (and no triangle of death), but the entire right side of the dash display was dark. I drove it a bit down the gravel driveway and back, and the car seemed to work fine both with the gas engine running and on electric motor alone, but the right half of the dash remained dark. A quick check of PriusChat indicated that that might happen if the 12v battery runs all the way down. Which mine had. So I parked it for a bit and left the jump pack attached to the 12v battery to give it a bit more juice. Of course the regular driving of the car should charge the 12v up just fine, but I didn't feel it was safe to drive the car around or get too far from home until I had the full dash display back. After about 15 mins on the jump pack charging, the Prius started up with full operational dash and has been fine ever since. Thanks again, Chris! You're amazing!
Great video addressing the biggest problem when people are considering a Prius. I think this will really empower mechanically minded people to get a great deal on one of these or save someone from paying the ridiculous costs a bad battery can bring. Amazing as always!
Chris. First time viewer here. These last two videos were done so well, That I sat thru both of them to the end and as an army veteran, I was so impressed with your attention to detail and your work ethic, and you have renewed my faith in your generation. You also earned the thumbs up and a rare first-time subscription. Well done, Sir!
Even though I don’t own a Prius and probably never will, there is a ton of helpful tips in this video that apply to all things when working on cars. That’s why I love Chris’ videos so much. Nicely done
There are plenty of DIY channels that sort of "wing it" and leave a lot to chance. Never here. I saw a segment on the recent (April 27, 2023) Mechanical Nightmare with wiper blades stopping nearly upright on the windshield. I was not the only one referring viewers to the "Wiper Brakes" ChrisFix episode from the beginning of the same month. ChrisFix is a prophet, I tell ya!
Exceptional work, as always, Chris! You and Jamie of Jamie's Garage have the attention to detail of a Swiss watch maker. One thing I would like to say, is that it is important to note, that Toyota did not lock out the replacement of the battery with a third party battery with its firmware in this instance. Certain companies, such as Apple, Samsung and John Deere, have made it nearly impossible to fix their latest products by locking out replacement parts - regardless whether they're OEM or not - with serialized components. Let's hope Right to Repair gains traction in all jurisdictions, so people can choose to fix and own the product they paid for. BTW: kudos on using your hands instead of an impact driver to undo and tighten all those nuts!
Great video! My tip for remembering where bolts go is to either put them loosely back into the hole after you remove the part, and/or have a bunch of different colored markers and just draw the same color on both sides as you take it apart, and/or draw a simple diagram on a piece of cardboard and stick the bolts through the cardboard in the corresponding location you drew on it!
It is impressive how much storage space you have above all that! You have roughly 3 feet of storage above the floor plan, battery, spare tire, etc. Very impressive!
Easily one of the best tutorials I have ever seen: Proper info, good pace, zero nonsense chat. Excellent! I don't even own a Prius and I watched this excellent video!
I don’t plan on owning a prius when I can finally drive, but I watch every video just because of how good they are. There is a very hard balance to get between educational and entertaining, and Chris gets that balance perfect. The wait between videos is more than worth it, and I’m happy to wait each time. I wish you good fortune (and luck) Chris! can’t wait for the del sol turbocharge though….
Idont own a Prius, but you learn something new with every video. He does a great job of make really detailed videos entertaining. I drive a hydride ionic, but I'm never going to touch the battery on it. Bty my 2021 ionic gets about 65mpg (UK), with just normal driving. I know of taxi drivers that eek out 78! With current gas prices, a hybrid is a good option.
Great video. As an engineer who is responsible for the high voltage safety of our fully electric truck batteries I want to add some comments: - The safety plug only protects you for working on all components with the exception of inside the battery itself. The cells will always have some voltage and so does the battery. At most the system voltage is splitted in half with a service disconnect like in this case. - There are HV-Gloves especially designed to handle voltages up to 1000 V for about 50 bucks and its definitely worth at least that for work like this (aside some other protective equipment against arcs). - With the new batteries being that much smaller by cell volume I dought that they will perform better than a new original battery. For 500$ more I would choose to have a complete new battery from toyota in this case... That is, if they sell it without installing it...
I totally agree. Everyone should understand the safety plug provides no protection once the cells are exposed. Touching the wrong combination of busbars could give a nasty shock, or shorting them will give a powerful arc.
Just out of curiosity, you can’t run the battery down to zero v before going inside? Starting cables and an old electric motor or smthing? Not willing to brt my life on it, though
@@evlps Technically you could actually... But you wouldn't want to charge a lithium battery after it was deeply discharged due to fire risks. The discharging alone without recharging is usually safe. But: The new cells will definitely be live. So, it would only help for the old ones.
My 1st thought as i am an mechanics apprentice for Audi and VW and my "instructor" tought me not to touch anything with orange HV markings if I dont wear protective gear cause you dont know if something is defect and there is voltage present.
i wish you never stop posting ever chris honestly. This is by far one of my favorit channels to watch and both learn and chill. You deserve all the best my friend! keep it up.
I have a 2011 Prius. I hope I don’t have to do this job anytime soon but you make it seem a lot less intimidating and you can save a lot of money. I didn’t know about the filter for the hybrid battery. I will check that on mine. Great video.
Watching this just in case. Never know when it might come in handy
yoo wassup
im watching just incase you never know
TheStrightPipes has appeared!
Never know when the hybrid battery in the Prowler will need replacing
Real????
The safety plug tool being the safety connection is genius
Perfect design!
They just don't want to get sued.
@@holidayrap It doesn't matter why, its good design.
Well that's Toyota for you. Best designed car ever.
It helps that the battery pack has a main relay that - if all is well - prevents voltage from getting out of the housing without a lot of monkeying around.
I’ve done multiple hybrid battery replacement and repairs , I have to say this is the most straightforward and detailed video on TH-cam I’ve seen , great job Chris!
But it looks like he's replacing nickel metal hydride with nickel metal hydride
@@mattlane2282 you need to unless you update the charging technology as well.
@@de-rangeddurango43 No you don't look up project lithium dropping cells for the battery you don't change anything
How much does a mobile or local mechanic (not dealership) charge to replace the battery if I buy everything online? I’m thinking of replacing mine.
@@mattlane2282 ccc😅ooog
Its crazy to me how far you go the extra mile. There will be a single bolt and yet you still set up an entire shot, Camara, lighting, everything just to get a one and a half second shot of a single bolt. Genuinely, i appreciate that a lot and so mad respect for you for really going the extra mile and then some!
Yea!
Stop the ass kissing.
I don't own a Prius or plan on buying one anytime soon, but Chris's car videos are just too educational and well-made to not watch. This is some high quality entertainment!
Same, i dont own one either yet i still came to watch. Always, good things to learn from Chris' videos
It does show how well and simple Toyota prius are built, straight forward
I don't own one but as a Toyota DIYer it's great to know Toyota still knows how to make car work easy for the end user.
Same, and yet I somehow always manage to learn a tip or trick that's applicable somewhere else. Very useful videos.
Tesla Fan who 1000% agrees with you. Wish all BEVs were as easy to upgrade.
These videos are without a doubt the highest quality in the industry. It’s incredible how seamless all of his steps are. At times it feels like Chris can see into the future. Fantastic work as always!
Thanks!
I like the step-by-step format. When I rebuilt the battery in our older Prius I continually referred to his previous video. The only downside to these videos is that Electron Automotive probably has to deal with incredible demand peaks when these videos roll out. Really - why would any of the 9 1/2 million subscribers with a bad Toyota hybrid battery go elsewhere? (I went with them for my rebuild and I was not sorry.)
No music or any zoomer editing needed! Always feels super grounding to watch a good ole chris fix video
100%
@@chrisfix 😀ALMOST 10 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS ‼️💯🇺🇲🎉
Find me one person who wouldn't spend 40 minutes not only learning how to replace the hybrid cells in a Prius, but also experiencing the passion this man has for his job. Shine on, Chris. I know nobody more down to Earth, and no bigger nerd (in the best way) than ChrisFix. Thank you for the years of entertainment.
Good efforts
Of course, it will take you a lot longer to actually do.
I don't know if I am the only one who does not want to waste 40 minutes of my life but I am sure that there is more of us. Oh, and by the way I don't buy anything from Japan. Their automotive industry can't even come close to rest of the world with exception of India and of course China.
lol Do I ever plan to own a Prius? Certainly not. Did I somehow watch yet another ChrisFix video about a car I'll never own? Yup. I'll never know the guy irl, but I'm genuinely happy, after finding him years ago, to see his channel keep growing and he's now up to almost 10M subscribers(holy shit, go Chris!). You said it best; Shine on, Chris.
Ion think fixing cars makes you a nerd lol
My brother was a master technician for 30 years. You have an amazing talent not only for mechanics but for teaching!!
Thanks a lot!
Is electronics😂
Damn, this guy is a gem! Nobody on TH-cam does instructive car repair videos in detail as well as him.
Thank you! It’s because how long it takes. Almost a month to plan, film and edit this video!
@@chrisfix It shows in the finished product.
It’s Chris Fix. He’s been around. He is an OG lol 😂
What I like is, he goes over the reassembly in detail as well. Some of the other channels, they'll do a nice disassembly, but then at the end just say "oh reassembly is the reverse of disassembly". ChrisFix leaves no stone unturned. Every last detail. Great stuff!
Totalmente de acuerdo
Chris, you did a great job making this video. The camera positions was perfect. You explained everything. My son-in-law recently purchased a 2011 Prius with 150,000 miles. It needed the batteries replaced but the previous owner opted to sell the car and purchase another vehicle. We watched this awesome video and purchased the batteries used in this video and we installed them yesterday. We took our time and referred to the video several times. Everything fit perfectly and we did not have any issues at all. Being an ex-mechanic, everything was pretty straight forward, but my son-in-law wanted to follow your steps. We even torqued the bolts and nuts to your specs. After installation, the car was charging up the batteries. Thanks again, for this fantastic video and recommending these batteries.
I'm glad the video was helpful and you were able to get the Prius fixed up!
Good job
Man this is so great thanks for sharing
Did the gas mileage get into the 50-60 mpg range with the new battery?
Thank you very much your vidio is very helpful!
I swear to god I wished this video never ends. Amazing attention to detail, camera angles, explanations, and so on and so forth. Just perfect.
The hand movements are super annoying.
@@tcalbrecht What hand movements?
@@techforever1970 It's pretty obvious, especially at the beginning. All the sweepa and gestures are unnecessary and distracting.
Ended*
Mixing up the tenses mid sentence sounds odd to native ears.
@@Matt_Alaric Nope. What happened was before writing this comment, and during me watching this video, I said “I wish this video never ends”. Therefore, the past tense of wish is wished. Adding an I swear to god to that makes up the sentence “I swear to god I wished this video never ends”. On the other hand, I wish this video never ended is a plausible form, although one of different meaning than the one I intended while writing this comment. Besides, I’m from FL. What native ears are you talking about?😂
Your preparation before filming is spectacular. Scripting to ensure you pantomime to match your voiceover, pacing to make sure sped up parts match the feel of the rest, and overall preparation (research on torque specs, for instance) is absolutely unmatched anywhere else.
You also have branding down to a science. This is a must watch for anyone looking to create instructional content.
Thanks!
I'm impressed at how Toyota engineered this vehicle's battery pack. You explained / demonstrated it such that any DIYer could tackle this job. Thanks Chris!
Yep it's way to easy to work on! At least from the engineering and repairability point od view! No Lazer welding of the batteries....
Now, if only it were lighter or we were stronger....
@@flagmichael the newer generation hybrids have more energy dense batteries meaning much smaller and lighter.
The safety plug as a tool is great. The ease of battery replacement makes me see these cars completely different. Beautifully engineered.
That really impressed me -- the safety plug is also a tool for removing the safety screws. I went "whoa."
It's super clever. It doesn't stop an independent mechanic from repairing it, but also serves as a good idiot check to make sure you don't zap yourself. Little engineering details like these remind me why people like Toyotas so much.
Thanks Chris for getting me into the automotive industry and since I'll be going into a vehicle related course at college this September, this is especially useful, 11 years of good quality videos and not one has let your channel down!
I'm glad the videos got you into the industry! Good luck on the course!
@ChrisFix same with me actually, I got into mechanics watching you a few years ago now I'm doing motorsport in college
Thanks mate for all the great videos
@@chrisfix ur soon gonna tell us how to revive a person lol
I think part of Chris's draw is that he's working on cars that you might find on American roads -- with the occasional Jaguar and Hummer thrown in.
@@fastandfuriousman "First, you are going to want to verify all the important parts are still attached. If any have come loose, be sure to reattach them with an adhesive that says it is for surgical use." (When I lacerated my scalp a few years ago the ER doc glued it back together with a purple "superglue." It worked great, immediately lowering the pain one lor two levels.)
I will never own an EV or a hybrid but I still watched this entire video. Great production, consice and to the point, no annoying background music, overall a great video.
@GFSwinger1693 absolutely agree !
Chris, it's a master demonstration. I don't own a Prius, but I enjoy the efficient way you explain every aspect of the repair, giving us useful tricks to become better weekend mechanics, It may even encourage me to turn EV after all. Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot!
Same. I don't even know anyone that owns a Prius, but I watched this whole video because it was so enjoyable and educational in how it was demonstrated and explained. Keep up the good work, Chris!
This isn't an EV though, this is a hybrid, which is closer to an ICE vehicle than an EV. This is not even close to being an EV, as that's a different ball game and dropping the battery pack on an EV is not this simple and requires way more steps.
@@lupavo1738 Agreed!
Interesting. You did it again. Just another great video that's all.Thank you. Easy to follow.
I don't think I've ever done any of the work you do in these videos but I still love watching your videos. They're so well made, very detailed, and super informative. It's almost therapeutic.
I'm glad you still love watching the videos! Thanks!
@@chrisfixill be honest here, we dont even have a car yet i still watch these videos multiple times, who knows might come in handy
Can we just appreciate for a second how good his voiceover skills are! 15:28 He squeezes his voice as he lifts the battery in the footage!! And the effect is so natural. Also the fact that 1:23 he called in a 4 year old client just to show that his previous fix works!!
So true. Chris is a legend!
Plus he had somebody record a drone video of him going to that beach trip, that's something too.
@@Majki70 it could just be him. Good drones have flight path and object tracking so he can just have a flight path to the side of the bridge and have the camera track the car.
I guess... why?
Until you mentioned it, it never even occurred to me it was a voiceover.
Started watching videos on how to detail a car and ended up here... I don't have a car, not even a drivers license, but these videos are so mesmerizing! Chris, hats off to you for going in such details and being so patient and explaining every step! I wish professors in schools had this kind of approach to reaching kids. Great job and keep being awesome! 😊
Thanks a lot! Hopefully you are learning something new!
I love how this dude is one of the biggest automotive TH-camrs with videos that consistently break 1 million views yet he is still working out of he’s driveway instead of he’s own shop. Being hard working and frugal will do wonders for him later in life.
Thanks a lot!
@@chrisfix hello chrisfix you can make around 14,000 dollar on the pruis. thank you for make very eduction it help million fix there car.
I’m starting to believe that’s not his house and just a film set. He lives in a mansion somewhere in California.
@@andrewiskb24 nope it's the same house he's done all his videos at from day one. Even seen his mom a few times, especially in some of the early Mustang videos
@@ironduke6100 whoosh
I don't work on cars other than my own personal vehicles and I don't own a hybrid, but I couldn't stop watching. What a GREAT video!!! Torque specs and all. Excellent work Mr. Chris!
Same! 😂
Heres a challenge for u. How about a nissan leaf battery swap.... Great job tho
So you do work on cars!
I love how in depth Chris goes in all his videos. It makes me feel extremely confident in my abilities to do these fixes
I wouldn't have dared work on my car before watching Chris' videos because a lot of videos just assume you already know how to work on cars. He goes into so much detail and goes through the what ifs so it's near impossible to mess it up
I don't even have a prius, but I watched it from start to finish with full pleasure... Great job on the video, amazing!
i don't even have a car & did the same
Same here
I love the way he gets right into it. No 15 sec lead ins, etc. Then he clearly and succinctly describes the process in detail without being boring. My 2010 Prius is going to need a battery change soon and this video will save hundreds of dollars or more. Thanks for doing this Chris.
you know by him putting a larger capacity battery pack into the pruis that means the battery life will last longer due to the higher capacity as that means it takes higher mileage to get the same charge cycles through the battery pack to wear it down
Hey Chris, I love how you consistently emphasize putting nuts and bolts in bags and labeling. It just goes to show how that, even for small things like that, you really want to make sure the person who is following along in the video is just as suited to tackle the issue just as much as you are. I don't plan on being a mechanic, but even as a casual viewer, your quality stands out to me. Thanks a lot!
Yeah these basic tips Chris demonstrates, and thoughtfulness and safety emphasis (such as electrical) when it comes to taking apart and putting something back together, can apply to any machinery one might work on.
I've had similar luck using old egg cartons. That'll organize a bunch of small items. For larger things, his baggie method is better.
I'll probably never own a Prius but i still watched the whole thing. It's amazing how you take such an intimidating task and break it down to where it looks easy!
I'd own a CT200 though.
Hi Chris
I had the problems with my 2010 Prius that you spoke of about the hybrid system light on, I was very nervous about getting the work done every one wouldn’t do it as far as do work on my car.
They continue to say after putting the scanner on my car that I had a electric problem. And it would be expensive, So one day my wife said she saw Chris fix on TH-cam and take a look.
I was impressed because everything he talked about with the Prius battery was the same problem I believe I had. I told my wife this seems like something I can do. So I ordered the battery which came in a few days (good) then I ordered the tools, and continue to watch this video with focus and concentration.
Everything went really well, I followed the directions and it work, but the lights was still on so I called the hybrid battery techs and they ask did I torque everything down because when you don’t it won’t run right, I knew I didn’t torque everything down as Chris said thinking I can skip steps. So I took the battery back out of my car and torque all the bolts and screws exactly as he said and it worked perfectly, I was Sooooio please because I never worked on any car at all. So thanks Chris also my miles per gallon is around 46.
If I can do it anyone can.
Thanks again really appreciate your Great teaching and attention to detail, I’m 61 years old and done this.
Did you ordered the new type of battery cells like Chris?? If so, from where??
Just completed my battery installation this morning! 2011 Prius with 191,188 miles on the original battery. Could not have done it without your excellent instruction, referral to this battery company, and your list of tools needed. For anyone wishing to do this yourself, a couple things to note:
1. Choose your sockets wisely. you will probably need a step up adapter for the 12mm socket if you use the recommended inch-lb torque wrench. My socket were made for a 3/8" connection, but the torque wrench has a 1/4" connector. Had to call for a ride to the hardware store to get an adapter mid project, and it ate u a lot of time.
2. If possible, do not break the nuts that hold the harness to the original battery with a socket. Use a 10mm wrench instead. Five of the nuts holding my harness got rounded over on. I had a "lightbulb moment" after the fact and determined it was probably my 10mm socket that damaged them. I lost around 3 hours between another ride to the HW store and trying to get the nuts off with all sorts of vise grips, nut extractors, and lubricants before finally resorting to cutting the harness off and leaving the frozen nuts attached to the battery cells (after removing and saving the needed wire, of course!).
3. Lastly, don't assume your Prius will accept the filter shown in the video if it doesn't have one. I received a free filter from the battery company due to backorder delays, but the housing on my Prius was not designed for a filter. There are no notches to accept filter pins/clips, and the opening is a very different shape that is not compatible with their filter. Surprisingly, the fan had zero dust on it after 12 years, but there was a lot of lint-like dust trapped in the crevices of the original battery pack. Hoping the open-air design on the new battery will make this a non-issue.
nice side notes
Thanks for the helpful sidenotes. Will definitely be sure to add each step of yours to my check off list. I am wondering if the reason one Prius vs the same exact year Prius goes out of miles a lot sooner has to do with no added in filter. Your Prius needed a battery change around 190,000 miles and others last right around 350,000. Such as mine did. Could the difference be the filter? Mine has one. The filter is a huge role in keeping a battery running longer. They sale filters you can put on the front part of it if you cant get one to fit behind it. I know have both added. Thanks again!
That is awesome! Glad the video was helpful and thanks for your notes!
@@holylabs Filter must be one the keys to prolong battery life. I don't own Prius but we have a Lexus. Should we check for dirty filter every few years just like other filters?
@chrisfix how can I buy a car from you?
What makes chrisfix so great is the close up filming of what he's doing. It's frustrating in other people's videos when they talk about taking off a tough piece, but you can't see how they did it. Thanks Chris fix! I already saved a ton replacing my own drum brakes!
TOTALLY AGREE !!!!
31:46 this is exactly why I love ChrisFix, you go above and beyond for us man and I appreciate the hell out of you. You are organized, and detail oriented, and that gives me confidence to do these things on my own. Hands down the best Auto DIY channel out there. Thank you!
Thanks a lot
I don't even have a Prius, now I am looking for one with a bad battery. I was glued to this, while I just stumbled on it while looking for a totally different stuff. Good job Chris!
It’s such a good car! I ended up not selling it lol
@@chrisfix after watching you fix this car up in that last video i was like there's no way i could sell it if i did all that work and its that nice lol
Been a tech for many years and just got my first Prius, 2012 with 83k on the odometer in excellent shape. I gotta say this is one of the most informative and best made videos I have ever seen. With no prior experience on hybrid vehicles I now feel much more at ease and have less anxiety about my 1st hybrid. Keep up the exceptional content and great work. Your dedication to doing the job right shows in everything you do. Subscriber for life.
Hi Dino, I'll appreciate if you share where to look for similar Prius myself.
The engine goes bad on those bad boys pretty soon keep an eye on that
There are so many technicians/mechanics that do not bother putting the wiring harness back into the right location whether its for a battery pack or just in general. Actually taking time to reinstall everything so you have no extra bolts or panel clips is what makes you a professional whether you are a DIY'er or working at a shop. Its the little details that will always be overlooked. Great work! leading by example to change the industry standards
I really appreciate the attention to detail and the step-by-step process of making this swap possible. Taking the time to set up your lights so there is extremely clear video of what you're doing is something very few TH-camrs ever do. Great video.
The level BEST instruction video available. Concise, efficient, informative, detailed and crafted in such a manner to hold the viewer's interest. I don't own a Prius, but if I did, this would be the video I would choose to help me replace the battery. Already subscribed.
Hey ChrisFix, I just wanted to say that it was thanks to your last Prius video I was able to replace the hybrid battery in my moms 2010 prius, I even used the same company you used since they are actually only 30 minutes from where I live! I was originally going to replace every cell like you did in the video but Electron automotive had a special where they gave a whole battery assembly for the same price. My mom passed away in November but I'm thankful that she never had to worry or stress about car issues. Thank you Chris!
Good on you! I took ChrisFix's advice and turned to Electron Automotive too, for a first gen (2002) battery pack. I wish all companies were as easy to work with. The only thing they couldn't help me with was removing the sealant (similar to the "construction glue" in hardware stores) from around the bus bars so I could get the old modules out. I found brushing on Techron (I had it on the shelf, but I think other oily solvents like SeaFoam would work) and scraping with moderate force. That problem does not appear in 2004 and later Toyota Hybrids.
@@flagmichael yeah, electron automotive is the only place I trust with hybrid batteries. There are so many companies claiming to fix hybrid batteries for dirt cheap (300-500$) but all they really do is slap a couple of cells into an existing battery pack or just grab a hybrid battery from a scrap prius and call it good. I know this because when we bought my moms Prius, one of the selling points was that it had a "refurbished battery" with a one year warranty. Sure enough, in less than a year we got the dreaded "replace battery pack" code. Took it to the place it was "refurbished" and the guy threw a couple of cells at it. Within 4 months we had the same issue again. After replacing the whole battery pack with the electron automotive one. The car has been good for, I want to say about 3 years so far.
I don’t own a Prius or a hybrid and I don’t plan to , but I just watched this because Chris explains everything so simply and in a straight forward manner , every video inspires me to actually do the work on my own jeep myself instead of getting ripped to shreds by the mechanics in my country
That's what I said since the first Prius rolled off the boat, now I am the husband and personal mechanic of a new Prius owner 🥳🙋
You are an amazing mechanic. Your organization, attention to detail and efforts to "do it right" are impressive. I wish all mechanics had your ethics. BTW, I don't own a Prius and I am not a mechanic (did a bit when I was young) but I watched this entire video because of your skills and clear explanation were entertaining and educational. Great job!
I Agree great job
^
Me too!
Those are basic fundamentals in aircraft maintenance
If all mechanics did the same there wouldn't be any good or bad mechanics
I own a 2010 Prius and have completed a lot of preventive maintenance over the years. I still get about 50 mpg with 123,000 miles on it. This is such a great tutorial Chris. I hope my Prius can make it to 300,000 miles.
Express Auto Care here in Colorado has your playlist of videos playing on loop on a TV in their lobby. The amount of people I see intimately watching what you're doing simply because of how simplified your videos are is incredible.
All the customers are probably thinking, that's so easy I could have saved a ton of money.
I'm hardly a car guy at all but I started watching this video and I could not look away! I -am- a retired engineer and the technical quality of this DIY video is spectacular! I had to take a break about 15 minutes in to write this because of how blown away I was feeling about the words you use, ChrisFix, to narrate. There are no extra opinion/fluff words AT ALL! Every word was important. I was literally hypnotized! I wish I could start my life over just to watch all your work, Mr. ChrisFix. Way to go and keep up the good work! Just great!
This was EXPONENTIALLY ***THE BEST*** Automotive repair video I've ever seen! Well done!!!! --Your explanations were perfect: the lighting was spot on. Editing was unbelievably crisp & sharp.... VERY impressive. (No extraneous tightenings, explanations or removal steps, etc.)... the best 40 minutes I've spent in years! Thank you!!!!!
That comment absolutely NAILED it. Thx Chris.
I don't even have a Prius nor planning to have one anytime soon, but it's just satisfying to see how you work so neatly and organized.
Thanks!
Chris, like many others, I started pursuing automotive tech more seriously, I didn't go to college, but my experience and past knowledge gained from you secured a decent position in a well paying job. Love you bro!
⚠️WARNING⚠️
If any of you replace the Hybrid battery, make sure you get special training. If you get electrocuted by the battery it will kill you, not injure you, kill you. That is according AMD from the TH-cam channel Car Care Nut. He is a Toyota Hybrid Specialist and Master Diagnostic Technician. So be careful!
P.S. Your content is awesome, Chris!
You just need to undestand how electricity works and follow safety protocol you fearmonger
I thought DC power cant injure people?
Good warning. I have worked with DC around those levels since my first encounter in 1967. That was also my strongest contact with 300 VDC. Short form, I had my hand resting on the radio chassis and clapped my other hand down on the field coil magnet structure of the speaker. For reasons unknown to modern man, one side of the field coil (used to filter the plate supply) was connected to the speaker frame. It was a tremendous jolt but I didn't black out completely.
DC is not as dangerous as equivalent AC voltage - I have brushed up against 125 VDC battery voltage in electric substations a couple of times and it bit enough to make me jump. However, disrespect would be a very bad idea. Follow Ahmed's instructions and you will have a happier day.
I'm one of the most pedantic people I know and believe in scrutinising every Instruction Manual there is. That said, I can't think of a single thing you missed or left to the imagination. You went as far as manually removing the nuts even though you had a power tool that could do the job.
You deserve manifold subscribers - your channel is the best there is, Mr. Fixtopher from Gotham, NY.
Just did this for the first time! Couple notes:
-Make sure you have EVERY tool used in this video, it'll save you so much time.
-Wear gloves!! When handling screws I took gloves off, but the rest your hands should be protected.
-Have someone help lift/flip the battery. Chris makes it look easy. It's not, even with 2 people.
-Double, TRIPLE check the placement of EVERYTHING. "Leave it better than you found it." Some wires might stick out, preventing you from properly installing covers. Other times you might be just a centimeter off from proper placement. Analyze each frame of this video, slow and steady.
-You will have to be a little rough pulling connectors and pins out. Don't be reckless, but don't worry about breaking something if something requires a little more force than usual.
-This is a forgiving installation. It doesn't have to be picture perfect, it doesn't HAVE to be gentle (although take utmost care.)
-It seems easier in hindsight. You might get anxious (I sure did!) while in the process of installation, but it'll feel like a cakewalk once you're done.
-Wear a mask while doing this. Mostly to prevent mouth breathing/snot (gross!) from interfering with anything.
-Play some music in the back, it'll distract you from the idea of ripping your car apart with the looming dread of it maybe being for nothing.
-Revel in the revival of your Prius! Electron Automotive is the best choice. Fast shipping, great communication, great packaging, and solid quality.
Glad the video was helpful and thanks for the tips and feedback! Nice work!
Not really a car guy so I've only seen your channel a couple of times but you're probably the BEST youtube DIY explainer across all genres! The first person view and the way you point to everything as you do it is really amazing. Very thorough and informative and there's no way for me to know but it doesn't seem like you leave anything out! Thank you so much for making great content!!
Thanks a lot!
@@chrisfix @ChrisFix my head gasket blew between cylinders 3-4 on my nissan d21 causing 0 compression whilst cylinders 1-2 have 150 psi. can head gasket sealer be used on a head gasket blown between cylinders?
My sister is a Prius fan. She is on her second. After seeing your video I think I am going to ask her to let me buy it when she is ready to replace it. And then follow your instructions to replace the battery. A $5,000 Prius would be a nice addition to my stable of vehicles.
This has to be the best, clearest, well lit, well narrated, well edited car fix-it video I've ever watched. Very cool. My wife drives a 2008 Prius and her batteries were replaced by the dealership in 2012, still going strong today.
I’m new to your channel and I’m just in awe! It’s so satisfying to watch and listen to you. I used to have a first-gen Insight and I had the hybrid battery replaced at a specialty shop. Seeing you makes me feel like I could’ve done it myself.
I could go on… but the other comments of positive energy speak volumes - and I feel the same way as they do. You’re quite the gem, Chris. Keep being awesome! 🙌❤️
-a new subscriber and fan from the coastal area of North Carolina
Semper Fi 🇺🇸
Welcome aboard! Thanks a lot!
This is hands down the best thorough guide ever. There was no cutting corner, leaving out some details that could leave DIY scratching their head lost. Great job, Chris! Keep up the great job doing what you love and sharing it with us, DIY.
Love the hybrid videos. I am sure that these will save a lot of cash and headaches. Easy to understand instructions!
Thanks!
I just watched entire 39 minutes of guy changing Prius battery and enjoyed it. Is this how you become an adult? 😅
Yes, age adds understanding and wisdom because you keep learning and learning. Start picking the brain of those 50+
What about me living in Senegal Africa
Driving an old peugeot 206 at 26 but always getting totally obsessed with channels spreading this kinds of contexts… btw my main goal is to live in the US ❤
Chris' vibe, chill commentary is on point, appreciate your educational content
Thanks!
How does the bot get a comment from Chris fix but I don't 😢
I see you in the comments so much
@@chrisfixyou're welcome?
Okay, I have to mention something about safety. I worked near high-voltage lines for about 20 years and have worked with people who have died from them, so I know just a little bit about dangerous voltage, which this scenario is. Lockout tagout is absolutely crucial in a situation like this. Basically, you want to set up your environment so that you cannot possibly hurt yourself, no matter what happens. When you take out that orange safety plug, you are deenergizing the system from the battery, which is good if you are working on the system (inverter, generator, trunk to engine wires, etc), but you are still in danger from the battery, and the battery is what you were working on in this video. The battery is the source of the dangerous voltage that everyone is nervous about. It can shock you to the point of killing you, but that's not the only thing it can do. You can cause an explosion if the battery grounds to the frame of the car, which puts you at risk for blindness, getting injured by projectiles (in this case the entire battery or parts of it), getting severe burns from the fireball that will be caused when said grounding is accomplished, and probably some other things I'm forgetting at this point. Think of that battery as a bomb. You don't want just anyone handling a bomb if they don't have to. The safety plug splits the battery down to lower, BUT STILL DANGEROUS, voltages. Either way, the danger throughout this entire process is always the collection of 28 battery modules in one single location. As long as you have that, you are in great danger, from the time you are disassembling the trunk to the time you actually separate the modules in such a way that they do not have a reasonable chance of grounding out a certain voltage that will be able to kill or injure you ( basically when you're handling one single block away from any other blocks). Up until this point, you should at least have high voltage gloves and variety of other things as well as a variety of environmental safeguards to ensure that grounding is a very small possibility (such as putting an insulating barrier between the car frame and the battery, using insulated tools, safety glasses, etc.) When removing the battery, all sorts of things can go wrong. It's heavy and awkward, and you can easily flip the battery so that the terminals ground to the frame and then it's lights out, gloves or no gloves. The plastic bus bar covers are supposed to lower the risk but, as you can see, they are extremely fragile. They would not stand up to the weight of the battery if it were dropped. They are basically there to protect you from touching the terminals accidentally.. like touch.. touch.. tap tap.. Nothing forceful. When you do take out the battery, you must absolutely put it on a non conductive surface like dry wood, rubber mat, etc... No metal tables. There's probably a whole bunch of other precautions you need to take that are listed in a manual somewhere from Toyota, hopefully. I wish they'd put warning labels on these batteries so that people don't accidentally get hurt by something they don't understand..
The way he pry the bus bar cover open with a flat head screwdriver was a little dicey to me. I wonder if there's a safe procedure to deenergize the whole battery pack (drain the batteries completely) before working on it?
This is a great comment. The video makes it look easy but dealing with these types of batteries should really be left to the professionals or at least someone experienced with the safety procedures youve mentioned. Super easy to make a silly mistake in this case.
The safety switch disconnects the battery pins that are shown in the video twice. After you remove it, there is no circuit through the battery and no voltage on the battery board. And, you are relatively safe until you put it in place. Relatively, because the wrong wiring can do the job and shortcut some cells. It is super hard to do the wiring wrong, but possible if you try hard enough.
@@kanstantsin-bucha I learned that it could be quite easy. I was doing an experiment where I was trying to power something with two used battery cells that were not good enough to run in the car. I made the mistake of closing the loop of the two batteries even though I connected them in series. The connectors started melting and everything started sparking. That was just 18 volts. Imagine if it was 160 volts, or 200 volts. Also, that safety switch only splits the battery voltage into two sections, which are both quite lethal in themselves. It doesnt deenergize anything except the rest of the car from the battery, which doesn't help you if you're working on the battery itself
Chris took plenty of precautious measures. There's a fine line between safety and paranoia...
He basically repeated the video from 4 years ago (improved), but still huge respect for ChrisFix because helped alot of Prius owners out there!
Thanks! I was able to help thousands of Prius owner's save their cars so I wanted to help again!
@@chrisfix I was one of those thousands. I didn't know where to go for a kit until I saw your video; then the video itself was my "manual" while doing the job.
Cool to see you use normal tools and not power tools to show people that you can do this with simple tools, thanks for being the best step Chris
Truly one of the absolute BEST produced, choreographed, documented, narrated, videographed, edited, sound engineered videos on car repair I've ever seen - EVER! Thank you. Been thinking of taking on a Prius. And now I have my answer. Your calling is in video production young man.
I don't think I will ever have to change the batteries on a Prius, but I watched this anyway. And as always, your narrative is very informative. This is so thorough that anyone could accomplish it.
I swap packs at my day job. It takes me about 1.5 hours. Couldn't tell you how many I've done. Occasional semantic cringeworthy moments aside, this was a pretty good vid. Personal safety gear is above and beyond, which for a DIY instructional about handling batteries, is a must.
I label disposed water cups instead of ziplock bags for nuts/bolts, and nest them to keep track of order. I still think it's better :-)
You don't need to undo the 12V and lose your radio presets, but doing so clears your previous batteries' error codes (& everything else) from the car's computers. Otherwise you can restart the car 5 times to reset the codes without wiping the radio by disconnecting the 12V battery... which you could just unplug on the positive instead of undoing the ground... but you don't need to.
Never used Loctite. An impact gun is sufficient for all nuts/bolts except the two HV line nuts. They should be torqued to spec. We gun them to one-two clicks.
You can blow the crap out of the HV battery fan with any air gun and it won't do diddly to the fan motor. They're tanks. Been doing it for 10+ years and only had a couple die due to prolonged hair buildup, never compressed air. I spin that stator in both directions somewhere outside to get it as clean as possible, from every angle. If you have a dog, annual fan or AM filter cleaning ends up being worth the battery life in the long run.
My only criticism would be to stress TAKE EXTRA CARE IF YOU SWAP CELLS like Chris does. I rebuild OEM packs and have used cylindrical Headway cells for AM rebuilds since 2012, and many prismatic AM brands. With all batteries, once busbars are exposed (& ESPECIALLY after they're removed), accidental metal (a wrench, screwdrivers, belt buckle, etc) touching multiple battery electrodes (ends) can easily result in sparks or a fire... next to other flammable/toxic batteries. Let's just say there's a reason Chris rebuilt his pack outdoors on a nice day, aside from a great vid shot.
Don't put anything near/on the batteries that is metal that could accidentally fall onto the battery ends. Even draping a clean shop towel over the ends when not working on the exposed electrodes prevents incidental fire. I know this has "don't lick a 9V" energy but I've seen sloppy work result in battery fires with trained technicians, and millions of DIYers going to see this vid. From one tinkerer to another, be aware around exposed battery terminals. It's the gas tank of EVs, with touching metal as the ignition source.
What is your experience with the code: P0AA6, high voltage leak possibly in the HV battery?
"torqued to spec"
"gun them to one-two clicks"
@@kiyoponnn, couple of Ugah duggahs with 1/2 inch air impact wrench should do.
Just bought a Lexus CT 200h and this video is AMAZING. The battery replacement is rather expensive so having a comprehensive guide like this is extremely helpful and will help me save a fair bit by doing the work myself.
Flawless filming and editing as always. You are an inspiration to your fellow TH-camrs.
Andrew Camarata is the best TH-cam editor
I’ve been on the fence about buying a used Prius just for the fact of knowing I’d eventually have to or pay someone to replace the battery. Watching your videos Chris give me so much confidence. You have this conviction and depth of knowledge that makes you know you don’t have to watch a single other video.
Chris is the exacly the type of person you want to work on your car, he takes time to fix even tiny details like a bolt missing or stuff like that, does 100% of the job properly
I own a 2011 Prius with 154,000 miles. The battery still charges fully but I know it may need replacing in the near future. 3/4 of the miles are highway, the rest small city. It has been perfect for the Prius. I think a key to battery longevity is returning with a fully charged battery when I pull into the garage. This video has given me the confidence to replace the battery myself or with the help of a friend. Very well done. The Prius runs great, very smooth, I avg about 45 mpg. It is definitely worth the price of a battery change when needed. I am aiming for the 300,000 mile club. Time will tell.
i used to be in the aviation maintenance field. the way you do your work, bagging ang tagging hardware, being safe, being clear and concise is excellent. i love watching your videos!
Hands down, you are the best at making repair videos. No one else is even close. Concise and detailed.
I can't imagine a better video to explain how to get this job done. 10 out of 10, well done Chris!
Great video. I particularly liked the fact you assumed your viewer had never worked on a Prius before and needed to be shown EVERYTHING. Great work and much appreciated. Not knowing where the clips and fasteners are is a huge frustration leading to broken bits and much frustration. Thanks for the tip about how to retain a fastener in a socket.
By far, you are the best TH-camr who knows what you are doing mechanically and also what you are doing when making these instructional videos. I have never seen a video of yours that was not of the highest quality Chris, and you most certainly are a true Master, and I don't think I have ever told anyone else that in the entire 53 years of my life. You truly ROCK!
I whant to now wen he is going to upload
I think we got mega lucky, when our 2007 battery went, our local mechanic out in Omaha quoted us 2,500 to replace, but just warranty on the work. The dealership decided to play ball and did the job for 2,600 + 10 year / 100k warranty on the battery. Thank God for small mechanics who keep them honest!
Content A+, Mechanical Mastery, Efficiency A+, Clarity A++, Video quality A+. This video is the new standard for mechanical videos. Thank you Sir. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Watched this video last year thinking "this'll come in handy someday". Replaced my battery today and even though it took me 4 hours in the summer heat, your video walked me through everything needed to know. Thank you!
I did an automotive course in hybrid/electric vehicles with a focus on the Prius and Leaf, but I'm still here to watch this cause it's always good content when you upload!
And also, I want to keep an eye out for common pitfalls. I think it'd be well worth investing in your safety with a proper pair of Linesman's gloves this time around. Class 0, rated for 1kV. They're not cheap, but chances are you're only doing this once and won't need to recertify or replace the gloves.
Like Chris says, make sure it's a bad battery, and not something else, like a loss-of-isolation (HV short to ground).
I did it barehanded on our first gen. I worked with similar voltages for about 20 years with tube type equipment. When I was an avionics tech in General Aviation (small planes) all of us would occasionally get our fingers into 265 VDC in the iconic nav/comm radios of the era, the Narco Mk-12 series. Yelps from various places in the room were common. DC can definitely hurt but it is considerably less dangerous than the equivalent AC voltage.
The way the batteries are constructed it is not all that easy to make contact. Until the bus covers come off it is nearly impossible, and as the screws come out the risk disappears entirely.
In 2018 I retired from IT Field Support - substations, mountaintops, and all sorts of pole mounted stuff - after 34 yeas with a Fortune 100 electric company. (I know there is only one of those in Arizona, but I still don't feel right naming them.) Safety was always one of the most important parts of the job, and that began with understanding the risks in whatever we were preparing to do.
Well done Chris.
No time wasted. Great demonstration on panel and clip removal.
Most importantly, the reassembly was perfect.
The torque details and thread locking is such a gift in time saving and an important addition to others doing the job correctly.
Great work!
Man... looks like you've done this a thousand times, and still you manage to make it sound as exciting as the first time you nail it! I don't even own a Prius but just could not stop watching. Probably one of the best instruction videos I've seen. I just hope you make a video of the next thing I have to fix! :D
I wasn’t planning to spend 40 minutes watching a Prius battery replacement, but I’m sure glad I did. Fascinating video, really passionate host who clearly knows their stuff. Awesome!
Just did this a few weeks ago on my 180k lexus is300h but rather than these cylindrical cells I used gen 5 cells from a 2022 rav 4 and simply placed all the new cells in place. Working great and definitely worth it - anyone can do it and it's worth a shot to prolong the use of a car!
i love how consistent your videos are and the amount of detail you go into to make it as simple as possible great job love your vids keep it up
Thanks a lot!
Been watching you for almost a decade now Chirs, and you never fail to disappoint! I appreciate all the help over the years and all of your hard work to bring us quality tutorials / entertainment! Much love brotha 🙏🙏
Thanks so much!!!!
The way you say never fail to ......means he always is disappointing , check up mate
@omnyx1 You get a notice.
"never fail to disappoint"?
Read what you type before you post lol.
XDDDDDD
What a great job, explained well with attention to detail. It is nice to see a person who goes the extra mile to make every little thing as good as it can be. The car seems well-designed, with the idea that it will be worked on at some point. I hate cars that take more time to get the problem then fix the problem itself. You found your calling, and you are doing a great job with your presentation.
This video is amazingly well produced. Excellent instructions, clear visuals, next level organization and workflows. So impressive!
I very much appreciate your videos; especially the fact that you explain everything without condescending. Some things may seem obvious to many, though not to all. I always catch myself saying, “oh, so that’s how you do that.” You’re a very good teacher. Thank you.
Haha no prob! That’s the goal!!!
This is such a great video. Also, I think the term "common hand tools" gets thrown around too often but in this case (from what I saw) all you need is a basic "mechanic tool set" from HF, a magnetic rod, and panel trim removal tools and this entire job can be done provided you have patience and good organization. Thanks again for the good and useful content.
I've been seeing this in your videos for a while, but your closeup shots are absolutely unrivaled and make a HUGE difference in actually translating this to someone at home. Thank you!
Thanks a lot! I love taking the time to make sure you can clearly see whats going on!
Chris, this is the first time I watch a video from you and you just blew my brains out!
I own a 2010 Prius, I starting to need work and I have always wondered about an after market battery, then you pop up with this video, thank you! I love the way you guide through every single step, in and out. WOW.
Hey Chris, I'm not a mechanic at all, but because of the detailed process you shared in this video (including the trusted vendor for the upgraded battery), I had enough confidence to attempt swapping out our old hybrid battery on our 2010 Prius myself instead of paying 💰💸 to a dealer or shade-tree mechanic. I spent the extra $500 for the entire pack from Electron Hybrid Solutions instead of just swapping out the cells, and, for me at least, that was money well-spent. There were a few hiccups along the way, but nothing insurmountable. I just filled up the tank today in town and reset Trip A just to see how the new battery is behaving. On the 21.1 mile trip back home, half on the highway at 70+ mph, half on country backroads, I averaged 65.6 mpg. Before the old battery bit the dust, I was averaging about 43 mpg. I'll take a 50% improvement any day of the week. Thank you so much!!!
The hiccups:
1. The ratchet straps holding the battery tight in the wooden crate had loosened somewhat during shipment to me, so a couple of the mounting fins had been bent up pretty badly. I was able to gently bend them back good enough to get it properly mounted. I advised the vendor of this.
2. Also due to the loose straps, one brown, cigar-sized piece of electronics had broken off its mount and the square socket end where it plugs in had been broken. I just transferred the same piece off my old battery onto the new one and sent the broken piece back to the vendor with my old battery (notifying them of the situation).
3. Because my Prius had been out of commission for a couple months, the 12v battery had run all the way down, so I had to manually unlock the car and climb back through to the hatchback area to manually release the hatchback door latch to get it open....to even begin work. Also needed to jump start the car to test out the new hybrid battery once I'd gotten it installed.
4. When the Prius first started up after the new battery installation, the "check hybrid system" error had gone away (and no triangle of death), but the entire right side of the dash display was dark. I drove it a bit down the gravel driveway and back, and the car seemed to work fine both with the gas engine running and on electric motor alone, but the right half of the dash remained dark. A quick check of PriusChat indicated that that might happen if the 12v battery runs all the way down. Which mine had. So I parked it for a bit and left the jump pack attached to the 12v battery to give it a bit more juice. Of course the regular driving of the car should charge the 12v up just fine, but I didn't feel it was safe to drive the car around or get too far from home until I had the full dash display back. After about 15 mins on the jump pack charging, the Prius started up with full operational dash and has been fine ever since.
Thanks again, Chris! You're amazing!
Great video addressing the biggest problem when people are considering a Prius. I think this will really empower mechanically minded people to get a great deal on one of these or save someone from paying the ridiculous costs a bad battery can bring. Amazing as always!
Thanks a lot Riley!
Chris. First time viewer here. These last two videos were done so well, That I sat thru both of them to the end and as an army veteran, I was so impressed with your attention to detail and your work ethic, and you have renewed my faith in your generation. You also earned the thumbs up and a rare first-time subscription. Well done, Sir!
Even though I don’t own a Prius and probably never will, there is a ton of helpful tips in this video that apply to all things when working on cars. That’s why I love Chris’ videos so much. Nicely done
There are plenty of DIY channels that sort of "wing it" and leave a lot to chance. Never here.
I saw a segment on the recent (April 27, 2023) Mechanical Nightmare with wiper blades stopping nearly upright on the windshield. I was not the only one referring viewers to the "Wiper Brakes" ChrisFix episode from the beginning of the same month. ChrisFix is a prophet, I tell ya!
Exceptional work, as always, Chris! You and Jamie of Jamie's Garage have the attention to detail of a Swiss watch maker. One thing I would like to say, is that it is important to note, that Toyota did not lock out the replacement of the battery with a third party battery with its firmware in this instance. Certain companies, such as Apple, Samsung and John Deere, have made it nearly impossible to fix their latest products by locking out replacement parts - regardless whether they're OEM or not - with serialized components. Let's hope Right to Repair gains traction in all jurisdictions, so people can choose to fix and own the product they paid for. BTW: kudos on using your hands instead of an impact driver to undo and tighten all those nuts!
Great video! My tip for remembering where bolts go is to either put them loosely back into the hole after you remove the part, and/or have a bunch of different colored markers and just draw the same color on both sides as you take it apart, and/or draw a simple diagram on a piece of cardboard and stick the bolts through the cardboard in the corresponding location you drew on it!
It is impressive how much storage space you have above all that! You have roughly 3 feet of storage above the floor plan, battery, spare tire, etc. Very impressive!
Easily one of the best tutorials I have ever seen: Proper info, good pace, zero nonsense chat. Excellent! I don't even own a Prius and I watched this excellent video!
Thanks a lot! Glad you still enjoyed it!
I don’t plan on owning a prius when I can finally drive, but I watch every video just because of how good they are. There is a very hard balance to get between educational and entertaining, and Chris gets that balance perfect. The wait between videos is more than worth it, and I’m happy to wait each time. I wish you good fortune (and luck) Chris!
can’t wait for the del sol turbocharge though….
Idont own a Prius, but you learn something new with every video. He does a great job of make really detailed videos entertaining.
I drive a hydride ionic, but I'm never going to touch the battery on it. Bty my 2021 ionic gets about 65mpg (UK), with just normal driving. I know of taxi drivers that eek out 78! With current gas prices, a hybrid is a good option.
Great video. As an engineer who is responsible for the high voltage safety of our fully electric truck batteries I want to add some comments:
- The safety plug only protects you for working on all components with the exception of inside the battery itself. The cells will always have some voltage and so does the battery. At most the system voltage is splitted in half with a service disconnect like in this case.
- There are HV-Gloves especially designed to handle voltages up to 1000 V for about 50 bucks and its definitely worth at least that for work like this (aside some other protective equipment against arcs).
- With the new batteries being that much smaller by cell volume I dought that they will perform better than a new original battery. For 500$ more I would choose to have a complete new battery from toyota in this case... That is, if they sell it without installing it...
I totally agree. Everyone should understand the safety plug provides no protection once the cells are exposed. Touching the wrong combination of busbars could give a nasty shock, or shorting them will give a powerful arc.
Just out of curiosity, you can’t run the battery down to zero v before going inside? Starting cables and an old electric motor or smthing? Not willing to brt my life on it, though
@@evlps Technically you could actually... But you wouldn't want to charge a lithium battery after it was deeply discharged due to fire risks. The discharging alone without recharging is usually safe.
But: The new cells will definitely be live. So, it would only help for the old ones.
I agree, those gloves he is wearing are 100% not suitable.
My 1st thought as i am an mechanics apprentice for Audi and VW and my "instructor" tought me not to touch anything with orange HV markings if I dont wear protective gear cause you dont know if something is defect and there is voltage present.
i wish you never stop posting ever chris honestly. This is by far one of my favorit channels to watch and both learn and chill. You deserve all the best my friend! keep it up.
I have a 2011 Prius. I hope I don’t have to do this job anytime soon but you make it seem a lot less intimidating and you can save a lot of money. I didn’t know about the filter for the hybrid battery. I will check that on mine. Great video.