Why care about your car’s battery?
Your vehicle’s battery is the front-and-center component, and it will be of any car – gasoline-powered, hybrid, or diesel. Without a working battery, a car will not turn on, point-blank. All other aspects of a car might be in perfect working order, but the moment a battery just does not have enough juice left to crank it, you’re left with a two-ton heap of useless metal.
Be Sure to get Regular Hybrid Battery Maintenance for your Vehicle!
If you happen to own a hybrid vehicle, you might be under the impression that your car takes less wear and tear when compared to a purely gasoline-based vehicle. While this perception may be right to some degree, a hybrid is still a vehicle that has a massive amount of technical aspects and many different electrical parts that need to be replaced over time. So, this type of thinking can sometimes lead people to avoid going to get any type of hybrid maintenance, service, or even necessary hybrid-specific repairs.
Hybrid vehicles should be taken into a local auto shop for regular preventative vehicle maintenance, just like you should take in any regular gasoline vehicle.
What makes a Hybrid Battery different from “normal” car batteries?
Hybrid means mixed. Hybrid cars have both an electric motor and a gasoline-powered one. The electric motor takes the pressure off of the gasoline motor, simultaneously leading to higher miles per gallon, hence the “efficiency” that hybrid cars are so famous for.
Non-hybrid batteries are typically made out of 6 individual cells that are submerged in battery acid; Hybrid batteries are made from many cells that are dry and submerged in either silicone or a die-electric gel.
If you have ever had to jump-start someone’s car, you’ve come in contact with a typical (non-hybrid) car battery. Hybrid batteries are larger than their non-hybrid counterparts, and they can weigh upwards of three times as much.
As a hybrid battery involves electrical inputs and outputs, a computer is utilized to control the voltage and amperage of all inputs and outputs related to the battery. All of that data is stored within the vehicle’s main computer system.
On a related note, because all of this information goes through the vehicle’s internal computer system, it allows for mechanics the chance to diagnose and fix issues easier than if they had no computer system to reference. Not to say it makes it “easy” in all circumstances, but it gives the mechanic a faster idea of what may or may not be causing problems before really having to take things apart.
Can you trust your Hybrid Battery?
When you take your car in for hybrid service, the mechanic will look over the car completely and tell you whether or not you are experiencing any problems currently with the car, or whether there are any problems that may be starting to develop, which could end up turning into a bigger problem later on down the line.
At this point, they will let you know whether you need to get any hybrid repairs on your vehicle, or if there is anything else that is running low, such as your hybrid battery. A hybrid battery replacement may run out a lot quicker than normal car batteries, although each make and model are going to be different, and your local auto shop will be able to let you know the overall diagnosis of your vehicle.
As a general rule of thumb, if your hybrid battery is 10 to 15 years old and/or your vehicle has 120,000 to 150,000 miles on it, it’s time to check in with your trusted mechanic about the health of that battery. You don’t want to be caught off guard, especially considering the potential costs.
Finding the Right Mechanic
Mechanics have to get certified for every little thing pertaining to all things cars. Ever really listen to car shop ads? They will list half a dozen or so certifications, and each one is important for different reasons. There are Diesel certifications, electrical certifications, model certifications, and even hybrid certifications. Knowing what kind of battery your car uses will help you to make sure you’re getting the mechanic that knows how to handle your best.
Hybrid vehicles can use lead batteries, nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries, or lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries. Knowing which one you have will help you to understand just how often you really need to charge it, have it serviced, and even replaced.
Also, making sure your mechanic has the necessary certifications and experience with your type of hybrid vehicle and the related hybrid battery is extremely important. Dependable Car Care makes sure that your technician is adequately prepared to handle your specific vehicle’s needs.
Top 2020 Hybrid Models:
- Toyota Prius
- Honda Insight
- Toyota Camry
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Avalon
Toyota Prius
As one of the first (debut August 1997) and most well-known hybrid vehicles, the Prius carries a nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery with 168 individual cells. In 2004, Toyota’s Prius was named the North American Car of the Year.
Now, while the average lifespan for hybrid batteries is between 6 and 8 years, Toyota claims their Prius’ batteries last for a minimum of 100,000 miles or roughly 10 years.
However, those numbers come from “perfect” usage, meaning the battery is drained and charged at optimal levels, and at ideal rates. Nobody is a computer, so these numbers tend to be idealistic. Even so, close to a decade is really good as far as batteries of any kind go.
Honda Insight (2020)
While the Honda Insight is a lesser-known hybrid vehicle, it was technically the first Hybrid car sold in the United States. Prius took off and Honda shares dropped, and then there was a lawsuit… but after 20 years this bad boy finally got it’s worth making this list of popular hybrids.
Two electric motors give this car 151 horsepower (which is awesome when you enjoy Sport mode). The Insight gets an estimated 52 mpg (55 cities & 49 hwy).
Fun Fact: Honda cornered the market on dual engines.
This vehicle uses a lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery that is estimated to last 150,000 miles or roughly 15 years.
Toyota Camry Hybrid (2020)
If you haven’t heard of the Camry, you might be from the tundra. Luckily, this super-efficient (average 52 mpg) vehicle has been around long enough to warrant high praise and lasting reviews.
This is a conventional hybrid vehicle with a lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery. Toyota now brings a battery warranty of 150,000 miles or 10 years (whichever happens first).
Honda Accord Hybrid (2020)
The gorgeous Honda Accord is a midsize sedan with an incredibly spacious interior design that is sleek as can be. This feels like a luxury vehicle and sounds like it too. The Accord Hybrid accelerates faster than its regular Accord sibling.
The modern Accord Hybrid line includes Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries with lifespans estimated at 8 to 10 years.
Toyota Avalon Hybrid (2020)
The Avalon Hybrid is the ultimate luxury hybrid sedan option on the market. Without going up to full SUV status, this is the most spacious upscale hybrid option out there. It has an average of 44 mpg (43 cities & 44 hwy).
Avalon Hybrids have a nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery.
Pricing Hybrid Car Batteries
No matter what car you have, ultimately there will always come a day when you will have to replace your car’s battery. It never comes conveniently and it’s never a welcome surprise. You might be leaving work after a double shift in the middle of a very snowy winter to find your car just won’t turn on. Maybe you call AAA, or maybe a coworker offers to jump your car. No matter the situation, it’s never fun.
Replacing a standard car battery can range from $75 to $750, depending on the specifications of your vehicle. Hybrid car batteries can have price tags that can hit as much as $6,000, and that’s not including the cost of labor. At that price point, some car owners consider buying a new vehicle before replacing a battery to a car that might not even be valued at $6,000 anymore. Replacing entire transmissions can sometimes be cheaper than that.
First of all, always, always, ALWAYS check your warranty before you panic. You might very well have your vehicle’s battery under warranty. Toyota used to offer a standard 8 year or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first), but now they’ve extended that warranty to 10 years or 150,000 (and it’s still whichever comes first).
At Dependable Car Care, we honor all warranties and provide the best possible service to you at affordable prices. We always work to help you. We even offer worry-free financing with the Autopass Tire & Service Card.
Why Do I Need To Get My Car Serviced?
Even if we skip over oil changes (which you definitely still need in hybrid cars), the average lifespan of hybrid batteries is roughly 6 to 8 years. Believe it or not, that lifespan is actually a little longer than “regular” car batteries, which tend to be between 3 and 6 years, though some have been known to have longer than average lives.
Way too many people avoid even thinking about taking their cars, let alone bringing them into an auto shop if they are experiencing any problems with the car right at the moment. This is a disaster waiting to happen, and in just about every case, those people that take their cars in for preventative maintenance will end up spending less in the long run than those who avoid it altogether.
Is Your Hybrid Car Battery Dead?
If you go to turn on your car and you hear a click, but no actual engine ignition, it’s likely your car’s battery. Now, just because your car battery died on you doesn’t mean it’s actually dead; there are many possible causes to a ‘dead’ battery. If you left lights on in your car or otherwise let something keep running beyond when you exited and locked your car, then you likely just drained the battery.
Jumping the battery of a car that simply and accidentally was drained, which is basically just charging it back up (much like when your phone hit 2% and died in your hands, refusing to turn on until it gets plugged in, and even then it won’t turn on until it reaches 10% first), is a relatively painless process and will fix your battery issue.
If, however, the battery incident is sudden, unexplained, or is merely one incident in a recent line of repeated battery issues, then you may very well need a new battery. A trained mechanic can evaluate the health of your car’s battery and better determine the right course of action for you. If your battery is on its way out, your mechanic should also be able to tell you this.
Second, to merely accidental battery drains, a battery on its way out is an ideal situation because your mechanic can help educate you on your options and you will be afforded the luxury of some time to choose a solution best suited to your needs, including financing.
Car Batteries & Your Neighborhood Mechanics
If you are experiencing any car battery problems, then you won’t have to worry about it – Our Professional Auto Technicians at our Hybrid Car Battery Shop will help you to fix all your auto repair problems, including your hybrid car battery, oil changes, and so much more.
We are proudly serving all vehicle owners in Ventura, CA and all surrounding areas.
