What Happens When A Hybrid Battery Goes Bad?

When considering the purchase of a hybrid vehicle, many persons are cautious.  They may be anxious about the cost of hybrid service, how long does a hybrid battery last, and then what it costs to change it.  The fact is, whether your vehicle is a hybrid, electric, diesel, or traditional gasoline, they all want to be serviced on a regular basis.  Because the hybrid’s engine also runs on gasoline, it requires the same basic maintenance as traditional vehicles, including changing filters, belt replacements, tire alignment, and oil changes.  The hybrid battery’s air filter is the one exemption that may want additional hybrid service.  

Fortunately, hybrid batteries are designed to last between 10 to 15 years (about 120K to 150K driving miles) before they should start to fail.  Even though some batteries may start to go bad around 70K miles, others can go up to 200K miles without any issues.  Thus, it is important to have the battery in your hybrid vehicle inspected frequently at a certified hybrid service center.  Because manufacturers understand that replacing a hybrid battery can be costly, hybrid vehicles typically come with an 8-year, 80K mile guarantee, so a battery replacement should be 100% covered.

Here are some common issues of what happens when a hybrid battery goes bad:

• Fuel efficiency decreases
• The battery meter is more unbalanced
• Acceleration is more sluggish
• Reduced usable cell capacity for recharging
• Range of driving distance is shortened
• Code and computer errors become more frequent

Fortunately, there’re some options for replacing the battery in a hybrid vehicle:

• Install a new battery,
• Install a refurbished battery,
• Recondition current battery (the cells are rebalanced, restoring the battery to over 90% of the original capacity).

Wondering what happens when a hybrid battery goes bad?  Call our ASE Certified Technicians at Clausen Automotive for more information about hybrid service and to request an appointment. Our family-owned auto repair shop has proudly served vehicle owners in Madison, WI, and the surrounding areas.