Can I Repair My Hybrid Battery Instead of Replacing It?
One of the most important features of owning a hybrid vehicle is battery life. Consider either reconditioning or rebuilding your hybrid battery power source if you need to change the existing battery. Understanding which option is best for your battery will depend on a battery diagnosis. Take your hybrid vehicle in to be seen by a trained repair expert. Professionals will guide you through the differences between a recondition and rebuild for your battery and how to choose the correct option for you.
Reconditioning involves diagnostics and methods such as:
- Grid charging
- Discharging
- Balancing
- Cycling
The process is designed to isolate defective or compromised modules or cells for replacement and often helps the battery revert the battery to a more functional condition.
There are other signs your hybrid vehicle battery needs reconditioning, which include but are not limited to:
- When your fuel economy drops or your engine kicks on more than it used to, you'll notice you aren't getting as much out of your (MPG); this signifies your battery is weak and needs to be checked.
- If you experience rapid charging/discharging of the hybrid battery, the battery level indicator may rise and fall quickly, indicating a weakened battery; thus, the battery is unable to hold as much charge as before.
- The hybrid systems' warning light indicates the hybrid battery needs to be inspected, obviously, and possibly reconditioned.
Hybrid battery rebuilds involve the partial or total replacement and repair of dead cells from your hybrid battery pack; it's also an option to upgrade bus bars (if applicable). Additionally, computerized balancing and matching of battery packs for your hybrid battery is part of the process.
The best way to determine the difference between knowing if your battery needs to be rebuilt or reconditioned is to schedule a "state of health check" with a reputable and experienced hybrid battery technician or repair company.
Whether you decide to recondition or rebuild your hybrid battery, either option is less expensive than purchasing and installing a brand-new battery. And keep in mind that reconditioned or rebuilt hybrid battery frequently comes with a limited warranty.
Hybrid battery restoration means that you will be able to restore your hybrid's fuel economy to almost brand-new conditions. You can reuse most of the cells in the original battery recycling only the failed units.
The rebuild process is very complex. The restore revitalizes lost usable battery capacity and equalizes cell voltage levels between each module; the end result is a battery with more usable battery power, which equals improved performance and improved mileage. When you rebuild or recondition your hybrid battery it is much more environmentally friendly than discarding the entire battery pack and replacing it.
However, after rebuilding the battery, cells continue to die. Even though bad cells are replaced during these restores, the remaining cells will also die overtime. Replacing the entire battery pack ensures each cell is brand-new. And if you are a do-it-yourself mechanic this might not be one of those projects you want to try at home. it is a good idea to have a trained professional complete the process.
If you need hybrid battery reconditioning, give our auto repair shop a call today!