Hybrid Battery question - NSX sitting for over a year

[nsxrock]

I'm looking at an NSX that has been sitting at a dealer for over a year. If they have not run the engine and kept the hybrid
battery charged do you think it's dead? Cost to replace? Any test that can be done without bringing it to the dealer?

Any info you guys can provide on this subject?

 

[Honcho]

I'm looking at an NSX that has been sitting at a dealer for over a year. If they have not run the engine and kept the battery charged do you think it's dead? Cost to replace? Any test that can be done without bringing it to the dealer?

Any info you guys can provide on this subject?

It's probably dead. You could pull the battery and take it to like an Autozone and they can test it for free.

 

[leov]

Are you referring to the 12v battery or the hybrid battery?

 

[docjohn]

Make sure the dealer replaces and checks that all is in order..these car can get wonky with a low or dead battery..

 

[nsx878]

If the regular 12v battery, the dealer should be able to run a load test.... If it fails ask them to replace it. You'd think someone would have it out and about on occasion if it's a used car..... so maybe the battery will be OK? But the OEM batteries fail in the 3-4 year range.

 

[nsxrock]

I'm talking about the hybrid battery. The regular 12v is absolutely no issue to replace.

 

[nsx878]

Got it.... It is recommended that you drive the car in Sport+ mode for a period of time at a minimum of every few months. It is my understanding that a trickle charger does not charge the hybrid battery, only the regular car battery.... Don't know the recommendation by heart as I make it a point to drive mine no less than once a month even in winter. Perhaps ask the deaer if they drove the car much?? Maybe a carfax report will show the mileage at which the dealer acquired the car.??

But, it's a good question..... I wonder about the battery long term. Supposedly the hybrid system is covered for 8 years. After that, if the hybrid battery dies, then what???? I do not know how long a battery will last?

It would be interesting to see if the hybrid battery is available anywhere and what it costs.... and if it is installed through the interior or the underside of the car???

Someday we'll all find out I suppose.

Good luck, it's a great car, and hope you find one....

 

[docjohn]

It is behind the seats on the downlow..There is a graph showing it's level of charge and If it is recharging as you drive in sport+..so give it a test drive and see.

 

[neuronbob]

This may have some relevance to NSX owners.

In nine years around the RLX SH, I rarely (once or twice, maybe?) have heard of any hybrid battery issues. If it’s any consolation:

1. The hybrid system has an 8-year, 100k mile warranty in most states, and ten states require a 10-year, 150k mile warranty for hybrid batteries. Your car is still warrantied for this issue.

2. Acura has a hybrid battery replacement program for the RLX, and I would not be surprised if they have one for the NSX as well.

3. When I last asked, just before the pandemic, the cost to replace a RLX SH battery was around $2k after an exchange for the old battery, but again, I’ve never heard of anyone having to do that. I suspect the substantially similar NSX will be similarly reliable.

4. Consumers Reports published an article, part of which was devoted to hybrid battery life. They studied a 200k Toyota Prius battery and found minimal degradation at 200k miles. In fact, there are hybrid taxis out there in NYC with north of 300k miles, with battery life just fine.

I would buy with confidence. If you are concerned about hybrid battery life, you need to take it to an Acura dealer for testing. Or...as stated above, drive it in Sport + mode. RLX owners have to do the same periodically as we have a "Sport" mode.

PS: You are welcome for the SH alpha- and beta-testing --I've owned two RLX Sport Hybrids, and they are rarer than the NSX, with only about 1700 extant.

 

[nsxrock]

I would buy with confidence. If you are concerned about hybrid battery life, you need to take it to an Acura dealer for testing. Or...as stated above, drive it in Sport + mode. RLX owners have to do the same periodically as we have a "Sport" mode.

The car has been sitting for a year. No miles have been put on it. The hybrid battery is possibly very very dead or hurt.

 

[nsxrock]

Got it.... It is recommended that you drive the car in Sport+ mode for a period of time at a minimum of every few months. It is my understanding that a trickle charger does not charge the hybrid battery, only the regular car battery.... Don't know the recommendation by heart as I make it a point to drive mine no less than once a month even in winter. Perhaps ask the deaer if they drove the car much?? Maybe a carfax report will show the mileage at which the dealer acquired the car.??

But, it's a good question..... I wonder about the battery long term. Supposedly the hybrid system is covered for 8 years. After that, if the hybrid battery dies, then what???? I do not know how long a battery will last?

It would be interesting to see if the hybrid battery is available anywhere and what it costs.... and if it is installed through the interior or the underside of the car???

Someday we'll all find out I suppose.

Good luck, it's a great car, and hope you find one....

Thanks for the reply. The car is far far from me. No way to know unless I have it taken to an Acura dealer and even then I don't trust them to know what their doing.

 

[neuronbob]

The car has been sitting for a year. No miles have been put on it. The hybrid battery is possibly very very dead or hurt

I spoke on hybrid battery reliability in general based on the fact that the RLX's setup is substantially similar to the NSX, and in response to nsx878's comment.

If disuse is a concern, request it be taken to an Acura dealer with a NSX specialist for testing. If the car were closer to you, you could test drive it in Sport+ mode to grossly gauge battery charging ability--you'd see the battery power increase fairly quickly on your drive.

Since you state it's far from you, if you can't test drive it easily, or the dealer can't won't test it, at that point, I'd pass and move on to the next.

 

[nsx878]

NSXrock, thinking about it, the hybrid battery is under warranty, so if it were to turn up bad I'd think you'd be covered under warranty? So, I don't think you have any reason to worry....

Neuronbob, thanks for the information and insight. Very reassuring, and in a worst case scenario some years down the road, $2K for a battery isn't a deal killer. I'm not an electrical engineer, but I'd be more concerned about time and charging cycles than miles. I've always heard that the best way to extend battery life is to charge, discharge fully, and charge. My car is 5 1/2 years old with only 6K miles.

Anyway thanks for the good info......

 

[docnsx]

I read on these forums that the nc1 should not sit for more than three months without starting and let run in sport plus mode to keep engine on.. being that it hibernates here in north east I do it prob every six weeks for few years now wont no issues.. I know the doesn't help. I am sure there is a way to tel if the hybrid batteries are ok.. maybe bring to dealer for pre purchase inspection where they can prob do some diagnostic studies on battery.. I am wondering if anyone has had to replace the battery not his car yet (too new ) and what's is involved and cost.. good luck with your purchase on however you proceed

 

[Honcho]

I read on these forums that the nc1 should not sit for more than three months without starting and let run in sport plus mode to keep engine on.. being that it hibernates here in north east I do it prob every six weeks for few years now wont no issues.. I know the doesn't help. I am sure there is a way to tel if the hybrid batteries are ok.. maybe bring to dealer for pre purchase inspection where they can prob do some diagnostic studies on battery.. I am wondering if anyone has had to replace the battery not his car yet (too new ) and what's is involved and cost.. good luck with your purchase on however you proceed

Agree. The only thing I can think of is that an Acura dealer with a certified NSX tech and all of the NSX-specific service equipment might be able to run a diagnostic on the hybrid battery to make sure it is still within the performance parameters in terms of holding a charge and charge time. Though, I bet it will be fine. It's not like it has been sitting for 10 years.

 

[RyanRA]

Any Hybrid battery concerns should be covered under warranty.

The warranty for the Hybrid System is 8yr/100k miles, but some hybrid system components are covered for either 4yr/50k miles or 7yr/70k miles depending on where the vehicle is registered and normally operated.

"Vehicles registered and normally operated in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington."

 

[Bricks and Bio]

Rationale for passing on this one:
If the car really sat a year, who knows how the hybrid battery will behave
And it looks like the local dealer for the OP is a Napleton shop, you wanna take your chances with them sorting things out, getting it fixed, etc.?

 

[drmanny3]

I recommend that you post on the general regional section of this forum and ask if anyone living close would volunteer to check out the car. I would be surprised that the car has not been regularly started. It does not take a lot of miles to keep things in good shape. As was noted by several posters, the traction battery is covered by warranty. So unless this is a high mileage car, don’t worry about that.
Is the color/options what you want? What about mileage. Take a look at the Carfax report to see what has happened to the car in the past. While not everything shows up, it is still a good report. The Service Manager at any Acura Dealer can pull the service history on the car.

 

[Bricks and Bio]

After hearing about xyz service issues at Napleton, one would be best served to make sure they are getting a good car from another dealer if they are going to have to depend on Napleton once they own it.

 

[docjohn]

The specific disaster of Napelton botching a NC1 was in Fl.

 

[Bricks and Bio]

And the OP lives near the Napleton shop in FL
So if he buys this car and it has xyz problems, is he going to have a fun time getting them sorted out?

 

[NbyNW]

Is Napleton FL where NSXs go to die or have others had satisfactory service there? Maybe folks have moved on or new folks joined?

My thinking… If the car fires up with no codes or error messages after sitting for a year that’s great news for all of us and I’d think it’s worth serious consideration. Check tire date codes replace if needed, have them do some fluid changes, and go.

 

[Concept]

When it comes to Toyota/Lexus vehicles, a dead (from lack of use) hybrid battery requires that the car be towed to the dealership. I doubt that the NSX in question would be able to run on its own.

 

[drmanny3]

I have owned 4 hybrids, and have never had a failure of the traction battery. I Am almost willing to bet that our cars would function even if the traction battery were defective. If there were a fuse to pull, I would be willing to check. The dash would lite up and the car would drive differently.

The car has a 6 year 70,000 mile drivetrain warranty. I have never heard of a traction battery failure. Even if it did and the car were out of warranty, these batteries can be repaired. They are probably off the shelf. I think the OP is being too paranoid.

 

[drmanny3]

Toyota Prius
The battery is responsible for an extra boost of energy that helps to make up the lack of power from the gasoline engine. This means the gas engine is smaller, and uses less fuel making it excellent for economy. The traction battery also stores energy that is being recaptured from the vehicle when it is coasting or in regenerative braking mode, which we can then use this energy in propelling the car forward.

Between these two examples we can see that the battery plays an important role in helping the vehicle drive and accelerate as a regular vehicle would.

What Happens When The Battery Fails

Should you encounter a P0A80 and have the hybrid battery fail, your Prius will actually still run, just more often. The car will still drive, but with a lack of power, as we do not have the needed available energy from the battery. The starting and stopping of the car will not be smooth as well.

Prius is a parallel hybrid meaning that if one of the components fails, the vehicle can still operate until it can be repaired properly.

Conclusion

The short answer to this question is yes,the Toyota Prius can still drive if the hybrid battery fails. You will get poor fuel economy and a rougher drive from it though. Should you encounter this issue, see you dealer or a qualified shop that can help you get it back into original driving condition.