Causes of hybrid failure Malaysia

Salam to all members...

For all those out there considering to buy a hybrid vehicle, fear no more because the hybrid battery is utterly reliable. In fact, Toyota is giving out an 8-year warranty to all its buyers of hybrid vehicles in Malaysia. However, the lifespan of the battery depends on a number of factors but primarily on the driving habits of the owners...In the real world, on average the hybrid battery will last between 5 to 12 years. But on occasions, the battery will fail prematurely as shown by our CHOCoM respondents in our very own survey. So ...what are the main causes of the failure of the hybrid battery? Why does the battery suddenly die a premature death?

The main factor is HEAT...heat is the greatest enemy of the hybrid battery...The extreme temperatures in Malaysia at 30-35 degrees Celcius on a normal day is just too unbearable for the Panasonic battery in the Camry hybrid to withstand. Those owners (total 16 owners but the number fluctuates) who reported problems with the hybrid batteries actually frequently drive in urban stop and go with air cond. on... This is the main cause of much of battery failure. The hybrid just battery could not withstand the heat generated from the stop and go style of driving.

CHOCoM members style of driving the car furiously at 13O km hour ( I suspect much higher) is also a major cause for premature hybrid battery failure in Malaysia. In the United States, the Camry is considered as a truly family sedan and driven leisurely for most of the time. They usually drive between 80 to 110 km an hour on the highway. That is why the traction battery there lasts for years. Due to its reliability and fuel efficiency, the Camry hybrid is also the choice of many taxi companies.

But in Malaysia, with the average age of Camry owners of between 25- 35 years of age, the Camry is driven differently usually aggressively. With its potent powerplant and instant torque, these young drivers tend to drive aggressively and furiously forgetting that its a family car with batteries in the boot. To them its a Panamera to be driven hard. They really put the pressure on the battery with long journeys and constant high speed. All these factors with high temperature and humidity it can turn even reliable material to fail prematurely.

In short, the main reason why there is a premature battery failure in Malaysia is because of the heat ...This is compounded by our high temperature and very high humidity. Having said that I can still conclude that instances of battery failure in Malaysia are not too high judging from the number of Toyota Camry hybrids sold in Malaysia. The number I think is less than 3 % of total cars sold in the country.