Does performing a brake pad replacement on a Toyota Prius scare you? Well it should; if you treat it like every other vehicle. But, if you know a few things ahead of time, the job can be performed like any other brake job. Do not worry about high voltage. Worry about angry customers due to comebacks.Servicing a Prius does not require many special tools to perform a front brake pad replacement. Just normal hand tools are required and maybe a scan tool and software that can read chassis codes if you are unlucky or have to replace hydraulic components. But, it is possible, according to Toyota, to replace pads without a scan tool… More

The hybrid version of the Saturn VUE was initially referred to as the “Green Line” model because of its improved fuel economy: 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway versus 22/27 for the regular version of the VUE. The Green Line moniker has since been dropped for the 2009 model year. The “Belt-Alternator-Starter” (BAS) system used in the VUE is essentially a bolt-on hybrid conversion that uses an oversized, belt-driven alternator/starter motor mounted on the side of the engine. The BAS alternator actually outputs two different voltages: 12 volts for the vehicle’s electrical system and conventional battery, and 36 volts to maintain the charge of the nickel-metal-hydride hybrid battery pack located behind the rear seats. .  More

The 2005 to 2008 model Escape Hybrids use an electro-hydraulic brake (EHB) system. The EHB master cylinder is also referred to as an actuation control unit (ACU). The bore of the ACU is called a pedal feel emulator and is primarily used to simulate normal brake pedal feel for the driver.  The EHB system does not have a vacuum brake booster. A hybrid vehicle is a different animal than many of us are used to seeing. After all, if the engine of a typical vehicle were to stall out at a traffic light, the driver of that vehicle would know something was wrong with it. If that same vehicle still drove with the engine off, then that would mean… More

Most hybrid vehicles on the market today share wheel bearing components with their non-hybrid counterparts. There is no need to turn away these vehicles for wheel bearing replacement. As these vehicles increase in age, failures of the wheel bearings are inevitable. When servicing these vehicles, it is critical that the hybrid or regenerative brake systems be disabled. It should be a common practice to remove the keys from the vehicle and place them in an area that is far enough away from the vehicle. Some hybrids systems will sense if the key is near. As the driver approaches the vehicle, some vehicles will not only unlock the doors, but activate systems like brakes and drivetrain. More

Tech Tip: ‘Braking’ the Code on a Ford Hybrid

Tech Tip: Toyota Prius Master/Hybrid Malfunction Light On with DTC P3125 (Inverter/Converter/Computer Failure)

Hybrid Service: Tools to Service Hybrids

So sooner or later, you’ll be tooling up to work on hybrid vehicles.
One item you will have to get is a high-voltage digital voltmeter. The unit should be able to read up to 600 volts AC/DC, or up to 1,000V AC/DC would be even better. Depending on the make, model and year of the hybrid, the battery pack may be rated from 144V (Honda Insight or Civic) up to 330V (Ford Escape). The power inverter on some hybrids can bump up the voltage even higher, to 500V or more. So you need a voltmeter that can read these higher voltages. Insulated gloves can be a lifesaver, literally, if you happen to touch a live high-voltage circuit in a hybrid. Most of the high-voltage cables are color-coded orange to warn you of their potential danger. Even so, there may be other high-voltage components, such as capacitors in the power inverter, that are not color-coded… More

Ford Hybrids: Servicing & Understanding Escape, Fusion and Mariner Hybrids