Had a close call with a hybrid battery pack at a shop in Tacoma

We were doing a coolant flush on a 2018 Prius and the tech next to me dropped a wrench. It bounced and hit the orange high voltage cable under the car. There was a loud pop and a flash, and the whole car shut down. The shop manager had to call a specialist to come check the whole system, which cost the customer over $800 extra. Now I double check for any tools near those cables before I even lift the car. Has anyone else had a scare like that with a hybrid or electric vehicle?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.holly26d ago

Yikes, that's the kind of sound you feel in your bones. My own scare was way more stupid, I managed to zap myself on a 12-volt terminal while holding a metal flashlight. Just a tiny spark and a numb finger for an hour, but it felt like the car was judging me for being such an idiot. It's crazy how a simple slip turns into a major event with these systems. Your story is my new nightmare fuel for sure.

seanm9326d ago

Man, that "loud pop and a flash" is the universe's way of saying your workday just got a thousand times worse. Sounds like that wrench decided to go for the most expensive game of operation ever. At least it was just the cable and not the actual battery pack, or you'd be telling a story about a very fancy and very dead paperweight. I guess the bright side is you only had to call one specialist and not the fire department. What did the shop manager say after the smoke cleared?

betty56725d ago

Did the manager just stare at the melted cable like it owed him money? Mine would have given that look that says "this is coming out of your paycheck," even though we all know it's not. At least the wrench got a free light show out of the deal. You think they let you keep the crispy cable end as a trophy?