NiMH
Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008-2013 (GVU48) Hybrid Battery
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008-2013 (GVU48) Hybrid Battery is the high voltage battery in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (2008-2013).
Specifications
| Chemistry | NiMH |
|---|---|
| Cell format | prismatic |
| Nominal voltage | 288 V |
| Modules | 30 |
| Module voltage | 9.6 V |
| Cooling | air-cooled; battery cooling blower, cool air intake under second row |
| Location | cabin area, floor pan cross member under the second row seat |
| Weight | 69 kg |
Cars That Use It
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008-2013 3.3L (2008-2010) and 3.5L (2011-2013) V6 Run the checklist
What Goes Wrong
Reported failures, each from a source listed below, as of October 7, 2026.
- Owner complaints NHTSA lists under the Hybrid Propulsion System component for the Toyota Highlander Hv, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, by model year: 2008: 10 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2012: 1. These are all hybrid system complaints, owner reported and unverified, not only battery faults, as of 2026-10-07.
- Toyota service bulletin T-SB-0074-20 (August 2020) covers 2006-2019 Highlander Hybrid vehicles that store DTC P0A80/P1AC000 and/or P0A7F/P1A8000 because dust or debris has built up in the HV battery cooling fan or intake filter; when those codes are present the bulletin's procedure calls for replacing the HV battery and cleaning the cooling fan and filter. (static.nhtsa.gov: MC-10179698-9999.pdf, 2026-10-07)
Symptoms
- Toyota service bulletin T-SB-0074-20 describes the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) coming on with DTC P0A80/P1AC000 and/or P0A7F/P1A8000 stored on 2006-2019 Highlander Hybrid vehicles when the HV battery cooling fan or intake filter is clogged with dust or debris. (static.nhtsa.gov: MC-10179698-9999.pdf, 2026-10-07)
- A keyword search of the 10 Hybrid Propulsion System complaints NHTSA lists for the 2008 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID finds that 5 mention warning light, 2 mention loss of power or reduced power, 6 mention stalling or shutting down (complaint text is owner-reported and unverified; as of 2026-10-07). (NHTSA complaints, 2008 Toyota Highlander+Hybrid, 2026-10-07)
Same Electrical Spec
These packs share this one's chemistry, voltage and module count. That is a spec match only. It does not mean the parts fit each other, so check with a technician.
Recalls
- 13V396000 2008-2010 Transistors in the inverter's Intelligent Power Module can run hotter than their solder supports, which can damage them.
Check the exact car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Warranty
Toyota's 2011 Highlander Hybrid Warranty & Maintenance Guide lists the hybrid battery under the Toyota Hybrid System Warranty for 96 months or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first (2011 model year confirmed; guides for 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 were not found). (techinfo.toyota.com: T-MMS-11HighlanderHV.pdf, 2026-10-07)
Get This Pack Tested
Do not open it yourself. The pack can hurt you with the car switched off.
Sources
- techinfo.toyota.com: T-DM-005-D.pdf
- techinfo.toyota.com: T-ERG-007-D.pdf
- static.nhtsa.gov: MC-10179698-9999.pdf
- techinfo.toyota.com: T-MMS-11HighlanderHV.pdf
- NHTSA complaints, 2012 Toyota Highlander+Hv
- NHTSA complaints, 2008 Toyota Highlander+Hybrid
- NHTSA complaints, 2009 Toyota Highlander+Hybrid
- NHTSA complaints, 2010 Toyota Highlander+Hybrid
Last updated October 7, 2026. Failure and recall notes are as of that date. Spotted a mistake, or speaking for a maker? Report an error.
Hybrid Battery Test is independent. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Toyota. Names and part numbers are used only to identify the vehicle and the part.