Any shops in the San Jose, CA area willing to remove the Jdemo/Chademo

[flipflop]

Hello.

I have a 2014 Rav4 EV with QC charge Chademo installed and the car is having an issue with the contactors or something like that, and the dealership will not touch it unless I remove the chademo. Does anyone know of any local shop in san jose who would do something like that? Or if there is an individual with the expertise on how to properly remove it, please do advise.

Thank you everybody

 

[hokiematt]

1) Try a different dealership. The Jdemo system should not affect the ability of a service tech to read any fault codes.

2) Buy a diagnostics cable from Al: https://www.myrav4ev.com/threads/tpd-diagnostic-cables-pre-assembled.2601/post-30615 Then use the free TPD software to read any Tesla system error codes and post your results here on the forum.

3) What exactly are your symptoms? If it is failing contactors (a more and more common issue on these vehicles), the dealership will not repair that part and will only be able to offer a refurbished/remanufactured battery pack that may potentially have less capacity than your existing pack. An independent EV shop would be a better alternative, or depending on your mechanical and electrical skills, the repair has been tackled by others: https://www.myrav4ev.com/threads/ok-to-drive-with-bms_f038-code.2668/post-31641 for instance.

 

[flipflop]

I forgot to mention that the vehicle has a warranty, I called a few other dealerships, they said it would void the warranty if I brought it in like that. The car is currently at the dealership, not running at this time. I was hoping to find a local shop that would remove it and I could tow it to them, but I called every hybrid/electric shop in the area and they just say we don't work on those.

 

[davewill]

I know that the maker had published instructions for removal and reinstallation. If you could get a hold of those, it might be easier to get someone to do the removal (or you might decide that it could be done DIY).

The company that bought them out (Konduit EV) recently became active on here and might well be able to supply assistance. Either by providing those instructions, or by recommending a shop that could do the deed.

Here's a link to their introduction thread: https://www.myrav4ev.com/threads/konduit-ev.2689/

 

[hokiematt]

Try Earthling Automotive (https://earthlingauto.com/) in SF, they work on RAV EVs. If they have the Tesla software, they can also read your fault codes without requiring a trip to a Toyota dealer.

Define 'not running': do you get the READY light on the instrument cluster, or is it flashing/not on? Will the vehicle charge at all? How old is the 12V battery/has it been tested?

 

[flipflop]

the 12v is less than a year old. I don't get the ready light anymore, the clunk sound that used to come when starting the car is gone, car will no longer charge

Earthling auto? I'll give them a call, I appreciate it!

Thank you so much for the information on Konduit. If i can't find someone to pull it out, I'll look for the videos and maybe try to go about it another way

 

[hokiematt]

Your description sounds like a failed contactor, which is becoming a more common failure these days. The part itself is fairly cheap, but service requires removal and opening of the battery pack. Any Toyota dealer is simply going to exchange your pack for one that has been remanufactured (used but tested), if they can even acquire one from Tesla. An independent shop may be willing to tackle the part replacement.

Is your warranty the Toyota Platinum extended, or is it third party?

 

[Konduit EV]

I know that the maker had published instructions for removal and reinstallation. If you could get a hold of those, it might be easier to get someone to do the removal (or you might decide that it could be done DIY).

The company that bought them out (Konduit EV) recently became active on here and might well be able to supply assistance. Either by providing those instructions, or by recommending a shop that could do the deed.

Here's a link to their introduction thread: https://www.myrav4ev.com/threads/konduit-ev.2689/

Thanks for the shout out. I do have the install manual that could be read from back to front to remove the JdeMO system. But the JdeMO should in no way affect the ability for one of Toyotas techs to pull codes from the port in the rear of the vehicle. Regardless let me know if you want the manual.

 

[asavage]

Tony Tam @ EVFixMe in Costa Mesa (yeah, not close to you at around 450 mi away, but in the same state) has performed the contactors replacement on a RAV4 EV recently. Auto transport isn't all that expensive, if your local resources don't pan out.

See this thread for more info.

 

[asavage]

Thanks for the shout out. I do have the install manual that could be read from back to front to remove the JdeMO system.

A link to the JDemo installation manual (Dec2015 version):
https://asavage.dyndns.org/Toyota/RAV4/EV/JdeMOinstallationManualRav4EVpaperA4.pdf

I actually paid Tony $20 back in the day for the printed version :/ It's around here somewhere.

There were several different Toyota dealers who were willing to either deal with the JDemo during LDU R&R for free or for a nominal fee ($150 is the number I recall) over the years, but policies do change.

 

[miimura]

Toyota Palo Alto has done two drive unit swaps on my car with JdeMO installed. They charged an extra $160 to move it out of the way during the work that was otherwise covered by Powertrain warranty or Platinum extended warranty. I have no idea about their policies today.

I haven't taken the car back to them because I suspect that they lifted the car improperly during the last drive unit swap and bent the sheet metal around the lift points.

 

[asavage]

Yeah, shops really like to mangle the pinch weld area at the rear of the front fenders

 

[flipflop]

Toyota Palo Alto has done two drive unit swaps on my car with JdeMO installed. They charged an extra $160 to move it out of the way during the work that was otherwise covered by Powertrain warranty or Platinum extended warranty. I have no idea about their policies today.

I haven't taken the car back to them because I suspect that they lifted the car improperly during the last drive unit swap and bent the sheet metal around the lift points.

THanks everybody for all the info! I probably going to take it to earthling. I only called palo alto toyota and asked them about the JDEMO but they told me any modification would void the warranty. Currently at stevens creek is where They are telling me they won't touch it with the jdemo on there. I have the platinum toyota vsa

If you know the name of the tech or service person at palo alto then maybe I could ask them if they could work on it with that additional move out of the way fee or what not, but otherwise I wouldn't mind having it taken out.The few chademo chargers I found never ended up connecting to the car anyway

 

[flipflop]

earthling said on friday they could try to do it, but today they said they don't feel comfortable doing it, I totally understand. so i think I think I'm going to have to try and figure out if Toyota of palo alto will help

 

[miimura]

The fundamental problem that you are facing is that a dealer won’t have a reasonable solution for you if the contactors are kaput. They can only swap the whole pack and that is only a viable solution while the traction battery is under factory warranty. I am sure you will find that the Platinum Warranty doesn’t cover the traction battery. Therefore, the only cost effective solution is a third party shop that will drop the pack and replace the contactors.

Toyota Palo Alto can probably confirm that the contactors are the problem.

 

[stealthj]

Hello. I have a similar issue as yours. I was driving one day, then my car died and EV light came on. I was able to start it after about 10 minutes, then a month later it just wouldn't go into ready mode in the driveway. I also have the Toyota platinum VSA but apparently this would not be covered. I was quoted around 4k to have the contactors replaced. For me, I will attempt to sell the vehicle as is to someone who might do the repair on their own.