What happens when a hybrid battery dies and what to do about it

Don't wait to have your car checked out if its traction battery is having problems.

The short version

• The larger pack should never run completely empty during ordinary driving.
• In a conventional hybrid, the gasoline engine and regenerative braking recharge it as the car moves.
• A plug-in hybrid that shows zero electric miles has usually reached the end of its EV-only range, not suffered a battery failure; the vehicle then switches to hybrid operation.

What happened

If the traction pack deteriorates or develops a fault, the car may keep moving with reduced power, or it may stop and refuse to restart. The outcome depends on the model and the fault.

Why it matters

And even though hybrids have a gasoline-powered engine, it's not a spare drivetrain waiting to take over.

Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Engadget via the links above and below.