2006 Prius almost out of warranty (two weeks left)

cbs4 · 10-31-2006, 04:54 PM

Our 10 month old 2006 package #8 Prius will be out of warranty in two weeks.

I want to wrestle the car from wife's hands for a final visit to the dealer to get whatever generally goes wrong with these cars addressed before the warranty is up.

So far, I've had to have the left side output seal to the Hybrid drive transaxle replaced due to obvious and messy leakage. (For a while there you'd think it was an old Ford.) Seems to not be leaking any more since the repair.

One outstanding issue is the right side headlight (HID) just goes out. My wife comes up the drive, and I think it's one of those electric mopeds... but it's our car, with one headlight out. Wiring is all connected, no apparant chafing of any harnesess, and while the starter plate is installed backwards (thanks for pointing this out Hobbit), I had already added another split loom protector to cover that harness, which has nothing to do with the headlights anyway.

Right now, the fix is simply to turn off the headlights, and turn them back on again. Poof, they both work again, everytime. Yet the next day, or a day or two later, for some inexplicable reason, the right headlight shuts down again. Cycling the switch always restores it.

Naturally, on the two occassions where we brought the Prius into the dealer, "no problem was found" because both lights were working at that moment. Of course they ALWAYS work when you turn them on. It's only after they've been on a while that one shuts off. And now she tells me that one is dimmer than the other. I don't know how HIDs work, and I don't care. I just want her to have working headlights this winter, and I didn't pay over $30K for a car to not have something as simple as headllights staying on.

So, in addition to that issue, is there anything else that I should look for to bring to the attention to the dealer for this final warranty visit?

Thanks in advance. You guys and gals blow me away with how much you know and find out about these Prii.

eagle33199 · 10-31-2006, 05:08 PM

Man, you must be driving that thing into the ground to be through the standard warranty so quickly (3 yrs, 36k miles).

I don't think any issues have come up yet to "be aware of" or have the dealer look at, but then again, most '04 owners are right around their warranty expiration - very few have put on too many more miles out of the warranty!

Given the amount you seem to drive, you may want to think about the extended warranty - its always paid off for me in the past!

galaxee · 10-31-2006, 06:25 PM

since this problem was documented and not satisfactorily fixed during warranty, you should be able to push them into fixing it after warranty if it continues.

besides, it's not your fault they couldn't figure it out.

will ask hubby about the hid stuff, seems strange.

as far as the rest of it... if there aren't any problems right now they won't replace anything anyway. just have em take a good look over the car top to bottom. if there's *anything* wrong they want to find it anyway

naterprius · 10-31-2006, 06:47 PM

Log into techinfo.toyota.com. (Pay the $10). Read through all of the TSB's released and see if you have any of the issues, then report them to the dealer next week.

Congrats on putting 36,000 miles on in a year.

Nate

saechaka · 10-31-2006, 07:27 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Oct 31 2006, 06:25 PM) [snapback]341601[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

since this problem was documented and not satisfactorily fixed during warranty, you should be able to push them into fixing it after warranty if it continues.

besides, it's not your fault they couldn't figure it out.

will ask hubby about the hid stuff, seems strange.

as far as the rest of it... if there aren't any problems right now they won't replace anything anyway. just have em take a good look over the car top to bottom. if there's *anything* wrong they want to find it anyway

[/b]

i purchased my prius on dec '04 and decided not to purchase the extended warranty because of how much i drive. i'm currently at 70,000 miles and counting. luckily i documented a brake issue which they were able to fix after the warranty had expired. if i had to go back, i think i would've purchased the extended warranty just for the roadside assistance and ease of mind.

cbs4 · 10-31-2006, 08:02 PM

I dont' think I'll purchase an extended warranty. It will be over and done with by this time next year, and for what? How many thou$and$? And to deal with all the hoops they put you through on a claim? I'd rather self insure and keep that four figures in the bank earning interest for piece of mind.

She put 300K on a Honda CRX HF without an extended warranty. Believe it or not, smog laws took that CRX HF off the road! Then she put 350K on a Honda Civic, with no extended warranty. Finally that thing blew a head gasket, but no extended warranty would have covered it at 300K. She still drove it for another 50,000 miles with the blown head gasket. I just put more coolant in every morning, and off she went. Then I stuck her in an old Crown Victoria for a few months to cool her heels. "That'll teach ya", I said, as our gas cards practically melted from over use. (In reality, I was just waiting for Jan 1, 2006 to roll around for the tax credit). So, on January 3, she was surprised with Prius, and by this time next year, it will have over 75,000 miles.

So, for this week, I just need all the suggestions and help you can offer of what to document on the car's record ere the original factory warranty expires. Thanks!

galaxee · 10-31-2006, 08:15 PM

k. for the hid lights, they need to replace a bulb or a computer. if they can't witness it, they need to park it in the shop with the headlights on till the one goes out.

now. was your car part of the recent steering shaft recall? if it was done, find out if they did an alignment with it. if not, go back and get your free alignment.

no tsb's really stick out, nothing that you could really fake to have the fix done before the warranty expires. just go over the car thoroughly and find any little broken thing. is the center console cover coming apart? paint wearing on glovebox doors? stuff like that.

cbs4 · 11-01-2006, 02:29 PM

Thanks galaxee!

My vin did not fall within the range of vins posted that were subject to the steering shaft recall, and I didn't receive any notifications from Toyota, so I assume the steering is ok.

I'm not pleased about having them run the batteries down all day by leaving the lights on, since in order to keep the lights on they have to leave the entire car "on" right? Otherwise the lightes will automatically time out.

What incentive could we possibly have to make up such a story as one headlight goes out? We even have photographs of the Prius with one headlight out (the same headlight). I don't see why they can't take our word for it.

galaxee · 11-01-2006, 04:52 PM

it's not so much a matter of taking your word, but if they can't make it happen they can't figure out what's going on when it happens. in this case it's not THAT complex but in principle if they can't replicate it they can't fix it.

don't worry about the steering, was mainly pointing out that you could get a free alignment under that particular circumstance.

well, yeah your car will probably be down to a couple bars on the battery since they'll just leave it on till the problem happens. otherwise, by leaving the car off and the lights on it could run down your 12v battery and you don't want that.

good luck!

glenk · 11-02-2006, 02:16 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cbs4 @ Oct 31 2006, 04:54 PM) [snapback]341561[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Our 10 month old 2006 package #8 Prius will be out of warranty in two weeks.

Thanks in advance. You guys and gals blow me away with how much you know and find out about these Prii.
[/b]

Many of the members do their bit to add to the Prius history on PC. With the mileage you're tacking on each year, your experience will be extremely valuable as well.

I enjoy the car but the wealth of information and discussion on a particular car can't be matched as what I find on PC.

glenk

10-31-2006, 08:15 PM	#7
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: boilermaker territory Posts: 9,676 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 94 Times in 37 Posts Friends: 26	k. for the hid lights, they need to replace a bulb or a computer. if they can't witness it, they need to park it in the shop with the headlights on till the one goes out. now. was your car part of the recent steering shaft recall? if it was done, find out if they did an alignment with it. if not, go back and get your free alignment. no tsb's really stick out, nothing that you could really fake to have the fix done before the warranty expires. just go over the car thoroughly and find any little broken thing. is the center console cover coming apart? paint wearing on glovebox doors? stuff like that. __________________ black 2005 prius, a few mods that make me happy g: class of '09 in intense science DH: class of '09 in medical equipment hoping to discover the 'reward' part of the sacrifice-reward cycle soon!

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10-31-2006, 04:54 PM	#1
cbs4 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 100 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Our 10 month old 2006 package #8 Prius will be out of warranty in two weeks. I want to wrestle the car from wife's hands for a final visit to the dealer to get whatever generally goes wrong with these cars addressed before the warranty is up. So far, I've had to have the left side output seal to the Hybrid drive transaxle replaced due to obvious and messy leakage. (For a while there you'd think it was an old Ford.) Seems to not be leaking any more since the repair. One outstanding issue is the right side headlight (HID) just goes out. My wife comes up the drive, and I think it's one of those electric mopeds... but it's our car, with one headlight out. Wiring is all connected, no apparant chafing of any harnesess, and while the starter plate is installed backwards (thanks for pointing this out Hobbit), I had already added another split loom protector to cover that harness, which has nothing to do with the headlights anyway. Right now, the fix is simply to turn off the headlights, and turn them back on again. Poof, they both work again, everytime. Yet the next day, or a day or two later, for some inexplicable reason, the right headlight shuts down again. Cycling the switch always restores it. Naturally, on the two occassions where we brought the Prius into the dealer, "no problem was found" because both lights were working at that moment. Of course they ALWAYS work when you turn them on. It's only after they've been on a while that one shuts off. And now she tells me that one is dimmer than the other. I don't know how HIDs work, and I don't care. I just want her to have working headlights this winter, and I didn't pay over $30K for a car to not have something as simple as headllights staying on. So, in addition to that issue, is there anything else that I should look for to bring to the attention to the dealer for this final warranty visit? Thanks in advance. You guys and gals blow me away with how much you know and find out about these Prii.

10-31-2006, 05:08 PM	#2
eagle33199 Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 4,283 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 35 Thanked 70 Times in 40 Posts Friends: 3	Man, you must be driving that thing into the ground to be through the standard warranty so quickly (3 yrs, 36k miles). I don't think any issues have come up yet to "be aware of" or have the dealer look at, but then again, most '04 owners are right around their warranty expiration - very few have put on too many more miles out of the warranty! Given the amount you seem to drive, you may want to think about the extended warranty - its always paid off for me in the past!

10-31-2006, 06:25 PM	#3
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: boilermaker territory Posts: 9,676 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 94 Times in 37 Posts Friends: 26	since this problem was documented and not satisfactorily fixed during warranty, you should be able to push them into fixing it after warranty if it continues. besides, it's not your fault they couldn't figure it out. will ask hubby about the hid stuff, seems strange. as far as the rest of it... if there aren't any problems right now they won't replace anything anyway. just have em take a good look over the car top to bottom. if there's anything wrong they want to find it anyway

10-31-2006, 06:47 PM	#4
naterprius Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,831 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Log into techinfo.toyota.com. (Pay the $10). Read through all of the TSB's released and see if you have any of the issues, then report them to the dealer next week. Congrats on putting 36,000 miles on in a year. Nate

10-31-2006, 08:02 PM	#6
cbs4 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 100 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I dont' think I'll purchase an extended warranty. It will be over and done with by this time next year, and for what? How many thou$and$? And to deal with all the hoops they put you through on a claim? I'd rather self insure and keep that four figures in the bank earning interest for piece of mind. She put 300K on a Honda CRX HF without an extended warranty. Believe it or not, smog laws took that CRX HF off the road! Then she put 350K on a Honda Civic, with no extended warranty. Finally that thing blew a head gasket, but no extended warranty would have covered it at 300K. She still drove it for another 50,000 miles with the blown head gasket. I just put more coolant in every morning, and off she went. Then I stuck her in an old Crown Victoria for a few months to cool her heels. "That'll teach ya", I said, as our gas cards practically melted from over use. (In reality, I was just waiting for Jan 1, 2006 to roll around for the tax credit). So, on January 3, she was surprised with Prius, and by this time next year, it will have over 75,000 miles. So, for this week, I just need all the suggestions and help you can offer of what to document on the car's record ere the original factory warranty expires. Thanks!

11-01-2006, 02:29 PM	#8
cbs4 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 100 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Thanks galaxee! My vin did not fall within the range of vins posted that were subject to the steering shaft recall, and I didn't receive any notifications from Toyota, so I assume the steering is ok. I'm not pleased about having them run the batteries down all day by leaving the lights on, since in order to keep the lights on they have to leave the entire car "on" right? Otherwise the lightes will automatically time out. What incentive could we possibly have to make up such a story as one headlight goes out? We even have photographs of the Prius with one headlight out (the same headlight). I don't see why they can't take our word for it.

11-01-2006, 04:52 PM	#9
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: boilermaker territory Posts: 9,676 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 94 Times in 37 Posts Friends: 26	it's not so much a matter of taking your word, but if they can't make it happen they can't figure out what's going on when it happens. in this case it's not THAT complex but in principle if they can't replicate it they can't fix it. don't worry about the steering, was mainly pointing out that you could get a free alignment under that particular circumstance. well, yeah your car will probably be down to a couple bars on the battery since they'll just leave it on till the problem happens. otherwise, by leaving the car off and the lights on it could run down your 12v battery and you don't want that. good luck!