My Prius needs a battery, Toyota denies warranty due to EV button

FL_Prius_Driver

The episode just does not make sense. It is senseless to generate a policy, then retract, then leave everyone in the dark. The ill will ripple effect seen on PC is solid evidence. It's bad business and Toyota is not that prone to bad business (but not immune either). Usually where most look for conspiracy, I look for incompetence.

THEN IT HIT ME.

The word has probably been issued to not provide any warranty repairs to a Plug-In modified Prius. But how does one instruct the service departments what to look for? Well; a) lot of batteries in the back, b ) EV mod, and c) CanView or similar. I bet that someone jumped the gun and stopped the warranty work based on the EV mod alone. It was only with constant pressure from the OP that the premature reaction was identified and corrected. This probably took some days to figure out this was not a Plug In modification and then "recalibrate" the person who jumped the gun or gave the instructions for what to look for.

Certainly an opinion on my part, but this would make a lot more sense then declaring the warranty invalid because of a Toyota installed capability.

Now whether Plug In Modifications should invalidate the warranty, I will leave to another thread.

Bear68

Well Folks... Here comes my two cents worth.... I have been told, from a Senior Official at SET (SouthEast Toyota) (I will not reveal the identity) "EV button modification voids warranty" The best explanation offered was due to the emmissions increase. This was a NONOFFICIAL communication brought about by my asking for an opinion of the EV modification.

As a sidenote.... One of the most annoying issues I encounter as a Toyoa Tech is when a customer says they have an issue which I then trace back to their aftermarket installed alarm, stereo equipment, trailer hitch etc. especially when it occurs on a vehicle still under warranty and I spend an hour or more working to find the problem. Toyota does NOT pay me for the time spent if the problem is not warrantable. Few customers will crack open their wallets when told that their Viper alarm from Circuit City is causing their door locks not to function properly. They usually get angry and storm off to Circuit City, or whereever, to vent their fury on the next unfortunate soul.

I don't have a good answer for this situation. I only know that I work very hard to earn my paycheck, kust like everybody else out there. If someone modifys their car and then wants me to fix it....

__________________
Toyota Certified Master Diagnostic Tech, Prius Certified
"The only foolish question is the one left unasked."

powphilprius

So, my question is, can I go buy the dash plastic piece to cover anew the hole I made with my ev switch? I rarely use mine but what's wrong with using it with a green battery in a parking lot, or re-parking, or moving to the next red light? None I tell you, NONE!

diamondlarry

According to the video(Thunder) that describes the Coastal EV switch, if the pin is not shoved into the connector block far enough the switch won't work. If someone had the Coastal switch and wanted to disable it, would simply pulling out that pin be all that is needed to disable the EV switch? Would this be enough to keep the energy screen from popping up if the CC stalk was pulled? Would you have to disconnect the other couple of wires as well?

FL_Prius_Driver

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Aug 3 2007, 10:32 PM) [snapback]490302[/snapback]</div>Thanks greatly for some real effort to find out details. Is the 'nonofficial' due to a (vallid) privacy desire or due to there being nothing written down anywhere about EV mods invalidating a warranty?

Also thanks for the inside view of many modifications. The good technicians often get way too little recognition at the expense of all the "front office faces" that most drivers see. When a very difficult repair is made, all I see is "Technician #16" on the form. I would rather thank someone with a name in person, not provide a "rating" over a phone. Some of the rare and intermittent problems that crop up can only be solved by the really good.....and yet the person I must deal with was not the solver.

burns_fisher

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rxmxsh @ Jul 20 2007, 03:18 AM) [snapback]482103[/snapback]</div>I assume you mean the Coastaletech mod? Speaking of their stuff, I have and love one of their hitches on my 02 Prius, but the 07 Prius manual explicitly recommends against a hitch even to use for stuff like bike racks. I don't get that at all. SURELY it is better to have a nice solid thing like that bolted to a place that is supposed to hold the entire weight of the car pitching around on a ship than it is to strap a bike rack to the back with nylon straps or something on the roof with little hooks!

__________________
Burns
2007 Super White
2002 Green

galaxee

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Aug 3 2007, 10:32 PM) [snapback]490302[/snapback]</div>the set regional tech told DH he thought it fell in a gray area... since all you're really doing is accessing a program that already exists in the car.

i don't know if we're gonna find a unified official position on the issue... except nate's evidence

ahhhh, someone else who understands how screwed over techs get in certain situations. car owners and even folks here don't always get how things work in the shop, and have more than once attempted to rip me a new one for what they don't know. part of our slow return to answering tech questions is that DH has a lot going on, and part is that he's reluctant to deal with that kind of crap for a while yet.

__________________
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!

darelldd

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Jul 28 2007, 02:24 PM) [snapback]486794[/snapback]</div>Yup, sucks. We human mortals made corporations, and now we have little control over them. It sucks, and would be very difficult to fight, I freely admit. Still doesn't make what they're doing any more legal. A nit, but I must pick.

Bear68

My information on Toyota's stance on the EV mod is from a source who asked for anonymity. So far as I know, there is no official WRITTEN policy on the EV mod. However, if an HV battery fails, the tech is questioned as to whether there appears to have been any form of modifications. I have this ONLY from my own personal experiance. I have replaced 4 HV batteries under warranty, one Highlander, one first gen Prius and two newer model Prius. I also have an HV ordered for another first gen Prius. (2001-2003)

My personal opinion is that the vehicle was designed by Toyota to operate in one manner. Changing that design is of course something that is the new owner's choice. But, just as someone might lift and modify a four wheel drive truck, I do not feel it is proper to expect Toyota to guarantee the proper operation of a vehicle that is no longer conforming to it's original design. If a customer installs a high powered aftermarket stereo and blows out the factory speakers, is that Toyota's fault? Should they be held responsible for what can technically be called abuse?

For those that say that the EV mod is a Toyota product and is available in other countries, I say this. The ECUs programs are designed to operate as the vehilce is designed from the factory for the country in which it is sold. If you buy a Prius in Itlay and it has an EV button, then it was designed to operate with that button. If you buy a Prius in West Palm Beach and it does NOT have an EV button, then it was not designed to have one.

Please bear in mind that ALL of the above remarks are MY OWN OPINION ONLY! I am merely a Tech, certainly not an engineer or designer. Nor am I a Toyota representative. I am simply a man trying to earn a good living and be the best Tech I can be and do the best work I can do.

I will always do my best to help anyone with problems or advice on their Toyotas, simply because I like my job and I like the swelled head felling I get from helping solve problems! :P

P.S. For any who are wondering, those little blank covers that fit in the rectangular openings in your dash are easily available from Toyota for only a couple of dollars. Or, if you know a Tech, some of the packrats like me have probably saved some from other cars from installation of security indicators or other Toyota accessories.

Topgas

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ Jul 20 2007, 06:32 AM) [snapback]482137[/snapback]</div> Just on note on your fuel economy. We didn't get good fuel mileage for the first 2-3K miles. Bring your tire psi up to 40-42 psi and that will help too. Now we can't get below 40 mpg winter and 46 summer. We average 44 winter and summer 52-55 mpg.