Classic Prius Repairs

[Patrick Wong]

Classic Prius owners only:

I'm interested in seeing how reliable your Classic (2001 - 2003 model years) has been. The poll will allow you to vote for multiple choices, so if you have had more than one listed failure, please vote for each one.

If your Classic hasn't had any failures, please also vote. For purposes of this poll, let's not count an SSC (aka recall) as a failure. The traction battery reseal is an example of an SSC.

I recently sold my 2001 at 75K miles. Here is my list of major repairs (all covered under warranty except the struts/shocks and the circuit opening relay):

1/2001: Production date
3/2001: Car first sold
12/2003, 15K miles: power steering gear replaced
9/2006, 59K miles: engine ECU (aka ECM) and circuit opening relay replaced due to DTC P3191 "engine does not start"
11/2006, 61K miles: traction battery replaced due to DTC P3006 "battery SOC uneven"
8/2007, 68K miles: replaced front struts/rear shocks
2/2008, 75K miles: sold car

Thanks!

[tochatihu]

My 'other repair' was right rear wheel bearing (assembly), under warranty. The ECU and steering (listed) were under warranty.

Routine maint - I bought engine oil, other fluids, filters, tires, wiper blades and 12 volt battery (twice, unfortunately). That was a 2001 up to 109k miles, last July.

I don't know the current odometer on the vehicle, but it's probably running <10k miles /yr. If any problems develop, I'm sure to get an email asking for advice

Oh, the 90987-02006 headlight relay needed replacing $30, but I'd rather not say why.

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by tochatihu

...Oh, the 90987-02006 headlight relay needed replacing $30, but I'd rather not say why.

Hi Doug,

Thanks for checking in...my guess is that you were flashing your lights too frequently at the young ladies passing by?

[ea8631]

Currently have 171500 Miles (276000km).
It currenly on its 3rd set of summer tire and 2nd set of winter tire.
Other major parts had been replace are:

• 12V battery,
• traction battery (@151000mi / 243000km),
• a inverter/converter unit (replaced with a used one since the new one is so expnsive),
• engine ecu has been changed to an updated one (change it because the dealer think the engine ecu is dead, but the truth is the inverter unit dead.)
• currently the steering rack act funny and it need to be replace (just receive the new rack, now just need to find time to put it on my prius).

[mingoglia]

Originally Posted by ea8631

Currently have 171500 Miles (276000km).
It currenly on its 3rd set of summer tire and 2nd set of winter tire.
Other major parts had been replace are:

• 12V battery,
• traction battery (@151000mi / 243000km),
• a inverter/converter unit (replaced with a used one since the new one is so expnsive),
• engine ecu has been changed to an updated one (change it because the dealer think the engine ecu is dead, but the truth is the inverter unit dead.)
• currently the steering rack act funny and it need to be replace (just receive the new rack, now just need to find time to put it on my prius).

Wait a minute, you've had a traction battery replaced out of your own pocket? I haven't actually heard of someone replacing this outside of warranty? What did it run ya?

[Patrick Wong]

Thanks for your reply.

With 38K PriusChat members, my hope is that we'll receive many more replies to the poll so that we can assess the relative reliability of the various Classic subsystems. Then, when a newbie is thinking about buying a Classic and asks how reliable it is, we'll have data to share, not just opinions.

[hobbit]

There was Jesse, who recently lost his Classic to some hothead
kid who whipped a left in front of him... just shy of 350,000
miles, original engine/transaxle/battery. He had been through
a number of other parts over time, though, such as wheel
bearings. I encouraged him to post a complete list but if
you wander the thread there might be more details from him.
.
_H*

[ea8631]

Originally Posted by mingoglia

Wait a minute, you've had a traction battery replaced out of your own pocket? I haven't actually heard of someone replacing this outside of warranty? What did it run ya?

Yeah, it happen in last year feb. The traction battery need to be replaced due to several cells have problem. Try to get Toyota Canada involved in this but they said my prius was way out of warrenties so they can't help me at all. The traction battery was replaced @151000mi / 243000km. I end up getting a huge discount on labour from my dealer but still the bill is almost CAD$4000 (just the battery it self is already CAD$3500!!! I don't know why that battery in Canada was that expensive because even a new one from US is CAD$ 1500 cheaper.). I was try to located a used battery at that time (that's what my dealer suggest me) but I just can't found one in Canada. There are several in US but all of them didn't willing to ship across the border (even the new one from US dealership). After consider the condition of my prius (it still look pretty new, the pics speak for itself), and the cost of the battery is actually cheaper than buying a new vehicle. So I just go ahead and order a new battery and put it on.

[mingoglia]

Originally Posted by ea8631

Yeah, it happen in last year feb. The traction battery need to be replaced due to several cells have problem. Try to get Toyota Canada involved in this but they said my prius was way out of warrenties so they can't help me at all. The traction battery was replaced @151000mi / 243000km. I end up getting a huge discount on labour from my dealer but still the bill is almost CAD$4000 (just the battery it self is already CAD$3500!!! I don't know why that battery in Canada was that expensive because even a new one from US is CAD$ 1500 cheaper.). I was try to located a used battery at that time (that's what my dealer suggest me) but I just can't found one in Canada. There are several in US but all of them didn't willing to ship across the border (even the new one from US dealership). After consider the condition of my prius (it still look pretty new, the pics speak for itself), and the cost of the battery is actually cheaper than buying a new vehicle. So I just go ahead and order a new battery and put it on.

Wow, that's a big expense. Too bad you couldn't find it used. BTW, that's a nice looking vehicle you have there.

[ea8631]

Originally Posted by mingoglia

Wow, that's a big expense. Too bad you couldn't find it used. BTW, that's a nice looking vehicle you have there.

Thanks...there are other reason I that I rather not selling my prius because there aren't any new car that attract me (include the new prius), and it is hard to find a good condition classic prius with gps these days (I don't want to go thru the retrofit gps system again since the pics will speak for itself):