2001 Prius. Concerned about battery?

[Ultimate9]

Hi! I have a 2001 Prius with 94,000 miles on it.

A friend told me that the batteries tend to have a lifespan of about 9 - 10 years.

So, I can expect that next year or so, this battery will die on me?

What do you nice people recommend?

How much is a replacement battery?

After getting the battery replaced, it's still an old car; so is there anything I will need to worry about?

I am considering selling this car BEFORE the battery dies and buying a new car. What do you think about that idea? Where/ how do you think I should sell it? What would I get for it? Can I do an exchange at the Toyota dealer?

Thank you so much for all of your advice!

[Rhino]

Get a quote from CarMax. The specialize in this sort of thing.

You can't decide whether to sell without knowing about the trade in price.

This is just me talking. This is a high tech car and the technology is evolving rapidly. Meaning that each generation will get better making the old cars obsolete. Like a personal computer. If Toyota comes out with a plug in Prius that gets 80 mpg, your car may be worth a whole lot less. If Toyota comes out with a 100 mpg Prius, all the current cars would get a drop in value. Your job is to figure out how fast technology if progressing and how much your money/time is worth.

Only you can answer the question. Have you been taking care of it. Have you changed transaxel fluid? Have you changed coolant? Last brake job. Do you need new tires. At 94K, you need to put in some money besides the battery to keep the car going. Are you willing? You need to start doing all these things if you have not been doing them.

I plan to trade in my car at 100K for some of these reasons. Although I plan to maintain it well, in case the economy goes south and I have to keep it 150K.

[tochatihu]

Hi new poster. There is not a predictable time for HV battery failure. Unless you want to spend money to get the battery tested (by Toyota), It is not simple to assess the battery's state of health.

If you are inclined to sell, a battery test might actually be a negotiating tool.

Personally I would be in no hurry to unload the car, but you may get some different opinions here also.

[Ultimate9]

Thanks for the advice.
Most of my friends are telling me "Just get a new battery and keep the car!"
What's the deal with replacement batteries? How much are they + installation? Which kind should I get? Is there any way to score one for cheap?

I really appreciate the advice!


And Rhino, no I haven't changed transaxel fluid or coolant. Haven't had a brake job, and my tires are about 2 years old.

I understand that I should have a transmission check every 60,000 miles (change fluid and lubricant), and I'm also due to change coolant.

What is transaxel fluid? Is that the same as the transmission fluid?

For the transmission and coolant, where do you recommend taking the car for a good deal? Do I have to go to the Toyota dealer? What would be a reasonable price for those?

How often do you need a brake job, and where should you go for that?

Thanks again for all your help!

[SageBrush]

OP, are you thinking of replacing the traction battery as preventive maintenance ? That seems inadvisable, and something I have never heard of any informed person doing.

12V -- yes.

[tumbleweed]

I agree with Sagebrush, no point replacing the traction battery unless it is bad. The 12V battery should be replaced every 5-7 years, I will do mine every 5 just to be sure. Transaxel, transmission, PSD are all the same thing. It uses a special Toyota ATF that you will need to get from a dealer. There are two coolant systems, one for the engine the other for the inverters. You need to change both of those and the transaxel fluid fairly soon if you are going to keep the car.

Go to a couple of Toyota dealers and a good competent independent shop familiar with the Prius if you can fine one, get extimates for the work. Prices will vary.

When you have it in for the other work have them pull the wheels off and check the brakes, they can tell if you need to replace pads (or pads and rotors) on the front and shoes on the rear. Depending on how it's been driven they may still have some life left in them.

The other option is to sell it and buy a newer one, a good Gen2 or a new Gen3.

[tochatihu]

Transaxle fluid replacement is DIY-easy. Coolant loops require bleeding which is not the easiest thing. I found both of them fiddly, even though the general view is that only the electricals loop is difficult.

Brake, steering and suspension inspection would certainly be reasonable. Road salt in Virginia is not the friend of those systems.

Battery prices (new and used) are often discussed here at PriusChat - have you searched? PC searching skills will certainly help you to get the most out of this car.

I still think you're not in that market unless a battery te$t indicates trouble, or unless the car gives you The Big Warning.