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Pusling sensation at highway speeds

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by BBug, Jun 25, 2020.

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  1. BBug

    BBug New Member

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    I test drove a 2008 Prius (84,000 miles) earlier today from a private seller. Everything seemed pretty good expect at highway speeds (70 mph) there was a pulsing sensation I could feel from the pedal/floor. It was not shaking or jerking. It was a slow steady pulsing everyone few seconds. I didn't notice a major increase/decrease in speed.

    I asked a few friends that have had Prius' in that past and none of them had experienced anything similar. Nor have I when driving their cars. I am trying to determine if this is a major issue or something I can afford to repair if I do buy the vehicle. I don't know a lot of the specs of the car but I can try to answer questions.

    Thanks for any help.
     
    #1 BBug, Jun 25, 2020
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    1. you should check carfax to verify the mileage of the car.

    2. What do you mean "pulsing". What is pulsing? gas pedal? brake?
     
    #2 JC91006, Jun 26, 2020
  3. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Are you aware of the hybrid battery issues G2's suffer from?
     
    #3 edthefox5, Jun 26, 2020
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you're buying a 12 year old car that could need anything at any time, with very few mechanics who understand it and dealerships with yacht payments to make.

    welcome to priuschat!
     
    #4 bisco, Jun 26, 2020
    edthefox5 likes this.
  5. BBug

    BBug New Member

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    I could feel it in the gas and my friend said he could feel it in the floor on th e passenger side. Back to front not side to side. Like a slight unsteady reving that wasn't enough to actually change the speed maybe?
     
    #5 BBug, Jun 26, 2020
  6. BBug

    BBug New Member

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    No idea. Would it cause anything similar to this?
     
    #6 BBug, Jun 26, 2020
  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Only thing I can think of is the tires on the car not being flat. If the shocks are bad and the tires are wearing with bumps, it may give you a sensation of a revving noise. This can also happen if you have bad wheel bearings.

    So if you haven't had the car checked out yet, it's a good time to change all the fluids and get all the suspension bits checked
     
    #7 JC91006, Jun 26, 2020
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Most used G2 buyers are not aware of the hybrid battery issue. The only thing they know is they have heard it gets great mileage. The issue is there all end of life and failing including mine. Its the #1 post on this G2 site. The big battery is Expensive to replace and expensive and stop gap at best to rebuild.

    Its the #1 reason people sell there used G2's. They are fantastic little cars until they get old and start having expensive issues just like us humans. Unless your a good mechanic with lots of tools and smarts and have alot of electronics knowledge you will be stuck taking it to the dealer for every little thing. My dealer charges $150 an hour. Whats you local dealer charge an hour?
    Its difficult to get a mechanic to work on it there all scared of it.

    many posters on this site are stopped dead in there tracks over a bad 12 volt battery much less anything else in this complicated little car. Like this one here lol:

    Jumps to life, but dies completely after use | PriusChat

    Any G2 with 150,000 plus miles on it is a suspect for a new hybrid battery. Any G2 with very low mileage is guaranteed to need a new hybrid battery.

    Without a healthy hybrid battery the car is a 3000 lb paper weight.
     
    #8 edthefox5, Jun 28, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2020
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