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Brake actuator failure 2006 Prius, 150k miles. Time to throw in the towel?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by ANfry, Nov 2, 2022.

  1. ANfry

    ANfry Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
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    N/A
    Hello-

    I need some advice.

    Right now I have a failure of the ABS pump/actuator assembly. I have been getting crazy high quotes- $3,400 was one eye-popper. The cheapest quote I got was $2,200 for everything.
    I have been reading on here about my options, and nothing is very reassuring. Used parts seem risky, and a couple places I spoke with would not install used parts. I have literally zero mechanic skills and almost no free-time so installing myself is not really an option.

    I have a 2006 Prius bought certified in 2015 from a dealer, hybrid battery was replaced under good-will warranty in 2016. Mileage is currently close to 150k. Ugly cosmetic damage on the drivers side rear panel as well.

    I am really on the fence about what to do. I don't know what value the car even has with a failed actuator and the cosmetic issues.

    Any advice on what I should so? Sell/trade-in as is? Repair? Drive it with a bad actuator?


    Thanks,
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    What’s your financial situation? Cars are expensive and hard to come by.
    Are you burning any oil?
    gen2 should last a long time, but there will be repairs
     
  3. ANfry

    ANfry Junior Member

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    N/A
    It's been burning some oil, around the middle of this summer I had to start checking the level and topping off.

    Financially I'm in a weird spot. We are living on one income while my spouse is finishing up law school, so the repair would be a stretch. In 8-12 months we will obviously be in a completely different spot financially with two incomes.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Maybe you can find a small car with a low monthly lease
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Nashville Tenn??
     
    ANfry likes this.
  6. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    With it having a relatively young hybrid battery, $2200 to give you a couple of years while you wait for your wife to get a new job and get settled in makes sense to me. Any other option, buying new, buying used, leasing, etc., would cost thousands. Then you can make a comfortable decision and your Prius will have some trade in value.
     
  7. ANfry

    ANfry Junior Member

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    Yep, Nashville TN.
     
  8. highmilesgarage

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    sell it, a cheap brake actuator doesn't guarantee that there are no other issues. I doubt if that $2k is enough to fix everything, if you're DIY you can take the risk of using used parts but if you're in the mercy of a shop/dealership and mechanics you're not familiar with then better dump the car.
     
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  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I'm a DIY so nothing ever gets sold It might go over to the corner of my property and be used for part stripping and then sold off for the carcass the weight of the steel whatever but not sold as a whole vehicle to drive or whatever I'll be driving it if that's the case. I'll find the parts whether they're imported from Japan of low mileage cars brand new old stock whatever.