Prius reliablity

There is a new website for this type of information but I don't think the 2004-2005 models are well represented.

I'm at 99,000miles on my 2005 and to date it has never been to the dealership for anything but the initial oil change type services and the only repair has been a burned out tail light bulb. I do not baby my car either. I've been on more dirt roads than my 4x4 truck ever has.

 

i only have 18k on a 2008 ... no issues

i certainly do not baby my car in any respect, and like F8L, it has been in multiple severe duty environments

 

Am unsure what site F8L is referring to, truedelta.com is a good site,
here is a direct link to the prius page, I've posted there.
Toyota Prius Problems and Repair Histories -- car problems and repairs reported by car owners participating in TrueDelta's Car Reliability Survey




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I was thinking of Truedelta but I always get messages saying that not enough cars of my year are represented so the data may not be used or something to that effect. Guess I should actually look at the site and not my reporting emails only. lol

 

Battery reliability on second generation forward has an excellent reputation. Are you thinking about a 1st generation?

Super reliable for the first 5-7 years and then some issues creep up...is good, and typical of almost any vehicle.

Objectively, The Prius is a machine. So to expect never ending perfection and perfect mechanical reliability once you near a decade or more of operation is something nobody should expect from any machine.

In my research, I've come to the conclusion that comparetivly The Prius is a great car in relationship to reliability. When you hear stories of breakdown or battery failure in my opinion it usually isn't anything more than you would probably experience with almost any car.

Being a different machine, you have different problems, so instead of a transmission rebuild or replacement at 10-15 years old, you get a battery replacement.

In anycase the reputation of the second generation, over the course of a decade is unfolding to be very, very good. As these second generation Prius start to be kept running into double digit years of ownership I'm sure more problems will arise, but that's the nature of all machines and maintenance. So far I haven't heard anything but isolated cases that would suggest The Prius is anything but more reliable than the average.

Yes, in general you are more focused on having to have your Prius maintained at the dealership. Options may widen as more and more are put on the road. You can look at having maintenance done at a dealership as a drawback or a plus. While the initial cost might be higher, hopefully you are dealing with mechanics and technicians more familiar with your automobile.

In the non-hybrid world, I've had most of my maintenance done at the dealership and while I might initially pay a little more for the work, I've also been happy with the results. Friends of mine, search around and find independent mechanics or shops that might do the job for what appears to be a cheaper amount, but in a years time or less they are usually complaining about how the job wasn't done right or they are now having the same problem again...so my experience is if you are happy with your dealership, it can be a plus.

 

HYBRIDS DONT AGE VERY WELL?!? You're getting your facts mixed up completely - most people would agree with the opposite of what you're saying.

The electronics of the car make it more RELIABLE over time. One can expect fewer repairs than average because the electronic systems experience less physical wear and tear. An example is the breaking system. I don't know anyone who has had their Prius breaking discs replaced.

Furthermore, the Prius Gen II hasn't even been out for over 7 years, so how would you know it's unreliable? Lol....

 

I would do it over again in a heartbeat! I love my music and after spending most of my 20s working at a car audio store I cannot handle the stock sound system in nearly any car. I was ok with the Prius for awhile but I had to have some bass and then after a year of that I just replaced the whole thing. I didn't care about the steering wheel controls as they are limited in function anyway. They do not work when when trying to use iPod of USB flash drives and such but if all you care about is volume and changing radio stations or CD tracks then you can buy an adapter that will work with most stereos but it'll cost you around $70 or so.

My stereo is on the expensive side and had I not worked at a stereo shop, IE got a discount, I would not have went so high end. One amplifier alone is worth $2000 retail. The midranges used to run $1500. Too bad HyoSilver didn't get to listen to it with my quality recording when he was visiting.

 

Unlike the Honda Fit or other non-hybrid cars, their first gen cars are based on pretty known technology. The first gen Prius was a very reliable car but does have its battery and HV problems at the 8+ year mark. That car taught Toyota a huge amount about batteries and HV electronics. Its very unlikely that the second gen cars will have those problems even as they reach 8+ years. The second gen battery system is VERY RELIABLE.

Toyota refined the system further for the third gen but was still very conservative on the HSD, not pushing it much farther then the second. In many cases things are simplified on the third gen such as no bladder, no accessory belt and no thermos. I don't see how you could go wrong with the third gen or a well treated second gen.

 

It sounds like you're thinking of the emails towards the end of the quarter for people who haven't yet responded to the survey. They tend to note that "many models are just short of the minimium," without specifying the models.

This is always true, but the 2005 Prius is not one of those models--we have 61 responses so far in the latest round. That said, every response still helps--100+ responses would be better than 61. If you have no repair to report, responding often takes less than a minute, for some people much less.

 

Ahh ok. Thanks for the clarification. I do respond when I see the emails even though I never have repairs.