Main Battery

While taking my 2004 in for a warranty issue, all the bells and whistles went off. Bottom line: Toyota tells me my main battery is bad. They wanted $3999.99 to replace. My car had 103,204 miles on it. Do you think Toyota would give me a break by being just 3,000 miles over warranty? Not a chance and I went from the dealer in Northern Virginia all the way to corporate HQ. This was my third Toyota but it didn't matter. I was told that since I did my own oil changes, I wasn't considered a loyal customer.

I searched and searched for options and found a company in CA that remanufactures Prius batteries and then warranties them for 18 mths. Toyota only gives you 12mths. on their replacement. I also saved almost $1500 on the battery. The company is called Greentec Auto in Rancho Cordova, CA. I used a very good mechanic in Chantilly, VA. who installed the new battery in about two hours. His name is Sean Hackney 571 241 9818. He works for Hometown Auto Care Chantilly, VA. I highly recommend his work.

 

I did consider the NC shop but it was a weekend and I needed to "get the ball rolling" Greentec in CA answered my weeekend call and the battery was a little cheaper. ($1385 plus refundable core charge.) Hometown Auto said it was a nice battery, first they received from Greentec and it was easy to install.

 

Yes I called corporate and didn't like the response which was basically "You are out of warranty and there isn't anything we are going to do." I then asked for his boss who called me back within 24 hrs. He said the same thing. My service record didn't show I brought in the car for oil changes etc. and if he gave me a break it wouldn't be fair to those who purchased an extended warranty. At the end he offerred to send me a letter giving me $1500 off of a new Toyota. He said I would receive this letter in one or two days. It is now almost four weeks and I haven't received anything from Toyota. GM sends me literature often offerring me $3000 off a new car because I have a GM credit card.

 

This is not an advertisement. I called around and this shop is the only one who would install for me. The other places, MR. Goodyear, Merchants, Precision Tune etc. said I had to go to the dealer. I still have the same 9yr. 12 volt battery in my 2004 Prius. Not sure why the main traction battery went bad after 103,000 miles. I even argued politely with Toyota that if my car was in CA or NY it would be warranted for 150,000 miles. Still they didn't offer any help on the cost of main battery replacement.

 

This is the only shop that would replace the battery for me. I spent hours calling other shops, Goodyear, Merchants, Precision Tune etc. This shop handled me. They received the battery and had it installed within two hours. They even sent the old core back to CA for me so I could get my core charge back from Greentec.

 

Thanks, I am going to drive the heck out of it because the warranty is good for 18 mths. Still this warranty is better than Toyota offered -12 mths. on their Panasonic battery replacement. BTW, Toyota owns Panasonic!!

 

Not an advertisement. Believe me. They are the only shop that didn't tell me the dealer is the only one who could replace. I did tell Sean, that I would say some kind words for him on this site. I found out about Greentec from this site so the site is excellent as a resource. I provided Sean's cell phone number which is why the web site phone is different. I was recommended Sean by another Toyota owner. He was extremely accommodating and my car has been running great now for almost four weeks. Hometown also send back my old battery so I could get back most of my core charge. (Fed EX was $140 to send back).

 

Oh, I forgot to also mention that Greentec just opened another shop in MO. My battery was shipped from that location to save them on shipping. Not sure why I had to send my old core back to CA. I agree the website is weak and I was nervous but the mechanic said the battery is compact and was easy to install. Four weeks later and no problems yet. Gas mileage is back in the high 40s.