Desperate! Transmission problem?

That's an amazing deal! I hope when my battery fails I can find such a good deal. I would almost be willing to travel to Cincinnati

 

Did you have to turn in the old one?

 

i like the spare battery idea. maybe invest in a conditioner when you can afford to.

 

Glad it worked out for you and not very expensive as it could have been. Salvage yards can be a place of great deals for sure.

 

First of all, it's not a transmission problem, because there really isn't one. There's nothing to slip, because there aren't any clutches either. Where the problem lies I suspect, may be in the electric motor windings. Smell your oil; if it smells burned, then there's no good news for you, I'm afraid.

 

LOL! Although true.

In this same light, I do still suggest at least checking the 12v currently. It sounds like you don't mind some risk of being stranded so replacement isn't necessary. But it is a good idea to know what you have. For me, I know I have a dead 12v. It reads closer to 9.9v now after sitting for a while. Just above the minimum coil activation voltage of the HV relays. But, that's all I need. It is almost 10 years old and still ticking. Last night I turned on the Prius after sitting idle for 2 weeks, the last 3 days in weather down to -25C soaking in the cold. It booted right up. Engine immediately kicked on and it sounded like horror screams coming from the vents because the HVAC fans turned on and it was too cold for them to rotate properly. Ironically I had to use it to go jump a friend's Jeep where the battery froze solid. Prius to the rescue!

 

Possible solution: 9"D" cells in a cardboard tube, to be used to jump the 12V aux battery when it goes dead and renders the Prius dead-in-the-water, with over a kilowatt of electrical power on-board.

 

Oh, I'm just kidding.- I realize that the reason check the 12 Volt Battery is so often recommended is that it is so often a good idea.

My vehicle is less than 2 years old. But I plan to be very attentive to the condition of my 12 volt as it ages. Read too many posts about the "problems" that can manifest if the battery becomes too weak.