2023 Hybrid 12 volt ROB says it is being driven in B , it is not.

I have already had to have the 12 volt replaced, under warranty once (bought in sept of 2023, 1139 miles on car)

got the car back about a week ago and drove it to store and Battery Low popped up on dash, I immediately took it to purchasing dealer, who sold me one of the only 12 volts in the state. They ran a ROB on it and it showed that it was being driven in B mode, which of course it is NOT. Driving in B mode does not charge the 12 volt, which I think was why I needed a battery in the first place. I think there is something systemically wrong with this car and not enough people have bought this car to create a stir about it... What should Toyota do? buy the cars back?

How many of us Prius Hybrid owners are having this trouble.

I am scared to death to drive this car any distance,

 

ROB is the record of Behavior, it goes back to the inception of the car... it shows the car is being driven in B mode, which is impossible to do at 70 on the highway, When we got the car there they ran diagnostic that's what it came back as. This new battery has been in less than two weeks.
I do believe there is something draining the battery, waiting on engineers to weigh in, and we are not heavy drivers. Driving habits need to be discussed before buying if this is going to be an issue. We had a 2010 and I loved it, I think we have slow up on driving daily long distances... they need to tell people this is for long distance drivers.

 

B mode is braking, it rev's the engine up, i would normally be used coming down a mountain or hilly terrain. Not that I've tried to use B on the highway, just isn't what B is made for. The service manager said over and over it is usually operator error, which to me is a bit insulting , then you up the car in drive it is a straight pull down into D, you would have to with effort put it in B.

Boy that is a bit of a hassle , it is something that I certain don't want to do every day. I'd think this is a lemon law issue, I love the last 2010, but this is unacceptable

The mechanic at the dealership is where I got all information

We drove the car daily and not terribly short distances, did we drive hundreds of mile no. But occasionally we did. I do believe the week it would not start (and that was interesting, lights flashed, headlights alternated flashing, just strange!) we left it sitting because we drove the other car, just to keep the battery up on it. We were only driving Prius because it is fun!
No one just sit in car, matter of fact my husband doesn't like noise in the car, music, so a radio is never on.

I do too, I love the feel of driving this new Prius, it handles great, but at this point I am afraid to driving it to Memphis to visit my daughter I might be a permanent guest!

 

I have been to two dealerships, these cars were not readily available so I bought it at a distant (44 miles from me) which is where it now is. When it would not start over a month ago, It was taken to the nearest dealership, where I was told the battery was on backorder (probably because of this issue, these cars I've been told have to be sold before they will be shipped)
The dealership that had it over a month, with no date of return, since no one has these batteries, I called local and distant dealerships and found 5 batteries. I went to the dealership where I bought the car, in a matter of days, they had dwindled down to one battery. The dealership where the car was at over a month rented a car for me, after a week in the shop. They told me if I bought the battery, I would be responsible for the rental, since they could not tie this to the warranty claim. It took getting Southeast Toyota bosses involved, the deanship holding my car wanted to buy (after discussion with SE Toyota) at cost.. I transported this battery from the place I bought the car to them to install, and with in two weeks I got a message on dash saying battery low in blue. Then drove it 44 miles back to the purchasing dealership where they ran ROB's on it and determined I drove in the Brake mode (B on the stick) which I don't think anyone with a brain would do.

** Edit: This car was ordered by someone else, and when it finally got there he'd gone elsewhere and bought, that was why I was able to get this particular car.

 

I don't know since the car is again in the shop! but that sounds logical. I financed the car, only because they offered incentives. I paid the car off, but makes sense... I will call them and ask if they install them or pre installed on cars, especially since people usually finance

Since car is at dealer and this was a great thought, I called the LoJack people, gave Vin # and they show no record of vehicle.. so probably not the cause of drain... sadly

 

** keys are always taken inside the house , we have a garage and usually the keys are on our bodies and we hang them buy the back door. You don't want to be sloppy with these keys they are expensive to replace! But good thought, thanks

 

** the Service manager said he didn't know what those codes actually meant, (about the car being driven in B mode, perhaps he was wrong, since I don't put it in B, since not going down many hills) although he was a master mechanic before becoming the manager. I suspect sadly this might not be the car for me, as we are not many miles a week drivers like we were in the 2010, plus there are many great improvements in this 2023 in the features. We have a Lexus that gets 30 miles on the highway, I suspect even the hybrid Lexus would be the same issues. You know during the sales portion of it all, they should tell you these things, or inquire about your driving habits. Not everyone goes a long way daily, especially retired people, but I guess being retired might allow you to drive more, so could be just didn't know to ask... can't blame them I wanted the car