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05 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Gnarly, Dec 31, 2016.

  1. Gnarly

    Gnarly Member

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    Hi all,

    There's a Prius I wanna buy but one of the pics has a red triangle on the display above the dash.
    I've asked the seller but he's not answered any my questions. It also has a plate that starts with a 7. That tells me it's either from another state or a dealer bought and registered it with the DMV. Furthermore, that tells me this driver with a Prius at 160k miles is not the original owner.
    Yay or nay?

    Thanks,
    Gnar


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #1 Gnarly, Dec 31, 2016
  2. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    The red triangle with an exclamation point inside of it probably indicates there's a serious issue with it.
    I say probably because Toyota is overly cautious about some issues like HID headlight leveling which
    doesn't affect the driveability of the vehicle whatsoever.

    If you can't determine why the red triangle is there, don't buy it.
     
    #2 jadziasman, Dec 31, 2016
    CNYhybrid and Gnarly like this.
  3. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    I would steer clear of this car because that lighted triangle could mean serious problems with the power train. It's a WARNING !!! Probably a good thing to heed. If the buyer is not willing to disclose anything... Well, he's hiding something.
     
    #3 BZzap!, Dec 31, 2016
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you're looking for a cheap, old, high mileage prius, be prepared to do some hi tech work, or pay the dealer.
     
    #4 bisco, Dec 31, 2016
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  5. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    If you are considering buying used Prius that are not working you should invest in a scanner that allows you to read any error codes as well as view Hybrid battery voltage readings.

    This will give you some quick insight into the health of the vehicle.
     
    #5 ericbecky, Dec 31, 2016
  6. Gnarly

    Gnarly Member

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    Okie all,
    My wife's coworker is selling her '05 Prius. It was her mom's who passed over a year ago. Therefore, the car has not been driven in a long time. It is not running, but the coworker said it just needs a battery charge. Has anyone heard of this, or is it a sign the 12 volt battery / HV battery is bad?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #6 Gnarly, Dec 31, 2016
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yeah, the hybrid battery can lose all it's charge after a long period of time. a charger is $400. or you can ask a dealer how much. the question is, how much life is left in a 12 year old battery that has been fully discharged?

    otoh, yes, it could just be the 12v.
     
    #7 bisco, Dec 31, 2016
  8. Gnarly

    Gnarly Member

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    The owner said that it's the battery that takes 3 days to charge?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #8 Gnarly, Dec 31, 2016
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't know how long it takes, or where they are getting their info, but that's definitely not the 12v. and you need a special charger for the hybrid battery.

    but how does the owner know?
     
    #9 bisco, Dec 31, 2016
  10. Gnarly

    Gnarly Member

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    #10 Gnarly, Dec 31, 2016
    bisco likes this.
  11. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    You can ask the dealer if they can charge it and how much it costs.

    Still, given that is a battery that has sat a a while you may want to invest in tools. For instance a scanner, like I mentioned above, plus a charge/discharge system.
    A battery that had sat for so long could likely use some conditioning.

    You could always build your own charger using a dc power supply that has the right specs. (voltage and amperage.)

    Or charge the hybrid battery from another functional hybrid.

    Sounds like you are on a mission to buy a non-running Prius and fix it up. Having the right tools will be worth the investment. Consider it as part of the cost of the car.

    Feel free to call me if you want to discuss ideas.
     
    #11 ericbecky, Jan 1, 2017
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