$160 labor to replace 12v battery

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by jim_e, Jan 12, 2024.

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  1. jim_e

    jim_e New Member

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    My daughter has been driving the 2005 Prius (used) for about 2 years now. The 12v battery wouldn't start the car anymore. She took it to the dealer in Utah where she's at school right now, and they charged her $160 labor to swap out the battery (I was expecting the $250 battery, but the labor!!?? Yikes.) Mind, this is the starter battery, not the hybrid drive. He says he charged labor for a full hour, and that he had to keep the car turned on and hooked up to their computer system the entire time, or else the battery swap can fry the computer board, etc. So he charges a full hour of labor for that battery swap every time.

    I called my local dealer here in Colorado, and they said they don't do any such thing, and that a prius 12v swap would be $20-40 in labor. Are Toyota dealerships not on the same routines and price schedules for service? This kind of discrepancy between service at two dealerships doesn't seem very on brand. Anyway, wondering what the rest of the community has heard or seen?
     
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  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Nope Toyota motor sales USA allows their dealer to do whatever they can get away with and whatever towns and cities that they are located in until there is a huge problem and lots of complaints and so on and so forth No one's going to do a thing pretty much that's how that works You could try to mosey up the chain of command but in this day and age you got to be kidding me you'll get nowhere fast I'm pretty sure or they'll give you a coupon for an oil change or something because you noticed it. That's American business today We made it great again.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!

    unfortunately, dealerships are independent businesses with a contract to sell toyota products within a certain geographic region.
    toyota prides itself on making quality vehicles, but they don't give a hoot about dealer sales tactics or service charges.
    proof of this is that it has been going on for decades, and toyota (and all manufacturers) reward the highest selling dealers with better pricing and all kinds of awards to hang on their walls.
    $160. to change the battery is a total ripoff, but not unusual. $20-40. is more out of the norm for a dealer.
    keeping the car hooked up to the computer is more likely keeping 12 volts to it so you don't lose any presets, and there is the odd occasion of frying an old pc board when power is disconnected and reapplied.
    now that can get expensive.
    all the best!
     
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  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Toyota dealers make up silly stuff like this too... In reality this method simply allows you to keep your clock and radio settings and existing computer settings. And sometimes it's better to get a fresh start with factory settings by disconnecting a 12v, which is the same cure as rebooting your computer is.

    Many auto parts stores will swap your 12v for free if you buy one from them. At same time, many auto parts stores will claim you have a bad 12v simply because they didn't fully charge your existing 12v before testing it.

    As in this is the reason the #1 consumer complaint every year is auto sales & repair. So many businesses ripping people off out there. If I were you I'd convince your daughter to find a friend or family member who likes to work on cars and we'll work with your family and them to keep your maintenance costs down.
     
  5. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Replacing the 12-v battery should take maybe 5 minutes if there are no complications. Maybe 10 if you supply voltage from an outside source to maintain memories. It's not harder or more complicated than changing the battery in a non-hybrid.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The main complication I found was dealing with Toyota's hold-down bracket design: if the replacement battery's as little as a mm taller or shorter, be prepared with washers under under the bracket, or shim strips under the battery. Completely impractical design, and I've seen it on a Corolla too.

    Other'n that it's a 10 minute job. Even our dentist wouldn't charge that much.