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Battery coincidence?

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by musicalmrso, Jan 5, 2021.

  1. musicalmrso

    musicalmrso Junior Member

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    2003 Prius
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    I drive a 2003 classic. The 12 volt battery died during Covid. I trickle charged it and it was fine for 8 months. Then the car sat a week in the cold and I needed a jump. No warning lights of any kind. Drove the car around and everything seemed fine. Two days later, car will not start. I replaced the 12 volt. Turned the car on and got a ton of warning lights. Took it to the dealer and they are telling me the codes say I have a leak in my hybrid battery and need a battery assembly. Out the door, we're looking at $3,500.

    Car was and is running perfectly normal, except the engine seems a little louder. I just had an oil change last week and everything was fine. Is it just a coincidence that I replace the trunk battery and now the hybrid battery is leaking? Are the 12 volt and hybrid batteries connected in anyway?

    She has 198,800 miles on her. Am I stupid for wanting to fix this? Is there a cheaper option somewhere out there? The last time I drove a non-Prius was 2002. I really don't like the new ones. I have no idea what I would buy to replace this car.
     
  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Yes probably.
    But that would be true of sinking that kind of money into almost ANY vehicle that is 18 years old with almost 200K miles.
     
  3. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Everyone's life situation is different. Only you can answer the question of whether it's worth repairing to you. If someone is happy with the car they have, it seems wasteful to me to push them toward a new car. Not everyone has an extra 30k+ laying around burning a hole in their pocket.

    Unfortunately, the Gen 1 modules are more prone to seeping electrolyte than the Gen 2, 3 and 4. If it's truly an HV isolation fault due to electrolyte leakage, the problem will be certainly be solved by Toyota replacing the battery. There are other options available for replacement, but none will be as reliable as the dealership. There are many reputable companies that offer replacements using rebuilt batteries.
     
  4. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    I'm of the opinion that investing $3,000 to fix an otherwise good running car is much more economical than spending $25,000 on a new one. Your brand new car is likely to lose $3,000 in value the first 6 months anyway.

    I got my 2002 battery replaced for under $1900 at my local dealer 3 years ago. *** The car had just under 150K miles on it. I drove it for another 20K miles before trading it in on a Prime that had some safety features that I decided I needed.

    *** They originally wanted a lot more, but they were including a lot of connectors and things that could be easily cleaned up for a fraction of the cost of new. One $200 part had a little corrosion on it. I told them to use a bit of vinegar to clean off the corrosion and reuse it. I challenged the need to replace each piece and they agreed that most of it was perfectly fine and reusable.

    Dan
     
  5. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    Wow an 18 years out of a hybrid battery is very impressive! If the cars body, and engine are in good shape and you really love the car, I say get a new battery put in it.

    The gen1 is now getting so old it’s almost vintage cool/unique. It was the car that started a real turning point in automotive history.
     
  6. Josey

    Josey Active Member

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    It's hard to say anything when all we've got is "Took it to the dealer and they are telling me the codes say I have a leak in my hybrid battery and need a battery assembly."

    First of all, are you stoned? A) going to a dealer. B) going to a dealer with an 18 yr old car. Dealers have no magic. They mostly specialize in extracting dollars from wallets. Look and ask around your area for a local, independent shop that specializes in Prius and go there instead.

    But second, if this HV battery is the the original - especially since you're in MI - then it's a miracle it's gotten this far. The first step if you want to save it is to have it evaluated for rust issues. (Again, because you're in Michigan - harsh winters, salty roads). Anything about a car can be fixed except for structural issues from rust. (It cracks me up when people ask stuff like "how long does this model car last?" Answer? "As long as you want it to." Everything other than structural damage from rust or accidents can be replaced/repaired).

    In any case, look at the invoice / report that yo got from the dealer and look for technical info like error codes. If they said you have an HV battery leak, then I'll assume someone on there it might say "P3009" - but there may be other codes and sub-codes. Report as much as you can from whatever invoice they gave you.
     
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    While that it true, it is only part of the story.
    IF......you carefully shop for a low mileage vehicle that is 3 or so years old, you can get the best of both worlds: Somebody else "ate" the depreciation and you have a much more reliable ride.......usually.
     
    Josey likes this.
  8. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

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    While that is true, it's also part of the story. :) I can tell for a fact that my 2002 Prius was properly serviced and treated well the entire 17 years that I drove it. I can't say the same for any car that I buy on the used car market. A 3 year old model may or may not be as reliable as my old car.

    At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I have to admit that I did exactly what Sam Spade suggested. I picked up a 2 year old Prime Advanced but not because my old ride needed repairs as much as I wanted new safety features.

    Dan
     
  9. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Sure. But the odds are overwhelming that it WILL be. If you are careful with the purchase.

    Hope you enjoy your new ride.