1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

CA 150,000 mile battery warranty.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by EvanB, Mar 25, 2014.

  1. EvanB

    EvanB Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Hello,

    I am shopping for a new gen 3 Prius and live in AZ. I was wondering if I go to CA and purchase a new one, if I will have the 150k warranty (due to CA emissions law) vs the 100k warranty on the battery?

    Would it matter if I then had the car serviced in AZ?

    Thank you.
     
  2. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,831
    1,824
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    The CA warranty is only if you keep the car registered in CA (or other CARB state).

    JeffD
     
    EvanB likes this.
  3. EvanB

    EvanB Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Great thank you,

    And now for the complex what if's

    A. I buy car in AZ and move to ca in 3 years 40k miles later?
    B. Same Thing but car originated in CA.

    Does registering car outside of CA at any point bump it down to 100k?


    Sorry for my paranoia but I owned a Cvic hybrid (needed a new pack) and a Insight that needed some love.
     
  4. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,831
    1,824
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    The state that you buy it in sets the warranty, but the CARB 150k one is only recognized if the Prius is registered an a CARB state. It is possible that if you move to a non-CARB state and then back to a CARB state that the 150k warranty would be honored.

    If you live and drive in a moderate (not hot, sorry but Phoenix is HOT) climate, the Prius battery will outlive the 150k warranty (unlike the old Civic Hybrid). My 2004 Prius battery lasted 195k miles (now at 255k with a ReInVolt, now Dorman, rebuilt battery).

    JeffD

    ps: You were my 600th "like" :)
     
    wjtracy likes this.
  5. EvanB

    EvanB Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Key word (not hot) AZ is anything but that. Luckily I have a garage at work and home so only lunches and weekend store visits expose the car to the nuclear summer temps.
     
  6. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2005
    3,831
    1,824
    1
    Location:
    Trumbull, CT
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
    Model:
    LE AWD-e
    Always use the AC to keep you and the battery cool (the battery cooling air supply comes from the passenger compartment).

    JeffD
     
  7. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Really confusing especially in AZ which apparently was CARB for a couple years. Since AZ is no longer CARB, if you buy a new Gen3 it is not CARB warranty. Interesting question if you got a used one from the period AZ was CARB not sure. In any case, so far failure rate on Gen3 has been very low so you do not have much to worry about.
     
  8. EvanB

    EvanB Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Agreed from my research the failure rate is quite low. But add in the low $50 cali doc fees (vs 350ish) a $500 larger rebate on 2014's and the long warranty if I move to CA then it may be worth a weekend trip.
     
  9. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,463
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I wonder if you can register it to a PO box in CA and keep the box for 10 years, would that work to keep the extra CARB warranty?
     
  10. EvanB

    EvanB Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2014
    39
    3
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Maybe and my parents do have a place in CA, however I need to reg in Arizona to keep my blue (HOV) plate from my insight.

    Also AZ is a bi strict regarding registrations as they want you to met AZ emissions and pay the HIGH AZ Reg fees.
     
  11. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,463
    8,377
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    You can buy this 2012 that's never been registered. The battery is already 2 years old, it will hopefully quit (due to age) before your AZ warranty comes up at 8 years from today (=10 year battery).

    New 2012 Toyota Prius 5 advanced tech package
     
  12. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I agree I am sort of in the same situation in VA...we could buy in MD to have CARB in case we moved or sold car to MD person. But VA is also a high car tax state, so the rule is you have to pay car tax even if your car is registered in another state.
     
  13. macman408

    macman408 Electron Guidance Counselor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2010
    1,179
    365
    1
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The warranty guide that came with my car says that it must have a California Certified Emission Control System (I think all US Prius models are), and be "sold, registered, and operated in California" or any other CARB state.

    Most likely, buying a Prius in CA and having it serviced in Arizona would not get you a CARB emission control warranty - but if you brought it back to CA, with CA plates, they probably wouldn't care if you bought it in California and had it outside the state for a few years in between.
     
  14. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    ...we need to see what Toyota's latest warranty wording is...the other autos (FORD, etc) say if car is CA certified and you are registered in CARB state. I am confused if Toyota has more restrictive wording or not, and if so, why.
     
  15. 70AARCUDA

    70AARCUDA Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2014
    845
    209
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    AZ is a CARB state...at least both AZ and EPA say so.
     
  16. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,309
    3,586
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    See below... believe AZ is special case they were CARB for 2 years (2011,2012)

    With the exception of AZ, any year after the Model Year listed is also covered.

    MY 2004 California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont

    MY 2005 Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island

    MY 2007 Maryland

    MY 2008 Oregon, Pennsylvania*

    MY 2009 Washington*

    MY 2011 New Mexico

    MY 2011, 2012 only Arizona

    MY 2014 Delaware*

    (these are my best guess, I invite corrections)


    * not all warranty provisions apply, does not include the 150,000/10 year duration

     
  17. 70AARCUDA

    70AARCUDA Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2014
    845
    209
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I believe AZ still *is* CARB -- and Toyota just doesn't want to "eat" the costs of batterys vs. AZ's summer temperatures.
     
  18. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Source of the 1st?

    Yeah, the latter is possible... HV batteries do seem to die earlier in high temp areas, such as much of AZ.
     
  19. 70AARCUDA

    70AARCUDA Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2014
    845
    209
    0
    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    1) TOYOTA: "The 2014 Prius Plug-in is also eligible for the State of California’s HOV lane sticker (www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm). The Prius Plug-in is available in 15 states (California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Hawaii). For special deals in your local area, please visit www.buyatoyota.com."

    • source: 2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In to Start Under $30,000 | Toyota

    2) ARIZONA [A.R.S. 41-1091(D)]: "The Department has adopted California Air Resources, (“CARB”) Standards and test methods. To obtain those standards and test procedures you can click on the links below."

    • source:
    LEGAL
     
  20. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    That doesn't mean that AZ is a CARB emission state at all nor that it has the same mandates as California. If you had something hosted on az.gov or some other .gov site...

    If you Google for stuff like at-pzev 10 year battery warranty site:ca.gov, you'll find stuff like http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/warranty.pdf‎ mentioning a 10 year warranty on the energy storage device (battery).

    I suspect that 10 year/150K mile HV battery warranties are due to individual state mandates, not out of altruism.