help!! BUYING AN 80K PRIUS HYBRIDE BATTERY DEAD OR 12V?? AFTER TEST DRIVE

First step is to read the error codes that were stored when those warning lights came on... Easiest way to do that is with Dr. Prius app. You will need to buy an inexpensive OBD2 reader to do that. Here's a buyer's guide: Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus

 

Did you buy the car? If not, then let them worry about it. It is possible that the 12v battery is discharged or dead, that would be the easiest to check and fix. First try a jumpstart. Second load check the battery. Otherwise, it could be more significant.

 

If you don't know what the fault is, why make it your problem? Unless you are comfortable diagnosing and repairing cars then you might want to pass on this one. Maybe it could be just a bad 12V battery, but it could be more.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

welcome!
it's probably the 12v, but even so, a 2006 will need a new hybrid battery sooner than later. it's age more than miles.

 

Welcome to PriusChat!!

Generally speaking, driving around in EV mode isn't a great idea, it will only help the HV battery fail sooner, rather than later.

Did you fully deplete the stored charge (there isn't much) in the HV battery, without a charged HV battery you can't start the vehicle.

 

But it's a great way to torture test a battery pack before you decide to buy it or not...

 

I would have the seller replace the 12v battery and offer some sort of comprehensive warranty, ideally for six months to a year. This is a 15 year old car and the high voltage battery, if original, is not likely to last long. Over here it would cost around $2000 usd to replace it. This is not really an EV car (maybe 1 mile range) but the high voltage battery must function or it won't run. Here $5100 usd would be ok if everything was excellent. If its $5100 nlg ($2745 usd), that would be a very low price which would cause concern about possible problems.

But the silver gen2s are nice. Mine back in the day:

 

The Gen 2s don't have an all EV mode that you can put them in manually. That came in the Gen 3s.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Different markets were offered different options.

 

Are you in Europe? I was talking about the US models.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Toyota took the EV mode out of Gen2 in US models because of 10year 150K mile warranty on hybrid battery in many US states. The ability to do that still exists in the car and you can wire it back in: https://www.coastaletech.com/electric_only_mode.htm

 

Thanks for that info! I was wondering if there was a way that could be done.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I would not spend the money on the ev button since it barely works at very low speeds for maybe a mile if you are lucky. Plus the car will start the engine when cold.

 

I agree entirely with regular NiMH packs... Draining the battery down in less than a 1/2 mile is a huge waste of energy that the gas engine has to replace.

HOWEVER

Currently testing a pre-production Dr. Prius Lithium pack in my Gen2 and I can go more than 2 miles without pack going below 4 bars and it re-charges at 96% efficiently compared to NiMH's 70% efficiency.

I never thought I'd ever use the EV switch, but in order to torture this test pack that's what I've been doing and so far it's not acted tortured.