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HV battery failure on 2006 Prius - advice, please!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by c.ortiz108, Mar 11, 2015.

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  1. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Is the dealer offering to install a used battery ?
    That would be distinctly unusual.
     
    #21 SageBrush, Mar 11, 2015
  2. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    A NEW Toyota HV Battery is nearly plug-n-play. Read post #6 Exchanging HV Battery for New One | PriusChat so you have a better idea.

    Strictly for longevity and worry free miles, NEW is the way to go. There are other factors to consider (current functioning state of the car, time frame to sell/trade-in the car, current finances, etc), but you have to make that cost/benefit analysis for yourself.
     
    #22 exstudent, Mar 12, 2015
  3. c.ortiz108

    c.ortiz108 Junior Member

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    Okay, done deal. The authorized dealer here in Santa Fe (Beaver Toyota) actually had a battery in stock and were able to install it today. They price-matched the Albuquerque dealer and gave me an extra 10% off labor, so total with tax was $3,215. I'm waiting for a call back from Toyota customer service about a possible retroactive discount, but not holding my breath. The Toyota guy said they wouldn't even give him a break when his 2006 failed at 114,000, and he works for them. They used my existing ECU with no additional discount - that's just how they do it, he said - but assured me the battery was new, direct from Toyota.

    The car runs better than it has in a while - in fact, I hadn't even noticed before how it was idling more often and going into silent mode less often. The change was gradual until the poor acceleration starting this week. But it drives like a dream now. Also, my mileage had gone down from around 48 to 42. At first I thought it was the winter tires, but it got slightly worse when I put the all-season eco ones on.... just a few weeks before the battery failure. The drive home today I got almost 49 mpg. So while this was an expensive, aggravating, and unexpected experience, at least we're back on the road in a good reliable car. Cheaper than buying a new one, anyway, especially considering everything else is in good shape. I can't afford a new Prius, so there's some peace of mind having a new battery rather than buying another used Prius with another unpredictable battery....

    Yes, the dealer in Albuquerque offered new or used. The lowest mileage used one had 59,000 miles on it, and wasn't even much cheaper than new. What seemed very odd to me was that all used were the same price, regardless of miles.

    I'm also amazed at how much the quotes varied, even with authorized dealers in the same city.
     
    #23 c.ortiz108, Mar 12, 2015
    Merkey and wjtracy like this.
  4. c.ortiz108

    c.ortiz108 Junior Member

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    Another strange thing - I've read about people installing these batteries in half an hour or so (like the guys on ebay who will go anywhere in the country and install a reconditioned battery at your home for $1,200). The dealer took almost 5 hours.
     
    #24 c.ortiz108, Mar 12, 2015
  5. DenToyPri05

    DenToyPri05 Junior Member

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    Maybe he will install it after YOU take apart the hatch and back seat area.
     
    #25 DenToyPri05, Mar 12, 2015
  6. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    $3215/116,000miles = $.028/mile; just under 3cents/mile. Expensive yeah. But looking at cost-per-mile, doesn't seem that bad.

    Too bad you weren't able to get to 160,750miles. Then the cost per mile would have been exactly 2cents/mile.

    If you were able to DIY and get an HV Battery from Camelback, cost per mile would have been even less.
     
    #26 exstudent, Mar 12, 2015
  7. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    If it happens to me I am going to drive to a CARB state and try to get me some of that Outside of Warranty Assistance
     
    #27 wjtracy, Mar 12, 2015
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    *cough*

    You paid a lot for this service, but as you quite rightly point out, it should be good for years and years.

    Smart move. Expensive dealer
     
    #28 SageBrush, Mar 13, 2015
  9. c.ortiz108

    c.ortiz108 Junior Member

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    I may be wrong, but I think the car has to have been originally purchased in a CARB state?

    Unfortunately the cheapest around here, though. One of the two authorized dealers in Albuquerque quoted $3,480 before tax - so around $3,725 total! I don't quite feel like I got a bargain, but at least I don't feel too ripped off, either.
     
    #29 c.ortiz108, Mar 13, 2015
  10. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    Sage,

    My dealer in CT installed a ReInVolt (the Dorman predecessor) refurb for me. He gave me a $100 labor discount when I told him that the ReInVolt came with its own ECU, but I agree that it is unusual behavior.

    JeffD
     
    #30 jdenenberg, Mar 13, 2015
  11. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    You are correct must be purchased CARB for the 10yr 150k warranty...even more important you must live in a CARB state at time of repair. But like you, I am out of warranty and out of CARB. So I am willing to try anything. I feel like CARB dealers get more help for the owners...just a hunch. but I am close to MD so I can try it.
     
    #31 wjtracy, Mar 13, 2015
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