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

Is my battery still covered under warranty? CARB question...

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by philiose, May 17, 2023.

  1. philiose

    philiose New Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2023
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    24091
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I suspect the hybrid battery on my 2013 Prius Gen 3 is bad.

    I was on the phone yesterday with a case manager from Toyota who talked in circles for an hour and would absolutely not answer a pressing question re: the warranty on the battery.

    I was exploring my options online and read (on more than one website) that: "The pre-2020 models feature battery warranties that last for 10 years or 150,000 miles in states that have adopted California emission laws". I live in Virginia, which I believe is one of those states, and I have four months left on the warranty if the 10 year term applies. The manager insisted (over and over and over and over) that a Prius with my VIN number has a 96 month, 100,000 mile warranty on the battery, and refused to answer if a car registered in Virginia with a DIFFERENT VIN number within the time and mileage limit WOULD qualify. I don't think I've ever had a more frustrating conversation. Ever.

    Can anyone clarify whether or not the hybrid battery on my vehicle is covered under warranty?
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,470
    8,383
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Are you getting the P0A80 code for the battery? If you are not, then it's a moot point if the battery is under warranty or not.

    If the rep has told you over and over and over and over again that it's not under warranty, then your answer should be "it's not under warranty". They go by your VIN, they know everything about the car, from the day it was first sold and where it was sold.

    I think when you keep asking the question even though you get the same answer, it's hard for any conversation not to get frustrating.
     
    #2 JC91006, May 17, 2023
    Last edited: May 17, 2023
  3. philiose

    philiose New Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2023
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    24091
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I hadn't gotten that code for the battery, but I was trying to be pro-active. From everything I've read on this forum, a bad battery is likely to be the problem and I was exploring my options before the fact. Forewarned is forearmed, in my humble opinion.

    I had two different Toyota customer service people tell me that the hybrid battery WAS still under warranty, therefore the repeated question. When two people say it is and one other person say it is not, perhaps you can understand MY frustration.
     
    bisco likes this.
  4. Ryan Will

    Ryan Will Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2022
    63
    37
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I'm definitely wondering about this as well, but I actually live and drive in California. Mine is a 2015 (so still within the 10 year mark) and has almost 144,000 miles (so just under the 150,000 mile mark). Dr. Prius shows my battery life expectancy at around 54%, and I've noticed lately the battery gets hotter than usual (sometimes I've seen up to 125 degrees F).

    I keep the HV battery fan cleaned consistently, and I've checked it's working fine using my Autel scanner. I may venture into a dealership and just get an opinion and perhaps even a replacement? I'm not getting the P0A80 code, so I may get nowhere with it, but may not hurt to try.

    But in California and states that adopted California (the warranty guide I found on Toyota's website confirms this) does state the battery to be covered for 10 years/150,000 miles. It's now just a matter of what is the dealer's/Toyota's criteria for replacement? Is a code absolutely required? Is other testing acceptable?
     
  5. philiose

    philiose New Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2023
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    24091
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I hope this helps, Ryan. Toyota created a case for my question, and I just got off the phone with a case manager. He said that if I lived in California, my hybrid battery would be covered. I would guess, though, that without a scan indicating a bad battery, they won't touch it. Like you said, it doesn't hurt to ask! Perhaps that information might help in the future, if what he said was true.
     
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,470
    8,383
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    If you have not gotten the code, there is no warranty to be claimed. It has not failed
     
  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,470
    8,383
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well if you're within 6000 miles of the warranty running out, maybe it's not a good idea to keep the fan so clean to prolong the life of it. The sooner it fails, the sooner you can get a new battery
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,774
    48,980
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    contact your state ag office, they should be the arbiter of warranty law
     
  9. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,322
    722
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    IMHO; Sorry guys; this is a case of wishful thinking and reading into something that isn't there. Check your owner's manual!

    The written warranty is clear. Toyota covers pre-2020 traction batteries for 8 years or 100K miles. If your car is a 2020 or newer model year, you get a 10 year 150K mile warranty on your traction battery.

    My old HCH (Honda Civic Hybrid) had a battery issue, within warranty. It had to throw the battery code 3 times before the dealership would replace the battery pack.

    Bottom-line, the dealership isn't going to give you a new battery pack because your warranty is ending tomorrow. That's not how it works...
     
    #9 BiomedO1, May 18, 2023
    Last edited: May 18, 2023
  10. philiose

    philiose New Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2023
    4
    1
    0
    Location:
    24091
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Thank you.
     
  11. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2017
    6,114
    4,040
    1
    Location:
    Wilkes Land
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Comment just hurted
    A lot of millennial and gen z feelings, they deserve things in life for. No reasons
     
  12. Ryan Will

    Ryan Will Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2022
    63
    37
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Per the warranty manual for my car, a 2015, in California and states that adopted California emissions standards, the hybrid battery is actually covered by law for 10 years/150,000 miles. But I do agree with some of the other posts, no code means the likelihood of anything getting replaced under that warranty is slim to none, especially being so close to the 150,000 mile mark.

    Edit: Here's a link to the warranty info for California and the hybrid battery. I'm sure there are certain restrictions/provisions/etc that apply.
     
    #12 Ryan Will, May 19, 2023
    Last edited: May 19, 2023
  13. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,491
    14,100
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    According to the newest warranty manual I have (2017), Virginia is not a CARB state. But according to this web site (What CARB and CARB Compliant Actually Means | Metromile), they have jumped onto the band wagon.

    But my warranty manuals all say the car must be sold, registered, AND operated in a CARB state. So, if the car was not originally sold in a CARB state (which VA was not when the car was first sold), it won't qualify for the CARB warranty even though it's registered and operated in one. At least that's how I read it.
    Screenshot 2023-05-19 at 11.31.30 AM.png
     
  14. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,903
    3,167
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You could take your car to Toyota, or other reliable hybrid shop, have them do the load test on
    the battery, through techstream, or other system. That will give you the indication of possible failure.
    If a Toyota shop does it, and it shows that it is weaker, they "may" warranty it for you. I'm certain
    they could use the business. Maybe they won't because it "passed". Maybe it will fail before the
    warranty expires or shortly afterward and they do a goodwill warranty since you had them check it.

    Either way, you'll know the state of the battery and what to do. I've beening using the Prolong system
    on my 2010 and it has worked well. Just as their page says it will.