My 2008 Prius costs more to fix than it's worth.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by TampaChris2021, Feb 25, 2021.

  1. TampaChris2021

    TampaChris2021 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2021
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    Tampa, FL, United States
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi there,

    I dropped off my 2008 Prius at the dealership to run a diagnostic check. This is the message I received from the dealership:

    The technician has finished with the diagnosis on your Prius and there are a number of issues which are as follows;
    -The reason the dash does not illuminate is because there is a circuit board failure inside the combination meter (instrument cluster). The cost to replace
    is $2028.00 + tax. These parts must be special ordered.
    -There is a fault code stored in the car's computer (POA8) telling us that the HV battery is failing, cost is $3901.00 + tax.
    -There are 2 codes for your ABS actuator (C1256 & C1391) telling us that the actuator is leaking internally, cost for that is $2501.00 + tax.

    It's clearly not worth putting in the money. I doubt that I get any $ for trade in. How should I proceed? It has 138,000k on it.

    Thank you!
     
    #1 TampaChris2021, Feb 25, 2021
  2. Priusyipee

    Priusyipee Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2012
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    Location:
    Upstate New York
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Too bad we are at opposite ends of the country. My Prius is mechanically excellent but I am not getting reinspected at the end of March due to rust. Trying to find a buyer. Dirt cheap. Still driving 100+ miles a day. Just needs a new e brake cable. If I don't find a buyer, I may run it for another year. Just bought a RAV 4 prime in Dec. and have 2 other Prii + a Highlander. All those vehicles for 3 drivers! Have to cut down.
     
    #2 Priusyipee, Feb 25, 2021
  3. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Touring
    #3 TMR-JWAP, Feb 25, 2021
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    There is a sticky at the top of the forum about the dash problem, which comes down to one failed capacitor. If you are reasonably handy and can solder you can fix it yourself, but you will need to take the dash apart to a large extent. It isn't as terrible as it sounds, and there are videos showing how to do this entire repair.

    You can ignore the failing battery for a while longer. A new battery costs around $2K if you can put it in yourself.

    As for the ABS leak, I have no idea. If it is leaking just a little, and the leak does not hurt anything other than lowering the brake fluid level, maybe you can just top that off from time to time and keep driving? On the other hand, if that leak means the brakes might fail at any moment, then it should not be ignored. Perhaps a local brake shop can give you another estimate and a feel for the severity of the problem? Dealers tend to be on the (very) expensive side of the spectrum for repairs.
     
    #4 pasadena_commut, Feb 25, 2021
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Plug-in Base
    1-800-cars for kids
     
    #5 bisco, Feb 25, 2021
  6. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    #6 royrose, Feb 25, 2021
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