Transmission and Hybrid failure

Welcome to PriusChat!!

How long have you owned this vehicle, and how many miles per year do you plan on driving?

Are you able to lift 80lbs (or 40lbs with a friend), and do you have mechanical skills?

Yes, the hybrid system is interconnected. You need both, including a usable HV battery.

 

I'd suspect yes. Maybe pony up the $100~150 for a dealership diagnosis, see what they say.

 

Your symptoms are normal... The apparent transmission problem is simply your car protecting its hyrbid system from further damage, which your avoidance of the problems makes it seem like something you're determined to do.

First step is to read the error codes and their subcodes via Dr. Prius App and and an OBD2 Bluetooth reader: Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus

Or for even greater detail you can use a mini-VCI reader with Toyota Techstream Software: 16pin Mini VCI Toyota Lexus TechStream OBD2 Diagnostic Interface Scanner v14 | eBay

It's quite possible that you have an inexpensive repair, like a clogged cooling fan, or corrosion in the cooling fan circuit, or corrosion in the voltage sensing harness and your car will be quickly and inexpensively fixed. Of course if you take it to a Toyota Stealership they turn these tiny molehills into mountains and charge you $500 to tell you the repairs will cost more than the value of the car and the only option is a great deal on an upside down loan on a new Prius. Stay away from these criminals unless it's a free repair covered under a new vehicle warranty.

If you or friends don't want to work on cars/don't want to learn, then find an honest local mechanic who has experience working on hybrid cars.

As far as how Prius Chat can help you online, we can't help much unless you can give us the primary error codes and sub-codes.

 

We need more details/error codes... An entire system isn't entirely dead, usually it's something specific that can be repaired. If this is all they literally said then they don't have any experience repairing old hybrids and have no interest in learning.

Find someone who is going to study the error codes and give you several repair options from least expensive to most expensive. That's what I do for my friends. That's also what many people on Prius chat do as well... But we need details and there's a specific evaluation process of the hybrid system that has to be done and anyone who's a little bit curious can learn it. We'll help you step by step if you make that possible?

 

Continued driving with a failed hybrid battery could result in battery module explosion and fire There’s a poster here right now that reports that very scenario.
We have seen may posts about that too.

So there’s that.

 

Fire is a problem with Lithium... Not the case with NiMH... There's two decades and millions of Prius that have no issue with fire but if you want to scare people for no reason.

 

Dr. Prius App via a bluetooth OBD2 reader is the easiest way to get at the subcodes for most of the basic problems related to P0A80, as well as a good way to get a sense of overall performance: Hybrid battery diagnostic and repair tool for Toyota and Lexus

 

Advise Please: exploded hybrid battery on road trip (outside of Louisville, KY) | PriusChat

 

Here's your no reason. There have been many others.

Advise Please: exploded hybrid battery on road trip (outside of Louisville, KY) | PriusChat

 

That's not a fire... That's the plastic tops of the modules popping off, which is common when a battery gets overheated. It's perfectly safe and there is no risk of fire!