Hi All, I'm in Colorado and have 2006 Prius - that has just 62,000 miles. Recently lots of lights came on. The car itself was driving fine. I took it to Autonation Toyota Arapahoe and they said that the hybrid battery needs to be changed and it will cost $4100 to do this. There were some Factory Recall Service items that was over due also. So they said that they will do that. I told them that I will think about the battery and let them know. I went and picked up the car back from the dealer, now it is showing a red alert in the display info also and the car wouldn't accelerate as it was when I dropped the car to them. Seems to me that the dealer service guys did something to make sure that I get it back to them ASAP. Anyone in Colorado who has replaced the car battery for a 2006 prius? I guess I'm out of warranty as it has been more than 8 years. Considering the car's KBB value ( if the battery is good ) is only $7800, I don't want to spend $4100 to fix the battery.
I think you should pursue a goodwill warranty with Toyota corporate. Chances are they'll cover all of the repair costs because of your low mileage.
You can read about how hybrid batteries degrade and fail here: Prolong Grid Charger FAQ - Hybrid Automotive If the dealer does not comp you a battery, odds are in your favor that performing a reconditioning will be enough to save the pack. Worst case you might need to replace a module or two. Either way it will be a lot less $$ than paying for a full battery replacement.
Being in Denver, go to Boulder Hybrids: Boulder Hybrids | They can get you a new pack ($2500 ish), a newer old pack ($1400-$1800) or a much older pack ($800). All prices are estimates trying from memory last I called them. You quite obviously don't drive very much. So for you, age will kill it. I would almost just get a cheap rebalanced pack and try to keep it balanced like grid charge or run it more often. If you have a very mechanically inclined friend, buy some a module on eBay and replace it for $30-$50. It is a temporary fix.
Paul at Boulder Hybrids is one of our authorized resellers, I also highly recommend him. Ask him about Risk Free Reconditioning™ with Prolong Battery systems. He can share all the details but basically he can recondition your existing pack using our products and perform free or very low cost follow on maintenance to ensure your hybrid battery stays healthy. If this treatment does not work and the battery fails in the next couple years after the service is done, all of the reconditioning service cost will be applied toward a replacement battery pack.
Thank you so much for suggesting this. I called Toyota customer support and they negotiated with the dealer. Apparently I need to spend only $1600 for the battery. Waiting for the dealer to call me once they get the battery in stock.
