I have a 2007 and yesterday I went to drive the car and the main warning light was on accompanied by (!) engine & VSC. Does anyone know what this all means??? Is it major and expensive...
If the 12V battery checks out, then you need to have the codes read by a reader that is programmed to read Prius hybrid codes. Auto parts stores usually cannot read those proprietary codes. There are lots and lots of possibilities beyond the inverter coolant.
So I was told the code came up hybrid battery and that I need to take it to the dealer. I hear the fan running in the backseat but I forget what I read that that meant. Is the hybrid battery the real expensive one? And the closest dealership is about an hour away. Any thoughts? Is it worth it to replace
Well you need to provide more information. How many miles? What is the condition of the car? How do you feel about spending 3000 dollars to get a new Toyota Factory battery?
The cars in good condition. It has 123k miles. What are your thoughts on reconditioned batteries? I was reading you could get 50-70k miles with one? Is it something I could install or should I try to find a place. Thank you
reconditioned batteries are generally a poor choice. they rarely go more than a few months before needing repair, and are only as good as the warranty and company standing behind it. plus, you have to keep towing your car in, or waiting for them to come swap batteries.
I'm not sure where you read that about 50-70k miles, but the most important word in the sentence is "could." And I could live to be 110 years old. (I'm 65 and have three stents so far.) I'd guess my odds are better. If I liked getting towed and liked taking my car apart just for the fun of it, I might do my own battery rebuilding. But I wouldn't pay someone else to do it and trust that they'd be there to do it again in a few months. The difference in cost is a lot less than the difference in expected lifetime between new and rebuilt unless you're really good at it. From what I hear, @TMR-JWAP is very meticulous and conscientious, and he's not extremely far away from you.
Yes that would be a good option. He rebuilds packs with way newer batteries. Newer batteries will outlast older batteries every time.
