I just got a great deal on 2018 Prius LE from one of the car rental agencies that were dumping cars. When I got home I started preparing my 2008 Prius (198K miles) for sale. It threw its first Master Warning/Hybrid system error, so I drove it around and charged up the battery. Now every time I drive it, the battery status display starts with 3 or 4 blue bars and then goes to 1 purple bar. I can get it charged up to green bars, but it doesn't last very long? Should I recondition or replace the hybrid battery? Or just dump car as is?
welcome! the age old question. i would start as is. that would give someone the option to install the battery they want. if no luck, replace the battery and try again. what's the kbb value of your car with no codes?
Did the Red Triangle go away on its own or did you do something to clear it? You cannot be sure the hybrid battery has failed without reading the codes. It is not unusual for the display to show a rapidly dropping State of Charge when the car has just been started and the A/C is blasting. It probably means the battery is not as strong as it once was, but could still provide many miles of service if it is not left sitting for too long. If it is fully warmed up and you are on the highway will it maintain 5 or 6 bars SOC on the display? With 198k miles on the odometer, in my mind it is doubtful that you would be able to recover the entire cost of a new battery upon selling it. It would seem to me like making renovations to your house and expecting to recover the entire cost when selling it. Most real estate people will tell you that is unlikely. On the other hand, I wouldn't feel right about doing a temporary fix like a battery recondition and then selling the car to some poor sucker without telling him the battery is on its last legs. My choice would probably be to keep driving it every few days to keep the battery from failing completely, and try to sell it as-is.
The red triangle went away after I cycled power on the car after a 5-minute drive. Yes, it maintains 5-6 bars on the highway.
Keep us updated... Also if you specify what region in US you live you'll likely be contacted by an expert/enthusiast who lives near you who can be more help than just online.
Bisco, What's the price of a new OEM battery installed these days and how many years "should" a new hybrid battery last?
the price isn't fixed. iirc, i have seen reported here anywhere from the low $2,000.'s up tp around $3,500. it pays to shop around and try to negotiate, and some have gotten a close by dealer to price match a dealer further away. regional deals are also part of the equation. some area's are higher than others. a new oem battery should last 10-15 years, depending on a number of factors, climate probably being the biggest.
