2006 Prius with 160k Needs Battery in SF Bay Area

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by dmelamed, Dec 1, 2016.

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  1. dmelamed

    dmelamed Junior Member

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    San Francisco
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
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    N/A
    My wife was greeted with an array of warning lights -- we had it towed to the dealer.
    Estimate is $3068 for a replacement battery. They indicate we also need aux battery ($306), Spark Plugs, throttle service for another $400. We're the original owners -- have serviced it well and had very few problems. For all that, though, the dealer warranty is only 1 year...
    I'm wondering --- is that the best we can do? What sort of battery does dealer replace it with. New or remanufactured, or ? (They said the part was $2600 )
    Does anyone know of a better alternative in the SF area ? I see that 'Greentecauto' gives a better warranty at lower cost, but I see some Yelp reviews that suggest following through on the warranty is not so reliable. Any input is much appreciated, thank you!
     
    #1 dmelamed, Dec 1, 2016
  2. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

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    Four Touring
    When did you last replace the 12v battery? Have you ever changed the spark plugs? When? A new set of plugs after 160,000 miles isn't unreasonable.
     
    #2 wrprice, Dec 1, 2016
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #3 JimboPalmer, Dec 1, 2016
  4. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    Do not confuse the length of the warranty with the quality of the part. A dealer installed battery has a 3 year warranty.

    How long do you expect a brand new battery composed of new cells sold by Toyota to last? Hint: the original CARB warranty is 10/150000. Your battery lasted 10 years and 160000 miles.

    How long do you expect a rebuilt battery from another shop to last? That pack may be rebuilt with some of your cells, newer used cells, or older used cells. Will the other shop guarantee that they will put all new balanced cells in your old case?

    If you are going to sell the car within a year, buy the rebuilt battery, save some money, and let the next owner deal with the battery problem.
     
    #4 JimN, Dec 1, 2016
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