I have a 2005 Prius with 120,000 miles on it. Today the red triangle light and circle warning lights came on. The service department at my dealership said, "inverter converter losing function. No longer able to accurately control voltage" and quoted me a $5200. repair bill. The car seems to be running the same as it always does. I need advice. Specific things I should have checked? Second opinion from another dealership? Repair car? Cut my losses and replace the car?
Always get at least a second diagnostics done including records, codes, cost, ect...when a repair estimate is that high, it's not obvious and you are unsure. As to whether you should repair or replace a 11-12 yo car with 120K on it, only you and your finances can answer that.
Most Inverter nags come from a failed Inverter coolant pump. Inverter overheats and shuts itself off disabling the car. Did yours fail a while ago and was replaced under the TSB campaign? Take the cap of the Inverter reservoir and with the car in READY look into the reservoir with a flashlight and you should see real good agitation reflecting good pump circulation of the coolant. If its hardly moving at all the pump may not be working 100%. That and the most important thing is get all the codes the dealer harvested from your car and post them back here. It may be on the diagnostic invoice. We know as little as you do till we see what the car is really complaining about.
