2005, ~263,000 miles. Apparent battery, Catalytic Converter failures. $5k+ worth it? :(

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Seth4, Jul 11, 2017.

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  1. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    I got all the warning lights on my dash except the red circle and exclamation point; which indicate an issue with the battery's function. I got it to my local Toyota dealer yesterday and they called me and told me it appears the battery has failed completely and would need to be replaced (~$3100), the catalytic converter apparently needs replaced (~$1500-2100), and that it needed a new drive belt ($70), and some other things.

    First off should I believe them? Secondly, at 12 years old and ~263,000 miles, is it even worth it to replace? I got the car used for $3,000 so the price of one of theses repairs alone exceeds the price I paid for the whole car! It's not even fully paid off yet! :( I'm at a crossroad; I absolutely love this car, it's the best I ever had. It just doesn't seem worth it to pay another $5,000+.
     
    #1 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  2. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Nope.
     
    #2 fotomoto, Jul 11, 2017
  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    10 year old hybrids will always come to this crossroad where expensive parts start to fail. If you're not in CA, you can probably install a aftermarket catalytic converter for a couple hundred.

    As for the battery, you can buy some time by repairing the battery or buying a rebuilt one from Dorman and getting a 3 year warranty. The long term reliable repair would be to get a new battery, but at your mileage, it probably won't be worth it.
     
    #3 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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  4. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    Do you have any suggestions for reliable CCs'? I'm not in a low emmison state but I'm not opposed to getting one of those.
     
    #4 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  5. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    used? no, that's not legal in CA either. There's certainly no way of knowing it'll be reliable or not
     
    #5 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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  6. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    Used was the wrong word. I've removed it since. I'm desperate for help I'm kind of frantic at the moment.

    I'd slap the cheapest one I could find on there if it'll hold up somewhat reliably. And if it'd be a bit more for less emmisons I could possibly do that too. I just can't do $4-$500+ I think; excluding installation costs.
     
    #6 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Your frantic search should be concentrated on the hv battery, as your car can't operate without a working battery. The catalytic converter is only for emissions.
     
    #7 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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  8. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    I've settled on Dorman as my go to. There are a few local shops that sell them near here. Now I'm searching for the other parts they recommended.
     
    #8 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  9. Kevin_Denver

    Kevin_Denver Active Member

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    Both failures are definitely in line with the age of the car. Most likely your dealer is telling the truth.

    If you can get a battery with gen 3 modules, that's ideal, as the gen 2 modules in reconditioned packs are liable to fail fairly soon down the line. Definitely get a battery with at least a year warranty that includes labor.

    The cat can likely be fixed good enough with an aftermarket unit. If my memory serves me correctly from reading about other's problems, one can be found online for ~$400, and muffler shops will put them in for a couple hundred if you're not in California (search around on PC threads for cat failures/thefts). Note that failing catalytic converters are often caused by the engine burning oil, which clogs them. If this is the case, I would definitely drop the car as burning oil usually slowly gets worse in the gen 2 until an engine replacement is needed. A new cat with the engine in this condition would just clog again in a few years. In my state I'd need to fix the cat well enough to clear the engine codes as the emissions test for the Prius is just them plugging into the OBD port and confirming no codes are present.

    Regardless, I think you're looking at at least $2k in repairs if you do it on the cheap. Even in its current condition, someone would likely buy it off you for parts for $1000 on craigslist. Seriously consider taking the $2k in repairs you'd spend and the $1k you can get for the car and look at buying another used car.
     
    #9 Kevin_Denver, Jul 11, 2017
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  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The aftermarket catalytic converter you need is $95 on Amazon.

    MagnaFlow 99205HM
     
    #10 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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  11. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    Thank you :(
     
    #11 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  12. Kevin_Denver

    Kevin_Denver Active Member

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    Nice! I stand happily corrected!
     
    #12 Kevin_Denver, Jul 11, 2017
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  13. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Since today is Primeday on Amazon, it probably would be less expensive tomorrow........
     
    #13 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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  14. Seth4

    Seth4 Junior Member

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    Thank you very much.
     
    #14 Seth4, Jul 11, 2017
  15. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Some people I know have had their catalytic converters stolen for the precious metals inside. However on the aftermarket catalytic converters, they won't steal those because they don't contain the precious metals.

    I've always thought it would be better to replace the catalytic with an aftermarket, just so people won't steal it. But that's just me...
     
    #15 JC91006, Jul 11, 2017
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