Battery Replacement

call around to as many dealers as you are willing to drive to, get the best price

 

Which battery ?
There are two.

 

Unfortunately, there is considerable risk in either option. How long/miles do you want to keep the car?

 

If you are willing to DIY, @2k1Toaster 's kit of new cells for $1600 delivered is the best option. Anything else not from Toyota is just buying somebody else's filed battery that has had some parts replaced. It will not last like a new battery.

 

How many miles on the car? How long do you intend to keep it? The number 1 battery that will give you the most life and resale value is going to be a brand new Toyota factory battery.

 

Two problems are downtime and warranty.
Outside of a new one battery, these are both risks you will face. Some have better success than others

 

Do not conflate a long warranty with reliability. The warranty simply means they will replace the part if it fails, not that it will not fail during that time.

 

+1 Exactly.

Some places offer 5 year or 8 year warranties. But you will need them. Is the company going to be around in 8 years let alone 3 years or even next year? And most (if not all) of the warranties I have read say the first so many months are 100%, an actual warranty. Then as time goes on the warranty becomes prorated down to as low as 10%. Not really what I'd call a warranty.

You've really only got 3 options. The easiest (and most costly) solution would be just take it to the dealer and hand them your keys and credit card. New battery, and you're done. Second option is that I've got kits in stock if you're DIY oriented and if you sell your old core, you come out way ahead for new batteries. Third option is put in a rebuild battery (re-manufactured, rebuilt, reoriented, all the same thing said differently: used modules) and expect to get between weeks and a couple years out of it.

If you plan on keeping the car only until your Tesla 3 comes in next year (for example) and then scrap it, then putting in a brand new battery may not be the best decision if you can limp along for a year on a rebuild. If you plan on keeping the car, or reselling the car, new batteries are really your only choice and there are only 2 games in town. Toyota and myself.

 

then you have the companies that say, 'it's not the battery, sorry'. then you're up a creek.

 

2k1 toaster has a DIY replacement battery kit for sale here. Look around, you will find it. I’m surprised he has any in stock. Those things were selling like hot cakes.

 

Link in my signature. But here is a Gen 2 link: New Prius Battery Kit (GEN2, 2004-2009) - New Prius Batteries LLC

Just got in many tons and another few tons arriving next month. Trying to keep 100-120 in stock.

 

There are a number of ways to get NEW cells into your HV pack, the most cost effective by a mile or two is the conversion 2K1Toaster sells. New modules are readily available, BUT will the reseller be there if a problem arises in 6 months, a year or two??? Doubtful, especially with regard to those on any of the internet selling sites.

 

I'd clarify there are only 2 way to get new modules into your battery pack that have specifications that equal the original new modules. That's Toyota or NewPriusBatteries.com (me). There are a few alternates (2 that I know of) that are then re-sold under lots of different vendors mostly in CA but they are all the same manufacturer. Those don't test the same.

 

New individual OEM-like modules are available, but are of unknown quality.

 

Those are made by Yabo, and they are known to be of poor quality. Been around for over a decade. Universally shunned.