Not sure but I would like to start a new thread as after a lot of reading I can not find both answers. 65k, 2006, platinum warranty. car would not start today for the second time after approx. a year. With a jump it would start and drive. Wife was in line for two minutes with the car turned off. Also after much reading I would nice person sume that regardless of what the dealer says (tomorrow) I need a new battery? Most likely? Can you help with an approx. cost? Or , I doubt it, but would my extended warranty cover such? thanks a lot and so sorry for a new post.
The 12-volt starter battery is your problem, and it's a "consumable" item that needs to be replaced every few years. It costs around $140. 4 years sounds about right-- You are definitely due for a 12V batt replacement. Not sure if that Platinum warranty covers it, but if it does, sure take advantage of it and have them replace it for you. If it doesn't, it's a relatively easy DIY replacement.
Batteries are among the items specifically excluded from the Platinum extended warranty. * * * * * * For future reference, here's a list of the specific exclusions from the Platinum extended warranty: "List of Excluded Components Accessory Drive Belts Batteries Body Panels Brake Linings, Pads and Shoes Bumpers Carpet Chrome Clutch Friction Disk and Pressure Plate Dash Cover and Pad Door Trim, Handles and Fabric Filters Fluids Glass (including Windshield) Headliner Heating Hoses, Lines and Tubes Hinges Hybrid System Main Relays Hybrid Vehicle Battery Hybrid Vehicle Battery Module/Pack Hoses Interior and Exterior Trim Moldings, including but not limited to, Cup Holders, Ashtrays, Covers, and Vents Lamps Light Bulbs Nuts, Bolts, Clips, Retainers and Fasteners Paint Rotors and Drums Rust and Corrosion Damage Seat Covers Service Plug Shiny Metals Spark Plugs Structural Framework and Wells Tires Vacuum Hoses, Lines and Tubes Weather Stripping Wheels and Rims Windshield Wiper Blades (Rubber Component)" Under the Platinum extended warranty, if an item is not specifically excluded, it's supposed to be covered.
I hear you. I don't want to get back into the old extended warranty debate. The only extended warranty I have done was on this car and a new radio paid for half of it right off the bat. But a great bank account would be great too!
Well my wife took the car to the dealer. Nothing wrong with it all. The battery is great and there is absolutely nothing draining anything! Of course I figured as much. I said the car was dead, the battery was dead. My wife was stranded and i lost two hours of work to go charge the battery and off she goes. And you tell me nothing is wrong here? Second time this has happened so I bought a battery and will put it in. It is totally amazing to me the guy can say nothing is wrong and he could not or would not give me the reading of the volts. I find myself wondering what if it was he car. Would he just go along driving it till it was dead again.
The dealer probably checked using the MFD which is always wrong. Get a $10 voltmeter from Radioshack and do it yourself if you really want to know. But once the battery is depleted in a regular lead acid battery, it will never be the same. Just replace it now
A very good decision. You may want to invest in a decent digital multimeter so that you can measure quiescent battery current draw when the car is IG-OFF. Should be around 20 mA or so. This will help you to confirm that there's nothing wrong with the car (besides a dead 12V battery).
After you replace the battery, replace the dealer. I doubt the MFD's values indicated a good battery. You can get the numbers yourself. What are they? Perhaps the dealer really believes a 12v battery should read 12v.
Dealers often use a simple pass-fail battery tester which is not accurate enough for a Prius and can give a false pass. You can check up on the dealer (and the MFD itself, if you have a voltmeter) by using the built-in procedure: http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/73400-weird-stuff-happening-mpgs-dropping-test-battery.html By The Way, remember that the engine shuts itself off when not needed, so if you are in line for any length of time you might as well leave the car ON so that it can run to keep the batteries charged. Shift to Park if you tire of standing on the brake.
