Looked around the forum for a FAQ on traction batteries and finding none, posting this thread. Simply, how long should I expect my 2006 Prius (bought new in early 2007) battery to last? Right now I am at 52K miles after 3 years driving. Other threads have mentioned the big battery cost $4K plus replacement. Also that the 12V is a Toyota special that does not seem to have a good lifetime. Of course I realize it depends on all kinds of factors like location (Iowa), where kept (garaged at night), how often driven (20 -45 minutes a day to/from work + some long trips), etc. Open ended thread I realize.
10 years is a good guess, unless you go over 300,000 miles first. 1 in 40,000 appears to fail within 100,000 miles, but there is no accurate way to track failure after the warranty period. Another new battery Lists for $2200USD, plus labor. A Refurbished battery is $1300 plus $300 labor in Sanford NC. Shipping to IA would add to that, and require your own labor. Used batterys on Ebay are $300 and up, and would require even more labor. If you decide to use your own labor, proceed with caution, there is considerable energy in the HV battery. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories The 12v battery is unique to Toyota, although elearnaid.com has a kit that adapts a Optima Yellow Top. It is no cheaper than the Toyota battery but has a good reputation. http://www.elearnaid.com/priusparts.html The Toyota 12v battery tends to last 4 years if you do not run it all the way down. (Stay in READY when using the car, and you never will) The 'problem' is that we as owners do not usually know another way to tell a weak battery other than slow starting, and the 12v Battery in the Prius does not run a starter. So we tend to be caught off guard when it fails.
Relax, it's very unlikely to fail any time soon. Also the way battery prices have fallen (as the market size has increased) if you do need a replacement traction battery in say 6 or 7 years time it's probably going to be even more affordable than today. The 12 volt battery has a pretty long lifetime if you don't ever let it go flat. A lot of people are getting 5 years or more on the 12V.
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If you want to worry about something, worry about a transaxle failure. Way more expensive than a HV battery at this point because there is a surplus of used batteries from totaled cars (the HV battery is in the best location for survival in a collision). Fortunately, the transaxle failure rate appears to be really low as well.
A guy i work with has a 2005 Prius with 129,000 miles on it. He is still running the original 12 volt battery.
Here are some info on testing the 12V battery: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...-check-without-switching-headlights-off.html# Good luck!
