hello all I just signed on tho the forum and have an issue that I hope that you all can help me with. I have been recently offered what I have been told is a very nice 2002 Prius from an estate. it has low miles and is said to be in great condition (I have not yet had the chance to go look at it yet). the issue is that it was parked in the garage by the owner many years ago (family says probably 5) and was never moved again and therefore is completely bricked. I have been told that I can most likely just take it if I can get it out of the house, I would most likely give them a few bucks for it as a courtesy/thank you if it can be salvaged. I have read The Who should/shouldn't buy one thread and understand the huge risk in this car but I do have a bit of mechanical skill (I have completely restored a few classic cars/motorcycles). and do have a current reliable daily driver and think that this could be a fun project. my main concern is that right off the bat there is a risk of considerable cost if one is not familiar with these cars. I do see that some have been able to remove the battery and test/charge the battery, replace dead cells on the bench. I would be willing to try this but have not been able to find any "how to guides" on how it is done (I did try to search but I don't know the right terms to use) once I have done this and am able to verify that the car is otherwise viable I have no problem spending money on the project even though I realize that I may not be able to recoup any investment. If any of you could please share your thoughts/advice it would be greatly appreciated I look forward to hearing from you thanks in advance mjn76
Then you should be well aware of the common problems associated with cars that have sat for extended periods. The car is going to need a new twelve volt battery. A first generation Prius high voltage battery that has sat for five years is going to be unrecoverable junk. The only real solution for the first generation batteries is a new battery from Toyota for about $2000. Brad
I mostly agree with Brad. The 12v is certainly toast. So is the HV. And after 5 years sitting, the gas in the tank and the fuel system is probably gooey. So I'll give you my exception that proves the rule. I got an 02 parts car last summer. The lady said it hadn't been started in 18 months. So in my best what the heck spirit, I took along a 12v car battery and a jumper cable set. I hooked it up, and it started! The 4 year old HV battery was still charged enough to run the car. After some minor (for me) fixing, inverter coolant pump and a used brake booster pump it's become my daily driver. You can tell whether the HV battery has held some sort of charge by hooking up a jumper battery and turning the key to on. If it's got a full tank of spoiled gas, it will be a mess, but a tank of fresh gas and some Techron will eventually clear the fuel system. My advice is throw the hail mary. And take it home and mess with it. Like my daily driver/parts car the worst that can happen will be that you call a wrecking yard to give it a good burial. Welcome. There're good folks here!
