Advise - Gen 2, Dealer says needs Hybrid Computer, maybe battery

That may have to be the way we go. Daughter says might be able to see Starbucks security footage, her friend works there.

 

I have it with Stew at The Foreign Service. It was unluckily bad timing. As part of the job I was going to have him put a cat-guard in ...

 

Stew, my daughter, and I were able to talk today. Had to get her Prius off the dealer lot, and we had worked out for him to take the car in today, although technically he wasn't open. Was great of him to do, very much appreciated. So, he's up to speed with the converter situation, the fail codes and wiring notes from the dealer, and the traction pack being from your service. Lots to sift-through, but based on your note about the O2 sensor wiring going to the engine ECU, there's a definite chance too that's partially fried. (Couldn't be totally fried, or wouldn't have reported the dealer's fail codes?)

Focusing back to Thursday, my daughter drove the car from her apartment complex parking lot to a Starbucks, which turned out to be not open and empty lot. No notice of loud exhaust on that trip, so guessing converter was still there. But there were dash errors during her drive over, so something was up. Then when she tried starting the car at the Starbucks, it would no longer shift into drive.

Needing to get to work, she called an Uber, best we can figure is the car sat in the empty parking lot from about 9:30am to half-past-noon, and unless I'm mistaken that she would be able to hear a missing converter, the theft occurred in those three hours.

I'll talk with her about it tomorrow, we'll call in the theft report with our best guess at where and when it occurred. Monday, we'll get back in touch with Stew (perhaps early afternoon if he hasn't already called), and see what he's coming up with. And get in touch with the insurance company. They're not going to be happy, in the fall my son's 1999 Honda Civic was stolen (another theft), trashed, and had to be totaled. Stew's seeing some insurance companies are playing hardball: put the cheap converter aftermarket in, or total the vehicle.

With 180k miles on it, not a spring chicken. But it's a Prius - it could likely go another 100k or more if fixed properly. Totalled, they probably won't offer what one like that could be purchased for... Tough decisions and likely tough pocketbook-hits coming up.

 

Car is totalled, according to the insurance adjuster. Counting prior damage to the front of vehicle, sides, and hail, high mileage, against its best-shape, low-mileage value. Car was reliable, would have gone for years more. But totalled according to the adjuster due to body work that hadn't been done. So won't pay out for the stolen cat and related repairs.

Only two options as they value the vehicle a total loss. Can take $330 and keep the car, or surrender the car and get $2387. Not happy with my insurance company.

Car itself? Real problems were diagnosed by Stew at The Foreign Service. (Dealer was off on a wild goose chase of codes and misdiagnoses of traction battery ECU and/or traction battery). 12V battery fail caused the no-start. Converter was stolen while car sat (9:30AM to half-past noon) waiting for tow, or at the dealers. Dealer claims wasn't while they had it Thursday night or Friday night, and I can't prove that. Mashed O2 sensor wires from a cut/mangle caused a blown fuse to the engine ECU.

Immediate repairs would be: Cat, O2 sensor, wiring, 12V battery. Would have used an aftermarket converter to keep costs down. Further fixes would have been needed for brakes, suspension. Would have added up, along with body work (to get the car looking good).

At this point, thinking of surrendering the car, put the $2387 against another Gen 2 Prius ... About the same out-of-pocket to get the existing Prius up-to-similar-snuff, given that insurance would only pay-out $330 if I kept it.

Some sunk costs too, of course - extra towing ($120), dealer misdiagnosis ($150).

Ugh. Expensive 12V battery fail. Next time - make sure daughter knows to get it towed to the good independent repair shop. Not the dealers.

And thanks to Stew at The Foreign Service for really helping me out on this one, and Brad at Minnesota Hybrid Batteries for the concern and willingness to stand behind your battery!