2013 Prius c hybrid batt warning

It can be a lot to handle at once, so start with a deep breath.

P0A80 is the diagnostic code that a Prius spits out when it thinks its hybrid battery has reached the end of its useful life.

It is often correct, but not always.

That's pretty normal for a 2012 Prius c- the battery was made to last "about ten years" and this one seems to have done 12, so chances are it is accurate, and you got your money's worth.

$3850 is not an unheard-of amount to hear for an all-inclusive repair at a dealership.

What you need to know is that you can have the battery replaced elsewhere, and non-dealer prices are usually lower and sometimes a lot lower.

You should also know that a dealer will only sell a brand new Toyota battery. They just plain work, you'd get another 10-12 years out of the car. Other shops can also install a brand new Toyota battery (usually at a better price) but some of them will also sell used, rebuilt or refurbished batteries. Those are typically even cheaper, but they are not as good. They won't last anywhere near as long. That might be okay for you, if you don't plan to keep the car that long.

Often when a Prius presents the P0A80 code you can reset the computer, which causes it to forget that the battery has failed. That will let you drive more-or-less normally for a little while longer. It doesn't do anything to fix the problem, it just gets the error out of your way for a while- long enough to get a second opinion, alternate estimate etc, but you can't just keep going forever. The computer will eventually notice the failed battery and trip the error messages again.

There is a very highly-regarded hybrid repair shop in Buena Park by the name of Hybrid Pitstop. I've never done business with them myself, but they enjoy a pretty good reputation on Priuschat.

They will almost certainly be able to offer you some more affordable repair options than the dealer. If I were in your shoes, I'd get the car over to them pronto.

Good luck!