Is this the end?

I have had my Prius since it was a little sprout with just 20miles on it. Now it has 111,573. Maybe more than that. I know it's 111,000 something. I drive it about 3-4 times a week. I have chosen to walk to my train station instead of driving to it in order to reduce my carbon footprint.

Anyway for the last month or so I've noticed when I start the Prius up that I'd go about 300yards and the hybrid battery would go down to one bar. It kinda freaked me out but then a little further it'd be back to normal and for the rest of the day that I drive it, it's fine.

Until today. I hadn't driven it since Monday or Sunday and went to get into it this afternoon and it was DEAD. More dead than it's ever been. Now I've left a light on or something before but even then there's SOME life - like it'd turn on and give me a <!> or the mechanisms are slower. I get a jump. Not today. It didn't turn on, nothing on the car worked at all - I couldn't unlock doors.

I live across the street from a mom & pop garage that's been here for 70+ years so I asked if they could give me a jump (they have before!) It was a mess because my driveway is so narrow the guy had to drive on the lawn. It was really tight but we got it jumped. It turned on.

I noticed that the hybrid battery monitor was acting erratic. But it was on. I thought all I'd need to do was drive it and get the juices flowing. So I started to drive it and after a few ft the <!> light came on. Crap. I got to a gas station and filled up. I turned the car on and the <!> light AND the "check engine" light was on. Double crap.

I immediately drove to the dealers (about 7 miles) and they just barely took my car. I explained my car is having a midlife crisis and all my lights are on. They told me that since I didn't have an appt to come back on Tuesday.

Um, no. I could feel the car laboring trying to get over 45mph. I am NOT going home!

So my poor Prius is sitting at the dealer's for the weekend. They said they MIGHT be able to call me tomorrow and tell me what's up with it. I'm kind of thinking it's the hybrid battery and that it's met its expiration date.

The Prius is due for for brake pads, tires, and an oil change (in a few miles) so this might get costly......................no longer under warranty.

 

It's 6yrs old. I got it new in 2006. Actually 6yrs old to the month. I remember getting it in May.

I probably didn't do it any favors driving it to the dealer but I wanted to get it somewhere quick and where it'd receive attention. The garage across the street is a full service garage but they're CLUELESS about hybrids. I'm still surprised the dealers said to come back Tuesday....I would hate to have drove it home in that condition.

NOTHING in this car has been replaced since I got it (other than tires). It's never given me any issue. Not even a flat tire. So I imagine things got to expire sometime...

 

Thanks for the info! I really do hope it's the 12v and not the hybrid battery. I can't check it myself because it's in the shop because they said they MIGHT be able to get to it tomorrow.

I've talked to folks that said their hybrid has lasted them over 200k so I was very surprised when my car started having a midlife crisis.

 

Thanks everyone! I think since this sounds like exactly what it is and if they tell me that it's fine I will have them replace it anyway. I can't remember what they told me last time I was there that the car needed other than break pads and they MIGHT have said something about the battery but I might be hallucinating. The papers are all in the car so I can't check it. I hope they call me today and let me know what's up and so I can get it back but with it being a holiday weekend I'm not holding my breath.

 

They just called me back and they said "the 12v is the first thing they checked" when I asked them about it. They said they've been working on it all day but coudln't find anything. Their "Prius Experts" are all away for the long weekend and won't be back til Tuesday. They mentioned something about "factory" too.

 

I'm just curious as to why the dealer wouldn't pick up on this if it's a battery issue. Wouldn't they WANT to sell me a new battery? $$$?

 

Ok. I have been trying to reply for DAYS trying to give folks an update, but I just was able to post now after the switch.

Sooooooooooooooo - everyone was right: it was the 12v. They called me Saturday saying they couldn't figure out what was wrong and I had to wait for the Prius expert to come in. The Prius expert came in and immediately knew it was the 12v. (Hey, the car sat there all weekend and without a doubt was dead when they tried to start it up, it's not rocket science). So they called me and said that it needed replacing. GREAT! It also needed new break pads (which I knew, they haven't been replaced in the 6yrs I had it) and an oil change. It would be ready that day (Tuesday).

They did the above and then tested it out.....but it still wasn't okay. They called me back and turns out there's a dead cell on the hybrid battery. It needs to be replaced. I'm 11,864 miles over warranty. <insert expletive here>

Well - believe it or not - they gave me a hybrid battery anyway. I just had to pay shipping and handling. Not even labor for insertion of the hybrid battery. I have no idea what I did to deserve this sort of treatment, but I truly appreciate it. I love Toyota.

So now my car has new oil, new brakes, and 2 new batteries. I feel like I have a whole new car!