Surprisingly, the fuel-efficient Toyota Prius has been available to US drivers for over two decades. This full hybrid electric four-door sedan has been popular with drivers for years, and continues to be a favorite with new car owners, regardless of age.
The advantages of driving a Prius are:
- Spacious and comfortable interior
- Standard safety protocols
- Great visibility
- Innovative technology
- Responsive handling and exceptional steering
- Plenty of cargo space
- Intuitive systems
- USB interfaces
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Voice Recognition System
- Stereo system
With countless drivers enjoying the same fuel mileage as they did in their original 2000 model Prius, the vehicles’ internal traction battery packs are inexplicably hitting their predicted 300,000-mile, 10-year lifespan.
If your battery pack dies within the 150,000 (or 100,000) mile warranty, the auto supplier will replace it at no cost. However, if your warranty expires, it seems you’ll be one of 500 Prius owners a month sharing the same dilemma.
Your Toyota dealership has probably informed you about performance concerns along with the dashboard warning light indicating a potential visit. Now you face a difficult decision: do you purchase a battery pack or a new vehicle?
Regardless of making vehicle choices, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know about the costs of battery replacement in a Toyota Prius.
What You Should Know About The Hybrid Battery?
A hybrid car battery works like a conventional battery. With the added advantage of being rechargeable, a hybrid battery is ensured to keep your vehicle running for a considerable distance.
The internal components of a hybrid vehicle consist of an internal combustion engine and a battery electric drive system, both working in tandem. With their synergistic performance, fuel economy is greatly improved while emissions are drastically lowered.
The electric motor in a Toyota Prius hybrid car is capable of powering the vehicle itself. It can draw power from the battery. Electric motor power is used exclusively below speeds of 15 miles per hour, while cruising at normal highway speeds solely makes use of the gasoline engine.
When accelerating heavily, the hybrid car’s gasoline engine and electric motors will combine their efforts to increase power to the wheels. This is made possible due to the power-split transmission, which allows for the summation of the torque from each system.
If you need to slow down or come to a stop, your Toyota Prius has a smart system referred to as “regenerative braking” that will kick into action. Because the vehicle has to decelerate, there is no need for the electric motor or gas engine to run.
The vehicle will cease to provide torque to the wheels and allow for the motion of the wheels to turn the motor inside the vehicle, which now functions as a generator. Consequently, electricity is produced and stored in the battery for future use.
In a state of rest, the gas engine and electric motor are completely deactivated. Energy is drawn from the battery to operate the auxiliary devices in the Prius, such as radio, cabin lights, air conditioning, or heat.
How Long Does a Hybrid Battery Last?
Estimating the exact range of life for a Toyota Prius car battery is not possible, as it fluctuates with the kilometers driven by the individual, alongside the weather conditions. In addition, the battery is warranted for a decade or up to 150,000 miles if the car is under California emission legislation.
In the remaining states, the warranty period for your Toyota Prius battery extends up to 8 years or 100,000 miles. This entails that if the battery depletes during the coverage, there is a complete monetary refund for the out-of-pocket expense of claiming a replacement.
How Does a Toyota Prius Compare to Other Hybrids on the Market?
Other than the Toyota Prius Hybrid, which is relatively new to the market, there are various options from different manufacturers. The most notable being full hybrids and plug-ins. Which brings us back to the main question: how does the Prius fare against its competition?
The primary distinction between the two hybrids spoken of is how the battery gets charged. A full hybrid gets its charge from a massive battery pack that converts energy from the gasoline engine and the brakes. The plug-in hybrids can simply be plugged into the wall.
The Toyota Prius houses a battery that consists of 28 Panasonic nickel-metal hydride modules, each of which holds 6 cells, each with a voltage of 1.2. When combined in a sequence, the resulting volts will be 201.6. This is in comparison to the Lexus RX 400h, which can deliver up to 500 volts.
Toyota Prius Battery Pack Problems
Currently, there are more than 1.3 million hybrid Toyotas in circulation, which means that the rate of battery pack failures will sharply increase in the next few years. But what signs do drivers need to keep an eye out for that signal the battery is on the verge of dying?
Here are several symptoms associated with failing Toyota hybrid batteries:
- Decreased miles per gallon (MPG): While there could be many problems that might interrupt the smooth functioning of your fuel efficiency, the most likely cause in this case is the battery. If you notice a consistent unexplained drop in your fuel economy, you should seek out and consult a qualified Toyota hybrid mechanic at the earliest.
- Your internal combustion engine is running more than it usually does: If the ICE in your Toyota Prius sedan kicks in more often than it usually does, it is another red flag signifying a failing hybrid battery. If it operates at strange hours or runs for prolonged periods, you probably have a defective battery.
- State of charge: Your vehicle’s state of charge may be a cause for concern if the SOC indicates wide-reaching fluctuations within the battery’s SOC. These variations could mean there’s something wrong with the battery or the vehicle’s charging unit. Furthermore, pronounced oscillations in your SOC also indicate a high likelihood of battery failure.
- Unexplained drop in battery bars: Do you observe that your hybrid’s electric fuel gauge decreases without a logical explanation? If you fully park the car and observe the gauge reading five bars only to see it decline to a solitary mark upon return, it indicates that there is a fault with the battery and it must be attended to without delay.
- Weird engine noises: Hearing strange sounds from the engine of your Toyota Prius is an odd phenomenon. The reason for these sounds can be attributed to the engine running much more frequently than normal. This suggests to us that the vehicle may have a failing battery.
A qualified hybrid mechanic must be consulted immediately after observing the symptoms identified above to carry out further diagnosis and repairs.
Toyota Prius Battery Replacement Costs
The costs related to replacing a battery for a Toyota Prius will moderately change depending on the dealership you choose. For a brand new Toyota hybrid battery, the estimated replacement cost would range from $2,200 to $4,100, not including labor costs.
The cost of purchasing a used battery exceeds $1,500, while a furnished Toyota Prius battery generally costs $1,500 or above.
Always strive to find the best deals in your vicinity, as the information could save you money. Moreover, consider purchasing an upgraded Toyota Prius model, which runs optimally for many years to come.
You will be paying more than the cost of the battery if you wish to replace it. You will also have to consider labor expenses, plus any extra charges, which can add up significantly depending on the mechanic.
The cost of labor will surely be high, given the level of expertise required for servicing a Toyota hybrid battery. Also, remember that the numerous years of advanced training the mechanics had to undertake to accurately replace your Toyota Prius battery is what makes the cost of labor so high.
The cost of labor varies depending on the time it takes to service the vehicle. In general, a Prius battery takes around 2 to 3 hours to replace.
Why is a Toyota Prius Battery So Expensive?
You might be wondering what could justify the high payments associated with buying a new Prius hybrid battery. The short answer is that hybrid cars require unique batteries and other mechanical parts.
A Toyota Prius hybrid car uses an electric motor and a traditional combustion engine, which means it uses two forms of energy. Plus, they require a hybrid battery pack to store excess energy.
Because of this, the Toyota Prius car’s mechanical parts are not only incredibly advanced, but are also more expensive to manufacture. This is because these parts are typically manufactured in limited numbers.
Is My Battery Still Covered Under Warranty?
When replacing the battery on your Toyota Prius, one crucial step you want to take is to check whether the dead battery is still under warranty. If it is, the warranty will assume responsibility for paying all replacement costs involving a new battery.
You may also have an extended battery warranty. For instance, new geographic regions may operate with a Toyota Prius for 100,000 miles or 8 years, whichever comes first.
Core Credit
Should you ever find yourself needing to replace a dead battery in your Toyota Prius, there is one slim silver lining coming from Toyota referred to as core credit.
This is essentially the reduction in the amount you are supposed to pay for a new battery pack’s MSRP after returning the old battery to be recycled. This is advantageous not only because it will add some money back to your pocket, but also benefit the environment.
The only additional charge that you will incur will be for labor, which will depend on the make and model of your car, the place you choose to change your car battery, and other factors.
Below are the listed MSRP battery costs along with the history of offered Toyota Prius models since the year 2001:
- 2001 – 2003 Toyota Prius (first generation) – $3,649
- 2004 – 2009 Toyota Prius (second generation) – $3,939
- 2010 – 2011 Toyota Prius (third generation) – $40,80
- 2012 – 2015 Toyota Prius Liftback – $3,939
- 2012 – 2016 Toyota Prius V – $3,939
- 2012 – 2016 Toyota Prius C – $3,807
All of the above prices need to be adjusted downwards by the amount of $1350 for the core credit the dealer pays for the old battery pack that is getting replaced. The dealer will recycle the old battery pack via the Toyota program.
How to Make a Toyota Prius Battery Last Longer
There are several steps that you can follow to take proper care of your battery, including:
- Make sure to have the HEV battery pack cooling system checked, cleaned, and certified yearly.
- Make sure to locate the engine compartment’s air filter and have it serviced or replaced at intervals of roughly 12 to 15 months or every 15,000 miles. If a dirty cabin air filter is left unattended for some time, it will impede the airflow to the battery pack, causing it to run inefficiently.
Conclusion
The Toyota Prius hybrid is an exceptional car with great drivability and fuel economy. However, its battery replacement can be quite expensive if the warranty doesn’t cover it.
Always pay attention to the symptoms of a failing battery and perform scheduled maintenance on the car to maximize the lifespan of the vehicle’s components.