I looked into this recently and to summarize here is what I found:
- It should be good for 10 years or so, easily. You can look up Toyota’s Web pages for details on this subject.
- Some say 140,000 miles. Some say 150,000. I say drive until you need the replacement.
- When it fails, Toyota dealers replace all of the battery, that is foolish, period! In addition, it’s very costly, $3,000 or $4,000. That sucks
- If it fails, you can usually run the car, but the economy is gone and you’ll probably have warning lights to ignore. Been there, done that! If there were another, different, engine fault then you wouldn’t know.
- It’s not the whole battery that fails, it’s just one or maybe two cells. That is where we come in. We only replace what you need to restore the battery to its original working condition. In addition, we build our own batteries for even greater savings.
- There are lots of independent repairers out there that can find that cell and replace it for a fraction of the cost of a full battery. Please pick one that holds a repair license and has a reputable reputation. Paul is the best in the business if you reside in Florida.
Question….Can I fix it myself? – It is possible to fix it yourself, but you’d need a cell, usually an entire battery from a scrapyard is the only way to get this. And you’d have to be very good at mending things, or very, very, lucky. On top of that you will need a laptop with the right cable to read the computer system of your Prius to get the right diagnosis codes.
Question…What if it is not the battery? Sometimes it’s not the cells, but the control circuitry that goes with it. Big problem. At this point Paul will tell you how to fix the problem at the cheapest cost possible
Conclusion….if you own a Prius and you have warning lights the best start is to have Paul give you a full diagnosis report on your car. This cost nothing. In most cases it it most likely a bad cell that requires replacing. This is a 4-5 hour job that can take place right at your home. No need to bring the car to us. We have a fully mobile system that will do the repairs right at your location. Please call us at (727) 565-5685.
If your Toyota Prius or Camry hybrid system needs service, you want confidence in your mechanic. When you take you car in for repairs, you want assurance the technician doing the work not only knows what he’s doing but has proper training to deal with unexpected problems. YOU WANT A LICENSED & INSURED TECHNICIAN! PERIOD! No Exceptions!
When you hire an auto mechanic, it pays to be meticulous in selecting the best available professional. 
If the work you’re getting done is happening in someone’s home garage or is half what a dealership would charge, or they claim they come to you without first displaying a license permit there’s a good chance you are you dealing with an unlicensed mechanic. Also, here is another con. If major damage has been done to your hybrid battery or electrical system, can it be traced back to the work performed by an unlicensed tech? The recourse may be timely and expensive going through the court system to regain losses. You might be able to have it reinstated after a court proceeding, but this is a time-consuming and expensive process.
Red Triangle Warning – Long ago we published an article on the Gen 1-3 transmission failure . Around the same time we predicted Gen 1-3 transmissions would be more robust. While this remains statistically true, our experience has proven that they are not immune to transmission problems of their own. And many times they come on due to extended period s of driving with the red “Triangle of Death”.
Many companies currently operate an overnight shift 7 days a week dedicated to hybrid cars that serve as taxi cabs. With this experience we can describe Gen 2 Prius transmission failure as routine, somewhere between 150-250k miles just from their research alone. The most common indication is trouble code P0AA6 (with no other known symptoms), but we have also seen broken chains, failed bearings, bad MG1s (trouble code P0A7A and P0A92), and seized planetaries altogether. 
There is a flat needle bearing that holds the planetary gearset from the MG1 case. This bearing is the weakest mechanical link, prone to failure over time. Once it collapses, the gear it supports falls inward against the load of the chain and grinds into the case of MG1. Early signs are a whine when the engine starts . Long term the chain will break and when MG1 attempts to crank the engine the planetary freewheels with a “whizzing” sound. You will know what we mean when you hear it.
Well, this can cost you upwards of $2500.00 to $3500.00 for a transmission problem but we can still save you thousands by eliminating the problem altogether. When you see the warning light give us a quick call and we will give you and honest answer on how to keep your hybrid running for years without draining your entire savings.
Headlight Installation – There’s nothing the media loves more than a nice juicy auto problem. Imagine that your Prius headlights fail, and replacing them cost you THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS !!! This is very common to hear.
them more likely to suspect a defect. Either way, we can replace these at a much cheaper price.
If you have a Prius with HID headlights, and one of your bulbs fails, it may be worth trying to repair it yourself. But good luck, you will need some specialty tools to remove the rear of the headlamp assembly to access the bulb! I will also add that you may need to get some help, most likely from a dealer, to finish the project! Dealers can charge you $275 to $375 (per bulb).
Are you looking for the cheapest prices on Hybrid Batteries in Florida and need help? At Affordable Hybrid Batteries of Tampa Bay we offer the lowest prices on hybrid batteries for Toyota Prius & Toyota Camry. We also offer the lowest and cheapest prices on your inverter coolant pump. Not only do we offer the best price on hybrid batteries and coolant pumps but we install them at your home! We offer this service at no extra charge. We have excellent references as well as highest recommendations and warranties than any other other company! We give you the best of the best service!!! Call Paul now at 7275655685
Indeed, Toyota says the battery pack is one of the least-frequently replaced items across all Prius models. And some proportion of the packs it has to replace haven’t failed, but were damaged in collisions or other accidents.
Have you ever been driving your Toyota Prius and had some warning lights appear on your dashboard? It can be troubling, confusing and aggravating when you don’t know what, if anything, is wrong with your new car. In many cases, it is likely nothing, but in the event that it is, it is so important that you get your vehicle into your local Toyota Service Department. Your dashboard lighting up like a Christmas tree is something out of a driver’s nightmare and with that concern in mind, lets discuss these lights and what they really mean.
All of those little lights on your dashboard come in two primary categories — indicator lights and warning lights. Indicator lights are there to alert you to a potential issue that may require your attention or simply let you know system is activated. Warning lights are more serious and should be addressed as soon as possible before you continue on. Color is a helpful way to help you understand the gravity of your vehicle’s situation. If a dashboard light is green or blue, it generally indicates that a system is on or operating, such as your high beams being on. When you see red or yellow, it may indicate a serious problem or safety issue and you should have your vehicle checked by a certified Toyota technician as soon as possible. Take a look at a few common and important dashboard warning lights and indicators.
While hybrid cars entered the mainstream car market over 15 years ago, they’ve grown in popularity and spread across nearly every platform of vehicle today. As the 10- and 15-year marks of ownership are reached, hybrid battery life and maintenance questions have begun to pop up. How long do batteries last? What are the performance issues that arise? How does one go about replacing hybrid’s battery? That is always the thousand dollar question.
While different hybrids use different size batteries, the cost of replacement is generally between $2,000 and $4,000. Depending on the vehicle the physical battery replacement can be simple. The batteries are typically located in the trunk of the car or under the back seat. Putting it simply the job involves removing the clamps that hold it in place, unplugging the old battery and then installing the new one. Of course there are a few vehicle specific safety steps involved due to the high voltages used by these batteries. Finally a technician may need to use special tools to make sure the hybrid system is functioning properly.
I’ve only had my 2001 Prius Classic about 3 weeks. Today that warning screen came on showing the Main Battery symbol and the Car/Exclamation mark symbol. The dealership said it’s okay to drive it but bring it in Monday when the Prius guy shows up. The car seems to be running fine, I don’t smell anything, the oil is OK, power, A/C, etc seems to be ok. I hate when this happens within a technology I don’t understand. It reminds of the those “Fatal Error” messages I used to always get when I first got my computer. I also hate that I might be in for a battery or other repair that will wipe out any gas savings I might have for years. Any advice to give?
My 2005 Prius has about 224,800 miles on it. I has been driving okay until yesterday. While driving, there are many warning lights coming up, including the check engine light, Red Triangle, VSC and “!” lights are all on. I asked autozone to pull out the code to be “P0A80, replacing hybrid battery pack”. Does it mean I need to get a new battery? I heard it is very expensive, around $3000. Do I need to spend $150 to let Toyota Dealer to diagnose it again, just to be sure it is the hybrid battery problem?
Working on Toyota Prius systems for years we have helped many Prius owners diagnose their hybrid system. While the dealership now charges a $98.00 charge just to “figure” out what wrong we can come to you. But here’s the catch, and a positive one at that. Most Prius owners end up going to their dealership and finding out it is the main hybrid battery that is the culprit. They will come to you and put you into a panic attack with a bill topping $3,000.00. Our company will come to you, explain just what is going on with your hybrid system and rebuild just the bad cells saving you big bucks$$$$. 
It’s a fact of life, all batteries fail. Computers can power down during presentations and cell phone calls can drop in the midst of an important crisis. Now it seems that you can add cars to that list of worries. Hybrid and electric cars are gaining more popularity in showrooms worldwide as gas prices rise and the environment degrades, and these cars use large arrays of batteries as a power source.