quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Are some hybrids completely electrically driven? I recall a BMW that had an ice engine used as a generator but I am not 100% sure it had any direct connection to the drive train.

The Chevrolet Volt was one of those.
The engine was a generator to power the EV drive motor(s).

I think Toyota's is 150k miles but it may be 100k. My wife's Rav4 Hybrid had a problem this week and it's in the shop now. It seems the 2019 Rav Hybrids had a relay that doesn't like the cold and with a few below zero nights hers shit the bed.

Check engine light, hybrid system failure, and a few other warnings but it drove normally so I made an appt to bring it in and waited for her to get stranded. Thankfully on Monday she called on her way out to work and said the car wouldn't do anything. I came home to get her but had her try it first and it started up but the automatic parking brake wouldn't release. After a few tries everything worked so I told her to go right to the dealer with me behind her.

The dealer finally looked at it late Tuesday and the girl said the relay had to be replaced and should be in Friday (tomorrow) and the hybrid battery had to be replaced. I'm assuming the girl was talking about the traction battery and not the 12V battery but I won't know until I pick it up. Just under 3 years and 22k miles I'd be surprised if the traction battery was dead.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by cobre sig:
With Toyota the hybrids sold after 2020 have a 10 year battery replacement and 8 year hybrid electronics warranty. My old prius battery died one week before the warranty expired, got a brand new battery so they will honor it. When my battery went out I could still drive the car, but the dash was lit up like a Christmas tree.

Did not realize the warranty was that long on the hybrid components. Is there a mileage limit or just time?

Just looked it up and it appears to be 150,000 miles. Thats pretty good.

My loaner car for my auto repair shop is a 2005 Prius that I bought from its original owner. It has 265k on the clock, original engine, trans, and battery. They can last a long time, I think the technology has matured for the most part, but new battery tech will continue to make it better. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a new hybrid if that’s what you are interested in.

We have a Venza hybrid know. Actually it’s our third hybrid. None were traded for battery or had any battery issues. I traded a CMAX as it just got too hard to climb in an out of.
The Venza is AWD with gas/electric in the front and electrical in the back.
The battery is under the back seat which gives me a real spare and some storage. The CMAX only had a small pump and a can of sealant.

My FIL is an independent mechanic and has made good money rebuilding Prius batteries by identifying the individual defective cells and replacing them. It's much cheaper than buying a whole new battery, but the downside is once you get to the point of cells dying, usually more aren't far behind.

I've watched him do it, and honestly it's not that bad of a job if you know what you're doing. I'm not sure you'd come out ahead paying somebody to do it for you, though. Personally, I'd rather just have a gas motor, pay for the extra fuel, and not have to mess with all the added complexity and failure points of the hybrid.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Personally, I'd rather just have a gas motor, pay for the extra fuel, and not have to mess with all the added complexity and failure points of the hybrid.

For clarity, fuel economy is just one benefit of a hybrid powertrain.

On some cars, a hybrid powertrain is a performance option. Lots of instant torque.

My 15' Lexus (Toyota) hybrid has 176,000 miles and going strong.
Our 12' Camry hybrid is at 160,000 and going strong.
The worse thing for a hybrid is to not use them regularly.
I would not be afraid to buy a new Toyota Hybrid.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
My FIL is an independent mechanic and has made good money rebuilding Prius batteries by identifying the individual defective cells and replacing them. It's much cheaper than buying a whole new battery, but the downside is once you get to the point of cells dying, usually more aren't far behind.

I've watched him do it, and honestly it's not that bad of a job if you know what you're doing. I'm not sure you'd come out ahead paying somebody to do it for you, though. Personally, I'd rather just have a gas motor, pay for the extra fuel, and not have to mess with all the added complexity and failure points of the hybrid.

And he saved the Prius owners money while he was making money.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:
I know of a guy who replaced his Prius batteries himself after buying them from Toyota. I'm sure battery replacement is thousands of dollars, but they are replaceable.

How do you dispose of the old ones?

The old batteries were sent back to Toyota. They either dispose of them or refurbish and re-sell them.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
Orguss, do you know a ballpark amount that the batteries cost if you buy them from Toyota?

How much do you think he saved doing the install himself?

I am genuinely curious. I’ve kicked around the idea of buying a Nissan Leaf because it would work for the majority of my driving but the battery life and replacement cost of a used Leaf is a concern I have.

I love the idea of putting solar panels and a battery bank on my workshop and when it comes to around town driving I REALLY like the idea of never paying for gas again.

At the time, which was about four years ago, the batteries were about $3000. Looks like they're less than half that cost now. I have no idea how he did the actual swap. I was just there to pick them up but did ask him what they were since they were in their cases and were extremely heavy.