Toyota Prius Battery Replacement: Options for When Hybrids Begin to Fail

You’re living the dream. Great job. Beautiful home. Awesome family. Adorable dog. A Prius to drive around in. Perfection.

Especially the Prius part.

Because you’ve got to admit, the Toyota Prius is the quintessential hybrid car if you ever saw one. It saves you money in more ways than just lowering your gas consumption. And the reduced carbon footprint means guilt-free driving. The sleek design also doesn’t hurt.

And then it happens. Just when you least expect it, your Toyota Prius hybrid battery dies on you. And just like that—the dream you’re living is no more.

Since you’re reading this, you’re probably in the same predicament. By this point, you’re left with two choices: to repair the battery or to replace it.

Common symptoms of a failing Prius hybrid battery

But first, some context before you make any decision. How sure are you that your hybrid car’s battery is the problem? Let’s go over the most common reasons why a Toyota Prius hybrid battery goes bad.

• Increased fuel usage. Did you notice an increase in fuel consumption before your hybrid battery failed? If there’s a problem with the battery, the engine will pick up the slack, hence the increased fuel use.
• Fluctuations in state of charge. If your car’s stage of charge is having dramatic increases or decreases, the battery may have a problem.
• Strange noises from the engine. This could mean that your internal combustion engine (ICE) is working extra hard. It does that when the battery is not doing its share.
• Decreased MPG (mileage per gallon). Did you find yourself visiting the gas station more frequently before your hybrid battery went kaput? That could mean your battery is not charging to full capacity.

Is your Toyota Prius showing any or some of the above symptoms? Time for you to have your hybrid battery checked.

Is your Toyota Prius Battery still under warranty?

How long does a Toyota Prius hybrid battery last, anyway?

Maybe the right question to ask is: Is my hybrid battery under warranty?

If it is, you can breathe a sigh of relief. All you have to do is give your dealership a call and let them handle it. They’ll make the necessary repairs or replacements for FREE, as promised in the warranty.

As per Toyota’s terms and guidelines, the warranty coverage for the Prius hybrid battery is 8 years and 100,000 miles (10 years and 150,000 miles for 2020-model-year vehicles and for vehicles registered in states that adopt California’s emissions regulations).

If your Prius hybrid battery is out of warranty,  you’re left again with the original two choices: to replace or repair your hybrid battery. Of course, the better choice will depend on the severity of the damage, its symptoms, your budget, and your priorities.

Hybrid battery repairs

Having your hybrid battery repaired is the cheaper option, at least in most cases. But is battery repair the best choice, money-wise and sanity-wise?

Here are scenarios where having your battery repaired makes more sense.

The battery has damaged a few cells

Best solution: Hybrid battery cell repair

Cost: $499-$699

A hybrid battery is a pack of individual cells. The amount of cells in a battery pack depends on the hybrid car’s make and model (Prius batteries have about 28 of them). When a hybrid battery fails, that doesn’t mean all of its cells have gone bad. Why buy a new hybrid battery if the one you were using has damaged only a few cells?

In this case, you’re better off having your hybrid battery repaired.

Bear in mind that most methods for detecting weak or bad cells are not 100% accurate. This is why we at Exclusively Hybrid use an intensive and time-tested process to produce a comprehensive “battery test report.” On top of providing customers with specific recommendations, we also take the time to balance the battery pack to make the hybrid battery last longer.

Most of the Battery’s cells are damaged

Recommended solution: Hybrid battery reconditioning

Cost: $890-$1890

If most of your battery’s cells have been damaged, the recommended solution is to replace them with rejuvenated cells. This process is called hybrid battery rejuvenation/reconditioning.

Battery reconditioning is done by charging and balancing a hybrid battery’s cells. Depending on the extent of the damage, hybrid cell reconditioning or rejuvenation will cost you anywhere between $890 and $1890.

Caveat: If the cost leans towards the latter figure, we recommend that you replace your battery with a new one. Why? Because the difference in costs is negligible. Hybrid battery reconditioning extends battery life by a few years, sure, but a new hybrid battery will last much longer.

Which brings us to…

Toyota Prius Battery Replacement

There comes a time in a hybrid car owner’s life when you need to start over. Beginnings and fresh new starts and all that.

Because at the end of the day, a new hybrid battery performs better and lasts longer than a repaired or a reconditioned one.

How much does a new hybrid battery cost anyway?

Well, that depends on the make and model of your hybrid car and where you’re buying it from.

But let’s give you something to work with. If we’re talking dealership prices, your new Toyota Prius hybrid battery will cost you at least $3,600 (including installation, plus sales tax).

Yes, it’s not cheap. But you can get a new one for a cheaper price by buying a replacement battery from a third party specialty shop or supplier (but more on that in a bit).

Buying from a dealership

As already mentioned, buying a hybrid battery from your local dealership will cost you more as compared to buying an OEM aftermarket battery from a private seller. This is not surprising considering that dealerships have tight margins and high overhead costs. Dealership purchases also take longer because of the paperwork involved and the time it takes to order the component.

That said, buying from a dealership does have the “peace of mind” factor going for it. If you don’t mind the price, then go for it!

To that end, here’s a list of MSRP battery cost details for the various hybrid Toyota models offered since 2001.

2001-2003 Toyota Prius (1st generation) – $3,649

2004-2009 Toyota Prius (2nd generation) – $3,939

2010-2011 Toyota Prius (3rd generation) – $4,080

2012-2015 Toyota Prius Liftback – $3,939

2012-2016 Toyota Prius V – $3,939

2012-2016 Toyota Prius C – $3,807

Buying from a private seller

You can buy a hybrid battery replacement for a bargain price—often a third of the cost offered by a dealer—from private sellers or hybrid vehicle specialty shops.

But a word of caution: Make sure the private seller is a reputable one. A private seller may provide you with a better deal, at least upfront—but there are risks involved. For one, some private sellers (some, not all) will leave you to fend for yourself once you’ve made the purchase, meaning that any problem you encounter with your hybrid battery is yours alone, not theirs.

Here are some tips to follow when buying from a private hybrid battery car seller:

1. Make sure that the hybrid battery comes with a warranty.
2. Check if the hybrid battery is in the original and genuine packaging.
3. Make sure that the serial number is still attached to the cover of the hybrid battery.
4. Check if the private seller has a good reputation (checking the seller’s website and searching for online customer reviews are a good start).

Hybrid Battery Replacement: Exclusively Hybrid vs. Others

Buying a high-quality hybrid battery at a bargain price is one thing. That’s the easy part. Finding a private seller you can trust is another. We at Exclusively Hybrid will be happy to help you on both scores.

To start, here are our Toyota Prius hybrid battery replacement offerings:

Prius 2004 – 2009 Hybrid Battery

• Brand New
• 4 Year or 50,000 Mile Warranty, whichever comes first
• Installation services available
• Retail: $3,600
• Our price: $1,990

Prius 2010 – 2015 Hybrid Battery

• Brand New
• 4 Year or 50,000 Mile Warranty, whichever comes first
• Installation services available
• Retail: $4,200
• Our price: $1,990

As you can see, these prices are much more reasonable than the ones being offered in dealerships—and we’re offering them with a 4-year or 50,000-mile warranty to boot!

What’s next?

We at Exclusively Hybrid place great value in customer satisfaction. Are you having issues with your Toyota Prius hybrid battery? Our doors are always open to serve you. Hybrid battery failures don’t have to be a stressful process. You’re living the dream, remember?

CALL US TODAY: 561-299-0609