2 Ways To Avoid $6,000 In Repairs On Your Toyota Prius

Owning a Toyota Prius can be like owning a ticking time bomb. That is if you are not aware of some very high dollar repairs that could warrant you selling the car.

While there are more than just these two repairs, I want to focus today on these two as they are widespread issues that we as Prius owners face. I will also touch on what you can do about it as well.

Repair One: The Traction or Hybrid Battery
Hybrid battery repair is one of the most controversial topics. There are many ways to go about "fixing" your Prius of the traction battery fails. You can do a full new replacement, you can replace one module, and you can get a refurbished pack.

Each one of these options has different benefits for the owner. A new replacement will yield you another ten years of worry-free driving, module replacement will yield you a temporary "fix" and a reconditioned battery will give you a "like-new feel."

So how do you avoid paying for a new battery or having to play whack-a-mole by replacing modules? The answer lies in this mysterious thing called preventative maintenance.

If you have a known good battery, chances are it is starting to show its age. Dendrites have begun to form inside your battery and are causing capacity loss.

If you want to get the most out of your battery, you need to periodically "cycle" your battery like the Pros are doing to help restore lost capacity. That is pretty much all a reconditioned battery is.

If you want to know more about battery reconditioning, check out this story here. Here is the deal, periodic maintenance on your battery will for sure allow you to have double the expected life of your battery if you want to own your Prius for 20 years and not have to worry about a $3000 replacement, opt-in for maintenance.

Repair Two: Protect Your Catalytic Converter
Not all states in the United States have California emissions regulations. I get that some people do not care if their catalytic converter gets stolen. Here is the thing I do not want to have to pay my deductible or pay to have an aftermarket cat put on my car.

Paying for something that you should not have to pay for is ridiculous. But protecting your vehicle from a costly, unnecessary repair is something every Prius owner should involve themselves in.

The best product I have found and been fortunate enough to review is the Cat Security™ protective shield. This unique protective shield is a real winner against thieves who are looking to commandeer your catalytic converter. (No, I am not paid by Cat Security to promote their product. I think what they have done to help Prius owners is amazing which is why I cover the story so often.)

With prices as low as they have ever been on these devices, now is the best time to get your Prius protected. It may seem almost ridiculous to think about, but if you are one of the lucky winners that have to spend $2,500 to $3,000 or more on a replacement converter, you may think twice about protecting it.

If you want to know more about catalytic converter theft, check out this story here for more details.

Conclusion
These tips are not rocket science, but they are practical, and if they are implemented will save you from having to shell out thousands of dollars in repairs.

People are selling good used Prius' right now that need these repairs, and they could have avoided it if they would have put these two things into practice.

Do your Prius a couple of favors and get the battery taken care of and the cat protected. You will be glad you did.

That is all for today, everyone. Have a wonderful weekend, and I will see you in the next story. Should You Use Nitrogen In Your Toyota Prius Tires?

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Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting. Read more of Peter's stories at Toyota news coverage on Torque News. Search Toyota Prius Torque News for more in depth Prius coverage from our reporters.