The first Toyota and Honda hybrids to hit the road are now 15 years old, quite a long lifetime in car years. While some drivers will manage to go 15 years and 200,000 miles without worrying about how to replace a hybrid battery, others haven’t fared so well.
And while many Americans have enough DIY auto knowledge to replace a traditional battery, replacing a hybrid battery is an entirely different affair. For one, it’s far more expensive. While your local auto shop can install a new battery for $100 or less in a gasoline-fueled vehicle, Toyota Prius drivers have had to pay $4,000 or more.
If it seems like that negates the financial benefits of buying a hybrid in the first place, you aren’t alone in that line of thinking. Fortunately, savvy hybrid drivers can figure out how to replace a hybrid battery without breaking the bank.
Hybrid Car Batter Replacement: How To Replace a Hybrid Battery? How Much Does It Cost To Replace Hybrid Battery?
Before you do anything else, the most important thing you can do is look up your vehicle’s warranty information. Some states require hybrid cars to come with an eight year/100,000 mile warranty, while some states mandate even more generous warranties. If you’re covered, you could have some or all of the cost covered by the car maker in question. Plus, the dead battery itself still has value. Toyota will pay drivers for their old batteries, and other used car parts dealers will buy them too.
If you’re not covered by a warranty, then you still have some options. Your most expensive option will be to go to the dealer and pay for a replacement battery pack. That can run you anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 for parts and labor. However, there are alternatives.
First, there are some hybrid vehicle mechanics that will refurbish your dead battery. If one cell on your hybrid battery dies, the whole thing stops working. By fixing or replacing broken cells, refurbished batteries can save you the need to replace your battery. Just remember, it’s only a temporary fix.
Others purchase used hybrid batteries on Ebay or Craigslist, but this is the sketchiest of all options. There are no guarantees how long the used battery will last. If you really need to save on mechanical issues, you can also purchase a new battery online and find a local auto shop to install it for you. Unless you know your way around a hybrid engine, do not attempt to install it yourself. Without professional experience, you can hurt both your car and yourself.
Finally, don’t throw away your old battery! If you can’t sell it or send it in to the dealer, make sure you take the proper steps to recycle it.
Any more questions? Let us know in the comments about your own experiences with hybrid replacement batteries!