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Should I buy this?

2K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  csellos 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,
I am new in this hybrid era...
We need a cheap, good on gas, etc. vehicle for a few months. I've found a 2007 Prius with 150.xxx miles, asking price $1950. It has a rebuilt Ohio title. (Front damage. Was fixed). The hybrid battery was replaced in 2017 with a NEW one (Not rebuilt or used). The owner doesn't know when was the 12v battery replaced but it is an Optima yellow. He owns the car since 2013 (The 12v battery compartment has rust/watermark on the battery too like 5 inches tall. It was raining when I first checked the car and the compartment was bone dry).
The car has "smart" key and backup camera, aftermarket audio. The top of the car started losing the clear coat.
BUT The most important... The car has these codes:

C1345 Current
Not Learning Linear Valve Offset Abnormality
P0171 Current
Fuel Trim too Lean(Bank 1)
P1151 Current
Coolant Heat Storage Tank
P2195 Current
Oxygen(A/F) Sensor Signal Stuck Lean(Bank 1 Sensor 1)

The owner didn't know about the engine codes, but he checked the ABS code (present since a year or so). and the mechanic said the ABS ECU needs to be replaced.
Can a week 12V battery caused this code (I didn't have the chance to "stress" test the battery, but since it is at least 5 years old...)
Should I buy this car for my wife who needs to commute with our baby son?
Thank you in advance.
 
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#2 ·
Can a week 12V battery caused this code (I didn't have the chance to "stress" test the battery, but since it is at least 5 years old...)

Should I buy this car for my wife who needs to commute with our baby son?
Yes, it could be the battery......but probably not.
You could insist that it be changed out first.

NO....in it's present condition, you should not even consider it for a SECOND for the purpose you stated.
 
#4 ·
ANY outstanding "issue" is potentially a BIG issue.......with any used car, for someone who is looking for a reliable vehicle.
The seller should fix it BEFORE selling.

If you are an amateur mechanic and looking for a "project", that's a whole different matter.

Any hybrid vehicle has more things to go wrong than a conventional vehicle.
And they are hard to detect ahead of time too.

Then......if you will only be using this for "a few months", it might not be necessary to limit your search to things that are very cheap to start with.

If you get a vehicle in good shape at a fair price, you should be able to re-sell it in 6 months and lose little or nothing in the process.
Except the monthly payments for the months used that is.
 
#5 ·
Thank you,

I have fixed a few cars in the past, but all of them were "old-style", gas engine vehicles with not too many ECUs... So, these Hybrid systems would be a brand new experience... I am not afraid of the engine codes but this ABS thing is bugging me a bit. It could be a $200-250 12V battery or a $1500 (and above) ABS module...
I am about to go back and try to "deep test" the car with my "semi-professional" scanners, an extra battery and try to perform a zero point calibration...

But, I will consider other options too :)
 
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