[Jordan Kirsch]

Can anyone estimate expected lifetime of the high voltage battery of a 2006 Prius? If the main battery fails, can the car continue to be driven as a regular non-hybrid car?

 

[Easy Rider]

Wild guess based on posts here and in other forums............
Maybe 12 years and/or 150,000 miles.
You might be on borrowed time.

NO, you can not drive it with a defective HV battery.

 

[Thomas Habig]

My 2001 had 230000 miles on it when I sold it. It was 15 years old.

 

[Easy Rider]

My 2001 had 230000 miles on it when I sold it. It was 15 years old.

Yes but many, MANY owners have had failures much earlier than that.
Were you the original owner ?
Did you live in a hot climate ?

 

[Thomas Habig]

Yes, I was the original owner. I live in Ohio, so neither too hot or cold. The battery was getting weaker at the end. Still a very good life. Far better than all of the fear that is out there about early battery failure.

 

[AJ Mount]

Is there any way to check the high voltage battery and perhaps get an idea of its future?

2010 Prius. Within two weeks I'll click 100,000 miles. Original owner.

Battery indicator goes to two bars under certain conditions, mostly slow speed 15-20 mph in traffic, more frequently with the a/c unit on.

Parkway driving (55-65 mph) battery indicator is 3/4 or more.

Thanks.

 

[Easy Rider]

Is there any way to check the high voltage battery and perhaps get an idea of its future?

Yes and no. Mostly no.

There are fancy testers and procedures available to check each cell but in the end, they are going to fail at a certain time pretty much no matter WHAT you do to them......and it's kind of like a heart attack; no real way to predict when.

The Toyota specific ODBII application can read the individual cells but I think that will just make you paranoid (more?).

Given the reports on here and other forums, my guess is that you should have at least a couple of good years left.
Just drive it until the first sign of electrical "weirdness" and then take it in for a complete diagnosis.

NOTE: 8 years would be a REALLY long run for the 12 V battery. If it is original, I suggest getting a new one NOW.

 

[AJ Mount]

Funny I've been thinking about the age of the battery. Next oil change, done every 5000 miles, is the target.

FWIW, the car is a 2011 year, not 2010 as I mis-typed.

 

[AJ Mount]

OBD2 Reader. I'll do some research. However, I'd probably have Toyota (or someone else) do it as I have significant back issues that would prevent me from doing any of the work involved.