Huh? Dealership Wants $4450 To Fix Hybrid Camry - Owner Corrects The Issue Himself For $10

This isn’t a new issue but it’s one many hybrid car owners will one day have to deal with nonetheless. Unfortunately, dealerships are likely to charge thousands of dollars to replace hybrid battery packs, a price tag so high they'll no longer be worth fixing. But one Toyota Camry hybrid owner resolved the problem himself for just $10 instead of the $4,450 price his dealer was quoting him. How’d he do it? First off, the owner is the son of a master electrician; he learned the trade from his old man over the years.

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Agent009 - 2/16/2015 10:55:44 AM

+1 Boost

This is not limited to Toyota by any stretch. It is part of our "read a code and throw away the old part" mentality. A few decades ago the mechanic would have fixed the corrosion issue as this owner did.

Now all they want to so is replace the part, pocket the money and move to the next job.

But there the question as to "why" the connections corroded at all? Could this be a common problem for this model in a few years?

vdiv - 2/16/2015 11:41:58 AM

+1 Boost

Water and electricity, especially DC do not mix nicely. Electrolysis occurs, dielectric oxides are created. The question is why did moisture get to that part. It's possible that the bus bar was not tightened well too exacerbating the problem.

MDarringer - 2/16/2015 11:31:03 AM

0 Boost

This is 100% a function of the technology getting ahead of inadequately trained technicians.

Agent009 - 2/16/2015 11:52:43 AM

+1 Boost

And the majority of consumers no longer versed enough tell the difference between a simple fix and a major one.

vdiv - 2/16/2015 1:51:55 PM

+2 Boost

Poking at the 220V battery pack of the Camry Hybrid is not a simple fix, it can be quite dangerous even for people that know what they are doing. Service departments do not want to take the risk despite the manufacturers attempts to train and properly equip them. And this is before all of the lawyers get a say.

Agent009 - 2/16/2015 2:25:37 PM

-1 Boost

This is true however common sense should always prevail. If you can barely handle a socket set then you don't need to work on a car.

TheSteve - 2/16/2015 12:22:20 PM

+1 Boost

This sure isn't helping to dispel the story that buying a hybrid is costly, and owning one is even more so :-(

MDarringer - 2/16/2015 2:12:33 PM

-3 Boost

Owning a hybrid/EV will be more costly than an ICE powered vehicle no matter what.

I'd say lease (1) because a headache will not be yours and (2) like computers, hybrid/PHEV/EV technology will be leaping, so do you really want to own yestertech?

vdiv - 2/16/2015 2:22:05 PM

+2 Boost

MDarringer, that is true for ICE only cars these days as well. They are ladden with computers. Also pure EVs are much simpler than ICE/hybrids so they are not going to be more expensive for very long. Lastly, the Lincoln MKZ is the same price regardless if it is the ICE only or the hybrid version.

mpls - 2/16/2015 3:31:06 PM

+6 Boost

"Owning a hybrid/EV will be more costly than an ICE powered vehicle no matter what."

really !!!????

fix a faulty complex gear boxes like DSG -- £££££
Fuel pump - ££££
turbo ££££
all manners of filters especially for modern diesel to pass ever tightening of regs for emissions etc. £££