Inverter Failure

[John Allen]

Hi, I have just received the bad news from my local Toyota Main Dealer that my Prius has a failed inverter.  I have owned this Prius since 2012 and it has only done 65 thousand miles from new.  It has full main dealer service history.  I was given the bad news on Friday that the repair will cost about £1590.  I am going to contact Toyota Custmer Care on Monday and ask if they will make a contribution as the car has low mileage, it is my second successive Toyota, my wife has a Hybrid Yaris and both my boys have fairly new Auris's.  We have been very loyal to Toyota as a brand.

The other point is that in the USA inverters on Prius's manufactured between 2009 and 2014 have been given a 15 year enhanced warranty (Program ZE3).  I beleve this is also the case in some other parts of the world.  As all the 3rd generation Prius were manufactured in Japan why have UK customers been treated differently as the USA customers have been given the warranty extension as "we at Toyota  care about the customers' ownership experience."     Please treat all customers as equals.

Any thoughts or views would be welcome.

[PeteB]

I'm pretty sure there was a recall for early Gen 3 Prius to reflash (install updated software) in one or more ECUs (Electronic Control Units) to prevent the Inverter from overheating, and possibly failing.

Might be worth trying to check if it was done (maybe in the service history list on one of Toyota's customer sites), and maybe later asking if there could be a link.  Toyota might offer to pay part of it as a "goodwill gesture", especially if the car has been maintained by Toyota dealers.

Some data on this US site:  https://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/02/20140212-priusrecall.html

[FROSTYBALLS]

The inverter warranty will be offered by the importer - in this case Toyota USA - rather than Toyota themselves. Much in the same way that Toyota GB have given their customers a five year/100,000 mile new car warranty since June 2010, rather than the standard Toyota new car warranty of 3 years/60,000 miles.

 

 

[altocumulus]

I've found brand loyalty a fleeting issue when things 'go bad', and we've had successive Toyotas since 2007 (3 Diahatsu in the 80's & 90's) - but it's certainly worth pursuing; Toyota were sympathetic to my issues with my current phv re their advertising claims.

[johalareewi]

My 2009 gen3 prius suffered inverter failure in 2017 even though it had the recall done.  Mine was covered by the Toyota extended warranty.  I know others with older gen3 have had this issue but not heard of it with later gen3.  When was your 2012 prius actually made?  Is it pre-facelift?

[QuantumFireball]

He said he owned it since 2012. His profile claims he has a 2010.

[John Allen]

Hi guys, just to clarify a few things, it is a 2010 Prius T Spirit (MkIII) registered end of December 2010.  I have owned it since May 2012.  It has full main dealer service history including Hybrid Health Check.   Now for the good news.  Toyota Customer care said is covered under warranty and is being repaired free of charge.  They have already informed the dealer who said it should be back on the road by tomorrow night.  The guy at in customer care at Head Office couldn't confirm why as he is not in the warranty department but we both think the whole Hybrid system cover is extended for another year each time it has its annual Hybrid Health check.  Miss one of these and you are sunk. I don't mind main dealer srevice prices for that peace of mind.  It is possibly to align the UK with the USA system where the warranty covers the whole Hybrid system for 15 years (or maximum 100K miles) providing you have your annual health check.  Either way it has totally restored my faith in Toyota.

Thanks Pete B for your suggestion to approach Toyota although I think the dealers should be more proactive in this area as it is them that will want to convince you to by another later model Toyota.

Edited September 30, 2019 by John Allen
Needed to add something I had forgotton

[Sooty]

Glad to hear that the issue has been sorted.

Just goes to show that getting dealer services done can be beneficial in the long term.

[altocumulus]

Brilliant news on the repair under warranty. Rather disconcerting the Main Dealer wasn't aware of policy! Good job you checked!

[QuantumFireball]

That's great news if the extended hybrid system warranty covers the inverter.

Regarding missing the annual Hybrid Health Check: I missed it earlier this year by a month or two, but they still let me continue the warranty extension after getting the check done. All I lost was warranty cover over the period between the expiry of the previous one and this year's check. Toyota GB might be different in this respect (I'm in Ireland).