Prius vehicles continue to be some of the most popular cars on the Bay Area roads. Well-known for their reliability and longevity (300,000 miles for a well maintained Prius is not unusual). However, with that longevity come some repairs – in the case of a typical Prius it may mean inverter replacement.
Prius inverters have not been trouble free - Toyota did issue a recall for Prius inverter related problems. Some vehicles suffered thermal damage to the system which may result in inverter failure. In addition, on older Prius vehicles, the inverter can simply fail due to age.
Typical symptoms of the inverter problem is your Prius going into neutral, and hybrid system warning and power steering warning coming “on”. This could indicate that inverter replacement may be a necessity. To be sure, and to avoid blindly “throwing parts” at a problem, we recommend taking your Prius to a professional mechanic who specializes in hybrid vehicles. Our San Carlos auto care facility is one of such locations. Our technicians have extensive hybrid vehicle training, including high voltage training, and can find the root cause of the warnings. We can confirm that the inverter needs to be replaced – or find out that some other condition resulted in the warning lights being illuminated by the on-board computer.
In case that we do need to replace the inverter, for your peace of mind we offer 36 months / 36,000 miles nationwide warranty on all repairs. So call us at the shop or make an appointment online.
Seeing that little engine-shaped icon glow on your dashboard can be unsettling. We get it—your car seems fine, maybe even drives “just the same,” but the warning light won’t quit. Here in Stockton, where our vehicles face dust, variable traffic, and stop-and-go commutes, we’ve seen plenty of drivers shrug off the illuminated warning. In this article we’ll demystify the “Check Engine” light (CEL) , explain some of the most common causes, why ignoring it can cost you more than you expect, and why scheduling a diagnostic sooner is the smart move.
Toole’s Garage in California explains why a flickering battery light may indicate charging issues and provides guidance on how to address them.
Toole’s Garage in Stockton, CA, shares the must-have items to pack for a long road trip to ensure safety and comfort on the road.