Hybrid Health Check At Main Dealers

[cew]

Thanks to you both - that's really informative

[johalareewi]

New Prius owner here. Got a used 2008 Gen 2 and I immediately sorted its 70k intermediate service which was due at purchase. Got home and realised I had no evidence of a Hybrid Health Check. Contacted dealer by phone to clarify situation.

First time I spoke to them I was advised it was only carried out at a Full+ service. Explained this was not what Toyota's website said, and that website said it would be carried out at every service free of charge. Service manager was great and said she'd get back to me which she did very promptly.

At call back I was told that Toyota have told dealers that the Hybrid Health Check is only a free addition to the service when the vehicle is within its manufacturers warranty. However since my vehicle is outside this period it would not be a free of charge addition to the service ordinarily.

I thought all used Toyotas purchased from Mr T come with a 1 year manufacturer's extended warranty as standard? So at the 70K service, your gen2 should have been within warrranty.

Also (as has been mentioned), the gen2 prius has a mega warranty on the hybrid parts so again, still under warranty.

[Devon Aygo]

New Prius owner here. Got a used 2008 Gen 2 and I immediately sorted its 70k intermediate service which was due at purchase. Got home and realised I had no evidence of a Hybrid Health Check. Contacted dealer by phone to clarify situation.

First time I spoke to them I was advised it was only carried out at a Full+ service. Explained this was not what Toyota's website said, and that website said it would be carried out at every service free of charge. Service manager was great and said she'd get back to me which she did very promptly.

At call back I was told that Toyota have told dealers that the Hybrid Health Check is only a free addition to the service when the vehicle is within its manufacturers warranty. However since my vehicle is outside this period it would not be a free of charge addition to the service ordinarily. However since the website does not say this, they would happily perform it on my vehicle free of charge on this occasion. However they explained in future I would likely need to pay the £39 surcharge if I wanted it to be carried out in addition to the regular service.

Not sure how accurate all this is since it sounds like the HHC is a fairly new offering from Toyota and the dealers aren't quite up to speed with the T&C's of the offer. The website is very clear that it is offered with every service and no mention of it being FOC only within manufacturers warranty. Wondered if anyone else had been told similar information? In all fairness I wouldn't begrudge the extra charge, total cost of Full+ service and HHC still cheaper than the first 12 month service on my wife's Fiat 500!

Cheers

Your dealer is now wrong to say that a HHC is chargeable on vehicles out of warranty when having a service, the HHC is free with any Hybrid service,Previously Toyota did pilot the HHC as a separate item ( unsuccessfully ) which was free for cars within their Hybrid warranty period and £39.99 on cars out of warranty as it provides a 12 month warranty only on cars out of the Hybrid warranty.

You can still pay £39.99 for a standalone HHC if you don't use Toyota for servicing but it still only provides warranty cover if your Hybrid warranty it out.

If your dealer continues to try and charge you extra for a HHC when you are using them for a service contact Toyota customer relations and discuss it with them.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Sounds like it's a faff for the dealers and they're trying to talk people out of it?

I'll see how receptive my dealers are when I hear about the recall.

[chi tang]

I just had a full service carried out and queried about the HHC.

They checked and said it wasnt being done but If I want they can carry one our free of charge.

I said yes please and it took them about 40mins - I now have a print off with everything passed :)

It seems they wont carry out a HHC unless you ask them to even though it states on the site its inc on any service package.

I had my brake fluid changed and I LOVE IT, best £39.99 spent and the braking is much better

[Parts-King]

To be fair, when launched there were a lot of issues with the software and dealers had to hold back from doing the HHC. Now it is sorted, it should be done automatically with every service

[Westender]

Had mine done today and all pass boxes ticked.

[cootuk]

2006 GenII passed all tests today, but the dealers can't give any further info other than Pass/Fail.

Fair enough.

[timberwolf]

2006 GenII passed all tests today, but the dealers can't give any further info other than Pass/Fail.

Fair enough.

How is that fair enough when Toyota's web site promotes that you would get an extensive report and it will be explained by one of the dealer's technicians?

I quote from the Toyota web site:

"You will be given an extensive and accessible written report that will provide you with the itemised information from your Hybrid Health Check. Our technician will then talk you through the report so that you can fully understand the health of your hybrid, empowering you to make an informed decision on the next steps." (http://www.toyota.co.uk/service-and-maintenance/hybrid-health-check)

I believe the Service cost was increased to coincide with the tests introduction.

[cootuk]

They were under the impression that the "informed decision" would only be if something failed and it got investigated further. They also weren't sure how bad a Battery has to be before it failed.

It would be interesting to see the actual % max charge etc, and efficiencies, but, as said before, you would need a really fancy rolling road to fully assess the whole hybrid system.

I might write to Toyota to suggest they change their advertising blurb as a lawyer/Trading Standards could drive a carthorse through what they offer and actually provide.

I think if Grumpy Cabbie has a dodgy Battery, then that will be the interesting report.

[timberwolf]

Presumably, the extensive report will consist of the word FAILED and the dealer will be unable to provide an explanation?

[Devon Aygo]

Presumably, the extensive report will consist of the word FAILED and the dealer will be unable to provide an explanation?

If any onf the tests fail and your car is within warranty then your dealer will investigate and repair the fault, if you are out of warranty then you will be informed of what will be involved e.g cost to diagnose and potential repair costs, from there the owner can ignore the test ( no warranty will be provided ) or choose to repair the car and yet the 12 month Battery cover applied.

The HHC is not a cheap/ no cost diagnostic just a report on the condition of the tested Hybrid components.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

They were under the impression that the "informed decision" would only be if something failed and it got investigated further. They also weren't sure how bad a battery has to be before it failed.

It would be interesting to see the actual % max charge etc, and efficiencies, but, as said before, you would need a really fancy rolling road to fully assess the whole hybrid system.

I might write to Toyota to suggest they change their advertising blurb as a lawyer/Trading Standards could drive a carthorse through what they offer and actually provide.

I think if Grumpy Cabbie has a dodgy battery, then that will be the interesting report.

I wasn't. It passed all sections. As others have said, it was hardly a comprehensive report but at least I have another 10k miles warranty.

My Battery still bombs from 5/8 to 2/8 when in traffic and I mean bombs. It barely registers at 4/8 or 3/8 and takes an absolute age to go from 2/8 back upto normal at 6/8. Saying that, since the test/recall (had them both done at the same time) the car seems to sit at 7/8 all the time now. Not sure if that's good or bad.

I have a gut feeling the Battery is on its way out as its not like it used to be at all, but must still be within parameters to pass the test. At least it's now covered. I'll get another test done when it goes in for its 90k mile service in October.

[cootuk]

Maybe the report will only trigger a fail when an item has fully failed according to in-car diagnostics and throws error codes? It becomes merely an extended guarantee scheme for complete Battery failure, but also allows Toyota to mass profile how the various Battery itterations are degrading over time and gives baselines over which product development can be compared.

[Chris Dance]

My Prius goes for its 3 year service tomorrow. I have just been informed by the service manager that the Hybrid Battery Health check is part of the service. This means it is carried out free when the car is serviced and you should not have to specifically request it!!.

[Duffryn]

My Prius goes for its 3 year service tomorrow. I have just been informed by the service manager that the Hybrid Battery Health check is part of the service. This means it is carried out free when the car is serviced and you should not have to specifically request it!!.

Yeah fine, but can't imagine my lips will remain sealed when mine is serviced in a couple of months time !

[zijant]

I am having error code P0355 how can I resolve pls.

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

[zijant]

I am having error code P0355 on my 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited, how can I resolve pls.

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I am having error code P0355 on my 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited, how can I resolve pls.

Sent from my iPad using Toyota OC

You might be better contacting a US hybrid forum like PriusChat. The Highlander and Highlander hybrid are not sold in the UK so we're not really able to help.

Saying that, a quick Google of the code brought up issues with the Ignition coil. Is your engine missing? Is it high mileage?

Good luck.

[kithmo]

Googled P0355 Toyota highlander (2007)

- Faulty Ignition Coil 5
- Ignition Coil 5 harness is open or shorted
- Ignition Coil 5 circuit poor electrical connection
- Faulty Engine Control Module (ECM)
Pull the plug off the Ignition coil (on top of the spark plug) on No.5 cylinder and re-attach it see if that helps.

[cuius]

HHC clarification, please

As noted above, in Spain the HHC is an optional €25 + tax extra with services. Given I'm likely to sell my HSD Auris within the existing warranty period, is there any reason to pay for this extra with the next service (which I've, till now, assumed that an HHC would have been included automatically in the existing service regime of an hybrid)?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Really down to you. Presumably the HHC warranty is transferable to the next owner, so depending how you sell your Auris, could be a plus point.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

And hopefully some dealer will clarify but the HHC is a more comprehensive check than previously given in a service and also (and importantly) gives the extra 12 month/10k mile warranty.

That is most important to me with an early gen3 with the 60,000 mile warranty (I'm at 80k miles)

[cuius]

At the risk of flogging this topic to death - had the car in for 45,000 km interim service this morning - found that the HHC was included despite it being shown as an extra cost item on the official Toyota site. Cost of the interim service has only increased 7% since last one in August 2012 - now €121.82 (£100).

Result, señor T

[IanIanIanIan]

I am still a little confused by the timing.

My PiP is due the first year service in a few months, probably around 9,000ish miles. If I get the dealer to do this service and never again, will I get the warranty extension to nine years i.e. in eight years a year will be added?

On the other hand If I don't go near a dealer for seven years and eleven months and then pay £39 will the warranty be extended?

Or does there have to be a full dealer service record?

I normally do the interim service myself and the full one by the dealer. Having retired the mileage has drastically dropped (30,000+ to 10,000- hooray) so I think the servicing will be yearly from now on.