Anyone here have a 2001 Prius that has been diagnosed with a failed transmission (transaxle)?

Mine is at 91K and started humming a few days ago. I brought it in to a dealer for a diagnosis. They told me it was the transaxle. To replace it with a rebuilt transaxle would cost me almost $5K. Does this sound right?

 

The price is about right. How often did you change the ATF (Transaxle Fluid)?

JeffD

 

If you go with a dealer part and install, that is about right. However, you might ask if the transmission is covered under the 8 year / 100,000 mile warranty. I suspect this is limited to just the inverter and traction battery but it does no harm to ask.

You can get a salvage transaxle for about $2k (check Ebay) but you'll still have to install it. This is not trivial but it is doable. If you don't find what you want currently on Ebay, ask those selling salvage if they have one or might recommend where to get one.

What part of the country are you in?

Are there any characteristics about the humming . . . when, frequency, loudness and load?

Is your car throwing up a code or master error?

Bob Wilson

 

I'm talking to Toyota corporate, but they won't cover this under the 100K. The transaxle is a 60K warranty. The DTC was P3009. What are the chances that this is a mis-diagnosis?

The humming seems to get loud around 25mph and increases in pitch with speed. It is particularly noticeable coming down from 65mph to around 55mph.

I'm on the central coast of California.

The dealer wants about $5K for a re-manufactered transaxle.

 

We'll follow-up in Prius_Technical_Stuff. Just make sure to share this latest bit of data.

Bob Wilson

 

I am just starting to have the same problem with my 2004 prius. (143,000). This, I believe, is a safety issue. It suddenly shuts down only at highway speed. Complete loss of power except for battery. Once it is shut off and sits for 15 minutes it runs fine except for the noise under thehood.

two separte dealers say"You need a new transaxle". That's it. No further explanation. I understand that in CA and some other states they have increased the warranty on the transaxle to 150,000 miles. The new transaxle costs $4,500. They just took away all the reason to drive a Prius. I am just starting the process with Toyota Corporate in New York and Japan. We'll see. My claim is the safety issue. There is no maintenance called for in the manual for the transmission.

You having any luck with them?

 

You may want to take it to an independent hybrid shop:
http://www.fixhybrid.com/local_hybrid_shops.html

Can you describe "the noise under the hood?"

How long has this been going on?

Did you buy this car new or used?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

 

Just got the word from Prius US Corporate: No help. With 143,000, they see it as a wear and tear issue. They suggest I just spend the $4,500 and replace the transaxle. Well, there's a suggestion I would have never thought of on my own. They still offer no explanation for why this happend or even what happened.

 

I have seen one thread about replacing the transaxle in an NHW20 Prius, your model. It is rare but not to those who have just suffered the failure.

You have my sympathy but there isn't a whole lot one individual can do from Huntsville, AL.

Bob Wilson