To Buy A Used Prius - How

A loud cooling fan running in the rear seat area is often a sign the battery is overheating and struggling. 3. Essential Mechanical Inspections

During your test drive, if the battery display goes from "full" to "empty" in just a few minutes of driving, the battery is likely weak. how to buy a used prius

If the interior is spotless but the rear bumper is scuffed and the mileage is over 200k, it might be a retired rideshare vehicle that has lived a hard life. A loud cooling fan running in the rear

Legendary reliability. Many reach 300,000+ miles, though they are now old enough that a hybrid battery replacement is almost guaranteed if it hasn't been done. If the interior is spotless but the rear

Buy a cheap Bluetooth OBD2 scanner (like OBDLink LX ) and run a "Life Expectancy Test" during your inspection. It will give you a percentage score of the battery's remaining capacity.

Listen for a frequent "buzzing" or clicking sound from under the hood when the car is parked or the brakes are applied. If the ABS or Brake lights are on, walk away—this repair is often $2,000+.

Use the NHTSA Recall Lookup to ensure software updates for the inverter or brake system have been completed.