The Prius is the car this shop was built around.
Earthling has worked on the Prius since 2007, through every generation. More repair orders here touch a Prius than any other car, by a wide margin.
1,989
Prius repair orders at Earthling since January 2023, every generation
What comes in on a Prius.
In the words drivers use when they call, with the person here who sees it most.
Almost always the small 12V battery, not the big one. We test it in ten minutes, before anyone mentions the pack.
1,013of these in our repair orders since January 2023.
“A lot of Monday calls are a car that sat at the airport for a week. It's usually good news.”
Also, every week
- Factory-interval maintenanceWith the hybrid checks the dealer skips.
- Pre-purchase inspectionsA used hybrid judged by its pack readings, not its mileage.
Generations we see most
- Prius, 2001 to 2003
- Prius, 2004 to 2009
- Prius, 2010 to 2015
- Prius, 2016 on
- Prius C
- Prius V
- Prius Plug-In and Prime
Not on the list? Ask. If it plugs in, Earthling has probably had one on the lift.
Here's how a visit goes.
It's the same for every car that comes into Earthling.
Book, call or text
Pick a slot online, or call and talk to the front desk. Tell us what the car's doing in your own words, or text us a photo of the dash.
Same week, usually
Diagnosis, with photos
A technician looks at the car before anyone quotes a part. You get the photos and readings, and the diagnostic fee comes off the repair.
You can watch from the lobby
Estimate, approved by you
Parts and labor on separate lines, in plain English. Nothing happens until you say yes.
Or we tell you not to bother
Work, pickup, follow-up
Updates during the day, the same technician when you pick up, and a text a week later to check it's still good.
Charged enough to get home
Things people ask us at the counter.
Not on the list? Text us the question. 415-875-9030
How long does a Prius hybrid battery last?
Ten to fifteen years is common, and we regularly see original packs well past that in cars driven daily. Cars that sit, cars in constant heat, and cars with blocked cooling ducts fail sooner, which is why the duct is part of every diagnosis.
Is it worth repairing an older Prius?
Often yes, and the deciding factor is everything that is not the battery. A well-kept car with a tired pack is usually worth the repair; a car with high miles, tired suspension and an engine using oil is a different conversation, and we will have that conversation before you spend anything.
What is the most common Prius repair?
The 12V battery and the brakes, by a distance. A dead Prius is far more often the small battery under the hatch than the hybrid pack, and a load test separates the two in about ten minutes.
Things we've learned, written down.
Earthling likes explaining this stuff. These articles are here so you know what your car is likely to need, roughly what it should cost, and when the right answer is to leave it alone.
Each one comes from Earthling's own repair orders, with names removed: what came in, what we found, what fixed it. The technician who did the work writes it up.
12VLi-ionModel 3 12V: when to move to the lithium batteryWritten in the shop
BrakesWhy Tesla brakes rust before they wear, and what to do about itWritten in the shop
P0A80P3011Prius hybrid battery: replace the pack, or swap a module?197 hybrid battery repair orders behind this article
12VThe small battery that strands more Priuses than the big one798 12V repair orders behind this articleCounts are repair orders touching each system at our shop, synced from Shop-Ware, January 2023 to today. Articles without a count are field notes. Fault codes are editorial context, not counted data.
Book online, or just text us.
Pick a real slot online, or text or call and someone at Earthling's front desk will pick up.
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pmMonday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Closed weekends.
- (415) 875-9030Call, or send a text
- 615 Bayshore Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94124Directions, two minutes off the 101 and 280
