I recently received a call from a gentlemen from Yuma. Upon arriving in Phoenix, his car completely shut down. It was towed to a local dealership in Mesa.

He was informed that he needed a new 12V and new Hybrid battery for $3500. He made an appointment for a reconditioned battery. I personally saw the dealer output sheet and estimate.

Due to circumstances, he needed to get a rental, tow the car to our place and head back to Yuma.

We were able to take a quick look at it when it was dropped off. To make a long story short...

He needed gas and a 12V jump start.

The dealer wanted $3500 to replace his battery.

The gentleman was from Spain with a heavy accent. I can't help but think the dealership saw a "sucker".

He was able to return his rental car and drive home to Yuma the same day.

After gas and the 12V jump, I ran the battery through a series of charge and discharge tests. It did not show any signs of pending failure.

The root case was the failure of the combination meter - the device that displays speed, fuel level and controls ALL dash lights. His had failed, he couldn't see how much gas he had, and he ran out of gas. The car continued to drive on the hybrid battery until it and the 12V were depleted.

Please check our Services page for Combination Meter replacement options