Sir:
I have a 2008 Camry hybrid that I have been told has a short in the transaxle. Therefore, the dealer is asking about $4000 to change the transaxle out. The car is very clean, has had new tires, a new starter battery, new brakes, the engine has been babied with synthetic oil but does have 220,000 miles and ran like a new one until it stopped starting at which time the dealer suggested a starter battery problem which we replaced which they drove twice and thought that that cured the problem. However, when my wife started driving it off the lot, warning lights went on and it would not start at which time they spent 2.5 hours more to say that the transaxle had a short in it and said that they recommended a new transaxle at $4000. I really hate to get rid of it if it can be repaired it but am close to calling the junk yard and selling it for part if there is no reasonable way of repairing it. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thank you, Terry
Well, it's "not your father's transaxle." From my limited understanding, there's a generator and motor on this transaxle, an assemblage that functions as a CVT. So . . . it's as much a transmission problem as anything.
Have you reached the point of NEFR (Not Economically Feasible to Repair)? Probably, depending on other circumstances. For example: Are you on the original battery? If you are, you're on the higher scale of use, with battery failure coming sooner rather than later. And, an OEM hybrid main battery replacement is something like $6-$7K. Are there other components near the end of their lives? A general inspection might answer that question.
Scotty has said, many times, that Toyota hybrids are a good new buy, but a bad used car buy, because they are so expensive to maintain, as they age. This might well be the case, here, where the transaxle would be the first "shoe" to drop, so to speak, as the money pit grows larger.
However, get a second opinion, before you decide what course to take. Maybe it's something minor . . . but the dealership is interested in selling you a new car.
