Repairing Your Hybrid Car

Hybrid cars are the wave of the future and have many exclusive benefits that you can't find on any other vehicles. But, hybrids are still vehicles and still experience problems, no matter how many problems they solve. And with problems, come repairs, some of them specialty repairs that may require a hybrid-certified mechanic. So before you purchase a hybrid, take a look at these two major repairs that you may be facing after your purchase.

Engine and motor repairs- Hybrids, like any other conventional car, have a gasoline-only internal combustion engine. At some point, you may leak oil and will need to have this leak repaired to keep your hybrid working at optimum level. Additionally, the motor may become unable to turn or the connective system of wiring may become loose over time and this will also need to be repaired. Because hybrids have both an electric motor and a gasoline engine, the setup under a hybrid's hood is different than on a regular vehicle. That means a regular mechanic may not be qualified or even able to take care of your vehicle when you need the engine or motor service.

The battery pack- Conventional cars have a lead-acid battery and you can typically replace it yourself. All you have to do is go to the nearest auto parts shop and pick up the same battery. And on conventional cars, you can usually solve your battery problem just by getting a jump start. This is not so with hybrids. You can't just hook your hybrid car up to another car and get a charge. First off, there's no where for a conventional car to latch onto yours and even if there was, you don't have the same type of battery so it wouldn't work and if you tried, you'd probably end up destroying both cars for good. When the battery pack fails on your hybrid, you have two options, both of which involve a mechanic specially trained in hybrid cars. You may have one cell in the battery pack that's failing and causing issues with you hybrid or your entire battery pack may be failing. The mechanic can replace one battery cell at a time for $180 each or the entire pack for $4,000 or more depending on the hybrid you own. If you attempt to fix this on your own or go to an unqualified mechanic, you may end up causing irreparable damage.

Remember that it takes time for mechanics to become familiar with new technology and that mechanics are required to become certified before they can perform any specific type of major maintenance and repair—or their insurance will not cover mistakes and you may be left in the gutter. Hybrids have far fewer repair options and before making your purchase you should make yourself aware of these and other major and even minor maintenance to keep yourself and your new hybrid in working order without costly repair bills and unfavorable repair conditions. Read how hybrid cars work for more information on the basics of hybrids.