Offering both an electric and gas-fueled engine, hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius have grown to be quite popular among the general public. However, these vehicles can have unique problems that may call for the need for engine repair.
Problem: The Battery Is Not Holding Charge As It Should
Batteries in electric vehicles are not the same as those found in a gas-powered engine. These batteries hold a lot more power and are cycled much more frequently. Therefore, they do have to be replaced relatively often, and the primary sign of problems is lacking power. You may see your fuel consumption go up even though you should be partially relying on your fully charged battery. You may also notice your batteries are losing charge must faster than usual. One of the biggest issues with these types of vehicles is battery problems.
Problem: Failed Oxygen Sensors Trigger an Engine Alert
A "check engine light" is never a welcome sight on your instrument panel, and hybrid vehicles can be especially notorious for having the engine warning light triggered by failed oxygen sensors. Oxygen sensors are directly responsible for measuring oxygen-flow levels in your engine, which can be important to the gas-powered engine because oxygen is necessary for fuel to combust. If these sensors fail, you may not see immediate problems, but eventually, you can see changes is in how the vehicle idles.
Problem: A Failed Evaporative Emissions System (EVAP)
The EVAP controls emissions levels from the engine. While emissions are not an issue with electric engines, they are with gas. When you drive a vehicle that can operate with either gasoline or electricity, you may not suspect that issues with the EVAP could come up, but they definitely can. Specifically, the EVAP can completely fail, which can cause a lot of issues with things like how your vehicle idles, how it picks up speed, and more.
Problem: Lack of Engine Power
Lacking engine power is something that can come along with reliance on an electric motor. While hybrid vehicles can utilize both the gasoline engine and the electric motor, problems with either of these can lead to issues with lacking power. You may notice lagging when you accelerate, an inability to get to certain speeds, or low engine RPMs. These issues should be examined by an engine service that is familiar with hybrid vehicles. For example, if you drive a hybrid Prius, you will need Prius engine repair service providers.
