A couple of weeks ago. my wife was driving our 2012 Prius C 3 (119k miles) and all of the sudden all the dashboard lights go nuts and there's a message on the dashboard screen that says "Hybrid System Failure, pull over immediately" or to that effect. She's able to get it home, and a few days later I take it to the dealer. They run diagnostics on it and give me the bad news: the hybrid battery is "shot". One of the cells is reading about 11 volts while rest are reading normal. They quote me $3k for a replacement. I ask them if the car is driveable until replacement, and they said ABSOLUTELY NOT. The car will die suddenly on the road and you'll be fucked, they said. How long until the battery dies? A day, they said.

Well, that was almost two weeks ago. I've driven the car back and forth to work every day since then, with my rationale that I have AAA, so I can get it towed home in case of the inevitable dead battery. But according to the on-screen display, the battery is taking a charge. I'm getting decent gas mileage. And once the dealer reset the computer, no more Hybrid Failure messages.

Now, I found a local outfit that does hybrid battery refurbs, so I contacted them and sent them a copy of the dealer's diagnostic report. They agreed with the dealer that the battery is toast and I should stop driving immediately and come buy a battery from them... for $1k.

I don't know what the fuck is going on. The car works. I've got two different supposed "Hybrid Experts" telling me the car is dead. What the hell is going on and what should I do?