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Toyota Driver Moves To Alaska. She Gets Stranded For 2 Months: ‘I Just Found Out It Was Because It’s A Hybrid’

"This morning I got a call from Toyota..."

Toyota driver moves to Alaska

Photo by: Zognan Bao/Unsplash

Mustafa Gatollari

By: Mustafa Gatollari

Oct 21, at 8:00am ET

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Hybrid vehicles can be a great way to save money at the pump. But they aren't suited to all driving conditions or climates.

That’s the hard lesson one Toyota owner learned after moving to Alaska. Ray (@rayrayj01) moved to the US' northernmost state and found herself stranded.

“Funny how Toyota is admitting hybrids can’t run in -20 and below, but didn’t when I owned one,” Ray says in a recent post. Consequently, the driver said she was left without transportation for two months in the Great White North with her fuel efficient vehicle.

She says, “So this morning I got a phone call from Toyota in my hometown. Asking me if I wanted to trade my old Toyota, my 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid in for a Toyota 4Runner. And I just kind of giggled and I was like … I live in Alaska now. That’s 4,000 miles away from you. No I can’t trade it in, sorry, and I already did trade it in,” she told the car sales rep.

She says the man then asked why she'd traded in the Corolla Cross Hybrid.

Ray then informed him it was due to the fact that the car “doesn’t work in the winter here.” Then she asked, “Did you know after negative 20 degrees it’s not gonna work?”

This information wasn’t exactly news to the Toyota salesman, she says. “He’s like, yeah I know that and I was like cool, can you teach your Toyota people up here that that’s what happens because they’re still pushing hybrids on people,” she said.

Bad Toyota Sales Advice?

According to Ray, despite the fact that Toyota’s hybrid vehicles don’t function in extremely cold climates, that doesn’t stop its salespeople from trying to sell hybrid vehicles to customers. This purportedly came as a surprise to the sales rep who called her.

But Ray said that when she traded her car in after moving to Alaska, a salesperson at different Toyota dealership attempted to sell her another hybrid.

“I was like, I don’t want that, like, my car didn’t work all last winter … everybody asked what was wrong with the Toyota Cross? It didn’t work in the winter because it was a hybrid,” Ray explained, adding, “They failed to tell me for the longest time it was because it was a hybrid."

She says the salesman agreed that the Honda Passport is “a nice car,” and was “definitely an upgrade” from her Corolla Cross.

Ray added, “He was like what’s the weather like up there? I was like oh it’s supposed to snow today. He’s like yeah it’s like 80 degrees here and I was like yeah, good luck."

Gallery: 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid: First Drive

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

Batteries And Extreme Cold

The Japanese automaker clearly indicates in its user manuals that a hybrid or electric vehicle's systems may fail in extremely cold temperatures.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s system unequivocally states that its hybrid system may fail in temperatures below -22 degrees fahrenheit. The 2024 user manual states, “When the outside temperature is extremely low (approximately -22°F [-30°C] or lower), under the influence of the outside temperature, it may not be possible to start the hybrid system.” It also says, “When EV drive mode is turned on, the EV drive mode indicator will come on … however, when the gasoline engine is cold, the gasoline engine will start automatically."

The owner’s manual for the 2026 Lexus RZ550e/RZ450e/RZ350e says, “below approximately -22°F [-30°C]) due to the temperature outside of the vehicle, it may not be possible to start the EV system.”

The RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid manual also indicates that EV driving systems are impacted by extreme cold. However, the automaker has stated that it installed thermal management components to assist hybrid battery systems in frigid climates.

The Prius Prime user manual says that “on cold days, a battery warmer activates at the end of a charge to keep the battery temperature above 32 degrees F … to ensure that it can deliver.”

Toyota also mentions that 12-volt auxiliary batteries are weakened by freezing conditions, which means that any engine can have difficulties turning over when it's too cold. Some drivers in cold climates opt to have a dual battery system because cold weather can drain voltage. It's also important to take extra care to maintain your battery in cold climates so you don't end up stranded.

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“Have the battery checked. If the battery is weak, it may not start the engine during very cold weather. Ensure the battery posts and connections are clean and free of corrosion,” Toyota recommends.

Motor1 has reached out to Ray via TikTok direct message for further information. We'll be sure to update this article if she responds.

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