PSA: Change your 12 volt battery every 4 years

My dealer checks battery at free annual inspection. No issues at 6 1/2 yrs.

 

Same here, 2011 Prius, purchased April 2012. Battery died yesterday at 65k miles.

Replacing with Optima yellow top today.

 

my 3 pri 12v lasted 8 years, 8 years and currently 4 1/2 years, still reading 12.7 volts cold.
but if you've ever run it down, or 'don't wanna know nothing', 4 year replacement is probably a good idea.
but i hate to see perfectly good anything's go to waste.

 

Optima yellow top went in today without a hitch.

Measured 12.6v before installing, I didn't try charging it when I got it home.

While I was in there replacing the battery, I checked the air pressure in the spare. Max psi is 60, it was at 40 psi, so I inflated it to 60 psi.

 

might wanna check that more often than every battery change.

 

One key to the battery longevity is to not create a battery drain. It seems these batteries can take one discharge and then fail shortly after without warning. That is where the recommendation comes to change every 4 years if you do not want to be caught by surprise in a bad situation. (Or worse your wife or kids!).

My battery was about 4-5 years old when my wife left an overhead map light on overnight. I re-charged the battery and all seemed fine. About a month later we came out after church and the car would not start. When I tested I read about 11.1V.

I was at the dealership Monday morning purchasing a replacement battery.

 

@jdcollins5, how much did the dealer charge for the battery?

 

It was just over $200 with a 84 month warranty.

 

Measured the voltage today at the jump point under the hood and got 12.7v

Read on the web that a fully charged yellow top should be around 13.1 or 13.2v, so I put it on a charger set for 2A for a couple of hours.

Measured later at 13.1v, much better.

 

I never ever see 13.1.or 13.2 with my yellow top/
if I put a battery tender on, yes; otherwise no/
what I see usually is like 12.8v /

 

will be interesting to follow it over time. maybe the prius can't maintain it at that level like a charger.

 

it's not the prius, it's the battery.
the lowest voltage I get while driving is approximately 13.5v, so there's no problem from the charging side/
but no matter what, after half a day the battery is down to 12.8v & stays there/

 

how old is your yellow top?

 

2 years. it's the same from day one on.

BION
StarCaller

 

12.8 - 12.9V is what I typically read on my new Toyota battery also. I can charge it above 13V overnight and in a day or two it will be back to 12.8.

 

Remember there's a small constant drain on the battery (~.02A), plus larger intermittent ones if you open a door (especially the driver's), or use an interior light, etc. Therefore, battery voltage will drop more in a few days in the Prius than it would drop in an isolated battery.

 

True, but the battery will continue to maintain the 12.8V!

 

not forever.