12 volt battery life

all depends on your skills but really not that hard at all ... you need to make sure the leads are fastened properly.

 

I originally bought a Yellow Top as replacement for my 2008, replacing because of age, not because it was failing. However after having issues with the Yellow Top, I returned it and put back the original battery from 2008. Still running strong, just monitoring the voltages and charging it when necessary.

 

I'M A BELIEVER!!! Installed the Optima Yellow Top this afternoon and took the 2004 out for two different drives. First trip I drove it hard (for me) and second trip mostly on cruise control. Before the 12v battery change-out, I was down to 41 or 42 mpg. With the new battery both trips were between 48 and 49 mpg! I know others have reported results like this, but I had to see it for myself. WOW!

Bill the Engineer

 

^ As an engineer, would you agree: any new battery would give your performance a boost? I mean, the OEM battery had hung in there for 10 years. I'm inclined to go OEM, just less adventurous

 

My 2011 is 3.5 years old and it always started up with no problem but today the dealer said the battery was low and causing the computer to do strange things like make the brake pedal go to the floor upon start up. The Dealer wanted $365 so I got a 5 year warranty battery from my local parts store for $160. My pedal still goes to the floor when starting up but stops fine while driving. It is not setting any codes now although it did before I took it to the dealer who did the flash recall.

 

I've always gotten at least 5 years out of a car battery, but I used to open it up and inspect fluid levels after the first couple of years. Evaporation of the acid solution is why most batteries die early. Less fluid = higher acid concentration = faster dissolving of lead plates. Keep the fluid levels topped off and you not only get the full output of each cells, but you prolong the plate life by negating unusual acid wear. I don't think I've seen a battery last 10 years, though.

 

^ The Prius OEM battery is a bit different though, doesn't have free-flowing electrolyte, so not sure about that level check. It has some sort of fiber soaked with electrolyte.

 

True. Gel-Acid was popular for a short time (smaller size but 100% sealed...no inspection ports). Any battery lacking inspection/service ports can't be serviced. Any battery with those ports (even if it's called a sealed battery) can be serviced annually. They just label them as such to keep the unskilled from getting themselves hurt tinkering with them (not to mention the battery needs replacement sooner).

 

That type of battery is called AGM......Absorbed Glass Matt, I think.
The design greatly reduces sulphation and the gasses created are re-absorbed too.
The battery is totally sealed and requires no service.......ever.

 

There probably are some other threads on here about this already.

Hybrids in general seem to have 12 V batteries that are too small for the usage patterns of some drivers.
Similar problems crop up often in the Ford and GM hybrid forums too.

IF your car sits unused for more than 3 days in a row AND then it is used mainly for short trips......say 5 miles or less.....
you are a good candidate for connecting a battery tender to it when it is not in use.

You should, of course, have some simple voltage measurements done to be sure that the battery IS being charged while the car is running but odds are that it IS.

My Fusion Hybrid is sitting in the garage with a tender connected right now.
After sitting for about 3 days, it takes the tender about 6 hours to pump the battery back up to "full".

I don't expect to have a problem with my Prius C because it gets driven about every day and the trips average more than 10 miles.

 

You REALLY need to check the charging voltage.
AND making sure it is fully charged before parking it will help too.......like having a tender on it the night before.
In addition to the heat, letting it sit partly discharged is really hard on them.