Just wondering has anyone ever dealt with a Triple A battery? I've had mine for 2 years and it's already failing. Triple A refuses to replace it even though its still under warranty,they just keep making up excuses for it. My Prius came with the smart key function, and I turned that off. But i still gotta recharge the battery often. I get symptoms like the Screen turning off, and the main warning light coming on. When the brake actuator comes on I see the lights flicker, I also hear it turning on more often while driving (not sure if that's a symptom). I just hope im not the only one here who's had bad experience with them , also can you recommend a better aux battery designed for Prius?
well, it could be because you're not driving enough, even with a newer battery. that being said, a warranty usually covers mfg defects, a tough one to prove or disprove. what excuses are they making? i have never heard of a triple a battery, is that all it says on it? does it actually fit the area? oem is best, but others like optima, exide, duracell, etc are available at auto parts stores, internet and battery places.
I think they said something like the battery is not charged or some bs like that. I saw them run it with their tester and it came back with an average result which essentially means it's on the verge of failing. The battery fits as far as i can tell , but i'll include a photo for it.
i would ask them how they differentiate a partly charged battery from a defective battery that won't hold a charge. one test you can do is disconnect the negative clamp and charge up the battery. then measure the voltage everyday until you drive again.
What they usually have is one of those Bluetooth battery testers that connects to an app on their phone. The app they use is called B2QScan and I guess they would just go off by what that app says . Should I connect the negative cable once it's charged?
no, don't reconnect it until you need the car. you want to determine if the battery is losing voltage on its own, or if the car is draining it. how often are you driving?
I drive about once a week nowadays , especially that I work from home. And when I do drive they are usually short trips no more than 10 miles.
Once a week for only 10 miles will not keep the 12v fully charged. Either drive more often, or pick up a smart charger that charges at 4A or less. You can also leave the vehicle in 'ready' mode, which will charge a depleted battery in about 10+ hours. When paying retail, find the offering with the longest "full replacement" (not prorated) warranty, usually 3 or 4 years these days.
Seeing the title, I thought somebody was trying to use these in a Prius, Duracell Optimum AAA Battery, Triple A Batteries with Resealable Package, 12 Pack - Walmart.com - Walmart.com
I just took it out for a 20 mile drive today, hoping that helped a bit. So what would be the minimum trips I need to take to keep the battery charged? Would the 12v also explain why I've been hearing the brake actuator every 10 seconds? Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
get a maintainer with your driving schedule. it will keep the battery topped up, and you may not need a new one. even another new one is just going to fail again. there are a million stories here about dead 12 volts since the pandemic started
What would be the minimum trips I need to take to keep the battery charged? Would the 12v also explain why I've been hearing the brake actuator every 10 seconds?
The Prius thrives on heavy use. Batteries deteriorate when they sit most of the time. We’ve bought three used Priuses that sat on dealer lots for weeks or months. Each of them needed a (dealer supplied for free!) new battery before we took delivery. As others have suggested, slap a trickle charger on your battery when the car is not in use. And do try to get out more… The high voltage traction battery needs exercise, too! Get the Toyota OEM (Yuasa S46B24R). It comes with a seven year prorated guarantee… — Bill Burkholder
the brake fluid pump can make a funny noise with low voltage, so that may be the problem. i would try to put 10 miles on her every other day if you don't want to trickle
So.....this totally explains why your battery is failing.......again. AAA is not "making excuses" they are telling you the truth.
Starting with a fully charged 12v battery, one or two hours of drive time per week should keep it healthy. As mentioned above, you can leave the vehicle parked and in 'ready' mode to the same effect. Can you safely leave your car in 'ready' mode when running errands indoors? Quite likely, though brake actuators don't last forever and will fail eventually. When healthy they will run no more than 3-5 seconds at a time, and only when being used, or when parked. Some vehicles with low/depleted 12v batteries have been known to run the accumulator for minutes at a time. If your brake accumulator is cycling excessively without you using the brake pedal it could be starting to fail. Charge up the 12v battery and see if that makes a difference. How many miles are on this vehicle?
