Looks like the problem the OP wanted to solve was: not knowing how prevalent 12V battery issues are in this model. A poll's a time-honored way of solving that kind of problem.
Have a Prime on order. A bit concerned about the battery discussion here. Wondering if it's a problem I might face or if it's a minor issue for just an unlucky few. But I wish a poll would help those with a battery problem.
I have a 2024 PP XSE (got it end or 2023). I would prefer that the battery and car charging routine maintain 12.4 v as the min voltage after sitting for a few days because I know sulfation (sulfate crystals forming oh the plates) starts at about 12.4 v if the battery is not recharged at that point (Lead acid flood battery charactistic). The Prius and its battery living in my car does not meet my expectation of 12.4 v resting voltage (after sitting unused over night). I believe that this could lead to battery failure in time (sooner than if there was no sulfation occuring). So do I answer the Pole : YES or NO ?
I took the problem back to my dealer, but they only gave me a ridiculous story about parking the car with the headlights on "auto" was the reason for the battery drain. They showed me a battery test slip which they said proves the battery is OK, but that slip could be from any battery. I've installed a Noco battery maintainer, which I plug in whenever I park. Sometimes, I forget to plug it in and I have a dead battery on the third day. I consider this a workaround, and not a solution.
The universe is symmetrical. Some people get a live Redeemer on the third day. Gotta come from somewhere.
The battery may be ok, but they still come back with the problem unsolved. Weber auto used a dc clamp meter to measure draw without disconnecting the battery. Since it is in the trunk maybe you could try that and not disturb any wake up loads. The dealer should be doing this. Is Alberta truck country or Prius country? Maybe they like you having a problem, who knows.
Most DC clamp on Amp Meters do not measure precise stable milli amp DC currents, unless you spend a lot of money on one.
It won't. The only thing that will help your problem is a new battery. Despite what your dealer says, your battery simply won't hold the charge that it's supposed to. Your dealer is probably charging up the battery and testing it right after. I leave my headlights on auto 24/7 and have never had an issue. I also don't charge every day unless I know I will be driving out of town the next day, When I charge, it's always overnight and usually it's plugged in for about 12 hours. I would try another dealer if one is close enough. If that is not an option, I would start making calls to Toyota Corporate.
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if the dealer just plugged the battery into a charger that says it "desulfates" the battery, rather than put a new one in. And if they put in a truly new battery, then there's some sort of manufacturing flaw/issue with his particular car. I also have had zero issues and leave the car undriven for a few days sometimes, and plugged in for close to 24 hours on days where I'm just too busy with our young kids to get around to remembering to unplug the car when its fully charged.
If the poll extended to gen 4 I would vote yes. If to gen 2 I would vote yes. If to the 1998 Chrysler products, yes would be the vote. I don’t drive much and usually 5-15 minutes on the trips. If I drove quite a bit longer regularly, the vote would be no.
I can confirm that I got an entirely new battery. It was on the invoice, but also it had different stickers on it and is an OEM 470 CCA instead of a 285 CCA battery! Not sure what to make of that difference in capability. (Yes, it does have a vent tube.) I didn’t specify the battery type, but I approved them swapping the battery if they needed to. Under warranty, of course.
I had the problem today on a three week old car and called Toyota Service Plus. The guy turned up promptly carrying a set of jumper leads with the longest cables I have ever seen. He said "it's probably the 12V battery flat". Sure enough a couple of minutes later i could start my car and he left with the advice to drive around for 20 minutes and charge the battery up. It did not look like the first time this problem had happened. Feeling rather frustrated. This is my first Toyota and I bought mainly because of reliability. The dealer spent time on the phone explaining I had probably left the lights on. Well, I didn't. To be continued I fear.....
