I've been out of town for quite some time. This past weekend I went home for a quick visit. Apparently I must have left the interior lights on because now my battery is dead. We were able to "jump" it but the battery won't hold a charge. The dealer quoted me a price of $220 for a new battery including installation. I stopped by several auto parts stores and asked if they carried batteries for the Prius. All three did and for a lot less. Here's my question... The dealer stated that their battery is the only one for the Prius. They said the cold crank amps is 325 on the 12 volt battery. The dealer went on and on about how any other battery might cause damage. All three auto parts stores had two batteries. One had 530 cold crank amps while the other had 650. Now I know how shady dealers can be and will pretty much always say that only their parts work for the cars. Is there any truth to this particula story? TIA
It would seem to me that even though you may( are you sure) left an interior light on, that the battery should still hold a charge even if it went dead because of a light. I would demand a new battery under the warranty!!!! If they still decline I would have them replace the battery and then lick the matter higher up the chain, ie. zone rep. ect. I think it should be covered under the warranty. This dealer sounds like he doesn't like to keep his customers happy which is unfortunate. I think getting a battery covered under the warranty is probably one of the easiest things a dealer can do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Mar 15 2007, 10:47 AM) [snapback]406060[/snapback]</div> No way, an '05 Prius 12v battery....unless you can show that it was a faulty battery or that there's a short in the electronics of the car there's no way you're going to get them to pay to replace it. Maybe a small chance, but very unlikely. To the OP....Cold Cranking amps don't mean much in the Prius, you've got a huge HV battery to do all the 'cranking'. All the 12v needs to do is boot up the computers. If the places you checked indeed have batteries that will both fit and vent externally in your Prius then, by all means, take the cheaper battery.
Evan why do you say that? Isn't the battery covered by the 3/36k warranty? Or have I missed something?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Mar 15 2007, 09:51 AM) [snapback]406065[/snapback]</div> efusco, I'm curious about your statement here when you say "vent externally" as it reminded me of an earlier time in my life when I was single and driving new Corvettes. Gasoline was only 60 cents a gallon then too! I remember having to replace a battery after a few years and was being told it required a "special" battery. When asked what was so "special" about it, I was told that because the battery was located inside the passenger compartment (in the back area behind the driver under a small door) that it had to be a non-gas venting type (sealed) so the occupants would not be breathing anything venting from the battery's sulfuric acid and lead compounds. It made sense to me and I later found out that I was able to obtain the sealed battery from several sources besides the dealer including a Sears Die Hard at a reduced cost that met these requirements. In the Prius, I'm wondering if this might be a need also as the battery is under the back carpet floor in the passenger compartment. Since most non sealed batteries vent externally via the caps on top I would think a non-venting type might be needed? Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions? Thank you! Tom - KN6VV
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Mar 15 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]406087[/snapback]</div> If it's defective it is, but if you drain it, damage it, whatever it's not....just like every other part on your car. Your HV battery has a big long warranty too...but if you fiddle with it and damage it they won't replace it under warranty. Look, it can't hurt to ask, but if you've already said you left the interior light on then it becomes the owner's fault. But sure, ask and see if they'll replace it, but there's no way I'd make a big case out of this or go to corporate or anything. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kn6vv @ Mar 15 2007, 11:18 AM) [snapback]406089[/snapback]</div> Hmmm, you may be right...I know the 1G vented externally and was thinking the 2G does as well...but now I'm not certain. I'll wait for someone brighter than me to chime in. But yea, it either has to be sealed unit or externally vent since it's within the cabin.
Well Evan I respectfully disagree. I think just leaving a light on and draining the battery isn't damaging it. I'd say that is not an abnormal occurance and something a battery should be able to whitstand. Lots of betteries get completly discharged and are able to hold a charge when they get recharged. Now if the battery was frozen while discharged that's a completly different story. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one LOL.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Mar 15 2007, 11:36 AM) [snapback]406099[/snapback]</div> I suggest it comes down to the wording of the warranty. I agree that it would be unusual for the battery to be ruined by being drained once, but there are plenty who'll tell you that the battery will never be the same again once depleated.
I think that if there is any question about leaving yur light on as far as warrantee coverage, you should realize that you were mistaken, you never left the light on in the first place.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Mar 15 2007, 11:24 AM) [snapback]406094[/snapback]</div> Well, I would never claim to be brighter than Evan, but from what I've read on here, I recall that the Prius (Gen 2) battery does not vent to the outside. The battery needs to at least be a "sealed" type; I seem to recall discussion of a "gel-type" battery, or something like that.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Mar 15 2007, 01:36 PM) [snapback]406099[/snapback]</div> Starter batteries are designed to provide a strong pulse of power (that cold cranking amps part) to get the starter moter turning. (Electric motors require a lot more current to get them turning than they do to keep them turning.) Deep discharges will damage starter batteries. It's not a flaw in the battery, or even a design flaw, it's a tradeoff to achieve more peak power output from the battery. From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead-acid_battery <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("Wikipedia")</div>
just a comment but I had my battery replaced for free on another vehicle within the 3yr/36K B2B warranty. Also I think it was http://www.toyotapartscheap.com/ that had the OEM battery (part# 28800-21050)for like $110 shipped, easy to DIY install
Most 12 v batteries can be brought back if you remove them from the car, properly charge them, then desulfate them. I realize that most folks don't own desulfators, but if you have two or more vehicles, or you own equipment that may sit for long periods of time, a small float charger/desulfator will actually save you a lot of money. I picked up at auction the previous generation of VDC's Battery Minder. I use them on my Prius, and also on my diesel tractor and old Ford truck at my hobby farm. Batteries are in great shape. http://www.vdcelectronics.com/batteryminder_12117.htm I'm not sure if one unit is worth $70, but I got 3 for that price at auction.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ Mar 15 2007, 09:57 AM) [snapback]406128[/snapback]</div> True, but we are not talking about the starter battery. The HV battery provides power to spin the ICE not the 12v.
Wow! I didn't think I'd get this many responses. Honestly I don't know if I did leave the interior light on. I just figured I might have since the battery died. My prius is past the 36K mile mark so no more warranty. I'm embarrassed to say that I never got around to buying the extended warranty. Is the starter battery hard to get to? Is it worth the $90 extra that the dealer wants to charge me? I am still out of town otherwise I'd go check my car. I appreciate all the responses but I'm still a bit confused.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seasalsa @ Mar 16 2007, 12:19 AM) [snapback]406525[/snapback]</div> Yeah, but the battery is still a plain old automotive battery. Whether or not the Prius uses it as such, automotive batteries are designed as starter batteries and as such have the limitations of starter batteries. And by the way, the battery is indeed vented and is not a sealed battery. That's what that big duct under the hatch floor that ends on top of the 12v battery is for. I found one reference to the venting in the Prius emergency response data sheet from Toyota: http://techinfo.toyota.com/public/main/2ndprius.pdf See page 12. (as numbered. In the PDF, it's is actually the 15th page, since the first 3 pages aren't numbered)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ReneGS @ Mar 16 2007, 01:30 AM) [snapback]406643[/snapback]</div> If you're pretty handy getting to and changing out the battery shouldn't be that difficult...if you've changed other batteries you can do this one. If you're a hands off person and not comfortable working in a confined space then I'd let others help with the install. Also, you'll have to reset a few things that will get messed up by taking out the battery (auto-up with windows, NAV settings, etc.)
The big duct is for the cooling of the HV battery. There is a small vent tube out the side of the 12V battery which goes down out the bottom of the floor under the 12V battery. Wayne
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FireEngineer @ Mar 16 2007, 11:55 AM) [snapback]406744[/snapback]</div> Oops, after taking another look at the diagram, I can see that the duct does indeed skirt around the battery.
