Preemptive 12V Battery Replacement

Sorry, what are the dates and numbers?

 

My 2013 v 12v battery just went bad at the end of 2022. The dealership told me at my previous service it load tested that it needed to be replaced and approx 1 month later it died. If it load test fine I would not replace it yet. I used a small battery pack jumpstarter to get the car started and drove to the dealership. So I ended up going with a Toyota truestart OEM battery, there was a coupon on Toyotas service specials at the end of 2022 where it was $149.99 I think? Total installed was around $180 and was told they offer a lifetime warranty on it. Pretty cheap to let them handle everything.

 

That's not necessarily good advice.
Most load tests are sloppy and may give misleading results.
A proper load test will apply the tester to the battery two or three times, waiting a few minutes between tests.
If the subsequent tests are significantly lower......the battery is not necessarily "fine", even if the needle is still "in the green".

 

Those who have had long service life with their 12v auxiliary batteries must live in mild climates, or definitely not in hot climates.

Here in Hawaii, lead acid batteries rarely last for the warranted period, unless they are regularly maintened on a charger. It's most likely due to the heat and the relatively short driving distances.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

In Mississippi, I got about 7 years in my Prius. (Humidity is not the killer heat is)