Replaced12v battery yesterday - lasted 6.5 years

Without putting in my AAA membership# or location, it shows

"Member Price* $213.70
Part Number: 6515-C
Cold Cranking Amps rating: 325
* Difficult Installation is indicated for this vehicle, an installation fee may apply.
*Price does not include sales/EPA taxes and possible labor charges."

 

Thanks for sharing! Mine is going strong at 7 years. Maybe I’ll need to replace it soon.

 

mine conked out last summer, but i leave it in the cold for 2 months every winter. the worst part was, i checked the voltage a few days before. it was 12.7, and it started fine the day it died. i drove 4 miles parked it, went for a 45 minute walk, and when we got back, it was 4.4 volts.

you should get 10 or 12 years

 

* Difficult Installation is indicated for this vehicle, an installation fee may apply.
Only if you only have ONE hand! I guess they don't understand what difficult is...

 

engine bay is much easier, and 100 years of experience. while prius isn't difficult, at $160./hour, it's definitely an extra 50+ bucks

 

It's a 5-10 minute job. Whether it's in the engine bay or trunk. Put the Prius is easy....

 

$160/hr.!!! Is that the going rate now!?

 

Depends how much junk you have in the trunk that they have to move to even get at the 12V battery.

 

Well that could be true! I've done those before!
Felt like charging an hour just to remove and re-install their junk!

 

Today my wife's 2013 Persona (new May 2013) with 97,500 miles threw the "Check Hybrid System - Stop Vehicle in a Safe Place" error message.

Based on searching the forum, one cause could be the 12V battery. We are still on the original 12V battery, so it is 8 years old. While it reads 12.5V with the volt meter (cables still connected) I'm thinking to try that first and take it to get load tested. I took my code reader and found there were no codes in the ECU whatsoever, which is odd to me.

Anyhow,hopefully that's all it is. If it is the inverter I think we have an extended warranty.

Any other suggestions? Any magic about changing the 12V? Thanks!

 

you have to have a prius code reader.
consider a 12v source to the jump point if you don't want to lose any memory, but not a big deal.

note the vent tube connection to the body and try not to drop the 10mm retainer not into the black hole.

disconnect neg first, and reconnect last. all the best!

 

On the Johnson Controls vs. Exide vs. Penn ...

Johnson Controls sold their battery division last year, so don't be surprised if you see it called Clarios. I still hear and read "Johnson Controls" more than "Clarios," but I expect that will eventually change.

Johnson Controls' automotive battery business now a new firm: Clarios

For me, on anything that I value the warranty on, such as car batteries, some car parts, etc., the ease of using the warranty is critical in my decision to buy. A warranty that requires me to ship in the broken one at my expense and hope for a favorable decision is useless to me. So for batteries that means I buy in person (at Costco, PepBoys, etc.) at stores conveniently located.

Another thing I do for convenience is to keep a spare mostly dead battery in my garage. It is sometimes useful for bench testing, and mainly useful when buying a new battery, where I can turn it in for the core deposit meaning I don't need to immediately remove my old battery and can do the swap at my convenience.

I also buy when there's a great deal. For example, after replacing my Prius v with an Optima 34/78 red top from another of my cars, during black friday 2019, I replaced that other battery with a 4-year full replacement $195 Champion AGM (by Johnson Controls / Clarios) from PepBoys for about $80 after the 35% discount and $50 rebate. Bought that even though the battery it replaced may have had another year left in it.

 

They say that if you get 10 or 12 years, you can get out in 5 to 7 for good behavior.

But it sounds like a pre-emotive 12V battery swap is a good idea if I don’t want to get randomly stuck somewhere.

 

i used to say no, but now agree after learning the hard way

 

I take an approach that's just different. Maybe a matter of preference, not better not worse, just different.

I have a little Li-ion jump pack rides around in the glove box. I don't get randomly stuck somewhere, whether because of age of the battery, leaving a map light on, failure of a homebrewed low-voltage protector, whatever. I don't even have to predict in advance all of the different events that I won't be getting randomly stuck because of. If one happens, I pop the hood, use the jump pack, and go about my business.

And with that in place, I spend about exactly zero effort obsessing about the condition of the 12 volt battery. When I need to change it I'll change it.

That point came with my last one this past winter. It was ten years old. When I needed to use the jump pack the second time in a week, I went to the dealer and bought a battery. Then I waited a week for nicer weather, using the jump pack a couple more times, and put the new battery in.

 

Great idea! I have one of those jump packs. Maybe I’ll tote it around in the Prius once the weather gets cooler. For the summer, I’m afraid the heat will kill the thing.

 

Just replace the 12v battery in my 2013. I had the battery tested by the dealer and they said it was weak. The dealer wanted $160 labor to replace it. Easiest $160 I ever saved. Bought the battery from the dealer for $240. Watched a simple YouTube video showing how to do it and used a 9v battery memory keeper hooked up to the jump point in the fuse block to retain the presets.