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What should a 12v battery cost me? dead after 56K mi & 23 months. Dealer says $458

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Michelle S, Sep 14, 2018.

  1. Michelle S

    Michelle S New Member

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    How much should a 12V battery cost? The dealership is stating that mine is dead after 56000 miles and just 22 months. I drive an hour and a 1/2 to work one way so it should be charging fine. They are telling me it's $458.
     
  2. dubit

    dubit Senior Member

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    Sounds about right if your going to the dealership. If you buy it yourself, a quick search of a couple auto part stores around me show a price between $189.00 to upwards of $350.00. Of course you would have to install that yourself.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome!
    it is under warranty, have a talk with the service manager.
     
  4. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    Toyota in the U.S. doesn’t sell the original auxiliary (12 volt) battery for a fourth-generation Prius, part number 28800-37130 or 28800-37140, as a service part. Instead, Toyota dealers sell batteries under the TrueStart brand (PDF), part number 00544-H4052-470, list price $330.46, plus taxes and installation. A dealer near me sells them online for $263 or so, but that doesn’t include the substantial cost of hazardous materials shipping.

    If you (or a friend or independent mechanic) could install it, you might consider an aftermarket battery. I’ve suggested previously that the Duralast H4-DL sold by AutoZone, for example, is the same physical size and has similar electrical ratings. (The AutoZone website says it won’t fit, but that’s probably just a lack of information: they have no other battery to suggest for a 2016 Prius.) I haven’t needed one myself, though, and as far as I know, no one has bought one and reported here whether it worked or not.

    There are other websites that incorrectly report that the 2016 Prius uses the same battery as 2015 and earlier models. If they offer you an AGM battery, for example, it’s not the original type for 2016 and later and probably also the wrong physical size.
    Not after 56,000 miles, it isn’t. The Toyota Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual says in Policy 4.10, “Original Equipment Battery Warranty Coverage”:

    Original equipment (OE) 12V batteries, including those used in Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHV) and Electric Vehicles (EV), are warranted for 3 years or 36,000 miles from the vehicle’s in-service date, whichever occurs first.​

    That’s not to exclude the possibility of goodwill consideration, in view of the short lifespan, but there is no warranty coverage.
     
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  5. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    I keep saying... That Corolla is looking better & better! :LOL: Everything for a Prius seems to be ridiculously expensive. I never paid more than $90 for a battery in any other car. 400 bucks is crazy!! I thought the Gen4 12v was supposed to be like a regular battery? Same size and all?

    One dealer I emailed had "no idea" what a new 12v costs for a 2016 Prius. The parts man at another dealer couldn't even find the battery in his computer... telling me, "it's not applicable." :ROFLMAO: These guys probably have never had to order one before. The 2016 is still too new.

    Thanks for the part number. Now I have something to show those dummies. (And my next car will definitely be a simple Corolla!)
     
    #5 Starship16, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
  6. dubit

    dubit Senior Member

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    In regards to this, you'd be shocked at the actual cost. The "Rep" which sells the battery to the dealer makes one heck of a profit, then the dealer has to also get his profit which means you pay stupid money. That being said, as an example, my brother got me a trolling motor battery for the bass boat earlier in the year. It was going to cost me pretty close to $300.00 (Interstate Brand), but he got it from the Rep for a whopping $94.00. (or was it $84.00) Had he got it from the dealer it was going to be close to an additional $100.00
     
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  7. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    For 400 bucks, they better last more than two years. Maybe the OP has a lot of gadgets plugged in? These darn Prii, any money we save on gas goes out the window when expensive parts need replacing. Hopefully, it's not too often. Replacing the 12V is routine in any vehicle, but I hope I get at least 4 years out of it.

    What is so special about the Prius 12V??? Why so expensive? It's a rip-off just because they think we Prii owners will pay anything to keep that car running. BS.
     
    #7 Starship16, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
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  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I've been reading about many threads on Prius needing very expensive 12v battery and also about somewhat involved installation process. Is there something special about Prius 12v battery that is different from any other car? I have not owned either of my previous Gen3 or current Prime long enough to be needing a new 12v battery, but yeah, $400 for a 12v battery that needs a trained mechanic to install is ridiculous. Last year I changed a dead OEM 12v battery on our 2008 Civic Hybrid. Puny 310 cca OEM battery lasted 9 years and aftermarket replacement cost was only $80 at local Napa store. Just slip out old one and drop in a new one. Napa would have done it for me for free if I drove the car to there, but I did it myself at my driveway, since it was sitting there with a dead battery. Am I missing something?
     
    #8 Salamander_King, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
  9. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Well said sir! I bet there is nothing special about the Gen4 regular Prius 12V, or Prime 12V. It may be a bit smaller(?), but that's still no reason to charge us 400 clams! :LOL: Toyota must think Prius owners are really dumb... or gullible, charging us those ridiculous prices. We should all go on strike and sell these Prii! :ROFLMAO:
     
    #9 Starship16, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
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  10. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    On 2015 and older Prius cars, the auxiliary (12 volt) battery is an absorbed glass mat (AGM) type, presumably selected to reduce the risk of battery acid being sprayed into the passenger compartment in a collision.

    For the fourth generation (and for the Prius Prime and Prius PHV), there was room to put the battery in the engine compartment, and it is now a “maintenance free” flooded type, designed to a Japanese variant of a European standard (explained in my previous posting). This size was probably selected because it fit in the space available and had the necessary electrical characteristics at reasonable cost.

    Indeed, there’s nothing inherently more expensive about these batteries. In Japan, one aftermarket replacement, the G&Yu HV-L1, is offered by a Rakuten seller for ¥9,850 (about $88) plus shipping and tax. Don’t order one; the cost of international shipping for dangerous goods would eat up any savings.

    Closer to home, an AutoZone store near me has the DuraLast H4-DL for sale at $129.99, plus sales tax and an $18 core charge. That’s the same price as their DuraLast 35-DL, which would fit a 2014 Toyota Corolla, though for the Corolla they also offer “Valucraft” and “Econocraft” grades with shorter warranties.
     
  11. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    Thank you very much.
     
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just for giggles I checked Canadian Tire:

    upload_2018-9-15_12-14-46.png
     
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  13. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    My 2012 PIP was 5 years old with 103,000 miles with no hint whatsoever of 12 volt battery weakness. This is typical for my last 4 cars (except my 2005 Honda Insight, Gen 1, which appears to have used much less heavy duty components than my other cars. Its 12 volt battery only lasted 3 years.). I live in Southern California, so maybe the generally warmer climate is less stressful that the OP's location.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
    AChoiredTaste.com
     
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  14. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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  15. Starship16

    Starship16 Senior Member

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    The batteries in my last two Camrys, and a Honda Civic lasted 3 years exactly. But I'm a low-mileage driver, so maybe that's why.

    Drive into Sears auto center, 85 bucks and 20 minutes later. I'm outa there. :) Those were the days.
     
    #15 Starship16, Sep 15, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How about $5 at the shoe repair place for a replacement key.

    Oh, and replacement sealed-beam headlights: $20.

    But we progress.
     
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  17. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I hope by the time I need to replace my Prime's 12v battery there are more choice on aftermarket parts with EXACT FIT. Thank you for the information.
     
  18. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I thought in general battery lasted LONGER in colder climate? OP is in NY, battery should last longer than say someone in Arizona. As I said in previous comment, my 2008 Civic Hybrid OEM battery lasted 9 years. Previous regular Civic battery was probably replaced only once during 16 years of ownership too. Even with much heavier load Sienna that often sit in our driveway weeks at time even during sub zero temp had only 1 battery replacements during 12 years.
     
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  19. HPrimeAdvanced

    HPrimeAdvanced Senior Member

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    The longer life of batteries in cooler climates was my belief as well, although my understanding is that extreme cold can present a challenge for a 12 volt battery cranking a cold engine. I made an innuendo regarding my batteries easily lasting 5 years in the Southern California (currently ridiculous!) heat.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
    AChoiredTaste.com
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it's funny, because upon introduction of gen 4, toyota rep touted how hard they worked to make room in the engine bay, because there were so many complaints about the gen2 and 3 battery.
    but it seems to me that we are seeing more premature death than ever.