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Opinion - Sticker gives age of OEM battery?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Slider2732, Feb 18, 2019.

  1. Slider2732

    Slider2732 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2018
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    Location:
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The TL;DR - does the code printed on the top of an OEM 12V battery denote the date of it?
    For example, 180219W would be 18th February 2019
    See Pic 2 below.


    We received the CarFax the other day for our 2014 (in the picture to the side of this post).
    Within which, it says the dealer changed the batt as part of the vehicle inspection and service.
    However....
    Being in Oklahoma, winter has been mild and I use a multimeter regularly on the batt. We use the car every day, but not for work commutes of 40 miles or something. When it was first tested in early November it was at 12.1V, so I started to use a hobby grade charger every week or so to bump it up a little (2A for an afternoon and ending around 12.6V). The next plan was to put a solar charger on it as a trickle method, because over the 4 months of ownership, the 'next morning' voltage is now down to 11.9V.

    [​IMG]


    Checking it when opening the drivers door, such that the brake motor gubbins spins will drop it below 11.7V.
    Full presumption, it's the original battery from the factory. Opening the drivers door shows the car was built in February 2014.

    When the CarFax arrived the other day it made me wonder.

    I took at look at the top of the battery and saw what seems to be the date code and would like to know if that is indeed the date on the label?
    29th January 2014.

    [​IMG]

    It checks out for the age of 5 years, the battery is doing 5 year old battery things, such as windows closing slowly in accessory mode and the voltage drop with the brake system motor.

    Is the dealer obligated to make true on what they submitted to CarFax?
    I mean, I'm not saying the dealership should give us a new batt for a car they sold back in October, but it has always been on the low side.
    If the CarFax details are to be upheld as a true history of a car, or, if the dealer had OK'd a new battery and someone forgot to fit it, then they signed off on something that wasn't done.
    Are we 'owed' that new battery? should I email the dealer with the pics and info? or maybe ask CarFax to amend their records.

    CarFax page:

    [​IMG]



    Thanks for any and all advice.
     
    #1 Slider2732, Feb 18, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2019
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    We bought our 2010 in November, 2010. Due to the car sitting on their lot a long time, the 12 volt was dead, and they replaced it, at time of sale. I've still got that battery, and see it has a similar sticker, reading 240210W, which, if your code is correct, would be 24th of February, 2010. Which seems plausible.

    This battery is was installed well over 8 years back, and languished in my garage, out of the car, for about 3.5 years now, with sporadic charging. It reads 12.46 volts, and CCA has fallen a bit below spec (310??), at 274. It still is shown as OK but RECHARGE, which I think I'll do.

    Yeah, that one seems to be the original, and regardless, in need of replacement. It doesn't hurt to email the dealership; they might come through.

    A couple of tools I use, and recommend:

    1. For measurement: Solar BA5 (or BA7, maybe more available now).
    2. For charging: CTEK 4.3.

    IMG_0056.JPG IMG_0058.JPG
    IMG_0059.JPG
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Feb 18, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2019
    Slider2732 likes this.
  3. Slider2732

    Slider2732 Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Thanks!
    Am delighted to know that your date code matches up.

    I'll email the dealer tomorrow, with hopefully more back up of the code info and yes, hopefully they'll come through. It's not like they ditched us after the purchase, they've called a couple of times too.
    Another presumption is they want to keep in contact for servicing reasons, which I don't mind at all.
    All in all it was a very positive experience at the time and they were a professional place.
    Which, makes me think they OK'd the battery swap and presumed it done for the CarFax inclusion.

    Otherwise, 'show me the CarFax' starts to have a little bit of a problem!
     
    Tande and Mendel Leisk like this.
  4. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Folsom, Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I had 050312W on my 2012. It seemed to be getting low, so I replaced it and put it on a BatteryMinder de-sulfinator trickle-charger to keep it ready for whatever, usually jump-starting the lawn tractor.
     
    Slider2732 likes this.
  5. Slider2732

    Slider2732 Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Many thanks Pluggo!
    Great confirmation :)
     
  6. Slider2732

    Slider2732 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2018
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    Location:
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The update to this, is that the dealership rang today.
    Apparently, the battery replacement relates to the keyfob o_O

    To note, when a couple of issues started because of the 12V, I changed out the keyfob battery anyway. It was on 3.01V, the new one was at 3.35V. 3.01V seems low for a batt only a few weeks old...butttttt who's to know what the state of charge was on the new one.
    Hmmmm.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.