12V battery tray

A little history here. Pearl is a 2007 Canadian Prius, the model with everything offered in Canada except the GPS. She was new in May/June 2007. I added distilled water to the 12V battery in the Summer of 2010 (because it needed it), filling it to the top of the absorbent mats (remove label, add water through the pull out caps, replace label). So because of this and because the battery was never fully discharged it lasted 8 years.

Pearl finally needed a new 12V battery. On the Scangauge with the car off, we were seeing 10V, and 8.7 with the door open. "Shorted" cell from sulphate in the bottom I suspect. So the current owner purchased the battery from a Toyota dealer and was told he needed an "adapter kit" as well. So he got that too. I did the battery installation.

Here's the thing. The "adapter kit" was not to "adapt" the battery to the car. The battery was -EXACTLY- the same as the original. The "kit" that he "had to" buy (about $30) was a new mounting "bracket" for the battery. It has a stamped bottom that is, in effect, a catch tray for leaking fluid. We decided not to put it in, as it would be even tighter to work on, and the original parts worked just fine for the last 8 years.

Anybody know if this was a TSB, due to a lawsuit, or such? If so it seems like it's "business as usual" for Toyota Canada, making the customer pay for their mistakes.

 

Pearl has the larger battery. The parts guy checked the VIN to see if the car needed the "adapter kit".

I know for a fact (experience) that AGM and gell cell batteries don't spill their acid when broken, which is why I was wondering if there was a lawsuit. Lawyers are good at stretching the facts to suit their case. A good thing if you're the complaintent, and easily beaten if you can prove said facts.

Perhaps a picture of the new bracket is in order. I'll contact the owner and see if he can take one.

 

The vertical part is the bolt for the bar that goes across the top of the battery. You can see the tray is for baking a cake.
He is leaving the wrapping on so he can return it.