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4th Gen Battery replacement sizes

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by HerbMPG, Nov 18, 2024.

  1. HerbMPG

    HerbMPG Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Decatur GA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    See below for my problems with Toyota.
    I just purchased an EverStart Maxx 121R (3 year) at Walmart for my 2016 for $149.84 plus tax. It's a bit taller than the original equipment H4, but is 600CCA. Walmart also had the H4 in stock for $10 more. I've also read here that 26R should fit. FYI my Costco didn't have any of these sizes.

    So, I purchased my 2016 Certified used in August 2020 from a Toyota dealer. It had an 84 month OEM battery that was purchased late 2019. When it failed 2/2022, I figured it would be in warranty. The only dealer that had one was 40 miles away, so I drove up there and arrived 1 hour before they closed. They said they would have to keep it overnight (can't honor warranty without testing it in the car). I couldn't wait, so I just purchased a new 84 month one in the parts department. Ugggh. I kept the old one but never got around to taking it in again for warranty obligation.
    This weekend, the replacement battery failed, just 33 months after purchase. This time I took it in to the dealer, who said yes it's in warranty but will cost me 1/2 the price of a new one (about $125) if i had the receipt (which I did). They also said the 2019 battery warranty would not have been honored because I didn't have the receipt for it (I just had a receipt for the car)! Frustrated, I opted for another brand.
    To add insult to injury, the parts department would not take the 2019 battery back and return the core value I paid at the 40 mile away dealer. Very frustrating!
    It almost seemed as if the 84 month battery is just high enough quality to last till the free replacement ends. Hopefully the EverStart will last longer. I understand that most Toyota dealers are seperate businesses, but shouldn't they have at least given me the core value back? Not to mention the whole warranty problem. I love Toyota, but nothing they did ever helped me remember they love me! Nobody was unfriendly, but neither did anyone go out of their way.
     
    Danno5060 likes this.
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    II
    Since you bought the car used, the battery warranty does not extend to you. The new battery you bought should qualify for the warranty and it should have lasted way longer than the 33 months. These batteries don't really do much, they are there to unlock your doors and start the computers in your car. The starting of the car is done by your HV battery, not the small 12v battery.

    Do you not drive often with your car or go on short drives? Let it sit for longer periods without driving? These 2 scenarios will reduce the battery life of your battery because it would not have the opportunity to fully charge itself.

    To make your batteries last longer, you can invest in a battery maintainer/charger and top up the battery charge every few months.
     
  3. HerbMPG

    HerbMPG Junior Member

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    Four
    My battery tester said it had an open cell. I assume there's no need to add water? We drive it all the time. Maybe 1 trip per week that's less than 3 miles. I assume the "alternator" or whatever charges the 12v will keep it charged even then. I've got a solar maintainer, but it rarely sits idle for more than a day or two (maybe 1 week 2-3 times per year).
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Sounds like the battery is defective. It's a shame the quality of these batteries have gone downhill in recent years.

    The battery core you can return to most automotive parts stores, they will probably give you a store credit for the core return.
     
  5. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    LE
    Car batteries are a commodity and I always go for the cheapest one that has cell caps. I usually get 10+ years out of them, on average - even the cheap one year battery. The reason I get the cheapest one is the exact scenario you just gone through.
    You buy a battery on-sale and if it fails they use some sort of retail chart/depreciation to figure how much credit they're going to give you for a replacement. In almost all case it only yields you a 10%-20% discount and if that battery is currently on-sale - it'll probably be cheaper to purchase it outright.
    You simply just experienced the battery swindle that all automotive battery seller pull - NOT just Toyota. They'll do you the same way around the corner at your local tire store; but they'll be nicer about it.

    I check and top off, if necessary, all my car batteries around this time of year. After a long hot summer, some electrolytes invariably burn off. That's how I keep my batteries for 10+ years. The sealed ones, if they make it to the end of their warranty, usually boil out all their electrolytes - that's why they fail. I'm talking about wet cell batteries, not AGM or gel cells.
     
    #5 BiomedO1, Nov 18, 2024
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2024
  6. HerbMPG

    HerbMPG Junior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
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    Four
    I suspected that it’s just easier to add [distilled] water to the battery to extend its life. I’ve even seen that it’s possible to add water to “sealed” batteries, but would only do that after replacement warranty ends. Also, the Walmart EverStart Maxx battery has a 3 year full replacement warranty!
     
  7. Mr.Vanvandenburg

    Mr.Vanvandenburg Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
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    Limited
    The dealer you paid the core charge to should be the one to give it back. Another dealer isn’t going to give you money for the old battery and the other dealer keeps the core charge. I think your car doesn’t keep the battery up. Need to keep it on a maintainer or get a battery monitor to know when it needs charging.
    AGM batteries can be bought online. But you sound good to go for awhile.