Original 12V Battery FINALLY Replaced

My 2005 Prius went all diva a couple of weeks ago. Wouldn't start one night for a friend when he was driving it, but started right up for me when I arrived to pick him up. A few days later, had it at the Toyota dealer for an oil change and they had to jump start it to move it into the service bay. Amazing that Toyota did not try to sell me a new battery right then and there.

Instead the car continued to drive just fine for me the rest of that week. I did order a new Optima Yellowtop and had it installed at PepBoys at the end of that week. Both the dealer and PepBoys think the car still had the original 12V installed. Crazy that it lasted 12 years!!

Full disclosure, the car does only have 71k miles on it, but it has resided in Florida for the past six years of more, meaning lots of heat and humidity.

 

Well, thanks, but I've only owned the car since September, since hardly my doing. The original owners I think bought it in Colorado and lived in Wichita, Kansas before eventually moving to Florida. I think they've been in Florida for at least four to five years. Florida climate is more humid but generally less hot during the summer than the Midwest region of Kansas and Missouri. Lot less hills to climb down here though!

 

I did not. Never even saw it myself. But the Toyota rep thought it was likely the original battery, as did the Pep Boys manager who replaced the battery for me. He also owns a Prius so I felt in good hands there.