Prius v 12V Battery Replacement? Mileage/Where to buy?

Let's make this a bit simpler:

Yes, at 5 years you should be thinking about replacing the 12 V battery.
Regardless of where you buy it, you aren't going to save a ton of money.

Start at a local Toyota dealer for a price quote, installed, and then call a few auto parts stores or battery shops in your area for a compatible AGM, installed.
Make your decision either on price or convenience, which ever is most important to you.

Most all "name brand" batteries have similar reputations.

 

Dead simplest is to pick one up from Toyota dealership parts department, they're not too far out of line. There are various aftermarket options available too, I'm not sure what it is for the v, if it's the same as regular 3rd gen

But yeah, phone a few dealerships for starters, see what they quote. There's likely a "core charge" basically $20 back when you bring in the old one. And 5 years is a good run for the original.

 

1) i'm not sure if mileage matters.
2) i usually get 8, but some have gotten more, and many have gotten less. hot weather is bad for longevity.
3) there are many places, check autocrats, batteries plus bulbs and online. (optima)
4) exide, duracell, optima, yuasa, others?
5) $120. to $200. depending on brand, warranty and sales.

 

If replacing yourself, what do you lose when the original battery is disconnected? Is it worth it to just let the dealer do it?

 

You can hook it up to an alternate source of voltage. What I do is place my jump pack in the drivers footwell, and run a specially built memory saver cable from the jump pack to the OBD port. Times when I haven't done that, say when I want the car completely dead, for brake inspection, what I've found:

1. Radio presets gone (don't care much)
2. Trip meters all go back to zero
3. Window auto-up may need retraining (probably: run window down, then up while holding continuously, then continue to hold for two seconds more)
4. Displays all back to defaults
5. Some sort of engine relearning process: in particular a bit of odd rev-up for the first drive or two, just after starting.

This is on a regular 3rd gen Prius.

 

you can connect the new battery to the jump point, then the old battery (if it isn't dead) then move the new one to the back.

 

Only YOU can answer that question for YOU........once you get the various quotes.

For ME it certainly is.......now.
A long, long time ago, saving a couple of bucks was more important.
YMMV.

Oh, and it's likely that the dealer won't do anything to save your settings either.

 

It is MUCH easier if you have a 3rd voltage source to connect to the "jump points"; like a portable jump pack, and then just change out the battery and disconnect the jump.

Using only the two batteries, you have to plan ahead very carefully.

 

agreed. any don't have a 3rd source and don't want one, so it's a boyscout option.

 

If you buy the battery from Auto Zone, for instance, I wonder if they would loan you a jump pack as a "tool" to accomplish the installation ?

 

if they don't have to open a new one, why not? i think they install for free, so that would be a good trade off for them.

 

We like the Optima and have it rigged with a C-TEK charge state indicator and charge eyelet for top-up with the C-TEK 7002.

 

2012 v-5...proactive replacement
1-53K
2-Preemptive
3-Amazon
4-Optima
5-$164.00 shipped free
Attached "battery maintainer" to under hood positive connection to retain vehicle settings

 

That might not be a good idea.
In general, you should NOT have a charger hooked to the car when the battery is not present.
Sometimes the voltage can go way up under those circumstances; and if a door is open, some of the circuits in the car are active.

And whatever external voltage source you use, both positive and negative leads must be connected.

 

This is the only battery I know of that might last 10 years-
ODYSSEY battery - Official Manufacturer's Site

 

nice looking unit, not cheap, but it says you have to lay it on it's side for it to dimensionally fit.

 

I have one I got for free that was changed out from a UPS system and use it in my home built camper. It is a totally sealed battery- no liquid acid at all- it's more like a paste, from the info I read. I will put mine on it's side and see how it does.

 

please keep us abreast of your experience.

 

I changed out one 12v battery in my 2007 Prius, myself and rigged a lawnmower battery so I wouldn't lose circuit power- what a pain. If I ever need a battery again in a Prius, it will probably be an Odyssey.- yes, I will post the results of a side mounted battery- Amazon sells this battery - $184.34 and free shipping. A call to the manufacturer might provide the answer on side mounting.