Another dead battery

My 17's battery died after 18 months. Got the same run around from the dealer, they need at least 4 hours or some B.S. to test it and the truck, I laughed, stopped by the parts counter on my way home picked up a Toyota Trustart or whatever its called, sent Toyota the reciept. You have to call and open up a case first though, but within a few weeks I had a check in the mail for the cost. How many other manufacturers would do this?..Cue the Toyota / 3rd gen bashing...

 

It's the batteries , they're cheaply made now poor quality control

I'm lucky to get 2yrs on the batteries in my truck or my Camaro up here in the Socal High Desert !!! . The battery in my truck was replaced by Autoclub a year ago and they tested the charging system and it checked out fine

The battery in my Camaro which is a Optima red top 34/78 series is once again struggling to turn over my 11.75:1comp sbc . What's strange is my battery disconnect is always turned off (no power to car ) and always on a battery tender

 

i think since we trail harder than most people, these unsealed batteries require more maintenance. mines clearly leaked, and water needs to be added, which i dont think many people here actually do.

there are only a few places that really manufacture these things, and theres only a few ingredients (common to all lead acid batteries).

unless u know something about battery production that i dont (not being an ass, you might legit have some knowledge about this in which case i would be interested to know)

 

Toyota uses the least expensive battery they trust....sometimes that battery is trash, other times it was less expensive because the manufacturer wanted to contract.

Cold weather can really damage a battery as can running it down too low.

My guess is that the batteries that are failing are poorly made, but temperature can make the problem worse.

 

Plain and simple the quality of car batteries has dropped significantly over the last 10 years as these mfgs are trying to save money plus environmental concerns of lead and the mfg process of car batteries . This business practice now allows the use of cheaper materials

Look at AGM's like Optima , 10 plus years ago I had a red top that lasted close to 8 years . All I did for maintenance was clean the terminals never needed to have a maintenance charge

This same battery now you're lucky to get 3 years now even with it being on a maintenance trickle / float charger also known as battery tenders . It's not just me but many many people have noticed degraded perf from Optima

Now lead acid batteries they're cheaply made now and as like AGM's they're nothing like how they were 10 plus years ago . If you didn't know these batteries have increased amount of styrofoam pellets in the battery to displace the water . Also lead isnt mfgd in the United states anymore and any products that require lead is mfgd off Shore now

Almost forgot .............. yes extreme weather cold or hot can degrade battery performance !!!

 

Nope, i didnt know that part lol. So it seems like theres just less of the stuff that actually contains the chemical energy. Thanks for the info!

I looked into it a little more and northstar says in their faq that the pure lead plates used in their agm batteries are mfg in missouri. I think its one of the last? Mightve read that a while ago, so dont quote me on that.

But... all they need to do is some kinda processing to imported materials for country of origin, so i dunno how much of that phrasing is a technicality. They do acknowledge the alloying of lead as a main reason for decreased performance in typical batteries in their verbiage.

https://www.northstarbattery.com/faq?redirected=true

 

It does not surprise me that the plates are manufactured in the US. Most of the lead (like 95% is from recycled batteries and it would not make sense to export the lead, just to re-import it later.

 

Yes there's only that one facility in Missouri that mfgs those lead plates but with increased pressure from Government safety programs and officials there may be no more lead manufacturing in the U.S in maybe 15 -20 years maybe less

 

Hence your problem.

 

This is a serious question, not being a jerk, what's the advantage of a $300 battery?

 

Just buy a new battery.
They are cheap and not worth the hassle.

 

Mine went dead in a Walmart parking lot. Just went to the Advance Auto next door and bought a good quality one. Got $$ back from Toyota after sending in receipt and letter. Much better than getting it replaced at the dealer while you wait for 4 hours and leave with the same junk battery you arrived with.

 

Let's be honest...automotive batteries can be built to last a lifetime but that wouldn't bring the manufacturer residual business and he, in turn, would be out of business. Take your vehicle to any automotive parts dealer (Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, Advance Auto Parts, Pep Boys etc) they can stress test it in 2 minutes or less....and the testing is free.

 

In the Walmart parking lot, you should have just gotten one of theirs.

G.

 

The Carfax for my '17 Tacoma showed the dealer replaced the battery twice in 2 years.
It only had 5,000 miles on it when I bought it in December so it must have sat for long periods and parasitic draws drained the battery.
It was a leased truck and the dealer just replaced the battery.

 

Because I wanted it tested in case problem was charging system and had something to support warranty claim.

 

The OEM batteries are really junk! 575 CCA!! give me a break.

 

Here’s some good info on AGM batteries, plus they last over 10 years and you can mount in any direction.


AGM technology became popular in the early 1980s as a sealed lead acid battery for military aircraft, vehicles and UPS to reduce weight and improve reliability. The sulfuric acid is absorbed by a very fine fiberglass mat, making the battery spill-proof. This enables shipment without hazardous material restrictions. The plates can be made flat to resemble a standard flooded lead acid pack in a rectangular case; they can also be wound into a cylindrical cell.

AGM has very low internal resistance, is capable to deliver high currents on demand and offers a relatively long service life, even when deep cycled. AGM is maintenance free, provides good electrical reliability and is lighter than the flooded lead acid type. While regular lead acid batteries need a topping charge every six months to prevent the buildup of sulfation, AGM batteries are less prone to sulfation and can sit in storage for longer before a charge becomes necessary. The battery stands up well to low temperatures and has a low self-discharge.

The leading advantages of AGM are a charge that is up to five times faster than the flooded version, and the ability to deep cycle. AGM offers a depth-of-discharge of 80 percent; the flooded, on the other hand, is specified at 50 percent DoD to attain the same cycle life. The negatives are slightly lower specific energy and higher manufacturing costs than the flooded, but cheaper than the gel battery.

Most AGM batteries are mid-sized and range from 30 to 100Ah. They can also be found in UPS, big and small for stationary and deep cycle use. They are commonly built to size and are found in high-end vehicles to run power-hungry accessories such as heated seats, steering wheels, mirrors and windshields. NASCAR and other auto racing leagues choose AGM products because they are vibration resistant.

AGM is the preferred battery for upscale motorcycles. Being sealed, AGM reduces acid spilling in an accident, lowers the weight for the same performance and allows installation at odd angles. Because of good performance at cold temperatures, AGM batteries are also used for marine, motor home and robotic applications.

 

Got an Oddesy in my Polaris. It's never been on a charger, sits in all kinds of weather, Gets many short trips with on's and off's. Going on 7 years now and still strong. Putting one in the Taco soon.

G.

 

My 05 Tundra battery lasted 12 years. I could not believe it.