Dead Battery! 09 Taco 23k miles WTF? Rant!!

Got into my truck this morning turned the key and nothing. I was like WTF?

Truck has been running fine and recently got serviced for trans TSB at dealer. Had no warning or issues prior to not starting this morning. No lights or accessories were on to drain the battery overnight.... I used another car to jump start it and made the 20-30 drive to work.

Got to work tried to restart it and nothing. Key was dead and door locks wouldn't even lock or unlock. I tried using a fully charged battery jumper to restart and it didn't have enough juice.

I was in denial that my factory battery would only last 1.5 years or 23k miles? has anyone ever had this problem?

I called Toyota roadside assistance only to find out that Toyota does not offer roadside assistance as part of the basic bumper to bumper warranty....I was like WTF? again. The lady over the phone was polite. I told her I found it hard to believe that something as basic was not included and that it was std on most manufacturers like Ford and GM. She proceeds to tell me "that's why i don't buy a Toyota" It was like throwing salt on my open wounds. Remember that this is Toyota roadside assistance that I called. She offered to send assistance but i would have to cover the cost. I was not happy but remained courteous and declined.

Jumped it with another car again and drove it to the dealer. My odometer and dash lights were flickering. The dealer replaced the battery and sent me on my way in about an hour and was grateful.

I have dealt with my Tacoma's ticking noise, lousy fan motor, Rear leaf TSB, Transmission TSB among other basic quirks. But the battery. Come on Toyota WTF?????

 

my battery died around the same time its normal man

 

Damn that sucks! I've had factory batteries last me an average 3-5 years in the past I guess they don't make them like they used to.

 

Can't really blame Toyota for the battery going bad. I had a Interstate which is about the best battery around and it went bad within 9 months after I installed it. You just never know.

 

Your right....I should be mad at their battery supplier. It just sucks getting stranded with a fairly new car. I'm glad it happened at home and not in some remote area or stuck in crappy weather.

 

not to rub salt in the wound but I have an 07 and 70 000 km and I changed my batt for a red top. but I have no problem with it and its now in one of my other trucks

 

I just bought a 05 Taco with Bumper to Bumper and it died a week after getting it. I brought it in and they put a new one in for free!

 

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My battery is almost 2 years old and has some problems too. Planning to replace it now as most OEM batteries are not so great.

Some on here have said that Optima Yellow Top and Odyssey were the best batteries.

Does anyone know which battery number a 2009 tacoma needs ... ??? ...

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Replaced my Toyota TrueStart today --> it had been in my truck since I bought it in Jan. '08, and I've driven w/it approximately 68k miles (and by the looks of it, the battery was the original -- just a guess).

Based on my experience (see the aforementioned), and the posts on this thread, it sounds like Toyota stopped using the same battery manufacturer, or the battery manufacturer stopped using the same design/materials of/in the TrueStart since '03 (or since my old battery was manufactured).

Again, 1st Gens (and 1st Gen batteries), ftmfw....

 

Iused to work at a tire / battery shop. It's not uncommon for even brand new batteries to crap out. If a cell collapses inside for whatever reason (from temperature related to getting jolted) it's dead immediately. Sounds like that's what happened being it's dead right away after shutting it off. After jumping the truck, it's only running on the alternator.

 

I've worked on lots before. We replaced batteries in vehicles right off the carrier. THey drive em on there.. then they sit. They don't put deep cycle batteries on cars. Die a few times... they're done.

My battery doesn't say toyota on it. I've had all kind of batteries last between 8 years and 10 days.

 

Remember too a dead battery in the winter will freeze cause a dead battery only contains water. The OEM batteries from all the manufactures are garbage and are only made to last two years max. They only have half the charge of a real premium battery when new.Unless you like changing them don't waste your money on em.

In winter the charge is restricted to the temperature of the battery. Lots of short trips in the winter and the battery simply will not charge up. Time it gets warm enough to take a charge your trip is complete. So over winter it slowly gets warn down. Cause it's not completely charged up for long periods suspended metals in the acid fall to the bottom of the battery shorting out the plates on the cells. This is why the better batteries have some sort of pump inside to move the acid around. Sometimes it's just a check valve pump some times it's a real electric pump. I'm pretty sure the DieHards have the check valve pump and the Interstate ones have a electric pump. Chances are only on there top end batteries.

I have good luck with premium batteries. I always try to get the largest one that will fit. I have had no luck with OEM batteries.

Die once there done. They never really recover from it. A load tester will reveal the damage after it's charged up again. Sure they will still work even for years later but the damage is done and it's permanent unless it's deep cycle.

 

Just a fluke. It happens with any battery manufacturer. My Tacoma factory battery lasted 5 years.

 

I noticed some Toyota's have the premium battery in them and some have the OEM battery installed. Mine has the premium one and no problems yet.

I have a OR and he has a Prerunner.Coinsidence?

 

If you have the tow package, one of the upgrades (besides heavy duty alternator and tranny cooler) is a heavy duty battery. Perhaps that's what you're talking about.

 

Yes I know that is what it is about but it explains why some have good luck and some have shitty luck. It's not luck at all it is what was in there in the first place to start with. The stock battery is crap just like every other manufacturer. The premium battery works just fine.

 

battery only lasts two years?

 

Really depends where you are and how well you take care of it. The colder the weather the shorter it will be. If you run it down a few times that will add to a shorter life span. My other truck I had the OEM lasted exactly two years. I put in a premium after that and I usually got around 6 years or more out of them. If the OEM's have a warranty longer then 2 years you are going to be making a claim and they will chances are do a up sell or you will get the same exact piece of shit battery. My theory is a bigger battery is easier on the alternator saving maybe some gas. Cause it has more then ample cold cranking amps it does not get run down near as far as a crappy battery on a start. The alternator does not have to work as hard to charge it back up. Your short trips do little damage to it. The OEM on the other hand is just a slow slide into hell and threads like this. Price point? I think it's about twenty dollars difference maybe more but not much.. Hardly worth the savings. If you add the environment fee in there like we have here it's really not worth it. If you need to call a tow truck to give you a boost it is totally not worth it. Boils down to you get what you pay for and how well you take care of it.

 

Wow..... I've owned my truck for 4 years and has 32,000 miles on it and I'm still on the original battery.

Usually when the doors won't unlock - the battery is completely dead. Are you sure you don't have something 'drawing' current when the truck is OFF?

Do you have an alarm system? Or any accessories that will drain it? Bad connections? How often do you drive?

 

In my last car a 99 Camry the generic Advance Auto battery lasted 7 years before it started losing cranking amps. I guess it just depends on the battery. Sometimes you get one that doesn't last. If your alternator was bad I could see you getting angry but it's just a battery. 10 minutes of your time to change out.