Factory Batteries

I remember a thread a couple years ago about peoples factory battery only lasting a couple years.

Just got back from having Toyota do a oil change and asked them to check the battery. Did the same last time.

They said it's perfect. Bought the truck new on Halloween 2018.

 

2016 - Original battery - Still running strong.

 

3 years of SC summers on my factory battery with no issues. I thought I had a dead battery last year, but I cleaned the corrosion off the terminals and it came right back to life.

 

Eventually the alternator will self destruct, because it is overworking itself. I'v seen many go right into overheat mode when I would put them in GM busses with older batteries. The batteries checked good and the vehicles had no trouble starting. Soon as I would replace them the alternators would run cool to the touch. Maybe Toyota is a different beast ? I'v always been on the replace batteries side of the fence. A lot is depending on that battery. Best of luck in your quest.

 

why do that to yourself tho, batts are pretty cheap

 

Compared to the trouble ahead !!

 

have multiple vehicles and don't need to spend money for no reason?

 

I swapped out a perfectly good OE battery for a AGM last year on my 18. For me, I don't want to be dead-cell stranded, so I change lead-acid batteries at 4 years and AGMs when I can hear the starter slow down.

 

Now let's talk oil change intervals. Working on multiple vehicles and seeing the more pricy repairs due to lack of maintenance has always been my guide. But to each his own. I will never be sold on lack of it.

 

My 2010 got 10 years just about on the OEM. Never a hard start even until it died one day. Replaced it right away.

Pisser is that the replacement didn't last 4 years and I didn't buy a cheapo. Oh well..replaced it and got on with my life.

 

5k for the FI vehicles, 10k (or once a year) for NA vehicles.

FWIW I agree with you on the maintenance. I've never had a dead battery damage anything, much less kill an alternator. If that happened to me I'd probably change my tune.

 

I have the original battery in my truck that was bought new in 2020. It is 3-1/2 years old and still doing fine. I've never had a battery last more than 3 or 4 years in any vehicle I've owned. This summer I drove my Tacoma from Georgia to Idaho. Put 5,000 miles on that trip. I was concerned that the battery might cause problems, but it's still doing fine.

 

My factory battery developed a bad cell in just under 3 years. I got a new Toyota battery under warranty and it is almost 5 years old. My opinion is Toyota batteries are hit or miss on how long it lasts.

 

Less than 2 year old truck, just replaced mine because it was making weird startup noises and leaking acid out the top. I suppose all aren’t so lucky unfortunately.

 

2010 with 187K miles. Original alternator which puts out the required voltage around 14.x (depending on the state of charge). I'm on me 3rd battery which is perfectly normal. Batteries older than 5 years have less capacity for sure. No way a lead-acid battery starting battery living in a hot environment will last like a deep-cycle living in 60 degrees and constantly checked for low electrolyte. The Autozone Duralast battery is the exact OEM replacement. If you spend anything more you are wasting your money. Go and pay twice as much for a AGM type battery and get 10% more life. They will die like any other battery. Someone will say "I have an optima and I'm on my 7th+ year". Possible but not average. I have a Trojan 100A flooded lead-acid deep-cycle battery that runs my trolling motor. It's 15 years old and still runs my fishing motor longer than my bladder holds out. It never goes lower than 50% discharged. It's a totally different environment than a hot engine bay.

 

Being left stranded somewhere sucks.

On another note, you own multiple vehicles however $100 on several years of insurance that your vehicle will start is "no reason"?
Interesting logic....

 

I live in south east fl. My original battery lasted 1 year to the day. Next battery lasted 3 years . I have a 2014. replace every 3 years. I am a certified auto tech working on cars every day. Due to the heat down here, we normally get 3 years on a quality battery. If your pushing 5 years on yours, i would suggest changing it out. I have seen batteries from up north last upwords of 10 years. They dont have the constant heat we do.

 

My car lives outside through the -20c winters without a block heater or anything. I usually get about 3 years from a 27f conventional acid batt.

 

Assuming..

My still going strong since October 2017.
I still have original 12v battery on 2011build hybrid (12v battery is used to start the engine).

 

2107, still same Battery. Colder than Hell winters, and Hotter than Hell summers.....