Dead/ Low Battery issues

Hello TW.

Just wondering if anyone has delt with this issue:

Had a low battery cell, the car barely cranked and finally started.

The issue was my throttle response has gone to sh*t, i tried gunning it on the freeway and it gradually went to 55mph and wouldn't go any faster- felt like it was on a limp mode.

Is this something i should be worried about? or just replace the battery?

 

You're at about that point to discover that the factory-installed battery is crap. Go get a 27F and problem solved.

 

Likely not an issue, but get your alternator tested as well.

 

Or continue to have them replaced under warranty for free... and maybe some sympathy/good will from your dealer.

 

I didnt expect the battery issue to be linked with throttle response.

 

It might not be, I'm not an engineer. I do know that mine and several other 3rd gen batteries made it to the 25th month of their warranty life span (and no more warranty) and died, and upgrading to a 27F (from the factory 24F) solved all problems.

If you're still under warranty, get in there quickly and get a new battery on Uncle Toyoda's dime before time runs out.

 

Thanks cap

 

Good luck, and I hope it simply is a matter of weak spark due to battery dying.

 

I'm thinking that all you have to do is maintain the water level in the battery..(some people don't)… AND, as far as the throttle response,….Clean your MAF Sensor.... Easy, DIY thing.

I did mine on my old 2006 at 60,000KMs and the throttle response increased immediately by about 25%..... I did not notice the response had snuck down there...

Try it... You might like it.

John

 

It's probably just pissed that you called it a car. Taco's are Trucks and damn proud of it, they don't respond well to those kind of insults...

 

Toyota batteries are designed to be "maintenance-free;" it's a safety hazard if you pry your battery open. Wouldn't advise.

 

agreed, and like most electronic items designed to fail after their warranty period is up. Mine is 4yrs into service and recently began to show signs of shitting the bed. I have a ScanGuage II and watch the alternator voltage being delivered so I know it is not the alternator. It is the battery giving up the ship.

 

its a car when it doesnt perform. a truck when it does. you feel?

 

It’s that damn computer having to relearn your ass again.

 

I hate to sound like a know-it-all, but that is, without a doubt, the most ridiculous statement ever made on the entire internet! I can speak with authority on this after 10+ years working for Interstate Battery. ALL wet cell batteries with removable caps must have water added at some point over the life span of the battery. Usually many times. ALL OF THEM! In simple terms, when a battery is charging, the water is evaporated into oxygen and hydrogen and must either be vented or recaptured as is in the case of sealed wet cell batteries. The two caps on the Toyota OEM batteries are actually vents and they also are an indication that the battery was manufactured by Johnson Controls and more so, are made with a slot where a flat screwdriver is used to pry them off. This is for inspection of electrolyte level and adding water to replace what has been evaporated by charging.
end

 

I just wish the Tacomas came with Panasonic batteries like the 4Runner comes with. Those things last forever, had one at 9 years and still going. It seems that batteries just don't make it as long these days, or they are more hit-or-miss than they used to be. Sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you don't. Sometimes the forklift driver drops a load and nobody sees it.

 

Free? I just bought a 2019 End of March this year....

 

100% correct my man..! Same style battery as my 1959 Chevy had, except it had screw caps....

Mine needs a small amount of distilled H2O each year and it gets it and a cleaning of the posts, if necessary.

 

The last winter killed 3 brand new oem Toyota batteries for me. 2018 OR. So yeah the batteries are trash. My gf civic came with a bigger battery

 

And that is not to be done by the customer; dealers often don't do it either. When your protocol is to "use a flathead screwdriver and pry it off" that's not Toyota's way. How much water? What type of water? Do you think customers know it needs to be distilled? Toyota protects against all of these things by buying batteries that are specifically called out as maintenance free. You're not wrong.... it CAN be done by a customer... it just SHOULDN'T.