Time to replace battery??

I have a 2017 with the original battery. Starts great every time but should I be looking to replace it soon? I keep a charged jump pack with me at all times but the truck battery is 5 years old at this point.

Oh and any suggestions on battery brand would be helpful.

 

This thread is fresh
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-battery-life.776081/

 

My 17' battery crapped out at the end of 2018 lol. Been rocking a Everstart Maxx from walmart since then with no issues.

 

Eh. They all come out of a few factories. Johnson controls, Exide, and East Penn manufacturing. The average life of a battery is 3-4 years regardless of the actual manufacturer. There really is a lot less difference between the batteries than most people would like to argue.

The best things to do are the following:

1. Keep a good booster in your vehicle. Clore (jump and carry) is the top lead acid booster pack and is what you will find in most tow trucks. Both NOCO and Clore make good lithium ion boosters (what I personally use). Do NOT buy a cheap lithium ion booster.

2. Purchase a variable load carbon pile tester and load test your battery every fall before it gets cold. This will ensure that your battery is in good condition going into the cold which will demand the most performance from your battery. You need to load test the battery at 1/2 the CCA hence the need for variable. Brand won't really matter if purchasing for personal use as long as it's adjustable.

NOTE. While cold weather is when a bad battery is most likely to be found, it's actually the heat that kills batteries. You only notice when it gets cold due to the extra demand placed on the battery. This is why I recommend testing annually in the fall. The heat has already done it's damage, so as long as it tests good in the fall, it usually is good all winter.

 

Definitely keep jump pack on you!

 

Best time to buy a new anything is when you don't need to.

So buy a battery TODAY because yours is probably on the edge.
And if it doesn't die tomorrow it will die on you soon.... probably when you need it the most.

 

Depends on your situation. I'd echo the jump pack at least.

That said I got 10 years out of my OEM battery. It worked perfectly every day until one day it didn't in a cold snap. First time it didn't, I bought a new one.

 

Your time is worth something. Swap it out before your stuck waiting on AAA or a friend/family member to take you to the parts store. I recommend the Everstart 24F AGM from Wally World or Toyota's TrueStart with 84 month warranty.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-battery-life.776081/page-2#post-27742665

 

My OEM battery is 4 years old and still performing well. I'm the type that likes to get my money's worth so I'll go with it to the end. One thing I've always done with any vehicle is have a booster on board just in case. One in the truck and one in my wife's car.

 

Thanks for all the replys. Im planning to get a battery this week. Especially with cold weather right around the corner, I dont wanna be caught in a “why didn’t you just get one you cheap ass” situation lol

 

I don't think replacing it now would be the worst idea. Batteries biggest enemies are extreme heat and extreme cold. You can roll the dice, but I wouldn't want to be stranded on a cold day having to change it in a parking lot because lord knows they never fail in your garage.

 

Costco or Wally World

Get a lithium ion jumper pack too and check it every now and then for charge, nice to have in case you or somebody else needs a jump

 

Another good thing about the NOCO chargers is its ability to Desulfate the Battery. Once a year I tend to pull/disconnect batteries and Desulfate them.

 

The quick and dirty guide is to test the battery's resting voltage after fully charging.

Meaning - after running around town, shut down the truck and let it sit for 30 mins to an hour, then test battery voltage. Nominal is 12.6 or above. Yellow "its gettin' old" zone is 12.5-12.2. Replace me now is 12.2 or below.

 

My choice has been a deka. They seem to be better than other brands tried.