Why is my battery doing this?

I struggled with this for years and with different batteries, was constantly cleaning things and applying grease/anti-corrosion. I ended up getting an AGM battery and problem solved, been perfect ever since.

 

You need a new battery simple as that. Mine did the same was holding charge too. After I replaced the battery everything was normal. Get a battery from Costco they have the best price and warranty.

 

unless it is a "SEALED" AGM Batt.

https://www.odysseybattery.com/extreme-series-batteries/

 

Almost nobody spends the extra money around here for an AGM battery on a vehicle that doesn't require one, they don't tend to last much longer than standard batteries here anyway.

All the newer vehicles with stop/start come with and require AGM batteries, they still typically only last 2-3 years down here and they cost at least 50% more than a standard battery.

 

And yet mine was installed in 2016 and starts and runs all my stuff just fine, something to be said about you get what you pay for.

 

You must be in a much cooler climate, the oldest working vehicle battery I've seen here was 8 years old. Most don't last any more than 2-4 years here because of the heat.

 

I thought most stop-start vehicles used EFBs (enhanced flooded batteries) rather than AGMs?

 

Every one I've seen either uses an auxiliary AGM battery about the size of an ATV battery and standard flooded battery or single AGM battery.

They all say AGM on them.

 

SoCal, and the truck is in the desert all the time.

 

Had this exact thing happen with my battery 2 years ago. I tighten the bracket a bit too tight and created a small crack. Leaked all over battery and bracket. Had to replace battery, clean up bracket and repaint. So happy Toyota placed a plastic tray under the battery.

 

Yes, the vent caps have holes on them for venting. Acid spill out of the holes in steep inclines or aggressive maneuvers. There's a plastic tray under the battery to catch the acid so it doesn't eat through your fender.

If this sounds dodgy, replace it with an AGM battery.

 

I second this

I second this opinion.

Noco makes good stuff. The felt pads actually work where some of the cheaper ones dont. I get them in the jar of 50. The spray on cleaner works better than most. Ive tried several different brands, Noco works.

If you clean the terminals and posts really good and get every bit of acid off them first, the felt pads work better.

Ive gone behind guys who used regular grease. What I’ve found is this actually accelerates oxidation on the posts.

Op: the hold down bracket is pretty bad but it can be saved. When I bought my taco used, mine looked similar. Take it off, submerge it in coke a cola a few minutes. Take it out, scrape at any acid you still see, submerge it again, repeat until it’s totally clean, rinse with water, let it dry. To prevent the acid from reforming use some corrosion prevention. On mine, I stuck a felt pad under it, then used some spray on stuff. It’s been acid free since.

 

And this is why you should not trust everything you read on the internet. Lots of incorrect things get posted as good solutions.

Don't use teflon in that application. Teflon is used on pipes to lubricate the threads, so you can really tighten the tapered threads. It's not some magical sealant.

 

topping off batteries with fluid like its the 80s or something, jeez..

get a legit AGM battery and be done with it. i love my optima yellowtop.

 

This is why you should not trust everything you read on the internet. Lots of incorrect things get posted by people trying to look smart.

Teflon tape is not used to lubricate the threads of a pipe, its primary purpose is infact to seal the threads of a pipe. Magic, maybe not. But effective, yes.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Harvey-...-Sealing-PTFE-Plumber-s-Tape-178503/202280370

Anyone that says they've never repurposed something for another use would be lying.

 

"Thread seal tape lubricates, allowing for a deeper seating of the threads, and it helps prevent the threads from seizing when being unscrewed.[1] The tape also works as a deformable filler and thread lubricant, helping to seal the joint without hardening or making it more difficult to tighten,[2] and instead making it easier to tighten."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread_seal_tape

Primarily a thread lubricant

 

Nice how you deleted the very first sentence on that page when quoting that.

"Thread seal tape (also known as PTFE tape, Teflon tape, or plumber's tape) is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film tape commonly used in plumbing for sealing pipe threads."

 

I agree that heat is much worse for batteries than cold is. I had three batteries each last 10 years in my 31 year old vehicle. It was operated in Texas, Minnesota, Georgia, and Colorado.
Current battery is coming up on 8 years old (it's the orig Toyota batt in a 2016 build) and still doing very well. Almost all of its time has been in GA, with only a few months in CO.

To everyone else: don't use Vaseline or engine oil (used or new) to protect the battery terminals. Both will seep (via capillary action) between the post and the terminal and actually insulate (prevent flow of electricity). I have experienced this.

 

Regarding the OP;

You can rinse the engine compartment off with a hose and fresh water periodically. From your pic, I would remove the battery and the bracket, and clean up any grit under the battery. I would then sand, prime and paint ANYTHING that looks rusty.

You may also wish to add a little cushion for the battery to ride on, as I did. I took a piece of that thin polyethylene packing material (it is like 1/8" thick and white) and placed it under the OEM plastic battery tray in my truck.

Regarding battery selection; I'll repost the stuff below - again;

My '09 Tacoma was built in November of 2008.

In October of 2014 (6 years) the OEM Group 27F battery died. I almost died when I saw what Toyota wanted for a replacement. That day, I spliced 2" of AWG #6 wire onto the negative lead (which, according to my notes, cost me <$20 for wire, the correct size butt splice, and heat shrink tubing), which enabled me to use a non "F" battery in my truck. The next day, I bought a Walmart Group 27 Deep Cycle Marine battery for $87 in Massachusetts, and I changed the battery in the Walmart parking lot. In November of 2021 (7 years later), while the battery load/resistance tested OK at Advance Auto Parts, I decided that I was pushing my luck, and bought my second Group 27 Deep Cycle Marine battery from Walmart in Florida. This time it cost me $92 with Florida's state tax. I am still running that battery today.


EverStart Lead Acid Marine & RV Deep Cycle Battery, Group Size 27DC 12 Volt, 740 MCA = 937.5 CCA - I see that the price is up to $94.

You do you. However, despite the forum-know-it-all predictions of short circuits and the need for a $300+ AGM battery every 5 years in every vehicle (you guys crack me up); in the 10 years that I have been running with the extra 2" of negative lead, and Marine Deep Cycle batteries in my truck, I have had no DC or battery related issues! MY total cost for batteries in the 15 years that I have owned my Tacoma has been <$200.

From Google:
"Marine batteries feature thicker internal lead plates than car batteries. This allows them to discharge energy over a longer period of time. Housings are also typically larger than an equivalent car battery, with extra plastic protection since boating environments are not nearly as smooth as on-road driving."​

From me:
"I like Marine Batteries because they have two post types for each terminal. There is the typical "car battery post," and a bolt post which uses an (included) nut to secure the connection. I use the typical post for connection to the vehicle, and the bolt for connection to my battery tender, or I could also use it for high current accessories (winch, etc.)"​

From http://everstartbattery.net/
"EverStart is a battery brand exclusively distributed and sold by the retail giant Walmart. Its developer and manufacture is the Milwaukee based company Johnson Controls. Though not that popular, Johnson Controls is a giant company producing automotive interior systems including electronics and batteries....​

... marine or deep cycle types are capable of delivering constant rate of energy for a longer period of time. So if you need long lasting power for your vehicle or even household power needs, this is the best type to choose."​

And from a related post in April of 2024;

The picture below was taken about 30 seconds before I started to type this post. So, yeah, I am running the Deep Cycle Marine battery in my truck. If the positive post should ever make contact with any metal, it is because I have been in a severe accident, and I have bigger problems than a shorted battery.​

​

Marine batteries use thicker lead plates than conventional car batteries, and I believe that they are slightly more resistant to sulfation. The number of plates is rumored to be fewer, but I have never seen ANY proof of this. Nor have I seen any issue with having sufficient amperage or voltage to spin the starter motor in either my Tacoma (4.0L V6 - gasoline) or my sailboat (.893L I3 - diesel).​

A marine "Starting" battery is essentially a car battery with dual posts.
Here is a cutaway of a 12V Marine "Starting" battery (left) versus a 6V Marine "Deep Cycle" battery (right):
- credit Rodd Collins
Which plates would you rather run?​

I run EVERYTHING (including the starter motor) on my sailboat from the "House" bank. The "Start" bank on the boat is simply a Group 24 battery, that I use in the same way that you would use a spare tire - when another battery dies, and only when I have to. If a Deep Cycle battery is good enough to start the diesel on my boat, it is good enough for my Tacoma.​

MCA = Marine Cranking Amps which are equal to CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) * 1.25​

If you REALLY want to get into the weeds of what a Marine Deep Cycle battery is, then let me point you here: https://marinehowto.com/what-is-a-deep-cycle-battery/​

I hope this helps.