Will AGM batteries last longer than a standard acid one in a Tacoma?

Had a Duracall 24F AGM battery die in my 2017 SR5 2WD v6 after 4 years. I bought it at a Battery Plus place that offered FULL REPLACEMENT if it died within 5 years. The problem is that they need the battery for 24 hours to try and charge and really "test" to make sure it's dead. So this means you have to visit the battery place twice within two days while not having a battery in your vehicle that works. Big hassle. Never again.

Anyways, I picked up an Interstate 24F AGM battery today from Costco for like $195 with tax. I've been getting AGM batteries because I thought they lasted longer (had an Optima Yellow Top like 20 years ago that outlasted my first car in the midwest the thing was amazing). Per ChatGPT, I learned that AGM's don't really do so well in Tacomas unless your ECU is tuned to provide more voltage output from the alternator. If not, the AGM battery never gets a full, deep charge and the lifespan is shortened. I'm wondering if this is why my Duracall AGM battery died in under 5 years. Did I mess up by getting the AGM battery?

I live in Southern California, so the heat is an issue on batteries out here and I also have an aftermarket headunit and the behind-the-rear-seat Rockford Fosgate sub enclosure. Nothing crazy, but it's something. Should I have just went with the $80 acid battery from WalMart?

 

Your climate (heat) is responsible for the short battery life, not the suboptimal charging voltage.

AGM provides more cranking amps for a given size and is sealed to prevent acid leaks at steep angles off road. Those are the only benefits. You know that white plastic tray under the battery? Toyota put it there to catch spilled acid from the OEM battery, so it doesn't eat through the inner fender.

 

Not getting an optimal charge will affect lead acid more than agm. AGM's do better than lead acid when subjected to frequent low charges.

I run a 24F AGM Everstart from Walmart. Under $200 and free 4 year replacement warranty. I replace them every 2 years irregardless, because of the AZ heat, but they'd be fine to run a longer. Stock ecu tune with less than optimal voltage. I keep an noco boost in the truck, but haven't needed it. I also charge it with a noco genius 10 once in a while if I remember.

4 years is decent for any battery.

 

I'll add AGM's don't leak; they're sealed. All lead acid batteries leak eventually.

I also run a lot of lighting accessories and a decent sound system.

 

I have found Toyota TrueStart batteries are “Hit or Miss”. My factory battery developed a bad cell at 33 months. My free warranty replaced TrueStart is coming up on 7 years and still turns over strong.

I do carry a jump box in my truck at all times.

 

I got 5 or 6 years on the last Toyota TrueStart. It was a free warranty replacement for the oem one that leaked. Towards the end of that timeline it wouldn't charge up as much and also started leaking at the caps. That made me switch to AGM. I think TrueStart batteries are one of the better brands for lead acid.

 

The 3rd gen’s ECU in its stock tune doesn’t put out the proper voltage to charge an AGM battery, it requires slightly higher voltage. The Tacoma was built to charge a lead acid battery as that’s what it came with.

An AGM, all things equal, should outlast a lead acid battery as long as it’s charged correctly, which the Tacoma doesn’t provide unless you have a tune the modifies the charge voltage.

 

Uh, guys... AGM IS Lead-Acid. You are confusing it with FLA (flooded lead acid). Both types are lead-acid batteries.

IMO, the Tacoma's charging voltage isn't optimal even for a FLA battery. I think a voltage boost (tune) would help ANY battery last longer (14.2V for FLA, 14.4V for AGM). My Ford put out ~14.3V and pretty much any battery I put in it lasted 5 or more years (often MUCH more).

In lieu of a voltage boost tune, I would suggest occasional overnight charging the battery (maybe once per month or so) with a "smart" type charger. This should help the battery live a good bit longer regardless of whether it's FLA or AGM.

 

Is that the same? Absorbed glass mat and lead acid? I guess so. Shows what I know.

 

Correct, the acid is contained within glass-fiber mats between the lead plates as opposed to being a free liquid.

 

If I do a charge like this, I'd need to disconnect it from the battery terminals right? Sorry, never charged a battery outside a car before.

 

No you do not need to disconnect the battery. The charger can be connected right to it with it in the vehicle.

 

Typically, batteries last longer if hey get TLC. I installed the NOCO trickle charger and have the truck on the plug most of the time.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ner-let’s-talk-about-it.838887/#post-30540715

 

I got well into the red top/yellow top optima hype for a number of years.

Honestly, I'm just plain done with AGM batteries.
The gel matt ends up slowing down the electrolytic transfer, which tends to make the batteries get weaker faster with age because the 'good' electrolyte is stuck further away from the area it can react and create voltage.

I've gone back to good old flooded lead acid batteries. They work far more reliably, and are far easier to service.

 

So now I am confused.


https://www.interstatebatteries.com/blog/what-is-an-agm-battery-and-whats-the-

From the above.

Standard batteries need more voltage than AGM batteries to recharge because regular batteries have higher internal resistance. To keep them from overheating, they can only take a few amps at a time at that high voltage.

This means AGM batteries need a special AGM charger. They can take a lot of amps in a short period of time — but an AGM battery charger must keep its voltage lower than 14 volts to avoid ruining the AGM battery. AGM batteries are 12 volts, like all car batteries, and can handle some higher voltage, but only up to a certain point. If a car alternator charges an AGM battery with a voltage higher than 15 volts, it can damage an AGM. It’s not likely, but voltage fluctuations are a possibility.

 

noco genius 10 does regular, agm and lead acid.

https://no.co/genius10

 

What's done is done and crying over spilled milk does no good. Just live with your new one and based on how it turns out for your next one. I've bought regular lead acid for decades except for one AGM for a Corvette. Will just do regular for everything in the future.

 

The heat will get it, regardless of battery type.

 

Even though I'm retired and got nothing to do, I sure don't want to spend the time researching batteries.
I do nothing at all very well and I don't want to mess up my do-nothing-score.

I just buy the 3-year EverStart at Wmart and I do that every other year for all 3 of my vehicles. Got no time
for batteries going dead. They are all basically the same ( in Phoenix heat ) so why worry. Just calendar a time
to do it every other year. For me, it's always June 1.

 

OP, since you bought a new battery from Costco take the old one back to Battery Plus let them test it and if it’s bad get you an extra new battery.