My wife's o6 Solara battery dead after 22 months. My 07 Corolla battery went bad after 6 months. I live in CA so cold weather is not an issue. Anybody else have these issues?

IMO, ALL OEM batteries are useless after about 15 months - has been that way since I've been buying new cars since the late 70's and living in several states in all weather conditions. I always either get a new one under warranty or just get a Die Hard or Optima and move on. ;)

The OEM batteries in the four Toyotas I purchased brand new all lasted between 6 - 9 years. Owners that are getting only months of life from their batteries must be doing something that murders them.

The OEM batteries in the four Toyotas I purchased brand new all lasted between 6 - 9 years. Owners that are getting only months of life from their batteries must be doing something that murders them.
Yeah... it's called starting the car and driving. Consider yourself very lucky... or perhaps you don't drive your cars that much/often. :rolleyes:

Yeah... it's called starting the car and driving. Consider yourself very lucky... or perhaps you don't drive your cars that much/often. :rolleyes:

Just the opposite. The Toyotas I own which I DON'T drive often have sufferered early battery failure because they drain down due to parasitic drain from acessories like the electric clock.

But the Toyotas I drive daily have consistently had long lived batteries, presumably because they always stay fully charged. Also, I check the water level occassionally to make sure no cells ever run low.

For the most part, Hot climate degrades batteries faster than colder climates. Non use is bad as kathyricks states. i.e. parasitic current draw.

Batteries are installed/sold with climate specific characteristics based on the region yu purchase the battery. So if yu buy a Southeastern States Toyota distributed vehicle. it doesn't have the "cold pack" specs. In the Northeast and Canada, yu get the "cold pack" spec'ed car with cold climate batt. This has been battery industry practice for 40+ years.

If yu buy a battery in a Sears in FL,yu will get a hot climate rated battery.

In Minnesota yu get the cold spec battery.

I find in general that the Toyota OE batteries from the Factory are best. Most I've seen are the Japan Panasonics. I'l get more than 5 years of good service. Every Toyota I've ever owned had this battery. The most I've got was more than 7 years. And although they say maintenance free yu can remove the stickers off the cell caps and top-off with distilled water, usually around 4-5 years later and yu might squeeze another year or two out.

If yu abuse and deep cycle any battery yu will definity lose service time of that battery. Auto batterries are not designed to be deep cycled (go dead) and recharge. Marine batteries are only designed for this.

The Dealer replacement "Toyota True Start" batteries are simply overpriced Garbage. Budget stuff just rebranded "FOR" Toyota dealers.

They just will never last more than the OE Panasonics which just are unattainable anywhere here Domestically last I searched.

The dealer will not and cannot get yu this Exact Originally Installed battery.:cry:

LT

BTW, the OE battery is only warranted for the 3 year /36mos .

Toyota only needs to warranty the battery for this time period.

And, it's just business and profit at it's best.

But most car companies are like this.
Everthing is calculated for it's "End Of Life" expectancy.

LT

I like Interstate Batteries and have had great service with the premium models.

Diehard's use to be great in the 80's, but were changed over to a different mfr. and as of late are not the best batteries despite the great marketing of it's trade Name for some years.

There are only several Companies that actually make Domestically available Lead acid batteries. They are contracted and just rebranded.

LT

Indeed - so I've learned that living in SoCal, the OEM batts "might" make it towarranty age, but not always. Depending on my needs (aux lights, audio, accessories, etc.) I may replace with a Duracell or Optima regardless, but as in the case of my last Camry, we got two new batts under the 36 mo warranty period due to defects - nothing wrong with electrical system, as the last batt then went on to last 3 more years with no probs.

I think it may also just be a case of where the battery comes from through the factory or dealership - since all the Toyota models are built in different parts of the globe - one can assume so do the consumable parts they put into them. ;)

One OE battery I had that lasted up to 9 years was a Delco battery! And I drove that vehicle daily up and down California's furnace like Central Valley in the summertime. So I disagree with the suggestion that hot climates kill batteries.

I've found that batteries that suffer frequent partial discharge via parasitic drain due to not driving for 2 weeks or more don't live more than about 2 years. For that reason, I buy the Walmart batteries that come with a 3 year free replacement guarantee for the cars I don't drive regularly. And I've used that guarantee to my advantage several times.

Country where a Toyota is built is not a reliable indicator of the brand of battery or other parts it may carry. Example: My 1992 Toyota pickup was built in Fremont, Calif. yet it came equipped with a Panasonic battery and Tokico (Japanese) shock absorbers. And my '93 Toyota pickup was built in Japan yet came with a Delco battery and Monroe shock absorbers.

As of today my OEM battery in my 2003 Tundra has lasted 5 1/2 years. It just died on my son this morning. :rolleyes: I could tell it was getting weak this past winter as it was cranking slower on the colder mornings (not so cold in northern VA this past winter). Then I noticed that it was starting to crank slower again lately as it has gotten warmer. I think the high heat these last few days (98F) finally did it in. Other Tundra owners here at my office (there are several) all have their original OEM batteries or have just recently replaced them after 5 or more years of service. The longest was 7 years.
Of the GM cars I have had, I've never had the AC Delco batteries last more than 4 years.
My typical replacement preference has been Interstate, but this time I told my son to stop by the dealership and pickup another "Toyota" battery, the cost is about the same. BTW the current OEM in my truck is made by Exide (stamped on the top label), who also makes the Optima batteries. (see link: Optima And Exide Revolutionize The Car Battery - Popular Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1266741.html))

This is not a reply but a question. My 03 Tundra 's battery is dead if I don't start it every 2 days, is this normal in tundras. Does the access. Thanks chief206

^^ Not normal.

You might check in the Tundras forums for threads relating to their batteries as well. ;)

What about these jell batteries? Are they any better than the lead acid batteries? Some comments please. Thanks Coal miner

The OEM batteries in the four Toyotas I purchased brand new all lasted between 6 - 9 years. Owners that are getting only months of life from their batteries must be doing something that murders them.

The not driving very often scenerio with dead batteries makes sense to me and is something I need to think about with my next purchase. I bought a motorcycle this summer to combat high gas prices and sometimes went 2 weeks without driving my 4Runner (still riding it in the winter, too.). Battery just died this weekend. Of course, it was 6 years old and was the Panasonic version, so it was about time for it to go anyway. Bought it from a local Toyota dealer back in late 2002. That was the second one I've had. The first was the original in my '97 and it lasted about 5 years.

Glad I found these posts, because I was going to go buy a Toyota True Start on Monday. May as well buy a cheaper one at Autozone or somewhere since it's probably gonna die early anyway with my new driving habits. :mellow:

Anybody that goes to the Dealer to buy a stock replacement battery are Dumb & Dumber.

For the most part, Hot climate degrades batteries faster than colder climates. Non use is bad as kathyricks states. i.e. parasitic current draw.

Batteries are installed/sold with climate specific characteristics based on the region yu purchase the battery. So if yu buy a Southeastern States Toyota distributed vehicle. it doesn't have the "cold pack" specs. In the Northeast and Canada, yu get the "cold pack" spec'ed car with cold climate batt. This has been battery industry practice for 40+ years.

If yu buy a battery in a Sears in FL,yu will get a hot climate rated battery.

In Minnesota yu get the cold spec battery.

I find in general that the Toyota OE batteries from the Factory are best. Most I've seen are the Japan Panasonics. I'l get more than 5 years of good service. Every Toyota I've ever owned had this battery. The most I've got was more than 7 years. And although they say maintenance free yu can remove the stickers off the cell caps and top-off with distilled water, usually around 4-5 years later and yu might squeeze another year or two out.

If yu abuse and deep cycle any battery yu will definity lose service time of that battery. Auto batterries are not designed to be deep cycled (go dead) and recharge. Marine batteries are only designed for this.

The Dealer replacement "Toyota True Start" batteries are simply overpriced Garbage. Budget stuff just rebranded "FOR" Toyota dealers.

They just will never last more than the OE Panasonics which just are unattainable anywhere here Domestically last I searched.

The dealer will not and cannot get yu this Exact Originally Installed battery.:cry:

LT

I find that Toyota batties sucks and Poor on amp's ratings because there lower ..They add the cheapest grade batt in them .I know my Johnson control oem battery was also leaking fluid another prime reason to avoid Toyota grade batties there are many threads within Toyota owners mentioning this problem.

I find that Toyota batties sucks and Poor on amp's ratings because there lower ..They add the cheapest grade batt in them ..


What are you talking about Erik....you know better than that. . My 2003 Tundra still uses the same battery after 110,000 miles and is middle of the sixth Canadian winter.

Never left me stranded. The green charge light is still there.

It will be time for a new one eventually but the OEM batteries rock.

The battery in my '04 Tundra is the OEM. It will be 5 years in July. My 99LC's battery will be 5 years in February, though 2 cells are getting a little weak. They are both True Start batteries.

I find that Toyota batties sucks and Poor on amp's ratings because there lower ..They add the cheapest grade batt in them .I know my Johnson control oem battery was also leaking fluid another prime reason to avoid Toyota grade batties there are many threads within Toyota owners mentioning this problem.

Um. wow. Where to begin?

Um. wow. Where to begin???? :confused:

It's a well-known fact that most OEM batteries are crap. Most last only 24-36 months. If yours lasts longer, then consider yourself very lucky.

There are many after-market batteries available with good warranties, as well as marked performance increases for the same $ or less than getting a replacement from the stealership. :cool:

Really?

99 Camry 1MZ: replaced last year, battery lasted 8 years
02 Tundra: replaced last month, 6 years
04 Sequoia: still trucking, even passes load test on original CCA rating

What are you talking about Erik....you know better than that. . My 2003 Tundra still uses the same battery after 110,000 miles and is middle of the sixth Canadian winter.

Never left me stranded. The green charge light is still there.

It will be time for a new one eventually but the OEM batteries rock.


This might be my last post before i close up for good.

Page I know better then what? That Toyota Battery sucks.I've had a few New Toyota products over the year's and expected to gain 2 year's top's on Oem Batteries period that is the general rule . I am also very aware that Oem batteries have leaking issues on acid spilling into the engine bay. Personally I don't buy Toyota Batteries and never will since I know there Inferior in design and cheaply made on rating's.If your getting 4 year's plus consire yourself luck but I base my opinion on first hand experince on Having a few Oem Batt go bad so I am with pxlpainter on this topic as well.

case closed

This might be my last post before i close up for good.


Wow! I didn't know I had the influence to make someone stop posting.

Are you done posting on this thread or entire TS for good? ifi it is TS..than that would suck.

Page I know better then what? That Toyota Battery sucks.I've had a few New Toyota products over the year's and expected to gain 2 year's top's on Oem Batteries period that is the general rule . I am also very aware that Oem batteries have leaking issues on acid spilling into the engine bay. Personally I don't buy Toyota Batteries and never will since I know there Inferior in design and cheaply made on rating's.If your getting 4 year's plus consire yourself luck but I base my opinion on first hand experince on Having a few Oem Batt go bad so I am with pxlpainter on this topic as well.

case closed


6th canadian winter with my OEM battery. No leaking. No troubles. I think it is a little weaker than it used to be but the green light is there and it still goes strong.

Personally I don't buy Toyota Batteries

Not sure if you are aware of this. But OEM Toyota batteries from Japan are not the same as the replacement from US dealerships.

Case in point. The 2003 Tundra battery is sourced from Japan. The replacement battery for my 2003 Tundra (when time for a change) is made in USA.

My factory TrueStart battery went dead after 2 years, but was replaced under warranty. Replaced with another TrueStart, which is also under a manufacturer warranty for 7 years. I don't plan on replacing it myself until it goes bad after the warranty period is out.

The fact about factory batteries is that they are kept in unoccupied vehicles and not used every day as they should be used. When they sit on the lot and just get started for a 5 minute test drive, the battery doesn't get recharged as it should. Case in point, they had to jump start the Tundra I test drove prior to me buying mine.

My factory TrueStart battery went dead after 2 years, but was replaced under warranty..

http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/TrueStart.asp

That True Start battery is not the same as mine. My battery has a little clear area where you can view the charge status from Green, clear, black.

I wonder if your Truestart was the OEM battery or if it was replaced?

True Start batteries are made for Toyota by Interstate Batteries.

True Start batteries are made for Toyota by Interstate Batteries.


still wouldn't invest the Money on a Toyota based rebadged Battery Period been there done that .Our New Seq 5.7 Oem battery will be changed out pretty soon since I plan on adding stuff inside the Suv that the factory batt just wouldn't cut it.

On a side note I meet up with another Ts member for dinner last week and this topic came up. Guess what his battery was leaking just like my Tundra was. The topic on the Oem Batteries are well knowen at this given point to leak acid. I can show you some acid leaking pictures on both my old 00 Tundra and my 04.given my experices and others Ts members threads Toyota batteries are bad..

Battery still going strong on my 07 Tundra and its the Toyota original battery! :) We'll see how it does after this summer of 09!

Sanosuke!

still wouldn't invest the Money on a Toyota based rebadged Battery Period been there done that .Our New Seq 5.7 Oem battery will be changed out pretty soon since I plan on adding stuff inside the Suv that the factory batt just wouldn't cut it.

On a side note I meet up with another Ts member for dinner last week and this topic came up. Guess what his battery was leaking just like my Tundra was. The topic on the Oem Batteries are well knowen at this given point to leak acid. I can show you some acid leaking pictures on both my old 00 Tundra and my 04.given my experices and others Ts members threads Toyota batteries are bad..

Well after sitting in my heated garage for over 24hrs. My Tundra with it s 6 year old OEM battery was left out in the cold 0"F all night. Started up no problem...

You have no clue what you are talking about.

Well after sitting in my heated garage for over 24hrs. My Tundra with it s 6 year old OEM battery was left out in the cold 0"F all night. Started up no problem...

You have no clue what you are talking about.

Page I have a lot of clue to know not to invest money on a rebadged Toyota battery factory sucks your the only one on this board to surport an Oem cheap amp based battery.I've had a few Toyota product's over the years and Understand the Oem battery don't hold up but expections are to be made in your case..

The battery in my 2000 Tundra lasted for 5 years. I thought that was pretty good. My present battery is nearly 5 years old & thinking of changing it out for a new one. I hate to get stuck with a dead battery. Usually when a battery goes dead its the worst time & place for it to happen. Say, I have a brand new deep cycle battery & was wondering of that can be used in my truck? Comments please? Coal Miner In Florida

For those who do not use there car very ofter have you ever thought about using a
BATTERY TENDER" to keep the battery fully charged? It will not over charge the battery or is it a trickle charger either. If interested ask me a few questions & I'll fill you in. Coal Miner in Florida

My 06 Tundra battery is leaking. Puddled on top of the battery and rusted the battery holder. Minimal corrosion on the terminals though. It still starts just fine in cold and hot, so I'm going to clean it up and check the level.

Wow - this has turned into more of a "political" challenge than a discussion about the poor quality of OEM batteries!

Can't we just all agree that SOME people are lucky enough to have their OEM batteries last longer than most? We are all ecstatic that you've had good luck and we wish you all the happiness you deserve! :tu: :cool:

Bottom line is, I've never had an OEM battery last more than 2 years (100% functional, no leaks, etc.) on any make/model car I've had since I've been driving in the early '70s and there's been dozens of cars/trucks in that 35+ year period of time. I know many others have the same experience, including several car dealers, service manager and even automotive manufacturing design engineers that have all admitted that batteries and tires are below-standard for obvious reasons.

So maybe we can stop with the "you're full of crap" type of posts here and just share your own experiences and maybe what solution(s) you've found work best as a replacement. M-kay? :hippie:

I have a 2001 Toyota Camry Solara that I drive very infrequently now. Over the past six months, I've gone through 3 batteries. The second two were still under warranty, but I can't in good conscience continue to take advantage of a warranty when it's clearly the car, not the battery, that is the problem. If I don't turn it on and run it weekly, the battery will die after 7-10 days. I just can't imagine what is draining a new battery that quickly. It has an alarm system that came with the car and a digital clock, but other than that, nothing is on. Most times, I cannot even jump it back to life. I guess I need to get it to the dealer, but it's dead in my driveway at the moment and won't take a jump. I drove it nine days ago, but last night, it wouldn't start. Any input (other than to remember to start it every 5 days) would be appreciated. Thanks!

IMO, ALL OEM batteries are useless after about 15 months - has been that way since I've been buying new cars since the late 70's and living in several states in all weather conditions. I always either get a new one under warranty or just get a Die Hard or Optima and move on. ;)

You should visit the 4Runner forums and see what those guys are saying. I purchased a 4Runner new in 2004 and it came with a Panasonic battery. It's going on 6 years and the original battery is still working just fine. Almost all the guys on the 4Runner forum are saying that the original Panasonic is good for a minimum of 6 years, some guys have gotten 8 years out of theirs so far....

You might have the same battery in your FJ Cruiser.

This battery has served me well and I'd love to replace it with the same kind, but unfortunately it's not available in the U.S.

But to say that OEM Toyota batteries are crap and don't last....well, that's misleading. I'm not "lucky" with my battery. The vast majority of 4Runner owners all know that the Panasonic is a very long-lasting battery and is really high quality.

Anybody that goes to the Dealer to buy a stock replacement battery are Dumb & Dumber.

Why do you say that? The battery in my 4Runner (Panasonic) is kind of unique. It's a large group size, has reverse terminals, and has a high CCA rating. No aftermarket company offers a battery in the same group size with the same CCA and reverse terminals. Sure, I can buy a smaller battery, but why do that when I can get a direct fit replacement from Toyota that matches all the specs of my original battery? Oh, and the price is $99.00. So why wouldn't I buy a battery from the dealer?

I have a 2001 Toyota Camry Solara that I drive very infrequently now. Over the past six months, I've gone through 3 batteries. The second two were still under warranty, but I can't in good conscience continue to take advantage of a warranty when it's clearly the car, not the battery, that is the problem. If I don't turn it on and run it weekly, the battery will die after 7-10 days. I just can't imagine what is draining a new battery that quickly. It has an alarm system that came with the car and a digital clock, but other than that, nothing is on. Most times, I cannot even jump it back to life. I guess I need to get it to the dealer, but it's dead in my driveway at the moment and won't take a jump. I drove it nine days ago, but last night, it wouldn't start. Any input (other than to remember to start it every 5 days) would be appreciated. Thanks!

Have a parasitic draw test performed. That will tell you if an electrical circuit is drawing amperage from your battery when it's not running. If you do have a problem, the tech can isolate the circuit by pulling fuses one-by-one until the parasitic draw returns to normal. It's really easy to do and doesn't take much time.

My original 01 Toyota battery just died this morning. It’s 8.5 years old, not bad!

Every OEM battery I've had in Camrys and Trucks has lasted at least 6 yrs. Sorry if you're having trouble with one particular Model(?) but my 20+ years of experience with Toy Batteries has been nothing but positive. Now as for VWs.........a completely different answer!

And sadly, the Tundra does more sitting than moving. Up to 3 weeks at a time it doesn't get touched. But my 02 Wing and 04 FJR OEM Batteries are still functioning. Wing was built in 8/01 so that Battery is 8 yro +/-. Pretty amazing I thought! For a M/C battery.

Have had eleven Toyota vehicles since 1978. Have lived all over the world, in all types of climates and have never had to replace a battery. My 1996 4Runner had the Panasonic and was still going strong when I sold it in 2004. My wife never had any problems with her vehicles, one of which was a Lexus SC 400 sport coupe which was sold after 5 1/2 years. How you use the vehicle and its accessories has more to do with life of battery than just blaming it on a certain brand.

I'm not sure this Topic is worth all the Debate, since Owners have such a wide variety of replacement options. Feel free to use whatever Brand you think best! Now as to Wiper Blade Replacements! THAT's an issue!

3yr old battery in my Solara and the positive terminal was loose and leaking.

My original 01 Toyota battery just died this morning. It’s 8.5 years old, not bad!

Guess what, I charged it up w/ a 10 amp charger for 5 hrs and the battery is up and running again after a week of use. Amazing, By the way, its made by Johnson Controls

I got 10 years out of my 96 camry panasonic and the 01 tundra (purchased in 2000) is still going strong. Costco has the best
prices and warranties on batteries right now. But I'm another one that wished panasonic would sell the OEM line to the public.

Guess what, I charged it up w/ a 10 amp charger for 5 hrs and the battery is up and running again after a week of use. Amazing, By the way, its made by Johnson Controls

Well, said news, my 2001 original Toyota battery finally gave up. Decided to go with the Costco Kirkland battery. However, the only replacement battery they had was about a third smaller but equaled to the same original battery CCA specs. Oh well, it only cost $62.00 and comes with a 100 month warranty. Will see how long it will last here in Spokane Wa. Oh ya, after hooking it up, runs as good as new.

I find it interesting how some say the dealer True Start replacements are junk and that batteries from Auto Zone and Wal Mart are just as good or better. Not necessarily referring to comments in this thread - but web-wide.

My expereince with Auto Zone has been awful. There was a time when they would honor their 2 year replacement w/o a ton of grief - but that's long since over with. Go into an AZ now with a bad battery and it's like being questioned for a mass murder. Wal Mart is still pretty good about replacing w/o too much grief.

I find the dealer batteries to be better - last 2-3 times as long as the 2 mentioned above. A/C Delco has also been good - but the best after-market in my opionion is Deka - made by East Penn - not a mass-marketed battery such as those cranked out by Exide for every McParts place in the U. S.

My 2006 Tundra still has the original battery that was made by Exide. 87k miles and almost 6 years old is pretty good in my book. Wish I could find a replacement that would be as good.

Old thread, but updating:
I replaced the cold-weather package battery (not Panasonic) in my 2006 Tundra after I had cleaned up leaks twice and it had been run all the way down a few times (another story about a quirk involving cycling the ignition and the lights don't shut off automatically). It was 5 years old and would still start the truck. I just threw in a Wal-mart battery and have much easier starting now.

I also just replaced the battery in my wife's 2004 RAV4, but its still not dead. The original Panasonic battery was over 8 years old and started just fine most of the time. I noticed lights dimmed a little after shutting off the engine and occasionally after sitting it would start just a little slow. I didn't want my wife to get stuck if the summer heat finally killed the battery, and I got a Diehard Platinum for $154 on sale. I'm giving the Panasonic to a friend for solar use.

So my experience has been good life out of OEM Toyota batteries in general, but extraordinary experience with the Panasonic and some faults with the Tundra cold weather battery.

double post