on my daughter 2005 prius the aftermarket 12V battery could only get 3 years (days after warranty lapsed!) as to compare to the original battery getting 7-8 years
the cost of the battery is quite high to compare to gas cars starter batteries as it is AGM and rare size.
it’s better to buy replacement battery from the dealer, even if you end up installing it in different place, as it’s essentially the same price as “generic” replacement, but it will last much-much longer
exclamation mark will start coming on earlier than your battery is completely dead, but it will come first for ABS system reporting “low voltage” diagnostic code, which pretty much pops up on every prius forum discussion with “replace your old battery first, before contemplating any expensive repair” advise
generation 2 priuses were called “battleships” for a reason - they just keep going with reasonable minimal maintenance
With a battery this young it seems like there some other problem besides a bad battery. Could be the battery charging system or maybe some parasitic electrical draw. Either way, I’d prefer someone experienced with the Prius look at it, not a chain shop like Pep Boys.
Update: Luckily it was just the battery. New battery fixed all of the problems. Pep Boys was fine. Staten Island Forest Avenue shop was delightful, friendly, courteous, had a battery in stock and replaced it for me. Thanks everyone for all the advice!
‘Old’ battery was only 1 year old. We’ll see if this solves the problem. The new battery may just be a temporary fix. It may just take a while for the new battery to discharge, like the prior one did. We’ll see.
Battery may have been older, not sure about my timeline. I thought I replaced it last year but it is possible it was more like three years. I replaced the Hybrid battery last year and thought I did the other battery around the same time so that could just be my faulty memory component.
Oh, that changes things. You could well have fixed the problem. And having replaced the hybrid battery only a year ago pretty much eliminates that as a source of the problem.
I had this problem, too. Lately when I get a new battery, I put a piece of masking tape on top of it with the date in permanent marker: “New Jan. 2023”
most recently, on my 1999 Honda.
Sure beats rummaging through a file folder or glove compartment for a receipt.
That’s a good idea, or–alternatively–one could simply keep the receipt in the glove compartment, along with Proof of Insurance and other documents, in a dedicated document wallet.
A couple of years ago, when my Autozone battery was clearly weakening, I checked the receipt and–sure enough–I was still w/in the warranty period, so off to Autozone I went. It turned out that I didn’t actually need the receipt to prove my case because simply typing my info into their computer verified the date of purchase. But, without a receipt or a marking on the battery one might not realize that they are still w/in the warranty period.
