When that happens, it's almost always because a plate came loose and shorted against another plate. That's a sure-fire way to immediately kill a regular lead/acid battery. It's also a big reason why some guys love those gel batteries as replacements....

04 with 58K and original OEM Battery... Probably replace it with a new one later this year for peace of mind..

Another '04 here with 83K miles and the original battery. I've never had a battery last longer than three years here in Phoenix. Like may others on this site, I've checked the battery to make sure that the water was at the appropriate level. The first time that I did this about a year ago it was low, so it's a good thing that I checked. I'm thinking of replacing the battery since it is exposed to high summer heat in the desert and low winter temperatures in the White Mountains of Arizona. I also wish that I could buy the same battery as a replacement.

Me too. Maybe the Toyota branded battery is just as good as the Panasonic... if nothing else, at least it is a perfect match in all specifications (including physical size) to the original.

I'm considering replacing mine before this winter, but I kinda want to see how long it can possibly last before it dies. So I'll probably just run it to failure.

My wife drives a 2003 Camry SE and it still has the original Panasonic battery. Here in MPLS the temps range from -25*F to 95*F. I had the battery tested in the early spring 2010 thinking it was time but the guy at O'Reilly was amazed, it still maintains 95% of the CCA as new!

I bought my 2006 T4R in July 2009 from a small auto broker, to try and gain some sense of comfort I made the sale contingent on passing a Toyota Dealership cerified test. Well the dealer(stealer)ship said everything was perfect with the exception of the battery, it failed the load test. They wanted to replace it and they had a replacement battery in stock (salespitch!!). I told them I'd replace the battery myself but surprise surprise I took the T4R battery to O'Reilly and they said it was perfect for a 3 year old battery.

my 04 sport has 73000 on it and has OEM battery yet. now im knocking on wood after posting this ;)

I have an '04 V6 Sport with 86,000mi and the orig. battery. I keep thinking each year that it's about due but it keeps doing fine. I hope I get a warning sign first.

It says in big red letters TOYOTA . And except for the date code and acid warning decal it says nothing . There is no stamping into the plastic anywhere . I REALLY wanted to know who mfger'd this battery !! The truck has also been garaged 90% of the time since new so maybe not sitting outside in the winter has helped its longevity . Regardless , I think I will replace it before this winter comes along .

90,000 on my 04. stock battery with heat shield wrapped on it. works every time like a champ

Mine's going strong as well. 04' with 115k. Doesn't even hesitate. Had it tested at 110k and it came back good.

04 150K, original Panasonic battery, hot, cold you name it.

That sounds like the replacement batteries that are sold at Toyota dealerships. I'm not sure who manufactures them, but I do know that there are only a handful of battery manufacturers for virtually every brand sold in the U.S.

I have a 04 sport at 115k and it's still running on the Panasonic Battery.

Wow, I'm really amazed at how many of the early 4th gen 4Runners are still running around with the original battery. That's awesome. I guess my battery isn't out of the ordinary.... The strange thing is that batteries in all my other cars only last 3 to 4 years maximum.

04 with original Panasonic battery!