Battery change: 2006
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TechWrench
Senior Member
There was a thread on battery life about a month or so ago. It seems it is not unusual for these batteries to last 6-8 years. I still have the original battery in my '03.
TOYLUVA
New member
i just traded in a 04 camry that had the factory panasonic battery. 6 years and never a problem unless i left the aftermarket fogs on of course. User error. Now i have an 07 runner with factory battery and it seems to be doiing fine.
SkylineGTRracer
New member
My 06 battery is doing good but maybe later this year I'll get a braile battery.
My 02 camry had the original battery in it for 8 years. I changed it before a long road trip but it started the car in the cold winter, just like a new one would.
Who makes Panasonic batteries anyway? Is it actually made by Panasonic themselves. The reason I'm asking, when it comes time to change it, i'm getting another Panasonic one.
Thanks
Who makes Panasonic batteries anyway? Is it actually made by Panasonic themselves. The reason I'm asking, when it comes time to change it, i'm getting another Panasonic one.
Thanks
TechWrench
Senior Member
I tend to time replacing a battery in the fall, before the cold weather sets in, unless it completely fails before then. I have found that most of the time, even a marginal battery will work in warm weather, but the first cold snap will push them over the edge.
I just replaced the original battery in my '04. The original battery was still working fine, but I do a lot of traveling and go on a lot of ski trips in the winter and I figured that I'd rather be safe than sorry, so I installed a new battery.
I was curious to see how long my original battery would last, but I guess I'll never know. I don't think I've ever had a battery last more than 4 years, so the fact that my original battery was still going strong after nearly 7 years made me think it was on borrowed time.
Does anyone want a slightly used 7-year-old Panasonic battery?:wow2:
I was curious to see how long my original battery would last, but I guess I'll never know. I don't think I've ever had a battery last more than 4 years, so the fact that my original battery was still going strong after nearly 7 years made me think it was on borrowed time.
Does anyone want a slightly used 7-year-old Panasonic battery?:wow2:
Specialized
New member
My ole battery died in Sep '10. I could have gotten more life out of it but I would leave the truck parked 3 months at a time without disconnecting the battery.
Nuke
New member
There's nothing set in concrete regarding battery time-to-failure. I've seen some batteries last 2 years and others beyond 8. It depends on the design, manufacturing, driving style, environmental conditions, etc. Frequent highway driving will keep a battery nearly fully charged while mostly city driving will only allow the battery to maintain 50-80% charge which can drasticaly reduce a batteries service life.
Plus, some batteries will simply lose capacity over time while others will pass a capacity test one day and fail catastrophically the next.
If your battery is getting up in age, have it load tested. If it passes but still worries you, replace it.
I've had some OE Panasonic batteries in my previous Toyotas last beyond 8 years. But I did begin to carry jumper cables at about 6 years just in case. I was determined to see how long the battery would last and chickened out at 8 years each time.
Plus, some batteries will simply lose capacity over time while others will pass a capacity test one day and fail catastrophically the next.
If your battery is getting up in age, have it load tested. If it passes but still worries you, replace it.
I've had some OE Panasonic batteries in my previous Toyotas last beyond 8 years. But I did begin to carry jumper cables at about 6 years just in case. I was determined to see how long the battery would last and chickened out at 8 years each time.
I'm VERY hard on batteries. I live 3 miles from where I work and my 4Runner spends 95% of its time on back roads. Short trips are normal for my 4Runner. I'm lucky to get 3 years (4 maximum) from the batteries in all of my cars over the years. For whatever reason, the OEM battery on my 4Runner was still going strong after 7 years. But I still replaced it because I figured it can't possibly last much longer.
Pritchnakoff
New member
What did you replace your battery with? It is time for me to replace mine, and I am looking for a good replacement recommendation.
chaz
New member
theres a whole bunch, depends on how much u are willing/want to spend, just to name a couple, odysseys are great but big money (around 300), optima is good around 185, then theres one from advance auto that has about same spec as the stock panny, with coupon code last week it was only 80 bux. i bought one just as a backup. Advance Auto Parts: Battery, Group Size 27F, 710 CCA by AutoCraft Silver - Part 27F-1
zerowkul98
New member
Batteries are a roll of the dice.
Our '03 T4R SE V8 literally just had the original Panasonic battery replaced after the cold crank test said it was way below the acceptable level. 8 years.
Out '08 also just had the original battery replaced due to a very very low cold crank test, so that goes to show you that the batteries can be a funny thing.
Our '03 T4R SE V8 literally just had the original Panasonic battery replaced after the cold crank test said it was way below the acceptable level. 8 years.
Out '08 also just had the original battery replaced due to a very very low cold crank test, so that goes to show you that the batteries can be a funny thing.
Maybe the cold crank test is really the roll of the dice. Our company van was tested and we were told that the battery had low cold cranking amps. That was more than 3 years ago and the battery still works fine.
