Battery Replacement

[TDiddy]

I'm approaching end of life for the stock battery in our 2013 Limited. I've been through the forum and the "Biggest and Best Battery" thread. Odyssey sounds great, however this 4R is completely stock and I don't want to spend money unnecessarily. Plus, with my luck and in this cold weather, the battery would probably die before an Odyssey would arrive.

Has anyone just gone the Costco route and got one of these Interstate batteries? $83.99 vs $260 for Odyssey via Amazon.

https://costco.interstatebatteries....ce2=7173&choice3=7174&choice4=7175&Country=US

Specs in case the link doesn't work:


Item Number 850232
Group Size 24F
Cold Cranking Amps 700
Cranking Amps 875
Voltage 12
Reserve Capacity (RC) @ 25 hr 130
Length 11 0/0
Width 6 14/16
Height 8 12/16
Weight 42.1
Termination Code Common Code A
Wet/Dry W

 

[Jet Mech]

I have always used Costco batteries, I've only had one go bad on me and they replaced it, no questions asked.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

My Odyssey battery arrived in two days with free shipping direct from Odyssey. Several month ago there was a 20% off discount code. Not sure if it is still valid. Also the battery had not been setting around in storage long. It was manufactured several weeks before I got it.

 

[<<<<]

Lead Acid batteries is an ancient technology and tend to fail without warning. If you do any offroading - get AGM type of battery. You can get non Odyssey from any major auto parts store lot cheaper than $260.

 

[Jetboy]

I've only owned one odyssey. It didn't last very long. Maybe 3 years in my trail rig. So it was probably "abused". Just wouldn't hold a charge anymore. I've found interstate from Costco to be my go to battery for my cars and deep cycles for my camper. I used them in my snow plows too. Those are hard on batteries and they worked well. Price is pretty reasonable too.

 

[83Mule]

Just go to Walmart......and don't bother paying for the extended warranty, just get the 2 or 3 year cheapie. Same battery as the 5 year, you pay more for the warranty, not a ''better'' battery in most cases.

 

[philsey]

Lead Acid batteries is an ancient technology and tend to fail without warning. If you do any offroading - get AGM type of battery. You can get non Odyssey from any major auto parts store lot cheaper than $260.

"Ancient"? Is there something better? Sure, but will an AGM outlast 2 or 3 LA batteries? Hm. Even if it did, I don't want an 8 YO battery.

As to "tending" to fail without warning, well, that's a bit exaggerated. I haven't had that sort of failure in many, many years but I check it, keep the water level up, and start paying attention to it at 4 years. OTOH, I'm just a DD.

 

[westwind77]

I had an issue with my headlights dimming a significant amount when Toyota replaced my battery with what they say is an OEM battery. I swapped it out for a better one and no issues since them. Starts much faster and could not be happier. Sometimes you get what you pay for. How much is it worth not to be stranded somewhere?

 

[BobsTrail]

The OEM battery died on my 2013, replaced it with a Sears Diehard AGM for $138. Does fine in the cold and the system appears to charge it fully.

 

[supawabb]

I'll second the Costco battery. Replaced the battery in my Honda Civic with one, car has only been started 10 times i the past 3 years and fires up immediately.

Replaced the batter in my xterra (pre 4runner) with one as well, world of difference. Never an issue in the winter either.

If you have an issue with it, it is Costco. They exchange everything and anything.

 

[1000MPH]

I just replaced my almost 8 year old Panasonic battery a couple weeks ago with an Interstate/Costco. I've never been overly impressed with the AGMs cost vs. performance but I've never (yet) been upside down on a trail.
The Costco (size: 24F Fitment code: 23) is a direct fit with no spacer or tweaking on the leads needed.
I've always performed a complete charge before use and I will throw mine on a battery maintainer every couple of months at least.
I seem to remember someone saying that no settings are lost if you change the battery quickly but this is BS. My MPG, Range, and both trip odo's reset. Use a memory saver if those are important to you.

 

[<<<<]

I have DieHard Lead Acid on 2004 Sports and it failed just after 2.5 years, thankfully it was covered under 3 year warranty. On my 2013 I put North Star AGM with 5 year warranty. Well worth of reassurance that I won't have to buy one for at least that long.

 

[enyce]

Interstate or Toyota's battery. Either one is good choice for the 4runner.

 

[MossJenks]

I have DieHard Lead Acid on 2004 Sports and it failed just after 2.5 years, thankfully it was covered under 3 year warranty. On my 2013 I put North Star AGM with 5 year warranty. Well worth of reassurance that I won't have to buy one for at least that long.

Everyone gets a lemon sometimes, I suppose. But I've never had a battery last less than 5 years (unless I killed it) and have never had one fail suddenly. I've been driving for over 30 years.

I had Odyssey back when they were just "kinda" expensive (maybe 50% more than a normal battery?) before the price went nuts and they were indeed very good, just not 3x as good. I put one a few years ago in one of my classics so I wouldn't have to worry about leakage and resulting corrosion. That winter my battery maintainer got disconnected without me realizing it and it sat hooked up to the car with no charging for two months. It's an old Italian car so it drained it dry and killed it dead. Totally my fault, but that was $200 down the drain trying to address a problem that was a problem when the car was built but really isn't a "thing" anymore. I've kinda sworn off of them except for specific use cases. Day to day starting of a street vehicle is not one of them.

Otherwise I've pretty much always used Interstate or DieHard. I don't really think they're anything special but I've had more than one DieHard that lived up to its name. Except in the classics which sit for long periods of time and are prone to current leakage I never do anything special at all - I never put a charger or maintainer on my daily driver. The old cars only get it when they're put into winter or "maintenance" storage.

 

[curmudge1]

DieHard AGM

The OEM battery died on my 2013, replaced it with a Sears Diehard AGM for $138. Does fine in the cold and the system appears to charge it fully.

Got the DieHard AGM for about that much in fall 2016 for my 2012TE, when the dealer service told me the OEM failed cold crank test, but was still working.

As I recall, order online, pick up in store got me a better price than just walking in. YMMV, of course.

That battery is working fine in the recent cold snaps... -2.2degF a couple of days after Christmas in Northern OH, visiting family, no problem with starting. Probably jinxed myself now, though.

--
Dave

 

[1000MPH]

Does anyone sell a dry battery with the electrolyte in a separate container? Most motorcycle batteries I've had came this way.

 

[e60ral]

why would you need that? just check the date on the battery, if it's from a major retailer it probably hasn't been sitting on the shelf too long.

 

[1000MPH]

why would you need that? just check the date on the battery, if it's from a major retailer it probably hasn't been sitting on the shelf too long.

Probably. I was just curious. Like DIY maintenance, I'd rather not hope that someone else did it right. I tried to check the codes in store but found it next to impossible as my size was on the bottom rack of a dark corner of the shop.
Sucks gettin' old.

Raise your hands if you can read this...

 

[BobsTrail]

I have seen many posts about the need for a voltage booster to keep the AGM batteries fully charged. I checked mine after it had not been started for a week in the cold and my AGM charger showed it as still being at full charge. IMO, our charging system appears to take care of it.

 

[walterego]

Interstate or Toyota's battery. Either one is good choice for the 4runner.

Fun fact: Toyota Batteries are Interstate Batteries but with slightly less (advertised) CCAs.