High Tide Aquatics

Car Battery...Is my thinking correct?

mike1962

mike1962

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Hi All,

I need to replace a small starter battery for a 2001 Prius. I don't want to pay $300 from the Toyota dealership for a battery. My thinking is that any 12V battery that is of similar size should do the trick. The workers behind the counter at Kragen insisted that my battery is different, and has far fewer Cold Cranking Amps than the average battery. My thoughts are, that this doesn't matter, that it only matters what load the car demands from the battery. Just like a 20 Amp circuit in a home, the potential demand on that circuit can go up to 20 Amps, before the breaker goes off. It doesn't mean that every load must be able to 'Handle' 20 Amps, as it is a function of load demand from the circuit. I realize my analogy is Alternating Current whereas the car battery is Direct Current, which is why I am asking the question. Is my thinking correct?

Any insight would be great!
 
Well I would think any battery would work as well... but that's just me...

Head on over to priuschat.com and give an ask over there, they have experts (and opinionated "experts") o plenty.
 
Here's one of the replies I got

The basic problem is that the Prius battery terminals are much smaller than normal battery terminals. The easiest option is to buy the correct replacement 12V battery at the Toyota dealer for around $160.

A harder option that can save money would be to find and buy a battery that will fit into the physical space available and has the positive terminal on the right hand side, when the battery is oriented so that the terminals are closest to you. However you will need to replace the positive terminal connector that mounts to the fuse block, and also replace the negative terminal connector and cable with a new connector and cable.

Also note that the original battery is supposed to use absorbent glass mat technology; however some owners have reported their original equipment batteries were not AGM. If you install a liquid acid battery this may pose a safety hazard in the event of an accident that impacts the fender of the car where the battery is installed.
Click to expand...
 
Wow, Mike, Thanks for all of that!!!

It looks like the 2001 Battery is actually cheaper than the new starter batteries, and it's beginning to look as though going to the Toyota dealership is the easiest thing to do at this point. It also turns out that there is a hook-up on the battery connects to a tube in the back of the car to remove any hydrogen gas that may build up (the battery is in the trunk).

Thanks again for all the help!
 
No problem Mike, us Prius owners (and Mike's) have to look out for one another :D

Actually Prius chat has been a wealth of information for me about my car. The A/C filter christ on a crutch, when I went in for an oil change/tire swap they said I should get it fixed according to the mileage logs... fine how much... 1.3 hours of labor... *EEEEEK* and the filter itself... $80! I mean WTF!!! Ok priuschat... $20 filter... plus detailed instructions on how to get to the old one (it's behind the glovebox)... I swear 1.3 hours my ass... and I'm not even a frigging mechanic!
 
Mike

Wow! :eek: That's crazy! $80 for the filter and 1.5 hours of labor! It's for that reason that I didn't want to go to the dealership!

I'll definitely keep my eyes tuned to Prius chat when I have any other Prius issues! Thanks for the headsup!

Thanks Again!!
 
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