How long your Toyota battery lasts depends on which type of battery your car has. Conventional and hybrid batteries operate on different principles that impact their longevity in distinct ways.
- Conventional batteries last between three and five years. A conventional lead-acid car battery helps power a car that runs at least partially on gasoline. The battery components include lead and lead dioxide plates suspended in a liquid mixture of about two-thirds water and one-third sulfuric acid. When your car is at rest, a conventional battery is always losing charge, and when your car is running, the alternator recharges your battery.
- Hybrid batteries will probably last 10 to 15 years, and potentially for the whole life of your car. Hybrid cars like the Prius have two separate batteries – the conventional lead-acid battery and a second hybrid battery, which is either a nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion battery – whereas others, like the Mirai, have a conventional battery and hydrogen fuel cells. While the conventional battery will die within three to five years, the hybrid battery will last much longer.
Hybrid batteries are more expensive to replace than a regular battery, which scares some people away from hybrid vehicles. However, car owners can save money if they choose to recycle their old batteries, and they may get a free battery replacement if they are still covered by the generous manufacturer’s warranty.
Electric vehicles also have a different type of battery than gas-fueled or hybrid cars. Currently, Toyota does not have any all-electric vehicles, but they’ve already announced plans to incorporate more than 10 electric cars into their vehicle lineup in the 2020s. They are pushing for a partnership with Panasonic to create a solid-state battery to rival both their nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries.
Getting the Most Out of Your Car Battery
Contrary to popular belief, there are things you can do to extend the life of your Toyota battery. These quick tips may get you an extra few months of juice out of your battery before it goes kaput.
- Park your car in a garage – Blazing sun and frigid snowstorms are both terrible for your car battery. By storing your car inside a garage, you shield it from those hazardous temperature fluctuations.
- Clean off battery corrosion – Corrosion looks like white granular buildup around the terminals and cable ends. You can scrub it away yourself and get the connectors working again with a soft-bristled toothbrush and some baking soda. Apply petroleum jelly after cleaning and before reattaching the cables.
- Turn your lights off – Always double-check that you shut off your internal lights and headlights when you turn the engine off. Leaving your lights on overnight usually means you’ll have a dead car battery in the morning.
- Unplug your phone – When you recharge your phone through the USB port, your car battery supplies the extra power. Try to charge your devices at home whenever possible.
- Reduce short trips – It takes a burst of energy to start your car, so each time you go on a two-minute jaunt to the grocery store, you’re eating up your battery.
- Avoid overcharging your battery – There is such a thing as too much power, and it can cause your battery to explode! Unless you want acid everywhere, it might be best to leave this to the professionals. If you do decide to charge your own battery and your car has a negative ground system, make sure to connect the positive cable to the positive terminal before connecting the negative cable to the negative terminal. Once the battery is charged, remove the cables in the opposite order – negative before positive.
- Schedule regular vehicle maintenance – Car batteries are finnicky and seem to die at the drop of a hat, so the easiest way to prevent a last-minute panic is to get your battery inspected during regular maintenance. Pay attention to signs your battery is about to go. A slow startup, low or flickering lights, warning lights on your dashboard and the need to jumpstart your car all mean you need to get your battery replaced – stat! If your battery was replaced recently and you’re still having trouble, you may need to have a professional take a look at your alternator instead.
Get a Car Battery Replacement From Toyota of Seattle
If your car battery is at least three years old or your car is showing signs of battery failure, it’s time to get your battery serviced and replaced by a professional. At Toyota of Seattle, our trained team members can replace your vehicle’s battery with a high-power Genuine Toyota battery. These batteries are crafted for seamless integration with your Toyota, and each one comes with a generous warranty, a free replacement period and roadside assistance (some restrictions may apply).
For more information about having your vehicle serviced, call us today at 206-382-8812.