I did the 5000 oil change and service yesterday and thought I'd ask their parts dept about the 12v trunk battery. They looked it up, but it gave no description as to the type of battery it was. When I asked him the price - he stated it cost $850 as a replacement part. WOW -- $850.00 - its not a Glass Mat Battery - its a GOLD Mat Battery.. Would someone else please call their dealer and verify - this can't be right !

 

Your sure they looked up the 12V battery and not the big battery pack, also in the trunk?

 

Oh yes - made sure of that - the big boy was $3000 plus .....

 

For $850, I could but 7 Optima batteries that are just as good if not better. Don't think a stock battery will be going in my car when it is time to replace it.

 

Is there anything special about the stock battery (besides the "special" price!)?

 

You must have miunderstood what he said more like $85.00 for that size battery. I have bought over 10 AGM batteries in the last 5 years and have never paid over $129 for the largest down to $65 for the AGM ATV battery.

 

KC Rusty — According to page 4 of Toyota's TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) PD020-06, posted to this group by schmidtj, the battery is (to quote Toyota):

"The Camry HV auxiliary battery is a special Valve Regulated Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) design and should NEVER be replaced with a conventional battery design."

So, I believe that the information you have been given is incorrect. According to the Parts Manager at my local (Waterloo, Ontario) dealership, the replacement battery costs C$441, installation extra. At current exchange rates this is ~US$375 — expensive, but not totally off the wall. It's still under warranty anyway.

Stan

 

EDIT: Since I wasn't very familar with the special type of 12V battery used in our vehicles, I bite my tongue on this one and really thank "SPL" for his clarification. New technology = stiff learning curve!! It would be interesting to see how long it lasts in our hybrids -- my guess is 5-7+ years. Oh well, I'll deal with it when the time is right. Maybe going OEM on this battery is a safer bet since it is an integral part of the hybrid system! I just hope it never leaks!

 

martinmzfan — The TCH's 12-volt auxiliary battery does not need Cold Cranking Amp capability, since it isn't used to start the car — that's done by MG1 using the high-voltage battery. But, it does need the ability to be deep discharged without suffering severe damage like a normal lead-acid battery would. The AGM type of battery is designed for this type of service. Moreover, since it's inside the car (well, in the trunk actually, but it's certainly not in the engine compartment), it must not vent gases into the cabin. This type of battery is designed with this feature too. I think you should be very careful before replacing it with a battery of a different type, both for your safety and for battery longevity.

Stan

 

Notice the factory battery is warranty for 84 months or 7 years so no one should need to fret it.