12V Battery

[chug 1]

Hi, I am a new member and apologise for raising the old chestnut of 12v Battery. The Prius is a 57 model, new to us though, and we have driven it extensively and happily for the last month. We were staying in London this weekend and unfortunately went to the car, got the door open and then nothing. The Battery had drained for no obvious reason and the car had to be jump started by Green Flag.

Back home I have had a look at this Battery, which is a Yuasa S46B24R, and this immediately brought to mind my golf trolley. This too had the Chinese Yuasa battery which was starting to peg out so I ordered another one.

The golf trolley man refused to sell me one. He said they had been good batteries but in recent years he had been having so much trouble that he refused to stock them anymore. He sold me another make which has been fine.

My question is whether it is essential to use this battery. Bosch and Varta both offer models which they claim as appropriate. Toyota have offered to change the battery for £93 + VAT and £51 inclusive of VAT for labour. Would it be madness to buy a Bosch S4 Type 155 and change it myself?

[Bibsy]

The Toyota replacement Battery fitted by the Toyota dealer has to be the way to go, surely?

It should cost you £95 including VAT and labour according to Toyota's guaranteed fixed price. If your dealer wants more than that point them at this webpage and tell them to go whistle for the extra and talk to Toyota GB.

http://www.toyota.co.uk/service-and-maintenance/repairs-and-parts

[Joseph D]

Would it be madness to buy a Bosch S4 Type 155 and change it myself?

Short answer, no, it would not be madness. It is reasonably easy to do yourself and will take about half an hour.

The Bosch S4 type 155 is an excellent Battery. The only thing you will need to do is file the venting elbow down a little as the vent hole on the Bosch is slightly smaller than the Yuasa supplied by Toyota.

After I fitted a Bosch S4 to my Prius, I immediately got a boost in mpg as the HV no longer needed to continually charge the 12v.

HTH.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

As others have said. Toyota offer a fixed fully fitted price on all 12volts. I was quoted £95 inc vat only the other week, which matches the price quoted by Bibsy.

You're welcome to consider another manufacturer and fit it yourself. Your car your call. But just double check the terminals are the right way round, that the Battery will actually fit, that there is a vent tube (as it sits within the cabin area and not under the bonnet) and also make sure it's not a wet Battery (again the 12v is in the cabin area. You don't want to be rear ended and get Battery acid all over you and your passengers!).

[chug 1]

Thank you for these posts. You are right - Toyota do a fixed price of £95 inclusive. Don't know why they gave me the other quote. On balance probably best in my case to book it in with them.

[Pendragon53]

Thank goodness I am a member here and was able to read and reply to this re 12V, mine was as flat as a tack this morning, Had to get the AA out to jumpstart... Though I think the batter is as old as the car 2007 model Prius... so I phoned up my local Toyota dealer to see if I could get the car in and a new Battery fitted today... Just to be on the safe with it as the warning triangle came on a few times lately... They quoted me £144 fitted, which I thought was strange as I had read on the Toyota site it was fixed pricing and should be £95.. did a double check on my dealers website.. Yep I was right £95 fitted all inclusive, so phoned them up and asked what the prob was, they tried to tell me they do not go by Toyota's fixed pricing, but would honour the fact it said on their own website £95.. so will hold them to that this afternoon... hmm rip offs, have a service booked for 20th March yearly service, and having the hybrid free health check so all is good in that department

[Bibsy]

If they said they don't go by Toyota's pricing I'd be onto Toyota GB complaining. Or at the very least I'd make a point about it when they ask you afterwards for their "survey" if all was well.

And I'd also be looking at this link to make sure they were in line for the service price, also fixed, as well.

http://www.toyota.co.uk/service-and-maintenance/car-servicing

[Pendragon53]

Oh I will Bibsy, I may be female, but I won't get ripped off either lol, my service is £139 for the intermediate one, that I do have in writing.... and they will honour the £95 or feel my wrath lol.....

[Bibsy]

I have to say that a couple of services ago I rang up and they quoted me a price. I then discovered that to be £20 more than the Toyota fixed price (I should have checked before ringing of course).

On challenge, they said that was for "engine flush" which they added without asking onto every service unless the customer refused it. I pointed out they hadn't told me that up front so I had no way of knowing and refusing.

I had an "encounter" with the dealer principal, and we sorted it amicably enough. They've never done that to me again, or I hope, anyone else.

[Parts-King]

Just like your local 99p burger joint..........at participating dealers only

So whilst probably 98% of dealers operate FPS, they don't have to

Just saying..............

[Joseph D]

Just like your local 99p burger joint..........at participating dealers only

So whilst probably 98% of dealers operate FPS, they don't have to

Just saying..............

But if Fixed Price Servicing is on their website, then it would be safe to assume they are participating, I would've thought.

Just saying too …………