Auris Hybrid 12V Starter Replacement Battery

[WilliamC]

Hi, my Auris Hybrid's Starter Battery recently went flat and after a health check it was recommended to replace.

Toyota quoted £120 inc fitting which seems decent (looking online for "genuine" toyota Battery is listed at £150) but I reckon I could do the job myself and it seems there is a number of batteries off the web at a cheaper price.

The main issue I see is the size, the current Battery seems quite compact...and perhaps the positions/type of terminators.

Written on the battery currently fitted is 

20HR 35Ah CCA 272A.

Does anyone know a suitable replacement in the UK? Such as the NUMAX 055?

Many thanks for your help.

 

 

[TonyHSD]

Best to go with Toyota genuine Battery, for that price it’s no point looking for something else. 👍 These are special type batteries for interior fitting plus they charge at different rate therefore just stick with Toyota or get something of exact type and power. 
Regards 

[Gerg]

The Toyota dealer price is a 'menu' price and that price applies for all the different batteries for all the different Aurises.  So the expensive hybrid Battery buyer comes off better in this scheme.

The topic is often coming up on this forum.

The usual angles of opinion tend to focus on safety of a 'regular' replacement Battery with liquid acid, in the event of a serious accident, and the provision on the standard Battery of a venting system to the outside (although this could quite probably be modified to fit a new, different battery as long as it had the vent hole somewhere similar).

The Numax battery you mention has the terminals the wrong way around, I think you'll find.  If you are sure that type of battery will do, then the 54h is better fit.  But never tried it myself.

This thread:  https://priuschat.com/threads/fitting-mobility-12volt-agm-battery.122920/ has some interesting 12v battery ideas, but the thread is for a Prius, and it's 26 pages long, but has some relevance to the Auris.

If you were to adopt the BritPrius ideas from that thread, and were entirely happy working with all the safety aspects that must be considered, then this battery https://www.thebatteryshop.co.uk/yuasa-rec36-12i-12v-36ah-cyclic-battery-9193-p.asp (apart from having the terminals the wrong way round (as the Numax 055) and needing adapting its terminals to fit the Auris!!!) would physically fit,  But is it worth the effort to modify this?  I think the general opinion on here is no, it isn't.   

I appreciate that this probably wasn't what you were asking.

I don't think the CCA (cold cranking amps) figure in the specifications is relevant as the Auris hybrid battery never turns the engine over, it just powers the computer and contactor, and powers the car in 'Accessory' mode. 

The battery for a hybrid Yaris is exactly the same part as your Auris hybrid battery IIRC, and on the Toyota menu price is slightly less money (~ £10 less?). 

Yaris registration numbers are available for free on Autotrader (or on the dealer sales forecourt? Cheeky!), if you need a registration number to get that Yaris part sorted out at your Toyota dealer parts desk.  I've not tried this suggestion....

The Auris Hybrid battery in situ for terminal reference:-

 

[WilliamC]

Thank you both for your input. OK - sounds like there is a bit more to it than I first thought. I was hoping to see many posts of people who had saved themselves £70.

I see what you mean about the terminal position (the 054 would leave the + term nearest opening)

One thing that I've seen mentioned is venting. Whilst looking at the Battery I was wondering what the funny little tube floating about in the cavity was. I realise now this must be a venting tube which raises the question...if this was official Toyota part shouldn't it be attached.

And if not, is the question of venting a bit null and void?

 

Thanks again.

[Catlover]

The AGM Battery specified for the Auris Hybrid is for safety issues. The Battery is in boot, corner of the vehicle, if you get a bad smash at the back end and the Battery splits, if it was standard battery then acid could spray in the car interior damaging human occupants - not recommended. The battery doesn’t need to be all powerful as has been stated it isn’t turning the engine (no starter motor in a hybrid, nor clutch, nor alternator). Toyota AGM battery prices are very competitive. Some time ago our Auris hybrid went weak, I searched everywhere for a good price, found what seemed reasonable, travelled 40 mile each way, no fitting service where I bought it, the garage next door wouldn’t fit it (it’s a hybrid I not touching anything hybrid). Only after I found out Toyota were a few quid cheaper! (About £120 2.5 years ago).
The plastic vent pipe should vent to atmosphere, battery fumes are not good to inhale.

[WilliamC]

Thanks for the additional information. It's funny how when you know the correct terminology you can find that lots of people have been asking the same thing. 

So in summary the additional cost is for a Battery using AGM technology to remove the threat of liquid acid spill on impact.

The Battery might be cheaper if I can get them to fit the Yaris list price, although technically same part.

There is a plastic pipe to vent any Battery fumes, but it isn't necessarily attached to battery.

Cheers all

[Gerg]

Yes, that's correct, except to say:

49 minutes ago, WilliamC said:

So in summary the additional cost is for a battery using AGM technology to remove the threat of liquid acid spill on impact.

Yes, but also, the AGM battery is a higher specification battery with a greater number of charge/discharge cycles before it wears out, compared to a 'normal' battery.  I have asked this question of Yuasa technical in Swindon.

The battery might be cheaper if I can get them to fit the Yaris list price, although technically same part.

I think you'd have to buy the battery and fit it yourself to get this to work, but you could always haggle over an Auris battery - "Is that your best price?", "I'm a long standing customer", "Black Friday deal?" "Can you do me the trade discount?" etc.  10% is often do-able here with some good banter!  No harm in trying.  But yes, I understand the part numbers are exactly the same. But then I'm just an owner, by the way!

There is a plastic pipe to vent any battery fumes, but it isn't necessarily attached to battery.

The pipe should be connected to the battery if it is there.  That area of the boot, on both sides, has good ventilation via some sizeable louvres/vents which exhaust air from the whole passenger compartment, they are just out of sight behind the trim.  But that pipe should still go actually on to the battery itself, seeing as Toyota have put it there in the first instance.  (See red arrows on picture, showing 2 of 3 passenger compartment vents.)

[WilliamC]

The pipe should be connected to the Battery if it is there.  That area of the boot, on both sides, has good ventilation via some sizeable louvres/vents which exhaust air from the whole passenger compartment, they are just out of sight behind the trim.  That pipe should go actually on to the Battery itself.  (See red arrows on picture, showing 2 of 3 passenger compartment vents.)

Hmmm - it appears to be connected via the medium of air in my car. It wouldn't surprise me, when I bought the car from Toyota the front driver side tyre was a different size to the rest! Quality checklist my ****.

[Gerg]

57 minutes ago, WilliamC said:

Hmmm - it appears to be connected via the medium of air in my car. It wouldn't surprise me, when I bought the car from Toyota the front driver side tyre was a different size to the rest! Quality checklist my ****.

I think the pipe is there as a measure of Toyota's thoroughness (at the design stage - not at your dealer!).  Over the years, plenty of cars have had batteries inside the passenger compartment.  I personally can quickly think of 2 I've owned which had no special ventliation at all, and were normal-spec. lead acid batteries.  An original Mini van, and an NSU Prinz 4 (obscure car, but well made for the time). 

But that was a long time ago!  Lead in petrol, asbestos in brake linings, school blancmange, Charles Aznavour.  There was a lot of stuff that was accepted as safe then, even though actually, they weren't good for you.

Don't forget, the dealer pre-delivery tyre check only involves counting the number of tyres. not their size.              :-)

Here's the same picture as above, but with contrast adjusted for clarity.  I am fairly certain this one is as it came from the factory.

[Catlover]

Is there not a vent pipe connection piece coming out of the Battery???? Its only a short pice to push the pipe on to. The other end of the pipe should have a hole to exit the car.

 

 

[TonyHSD]

3 minutes ago, WilliamC said:

The pipe should be connected to the battery if it is there.  That area of the boot, on both sides, has good ventilation via some sizeable louvres/vents which exhaust air from the whole passenger compartment, they are just out of sight behind the trim.  That pipe should go actually on to the battery itself.  (See red arrows on picture, showing 2 of 3 passenger compartment vents.)

Hmmm - it appears to be connected via the medium of air in my car. It wouldn't surprise me, when I bought the car from Toyota the front driver side tyre was a different size to the rest! Quality checklist my ****.

Buying a used car from dealership means absolutely nothing in terms of quality of the car than if you are buying privately, however they assure you otherwise and obviously charge a lot more money. If any problems found after purchase the seller should ask the dealership to repair or replace faulty parts. When buying a new car it’s pretty much the same story, but then you have a brand new product with manufacturer warranty and this is the only positive thing, dealers are just to make money, same as estate agents, helping customers comes second.
For the battery: use the exact type Battery is recommended not only for safety reasons but also for longevity of the new Battery, if it’s larger capacity you may end up changing it sooner because the Battery doesn’t get charge- discharge cycles as intended to be used. 

[Gerg]

42 minutes ago, WilliamC said:

when I bought the car from Toyota the front driver side tyre was a different size to the rest! Quality checklist my ****.

I suspect that the previous owner has had a serious puncture (beyond fixing with the Toyota can of goop in the boot), and in desperation, has had a similar tyre fitted in the absence of a spare wheel.

Although, no tyre dealer or fitter should do this as a permanent solution!  And the tyre sizes fitted to all 2013-> Aurises are very, very popular, so should be available almost everywhere.  Surely this is an MoT fail with all the illegality that follows on from this !?!  Eeek!

Technically, your car insurance is potentially invalid with this tyre fitted, not so?

Well done for spotting it!

[WilliamC]

Thanks all. I'll check the connection from the Battery. Perhaps it just fell off. 

I'll stop this thread now...I feel it could run and run if we are to discuss dealerships.

 

[Kojac]

Does toyota offer fixed price Battery replacement?

 

Where can I check please?

[TonyHSD]

47 minutes ago, Kojac said:

Does toyota offer fixed price battery replacement?

 

Where can I check please?

Find your nearest dealers and give them a call with your reg number , they will be able to help. 👍

[Kojac]

WilliamC,

This post will help greatly: