Battery Life - Expectations vs. Reality

I’m wondering what you guys think.

I have a 2022 Limited, which I got in Oct. 22 and I’m not using it as my daily. Besides the onboard electronic, the only accessory hooked up is a PowerTrax.

How long would you expect the battery to last when the truck isn’t used?

Needless to say, today the truck didn’t crank and only made the typical clicking noise. Although I’m aware that you should run the engine from time to time or trickle charge the battery, I would have expected that a <2 year battery last longer than a few weeks (8-10). Curious to hear from you guys.

 

When you say "a few weeks" are meaning you left your truck sitting for 8-10 weeks? Just want to make sure I understand the "8-10."

People's experiences will vary because cars vary by tech & age. Older cars will truly shutdown with zero draw. While other, modern vehicles will have either a slow, consistent or an intermittent draw. I would put the 3rd Gen Tundra in the latter category. Even with the vehicle "off" you'll likely still have a low draw due to the computers. I never put a multimeter on my 2022 to test for draw with the vehicle off, but I would imagine there is some. If you left your truck for 8-10 weeks, and you didn't disconnect the negative cable, then I wouldn't be surprised coming back to a dead battery.

I'd 100% recommend disconnecting your battery if you're going to leave the truck stored for over 2 months again. I'd also recommend you do a few other things, if that length of time is planned.

I can't remember if Toyota batteries have a date code sticker on the side (Month/Year). That'll give you the actual age of your battery. If not, check the build the date on your door. That'll at least get you close to the age.

On a side note: Toyota isn't known to have the greatest OE batteries (or brakes). Some last 5+ years. For lots of folks, 2-3 years is pretty normal.

 

8-10 weeks is a long time to let a new-ish vehicle sit. They have numerous systems that are constantly drawing a small amount of power, even when the vehicle is sitting.

I'd have your battery tested. Then get a battery tender for it.

 

Over many vehicles and makes 3 years is the average for an OEM battery unless it is an AGM.

10 weeks is a long time to let one sit

 

I have an Interstate i bought in a used vehicle in '18 that still works like Champ - cranks 3UR fast even when sitting for 2 weeks. That is what I'm gonna get from now on.

 

8-10 weeks is too long to be just sitting, IMO, if that's the timeframe you referenced. I'm sure experiences will vary, but if the vehicle isn't driven much, I usually start/run it at least every 2 weeks.

 

My truck sits for a couple weeks in between uses. I throw a trickle charger on it. If not, the battery dies in about 3 weeks.

 

Thank you all. Luxury problems having multiple cars. My 2016 VW GTI was sitting much longer during COVID but I get it. I will use your recommendations and ensure the battery is getting topped off regularly.

 

I hear ya - I finally broke down and got several NOCO Genius 1s - one for each vehicle that tends to sit a few weeks between drives. Ah...

 

Unfortunately the truck is parked in front of the house on a public parking space and I can’t pull an AC over the side walk… however, I read in a different forum about a small solar panel with a DC-DC charger, which might be a good option for my use case. I hooked it up to a charger for a few hours and all is well again. The battery was not completely dead, just not enough to crank but the car display showed around 9V prior charging. So, don’t expect a damage but I’ll be more careful in future.

 

Living in the bay area, where I'm from BTW, I would be hesitant to buy a solar charger. First, it's cloudy a lot certain times of the year, and second, nowadays, it would probably get stolen.

Beautiful part of the county, it's a shame. That place has been ruined. Unfortunately, I will never see it again because I refuse to go back to it in its current state. I was born in Hayward and lived in Fremont, BTW.

 

I hear you. Living in the Bay Area myself (on the peninsula). I’m not too concerned about the weather. We rarely get fog or overcast but for sure, you couldn’t leave it on the truck unsecured. I consider gluing a flexible one on my RTT though that I could also use for a dual or portable battery. Not sure yet which route to go. Using the truck once a week is probably the easiest option…

 

There are low profile magnetic solar panels for trickle charging. Could put on the roof/hood/bed top in a semi permanent install and not likely to be messed with.

Battery life is very dependent on average temperature, with the southern states batteries not often making 3 years while northern states, especially where I am we often get 6-7 years from the original battery, to the point most people have never replaced a battery as they sell the vehicle beforehand. But this all assumes daily drivers.

 

This. As has been mentioned above, old vehicles can have virtually zero draw when turned off. New cars with new tech still draw when off. Think about keyless entry; whether you click the remote to unlock the doors or simply walk up to the vehicle with the fob in your pocket, the wireless receiver is always on searching for the fob signal. That receiver is plugged in to a computer that is always running in case you push the lock/unlock/trunk/horn button. Same goes for the theft deterrent system. And that’s just the start. Granted, they all have small draws but those draws are steady. I’ve left the dome light on overnight in older vehicles to come out to a dead battery. Dead battery from a singular tiny light.

Anyways, I’ll jump off my soap box. Not trying to lecture by any means. My battery will have a slower start after a week. I don’t think the truck has ever sat more than that, but knowing the starter struggles after only a week shows me that 2-3 weeks as has been suggested is prollly tops.

 

PS to your side note: I have had good experiences with the OEM Panasonic batteries supplied by Toyota with several lasting more than a decade and the longest one lasting 16 years in the FJ Cruiser.

 

Yeah, I’m in Phx. If we get 3 years out of a battery, it’s a win

 

I changed out the factory battery with a Northstar 10 years ago, it's still doing the job. "Naturally" Northstar isn't around any more but there's a couple comparable brands out there.

 

For sure. I think regular use to avoid deep discharges and the range of operating temperatures make a big difference in the life of a battery. I am in upstate NY so the weather is not exactly sunny and comfortable year round, but the batteries do seem to work out for me, providing they are quality units from a reputable manufacturer.

 

Toyota seems to have designed in good battery management. My 2009 Tacoma that I kept for almost 15 years had only 2 batteries... the OEM lasted 7 years and the Advance Auto store brand AGM I replaced it with went with the truck when I sold it. If you have installed a ScanGauge or somesuch you can see how the battery voltage varies in your Tundra. When it is fully charged the alternator output voltage is turned down to prevent overcharging which makes it easier on the battery. Then rises only when necessary to top it up. The old Tacoma didn't have that, and the batteries still lasted a long time. So, I expect similar battery life or better with the 3G Tundra.

 

That's kind of how it is in FL. If you buy a battery with a 3 year warranty, you'll never have to buy a battery again. It will most definitely be dead well before that, especially if you're parked outside.

 

On my 4th Toyota and here are my rough experiences with factory Toyota batteries:

• 2007 Taco - Toyota battery dead at ~24 months. Replaced with a Sears Diehard Gold (Diehard used to be pretty solid back in the day). OE battery went from Oklahoma to Florida in that 2-year period before it died. That Diehard was still in the truck when sold at ~240k miles.
• 2012 4Runner - Toyota battery dead at ~24 months. Replaced with an Optima (back when Optima was good, before the company was bought by Johnson Controls). The OE battery lived its life in South Florida before it died. That Optima was still in the 4Runner at 122k miles when I traded it in for the 22 Tundra.
• 2022 Tundra (my previous truck) - Toyota battery tested bad in early Jan of 2024 on a bench tester. Replaced with a Costco Interstate. The OE battery lived its life in western Nevada. Tough life in terms of heat.
• 2021 Tundra (Current truck) - Can't speak to the OE battery on this one because it had already been replaced. The truck had a Deka battery in it when I bought it in late Feb of this year. I've only had experience with Deka batteries in forklifts. I wasn't sure how good their car/truck batteries are, so I replaced it with a X2 Blue top 2 months ago. This truck was a Cali truck originally and I bought it in Nevada.

Kudos to you guys who get a decade out of your Toyota batteries. If I had got that type of life out of mine, I'd be a fan too. Unfortunately, my experience has averaged ~25 months from 3 in 3 different vehicles. Geography, driving batteries, electrical load, etc...all are variables from case to case.

 

That's a really nice engine bay

I like that rubber flap/mat you have over the radiator. Is that a DIY you did yourself?

 

Thanks! Yes Sir, the chincy foam Toyota blesses us with started to crumble after a few years. I stumbled upon the rubber strip laying around in my garage and attached it.

 

Agreed 100% about the Panasonic battery… I bought an ‘89 Celica GT-S new, the factory Panasonic battery lasted 12-13 years. Was trying to purchase one a few years ago, I couldn’t find where they’re available in the USA anymore…

 

I tried to BUY another Northstar a while back; they're gone too.

 

I have left mine a little more than a month every winter with zero problems. That's Canadian winters its sitting

I have 2 Interstate batteries in my Surf boat that are from 2012 and still work like brand new. Factory battery 1 year ....interstate 12 years and still going

 

That is the company working with tesla to make their batts too...

 

Mine usually last 5 to 7 years. If we have a summer of 100+, that always seemed to kill it after 3 years.