The Toyota battery in my kid's 2018 XLE AWD is a Group 35 rated at 550 CCA, 90 minutes RC. Its a very conventional wet cell battery. Toyota OEM batteries are not known for great output or longevity. It's a typical consumable item (like tires and wiper blades). Great for the 3 year warranty period, but don't expect a whole lot more.

For around $100 I'll be replacing it with something like a Walmart Everstart Maxx or equivalent. That will step you up to 640 CCA (more than adequate for a 4 banger).

I do NOT recommend an AGM battery for the RAV4. Vehicles that were designed for AGM batteries typically isolate the battery from full underhood heat. The charging system also throttles back in response to battery temperature, as hot charging an AGM shortens it's life. They cost 2-3x up front, and unless the vehicle is properly set up to accommodate it, you likely won't recover your cost in added performance or life. Got a late model BMW? Go AGM. Got a Toyota that came with a wet cell? Feed it another wet cell battery.

 

I took my 2016 XLE AWD in for the first oil change/state inspection as a CPO owner. Bought it in May of 2019. Car has about 42K miles. While nothing was said at the dealer, I was reading the receipt and it stated that "battery failed load test - new battery recommended."

I looked at the battery in the car and it has a Toyota Battery with 490 CCA. I'm not sure if it's the original or not.

I was looking at the cost of a new battery and I see two things.

1. Recommended CCA for new battery is 640. Does anyone know if the original battery came with 490 CCA?
2. I have a choice of a regular or AGM battery. I couldn't find AGM in the search so can anyone on the forum provide a little guidance - AGM or non-AGM?

Thanks.

Do not buy a battery from your dealer. This is the world's biggest ripoff, and the CCA ratings on Toyota batteries are pitiful.

There are only 3 companies in North America that make batteries, regardless of the sticker on the battery: Clarios (previously called Johnson Controls), Exide, and East Penn, although they each have multiple batteries of different quality they sell.

Go to an auto-parts store like Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, or O'reilly's and they will check out your battery for free in the parking lot. If you need a new battery, get their "gold" version, which is their best flooded cell battery. Check online to see if they have a sale on. One good thing about this during COVID-19 is their employees do not have to get inside your car to drive it into a garage, since they do the check-out and install in the parking lot.

Walmart Everstart MAXX batteries are also good, especially if you can change it out yourself (although some Walmart's may be able to install for you). If you install it yourself, you will have to pay a "core" charge and get it refunded when the old battery is returned to them (usually less than $20).

AGM batteries are good, but they require special charging electronics in your car to keep from over-charging them, and may not be optimal for your vehicle since the OEM battery is not AGM. The main advantage is that an AGM battery may last longer in areas exposed to extreme heat that can often cause a flooded cell battery to have sudden failure. Sounds like your battery is just slowly dying, and AGM does not fix that.

 

AGM will work fine since typically aren't discharged in vehicle use and the charging algorithms are for applications where they are discharged fully. Whether its worth the expense or not is for you to decide. My AGM's all worked exceptionally well in place of regular flooded battery without issues in multiple makes/models. Again, just wasn't worth the expense since after 5 years, needed to replace it anyway.

Best 'affordable' bet is a premium standard Group 35 battery. Bjs, Costco, Samsclub, Walmart all have 'fresh' and reasonable quality batteries.

Duracell Automotive Battery, Group Size 35 - Samsclub.com

Buy Duracell Automotive Battery, Group Size 35 at Samsclub.com

www.samsclub.com

http://goto.walmart.com/c/404739/56...w.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery-Group-35s/16795236

Obviously, autozone, oreilly, napa, carquest, advance, pepboys.... have AGM and premium non-AGM batteries in the group-35 size.

So, is the $80 regular or $160 agm battery from Costco as good as:

EnerSys | Global Leader in Stored Energy & Power Solutions

Discover EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions, delivering innovative batteries, chargers, and power systems for industrial and mission-critical applications.

www.northstarbattery.com

Better phrased as.... are 2-3 batteries from costco a better buy than 1 superb battery that cost 2-3x as much and lasts just as long?

For many autopart and department store batteries, most of the price difference is the warranty.

For many Toyotas that came with a group 35, a bigger group 24f can be used. Break out the tape measure and remove the 'spacer' or 'surround' if equipped.

 

For many autopart and department store batteries, most of the price difference is the warranty.

The warranty at AutoZone and Advance Auto Parts is as follows:

• Gold flooded cell battery - 3 year replacement and 5 year (total) pro-rated
• AGM - 3 year replacement only

When I first saw that, I started to do some research and found out that putting an AGM battery into a car not designed for it, can actually result in shorter battery life. That is also what the retailers have found, hence the warranty difference.

 

AGM for cars are designed for all cars since very few automakers use ALL the groups available. So, research is carrying over the AGM from backup battery supplies and solar usage, which are different and require different charge algorithms. So, if the AGM is the same group as in your car, you can use it in place of a standard battery.

 

It is possible that a particular car can take an AGM or flooded cell battery. But AGM batteries do require a different charging mechanism for maximum life expectancy, and hard to know whether a car that comes from the factory with a flooded cell battery has that special charging algorithm for AGM.

As evidence of the different charging algorithms for flooded cell vs AGM, I would point to some battery chargers that have separate settings depending on the battery type, like the one below. Some higher end chargers have sophisticated electronic circuits to automatically detect AGM vs regular batteries, but this one obviously does not, and hard to say whether a particular car can automatically detect which battery is connected:

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

Charging algorithms are not an issue since the vehicle is not and should not be taking the battery down to <50% every usage. The battery is in a top off state always. Its a non issue.