Battery problems

TacoJoe11

TacoJoe11

Well-Known Member
Yesterday I had to jumpstart my wife's car in the morning with my truck. Jumped her car fine and didn't have any trouble with my truck the whole day. To an from work it started fine.
This morning I tried and start my truck an it's dead. Get a few lights on the dash but they are very dim. Had to have a friend jump it, after a few tries it fired up and I drove t to work.
As I was driving it was foggy so I switched on the headlights, this caused every single icon to light up on my dash and all the gauges needles started jumping all over. This lasted 2 sec and went back to normal. While driving I noticed the dash lights flickering and struggling to stay lit. Sure enough when I got to work I shut it off and tried to start it immediately...nothing.

Did I fry something in my trucks computer? Or is this a sign I a bad battery or alternator? Didn't have any battery problems prior... Please help
 
Check for loose or dirty terminals. I would have ths battery checked for free at the parts store to see what's going on. You may just have a bad battery.
 
I don't think you fried anything unless you crossed the positive & negative up. Could be what whipper says loose or corroded battery terminal. You have an '11 so that battery should last at least 5 yrs.

If you can pop the top off, check how much electrolyte is in it. Any cells exposed? Fill with distilled water to just below the hole, should be 6 holes. Also, agree with taking it in and having it checked for free at auto parts store. Could have a dead cell. If you have to buy a new battery cough up enough for the highest cold cranking amps you can get. Where you live WI is a factor since it gets much colder there than it does here. The more cold cranking amps the longer the battery will last. But it will cost you.

You don't mention what size engine you have, these are examples I see online for a V6, why the 2nd best cost more is beyond me, the 1st one listed is a better battery. More juice and reserve for cold weather. The 2nd one isn't for Towing package. Advance Auto sells a 7~10? yr battery, at least they did. I bought one for my PreRunner in 2003, highest cold cranking amps they had and cost back then about $125. Never bought another for it. Still going strong 9 yrs later when Toyota bought it back.

Top of the line at Autozone:
Duralast Gold/Battery Price: $120.99
+Core: $15.00
Part Number: 24F-DLG
Warranty: 5 YR
Notes: Warranty consists of 3 years free replacement plus 2 years prorated. *** 750 Cold cranking Amps (935 cranking Amps) ***. 130 reserve minutes.

2nd best:
Duralast Gold/Battery Price: $125.99
+Core: $15.00
Part Number: 35-DLG
Warranty: 5 YR
Application: Except Towing package


Notes: Warranty consists of 3 years free replacement plus 2 years prorated. *** 640 Cold cranking Amps (800 cranking Amps) *** . 100 reserve minutes.
 
Thanks! I get paranoid with these kind of things. I'll take my battery in it get it tested in the morning. Hopefully that's all it is...bad luck I guess
 
your battery has a bad cell and jumpstarting another veh. took it to its toll,todays cars and trucks are more sensitive and just one cell on batt a lil low will cause this,todays cars and trucks have computers that are always on and cycling all the time!!Kills batt in a month or so!!Have battery replaced ,problem solved!
 
That seems to be what happened. It's quite irritating knowing that one day the battery was doing fine and the next it's dead, kinda wish I had a little warning. Tell you what I'm going to think twice about jumping another vehicle...even if it's my wife!
 
byrd said:
You have an '11 so that battery should last at least 5 yrs.
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Mine only lasted right at 2 years in my 2011, replaced under warranty by Toyota.

Ironically and somewhat unrelated my wife's Accord which is also an 11 had the battery die on it right at 2 years also. Both went bad within about a month of one another. Also replaced by Honda under warranty.

Point being that the factory batteries are cheap. At least it seems in my experience. Of course I have known of factory batteries to last 5-6 years in some vehicle's. So I guess it's really more of just getting a bad one.

FWIW both Toyota and Honda told me these batteries were made by Interstate. I always liked them, if this is true then I'm done with them. Had another Interstate go bad not once but twice in my step daughters car. It was under warranty and replaced both times by NTB. Was an 85 month battery, but That's 4 batteries in what is supposed to be Interstate to go bad on me in a span of like 4 years. Of course none of these "Interstate" batteries have their name on them anywhere. When I bought the one from NTB I was told I was getting an Interstate which is what I wanted, when I saw it I didn't see the brand on it but was assured it was made by them for NTB.
 
TacoJoe11 said:
That seems to be what happened. It's quite irritating knowing that one day the battery was doing fine and the next it's dead, kinda wish I had a little warning. Tell you what I'm going to think twice about jumping another vehicle...even if it's my wife!
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That's how they do sometimes too. It sucks. I've had them give out like that several times. For instance when my truck's went bad, I had just pulled in my driveway after work one day to run in the house for a minute to grab something and head right back out. Truck had only been shut off for maybe minutes max with no signs whatsoever. Got back in the truck and it wouldn't even turn over. Luckily I was able to jump it off with my charger though.
 
Tacoma fan said:
no probs so far with the battery in my rig had it since 2008 ....lasted more than 5 yrs so far :thumbsup:
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Just be careful, They can poop the bed at any time. I just replaced mine a few months ago, it was showing signs of bed pooping.
 
LUSETACO said:
It was the original battery. Mine is an '08 also. Went with the Diehard Platinum for replacement.
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when mine finally gives up will replace with another Toyota Battery, my wife used to work for a Toyota dealership down here and still gets employee discount :thumbsup: good for her, lucky for me:yes: yay!!
 
Batteries are kind of unpredictable. Sometimes they will show signs of taking a dump and others not signs at all. My '04 Taco that I sold last December still had the original battery! I hope to get that kind of life out of my '13.
 
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