Hey Scotty!
I bought my 2008 Lexus RX 350 a year ago, and since all electric-related was functioning properly I didn’t make too much mind of the battery. Even had the battery and alternator tested before a road trip and they were fine. I recently dug a little deeper and found out this battery is from February 2007! Is it possible that a battery last that long? I mean I guess so, but I’m a little perplexed to say the least! I’m guessing that I should replace that thing right away, shouldn’t I? And should I be concerned at all about the alternator?
Thanks!
Omar
The Panasonic batteries they put in Lexus and Toyotas can last a long time. I have a 2013 ES350 that I replaced the battery in just last year and even then my tester was showing the battery tested at 80%. I changed it out because I just figured it was going to fail sometime soon.
You can't buy these Panasonic batteries here in the U.S. I replaced the Panasonic with a Toyota TrueStart battery from the dealer.
if it tests ok, and you haven't had any issues ... I would keep using it.
Wrong. You can absolutely buy the Panasonic batteries. They have to be ordered. The Trustart battery is made by interstate but has a longer warranty. My 2013 lexus kept killing the lexus brand battery so I put in a Duracell agm from batteries plus. It pulls juice even when off by the computer. The Toyota Tru start has held up well in my Toyota Tundra
I think it is quite possible. For the regular 12 volt battery on my Prius, it believe it lasted 10+ years before I needed to change it. I’ve only had to change it once since 2004. Granted it also has a hybrid battery to help the car out, so maybe that helped too.
It think it sort of depends on usage of the vehicle and how much strain you put on the battery and charging system. If you drive on the highway a lot, it's possible for a battery to have a long life as it's not constantly being run down, like it would if you only did city driving, or combined city and highway driving. My battery for my 2013 Silverado lasted 7.5 years (it was only a 60 month battery) and 150,000 miles. I replaced it because it was getting weak, but was only down to about 80% charge capacity so still a passing charge level, but I did it as precautionary as I would travel to the middle of nowhere with that truck.
Also climate will impact how long a battery lasts too. Living in really cold temperatures may mean a shorter battery life overall. Personally I tell people regardless of the rating, in moderate temperatures, expect about a 4 year life on any battery. Some will go longer, others will not.
