2GR

How many years can I expect out of this 2014 OEM battery? I've noticed that the voltage drops to around 12.2 after 2 days of sitting. No problems starting so far...

GregCanada

Mine lasted exactly 6 years.

AJLex19

I feel like batteries last longer in warmer climates but its really roughly 4-7 years. Some folks have gotten 7+years out of their OEM battery. I changed my battery after 5years on my '13 GS (2012 build) in 2017.

jonathancl

My 2013 original battery is still going. It needed water when I bought it last spring.
Now just over 80k miles, still going.

No doubt one frigid winter's morn in the not so distant future, I shall discover that its useful life has ended.

Out of curiosity, what is the right battery to buy these days? I have never bothered to do battery research, just bought the highest CCA battery that fits in the space, but they never seem to last more than three years or so.

praetor

I'm on year 6 with my 2013 GS, I plan on replacing it before winter. I've had good luck with DieHard if Sears is still around. If you want a battery that will last and stand up to extreme conditions get an Optima red top battery. Yellowtop is overkill unless you have amps running.

bclexus

jonathancl

I love how SE PA/NJ/CT/RI are considered mild. We get extreme heat and extreme cold: the best of both worlds.
Northern California is mild.

np20412

My car is a 2014 lived it's whole life in FL and GA. It failed the dealer's load test during the 30k service interval which was performed at 36 months after the in-service date. It never had any problems starting, but a failed load test means Lexus will replace the battery under factory/CPO warranty, so I had them go ahead and do it.

bclexus

This map may be a better representation of battery life expectancy. Also, when the battery temperature (under hood) gets near 0°F or below, or near 100°F or above, there is a drastic increase in battery damage/failure. Note the extreme increase in battery damage/failure (virtually 100%) when the battery temperature gets to 120°F, which is very common in the south and southwest states.

bclexus

It is highly recommended that once your battery becomes two years old it should be load tested once a year thereafter to determine the battery's health. Just because your battery cranks your car's engine today doesn't mean it is healthy and will crank your car's engine tomorrow. Load testing at battery can be done simply and free-of-charge at any National Tire & Battery (NTB) location. It takes about 3 minutes and can be done in their parking lot without an appointment. Other similar places will load test your battery at no-charge also. Better to be aware of your battery's health than to be stuck with a dead battery at an inconvenient time or place.

jonathancl

Where's the fun in that? Uber to the nearest auto parts place, $130 later: back in business.

GregCanada

The quality on the optima's has plummeted in the last 5-10 years. Stick with a DEKA http://www.dekabatteries.com.au/

I had both red and yellows and they didn't last very long.

praetor

Interesting. Thanks. I'll check out DEKA

donkiboy

My 2015 GS is rarely driven and it's still got the original factory battery (currently at 38000 mi).

I trickle charge the battery every so often in hopes of not needing a new battery for long as possible.

Does trickle charging actually prolong the overall life of the battery?

I've "revived" older batteries on cars that failed to start by trickle charging and driving the cars often (as opposed to sitting for too long).

bclexus

I don't think trickle charging a battery affects the battery's life one way or the other.

You might want to rethink how you feel about your battery. Instead of trying to milk a battery for all its worth and get the last day out of it - why not get a new battery and have piece-of-mind. A new battery is not that expensive when you consider how important it is and that it lasts for multiple years. $150 / 4 Years = $37.50 Year or $3.13 Month.