Looks like the 12V battery in the trunk of my car has been completely drained. I called Lexus and they said the new one was $375.00 something. Has anyone gotten it from somewhere else for cheaper?

 

What year ES? How many miles?

 

2013 Lexus ES300h with 50k miles.

 

Has it been recharged and load tested? Could be that something drained it overnight.

 

Warranty is 4 years 50k miles. Are you just outside of it?

 

I am just outside of it. Hasnt been 4 years but definitely over 50k.

My son left the light on and the battery died. Then i didnt jump it up for a couple of months. The car starts when jump started but the battery is so drained, that once jumper cables are disconnected, it wont turn back on itself.

Any idea? should i just get a new battery? If yes, then any idea where I can find cheaper than what Lexus told me it was for?

 

If your car is OUT of warranty, you can buy a high quality Interstate12V battery for your Lexus at Costco for about $100.00. Every bit as good as one the dealer would sell you for $375.00 and a perfect fit.
Before you replace it I would see if it was drained somehow. Get it load tested.

If the light left on drained it then get it charged and tested. If bad, refer to the post above regarding Costco.

 

I checked with autozone and every other batter place out there and they all said they dont carry the battery for 2013 ES300H. Are you saying that a normal 12V batter will work for it?

 

Look on the battery and find a series number. Like U-11 or R25. (I just used these numbers) Then see if you can match the battery number, CCA (cold cranking amps) and size.

 

Ok, let me see if I can find it. Only confusion I have is that can any 12v battery work or does it have to be that specific Panasonic battery?

 

Does not have to be Panasonic.

 

The maintenance shop that I did the 30k scheduled stated that the regular car battery is "unstable" and said to check with the dealer as they do not carry the battery either.

What is so special and/or unique that the dealership would have it at $375.00 ?
I can see a 50% up charge but 4x seems excessive.
My warranty is over by 4 months and I only have 30k miles.

I wonder if the sales person mentioned up charge numbers like this one, how it would effect sales.
Extra costs on items like this make it less attractive to buy one, in my opinion for drivers like me that do not use a lot of miles per year.

 

From what I have found in researching this battery, it is apparently an AGM auto battery - Absorbent Glass Mat - that came out in the eighties and is primarily used to save weight.
My thought is that Toyota uses this battery in the 300h to do just that. Save weight. So does this mean that a "regular" battery won't work? Dunno but for a difference of approximately $275.00 I'd find out. If it were my car I'd match the size and throw it in. Twelve volts is twelve volts, just come as close to the CCA as possible. Of course your mileage may decrease by 1-2 MPG. These AGM batteries are available at various stores and online at substantially less than $375.00. Just Google "AGM auto battery".

Here's a quote from an online article regarding manufacturers use of AGM batteries:

"Most AGM batteries are mid-sized and range from 30 to 100Ah. They are commonly built to size and are found in high-end vehicles to run power-hungry accessories such as heated seats, steering wheels, mirrors and windshields. NASCAR and other auto racing leagues choose AGM products because they are vibration resistant".

 

I wonder what 12V battery the Camry Hybrid or Prius uses? And if you want to play it safe and buy from a dealer, what a Toyota dealer would charge?

 

They use the same battery (Toyota/Lexus part# 2880036050) that is listed at $347 MSRP. My local Toyota dealer offers it for 21% below MSRP ($276):

https://toyotaparts.bochtoyotasouth....ry-2880036050/

So there is no difference Toyota or Lexus battery but you may get a better deal buying it at a Toyota dealer.

Actually there is a small difference - there is an optional battery on Avalon for cars without "safety connect" telematics (part #2880028100, $280 MSRP or $222 discounted price at the above dealer) . It is probably not as shock proof as the other battery as it is not required to survive in an accident.