Hey everyone, new to the forum and thanks in advance for your help. I bought a used Lexus RX300 AWD about 6 months ago and the battery isn't cutting it anymore. I have a jumper box that I can use to get it going and once it's been driven to the grocery store it has enough from the drive to start up to get home. I don't drive everyday so it can sit for days between trips, especially now during "stay at home." So I'm figuring the battery is going bad. Date says 2017 and it's called a "ValuePower".

I have an alternate battery that I pulled out of a conversion van that I had about a year ago. I sold the rusty van super cheap and the battery is an Optima Yellowtop so I figured I could get some $ out of the battery even though it's old. It worked like a charm charging stuff in the van so I figure it's still good to go even though I think it's from 2006. I've attached pictures of both batteries for reference.

My question is can I use the Optima in my Lexus RX300? It's got posts up top that look like they could be connected in the Lexus. I just went out to try and go get groceries and my jumper box didn't have enough juice to turn the engine so it was frustrating and I was close to just throwing the Optima in and seeing what happened but I thought that might not be smart so here I am.

Thanks.

 

You kept the plastic terminal caps for 14 years? Or are you just advertising for Optima? Don't mind me asking. If you Google Optima you will see that the battery will work.

 

Technically yes the Optiama yellow top will work ... BUT
1. You have to make sure that you can physically mount it.
2. Terminal positon have to be considered as nearly all manufacturer make a version of the battery with the terminals swapped. Be very careful in connecting the + to + and negative to negative. Lexus is not forgiving if you mess it up and on top of it they do not necessarily use correct red/black coloring.

I used red top, but it was shorter, so I had to use an adapter to raise it and the terminal posts were more inboard, so I had reshape the cable to reach.

The other problem I see are the side posts on the yellow top. Once you have the right orientation figured out, then see if the posts will clear the surroundings and do not short to the body.

Last bit of advice is about anchoring the battery. They are usually heavy and have lot of momentum, So make sure that you secure them in the engine bay.

Summary: You will have to make the determination that the battery will seat and connect properly.

Salim