dlap

hey guys. whats a good replacement battery for my '05? mine has died. i just bought the car last year. june or july of last year. from a dealership. should the battery be dead already?

ejthomp

Car batteries will last as long as they are well cared for. That can be one week or 10 years. By well cared for, I mean NEVER, EVER, draining the battery less than 75% of full charge. Once a car battery has been completely drained it will NEVER be the same. You can recharge it, but it will NEVER have the same capacity again. A couple of full drains and the battery is likely toast.


Automobile batteries are primarily designed to start a vehicle. That is their function. That and they need to be able to give off enough juice to keep the security alarm, keyless entry, etc running while the vehicle is parked. The load on the battery while driving should be minimal as the alternator should provide everything the car needs while running.

Where people make mistakes is thinking they can sit with engine off, the radio blaring, lights shining, and it will all be okay. The LS430 has a ton of accessories. Expecting the battery to run all of those accessories for even a short amount of time is a recipe for disaster.

The dealers let the vehicles sit on the lot for weeks, even months without charging the battery. Then when they discover a dead battery, they charge it, sell the car, and call it good.... NEW CARS can have toasted batteries.

Put in a decent quality replacement, take care of it, and it will last a long, long, time. I like to buy my batteries at Costco because IF I ever drain the battery, I can return it for partial credit on a new one.

I will never trust a battery that has been fully drained...even just once...especially with the high demand of an LS430.

If my Lexus is going to be sitting for more than a week or two, I'll go so far as to put a trickle charger on it while I'm gone.

V8_Fan

x2 with the trickle charger. My new '05 ultra had the battery replaced on 9/2/09. It sat on the dealer lot for 3 weeks (was test driven a few times) until I bought it. After that, I connected a trickle charger to it...probably took 4 hrs to charge up! When this battery goes, I'll probably get an Odyssey like I have in my LX.

stvincent

iTrader: (5)

so where do you guys go for new batteries?

SerasLibre

By far one of the best popular retail brand here in the US (not sure elsewhere) is Interstate. Most local garages stock them and/or can get one for you for a pretty penny. Odyssey batteries are very flexible and good performers as well, but will cost a bit more than the Interstate.

LS430inDE.

I've never heard of Odyssey. I was personally thinking a Sears-Diehard battery. I believe there are only 3 or 4 major battery manufacturers here in the USA. Exide, Delphi (if they're still in business because of GM's debacle) and Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls actually makes the DieHard for Sears.

Sears always have a HUGE stock on hand, and if you need to warranty-replace it, you can find a Sears almost anywhere. Just keep your receipt!

ejthomp

I've been more than satisfied with the batteries I get from Costco. Best warranty and return credit in the industry. My experience is that battery life is really all about buying the battery that is sized correctly and taking care of it. An auto battery should never be run down and with a Lexus should it ever have to turn over the engine more than a second or two?

jayclapp

My Costco didn't have a battery that would fit my 04 UL. I went to my dealer and purchased a battery there for $120. My service adviser told me they were made by Interstate and have a 2-year free replacement/81 month prorate warranty.

It may be a bit more than buying elsewhere, but I don't worry about having it serviced or replaced when it comes to that.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

And the car/truck batteries for Interstate...

FWIW, I've used almost every battey you can think of, including the gel cells such as Odyssey (sp?). As regular lead-acid batteries go (like regular car batteries), I can't say that I've ever seen a meaningful difference in the various aftermarket ones. FWIW, I think the Duralast batteries from AutoZone get good ratings in some comparisons.

IMXCITD

iTrader: (1)

I just put in an Optima red top today. I usually use these batteries in everything else....but when I put it in the LS....it sits lower...so the shell around the battery is loose and the cross bar that keeps the battery snug is loose....so I need to figure out a solution there.

Jabberwock

Cut a template same size as the battery bottom with apprpriate thickness to put under the battery as a shim to get it up to the right height. Maybe use some scrap material, possibly aluminum, plastic, rubber, or wood - something non reactive to any potential acid spill, backerbord, masonite, hardiboard, even plywood might work OK.

tromly

+1 on Duralast, always near the top of the ratings in Consumer Reports, I've used them the last ten years, never let me down

IMXCITD

iTrader: (1)

thanks jabber...great idea. I am on it!

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Check with Optima for a spacer to fit on the bottom of the battery. They have plastic spacers that snap onto the bottom of the battery to address the issue you encountered, and will ship it to you at no charge (at least they did with me). I'm not sure how many different heights they have or if they have one for the LS application, but I've used the spacer before on my Supra and it works perfectly.

IMXCITD

iTrader: (1)

thanks I6....called Optima today and they were very helpful....sending a spacer to me free of charge! A beautiful thing for sure!!