Hello, first time poster here. My family purchased a 2014 Prius about five years ago. It has been a great car. This morning I discovered the 12 V battery was low. Living in a small town looked for a replacement they were coming in at about $250 or a little more. unsure if this is about what is expected? We aren’t sure if something was left on last night causing the battery to run low jumped it this morning and it’s working fine today. Not sure how long I have given The battery is about five years old if I need to buy one immediately here today or if I have time to shop even order something online if my local options are too expensive. Any help greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
welcome! you can have the battery tested for free at auto zone. the car won't charge it properly from dead, so you would have to buy a decent charger. personally, i would just replace it. it is important that you drive the car several time sper week for 5 miles or more to keep it topped up. otherwise, a battery maintainer would be advisable. $250 is fairly common. you can shop around as dealers are competitive, and also, many auto parts stores, walmarts, batteries plus and etc. will have the right battery for your car. i prefer the oem because i have had good luck with them over 20 years, but others may disagree. installing it yourself will save a lot of money as well, and it isn't too hard. there are you tube video's. all the best!
Auto parts stores will not only test, but also charge it up for free. Around my area they are really hesitant to deal with hybrids, but they will do all of the above as long as you remove it from the car and reinstall it yourself. If the battery test shows it is weak, or you get codes relating to the 12V system that you ultimately trace to the battery, it is finally time to replace. One deep discharge event alone may not necessarily have killed the battery; it could actually be good for many more years. The EverStart battery from Walmart is an exact fit and a pretty good deal at $160. If it's not in stock nearby, you can have it shipped. Some dealers (such as Lewis Toyota) do price the OEM TrueStart at about $155 (not including the core charge), but they will not ship. Local pick up only, so you're stuck with the pricing from your local dealer.
I noticed the battery has a venting system and appears to be a new design that involves glass as opposed to water cells. Traditional batteries without the vent I think are thought to not work as well. This is just what I read online though.
Just like the TrueStart, the Walmart battery is also an AGM (absorbent glass mat) VRLA (valve-regulated lead acid) battery. It has a vent provided in the same location as the OEM for you to attach the vent tube to.
