The OEM battery needed replacing one month before the 3yr/36000mile warranty expired. It was replaced at no charge. This was a 84 month battery and lasted only 35 months and was replaced with an 84 month battery. That battery went bad today-7/16/2012-so I went back to the same dealer assuming it would be replaced again since it had only been in the vehicle for 36 months. I was told by the Service dept. that I would have to pay full price, $140, for a new battery because the previous battery replacement had been paid for by Toyota under warranty! I asked for a cheaper battery but they only sell one. This is like McDonalds only having a Big Mac. Apparently any repair done under warranty expires at the end of the original manufacturers warranty, except for batteries, for which they add an additional year. How generous! Since I was outside that period, I was forced to pay for an 84 month battery which probably wouldn't last half that time. I couldn't convince the guy how stupid that policy was and he couldn't show it to me in writing. It is certainly not in the owners manual and I'll bet most Toyota owners don't know about it. So I told him I would take the vehicle to an auto parts store where I got a 72 month battery for $100 with 3 year full replacement. Maybe other car companies do the same thing, but it still sucks.
The OEM battery needed replacing one month before the 3yr/36000mile warranty expired. It was replaced at no charge. This was a 84 month battery and lasted only 35 months and was replaced with an 84 month battery. That battery went bad today-7/16/2012-so I went back to the same dealer assuming it would be replaced again since it had only been in the vehicle for 36 months. I was told by the Service dept. that I would have to pay full price, $140, for a new battery because the previous battery replacement had been paid for by Toyota under warranty! I asked for a cheaper battery but they only sell one. This is like McDonalds only having a Big Mac. Apparently any repair done under warranty expires at the end of the original manufacturers warranty, except for batteries, for which they add an additional year. How generous! Since I was outside that period, I was forced to pay for an 84 month battery which probably wouldn't last half that time. I couldn't convince the guy how stupid that policy was and he couldn't show it to me in writing. It is certainly not in the owners manual and I'll bet most Toyota owners don't know about it. So I told him I would take the vehicle to an auto parts store where I got a 72 month battery for $100 with 3 year full replacement. Maybe other car companies do the same thing, but it still sucks.
- chapp, Mandeville, LA, US