2009 Toyota car battery

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I notice my car battery says Maintanance free. It is a panasonic. Then, on the top it has the removable post, says fill with distilled water. Am my missing something here?
 
Our panasonic still was perfect after 10 years... I think the guidance is "just in case".
 
10 years? wow, ok. not much to worry about then. Well, I wonder if it would hurt just to top it off with distilled water
 
lol. It does seem to be an oxymoron. I actually prefer a battery that I can add distilled water to (if needed), especially in a hot climate.

I have no proof though that they last longer than maintenance free, just some anecdotal experience.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Our panasonic still was perfect after 10 years... I think the guidance is "just in case".
Did you know they are worlds largest producer of batteries? People think it's Duracell or Energizer but it's not! I was shocked to learn this too.

I'm surprised that they make Car Batteries. Who would have thunk!
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Originally Posted By: toyotaguy
10 years? wow, ok. not much to worry about then. Well, I wonder if it would hurt just to top it off with distilled water
I don't see an issue with a distilled top off, if needed.
 
I was very amazed to find on my '05 Toyota Avalon that they were still using a non-sealed battery that required the owner to add water.
 
When I worked at Radio Shack in the late 70's to the late 80's The Radio shack house brand Heavy Duty batteries were produced in Japan by Panasonic. The master case was a Panasonic box with RS product inside. They were the best quality and NEVER leaked due to the plastic liner in the battery. Their HD line, not alkalines would outlast the Radio Shack alkalines which were Evereadys or Ray-O-Vacs, whoever gave the best bid. In 1989 production was moved to China, and the quality slowly but surely went to heck. Same old Story, pay more, get less.
 
Originally Posted By: Hermann
When I worked at Radio Shack in the late 70's to the late 80's The Radio shack house brand Heavy Duty batteries were produced in Japan by Panasonic. The master case was a Panasonic box with RS product inside. They were the best quality and NEVER leaked due to the plastic liner in the battery. Their HD line, not alkalines would outlast the Radio Shack alkalines which were Evereadys or Ray-O-Vacs, whoever gave the best bid. In 1989 production was moved to China, and the quality slowly but surely went to heck. Same old Story, pay more, get less.
Speaking of batteries from Japan. My dad had Nickel-Cadmium batteries in our alarm system from Radio Shack and they lasted from '82 until they finally went bad in 2000!
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The "maintenance free" refers to the lead-calcium construction, not the inability to add water.

Most batteries sold in the USA have removable caps so you can add water, but are "maintenance free".

If that, for some reason, bothers you, figure out how to glue them on...or find out where Ford gets their vent caps that lock down onto a standard Johnson Controls battery and can't be removed (without excessive force, anyway).
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I'm surprised that they make Car Batteries. Who would have thunk!
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Ready for another surprise? Panasonic makes the HYbrid 300Volt battery packs for the Hybrid Yukon/Tahoe/Escalade/Sierra/Silverado trucks. I about shat in my pants when I first saw them in our plant! They each come in their own cardboard box w/panasonic all over ir.
 
we have som exide batteries down here that have the fill holes taped over, "maintenance free" on the label, and a little peephole with a green or red indicator to say whether the battery is OK
 
Unless you have a charging malfunction (over) or extreme heat I'd leave the battery alone. Maybe check it every year esp if the sides are translucent. They seem to do well without monkeying. I would not want to add possibly detrimental foreign objects.
 
our old crv had a panasonic battery, was still starting the car and all but it just became a bit sluggish to start after 7 years especially in the cold we have up here....

the battery in the RDX thoe, sucks balls! I don't know what honda/acura is using now, but I can tell you the battery in the rdx needs to be a bit more output power.
 
I see many Japan-built cars leave the factory with a Panasonic battery, but I have not seen a single car built outside of Japan with a factory Panasonic battery. I never see Panasonic auto batteries for sale in the USA either. Shipping from Japan to the USA must be too expensive.

Now that even Japan's car makers build most stuff outside Japan, I hardly ever see Panasonic batteries anymore.

What a shame... Those batteries tend to outlast all the other factory batteries.
 
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