Replacement options for 12v Battery?

[MangoCactus]

Hey all,

 

The 12v battery in my Alphard Hybrid 1st Gen has recently died. After much searching I've been struggling to find many replacement options. It appears to be a weird somewhat unique to the car battery. My local Toyota Garage can get one but it will be £350! Hoping to find something a bit less expensive than that but if I have to I will get the OEM battery from the garage.

 

The dead battery which was fitted while it was still in Japan is a Panasonic 20HR 51 Ah CCA 355A S55D23R the Toyota part number is 2880028021. It's an auxiliary vented battery if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks!

[Picasso]

Hello may depending on the year the original battery has a heat sensor built in so you can not really put a normal battery in as the sensor is connected to the hybrid system the original battery's from Toyota are Panasonic and still are even if you by from Toyota pm me your reg no. or vin no. and i can confirm for you which is correct battery for you .   

[PaulE]

I think it is series 2 that has the temp sensor on the battery. There is a Yuasa S55D23R which is usually a bit cheaper than the Panasonic , both are expensive, I have both as I keep a spare on charge. Don't forget to move the vent pipe over as the new one may not come with it.

[MangoCactus]

16 hours ago, Picasso said:

Hello may depending on the year the original battery has a heat sensor built in so you can not really put a normal battery in as the sensor is connected to the hybrid system the original battery's from Toyota are Panasonic and still are even if you by from Toyota pm me your reg no. or vin no. and i can confirm for you which is correct battery for you .   

Ive sent you a message, thanks!

[Picasso]

hi the oe no. for your battery is   2880028021   and im sorry to say they are £350 even if you put no. into ebay yours does not have the heat sensor my advice do not put a cheap battery on as the hybrid needs the good oe battery. have replied to your private message.

[shoney]

I have seen some for 150 on ebay specifically for the hybrid

 Is it safe to recharge a 12v if flat

[PaulE]

I have brought both my 12v batteries back from the dead on several occasions (I ended up with 2x batteries as I thought the Panasonic had died so replaced it with the Yuasa due to not using the van for a few weeks over Xmas/ New Years). I have a Noco Genius 5 charger set to AGM and I charged the delinquent batteries for 6 hours each day over 5 days and the voltage was restored. Both batteries still work well but do discharge in 3 days if I don't give the van a good drive especially in winter. The Noco does have  a restore function which I think works automatically if needed. The Panasonic S55D23R is now 3 yrs old and the Yuasa S55D23R 2 years, neither have a temp sensor (series 2 and above I think). 

 

If buying a new one check the positive post is on the left (for Hybrid) as you can get identical looking batteries, same model. no. with the posts reversed. 

Also the supplier may insist the vent pipe should be on the left (positive side) but in my experience this doesn't matter as I have one battery vented on the left -the other on the right.

[Rojie]

I just want to reiterate the importance of what Paul has stated above.

 

When buying a new battery it is essential you check the capacity and CCA.

 

ALSO the size of the terminals, the polarity of the terminals, AND the location of the positive and negative terminals before purchase.

 

It is even MORE important you check again before fitting the battery.

 

Ignoring these essential checks can get very expensive.

 

I also bought a new battery when the old one needed a really thorough charge.

 

Am I disappointed ? Actually no, as I now always have a fully charged spare battery.

 

ps. Gen 1 Alphies (probably not hybrids) like calcium batteries.

[shoney]

Tbh I'm thinking of getting a normal engine one as the road tax difference not worth the worry even the price of the batteries softens any taxes

And if the big one goes ouch! Mad idea that it carnt simply revert to an ice engine and complete a journey

Edited February 17 by shoney

[BigNev]

Hi guys, whilst I don't have a Hybrid, I'm interested in the differences on the "standard" Panasonic 12v battery, obviously a very special thing,  to say current "Stop Start" types nowadays, does anyone know this?

I'm possibly interested enough so that next time I'm passing my local battery specialists, Advanced Battery Supplies in Stockport, I'll probably pop in!

[MangoCactus]

Looks like I'm going to have to fork out for the expensive battery then! Not the end of the world but mildly annoying. Thanks for checking @Picasso.

My local Toyota Garage will be able to get me one within 2 weeks direct from Japan. My battery only gets to ~9v when fully charged with an external charger and drops to ~6v very quickly. It's definitely toast in my case. Its not that old (2020) But I know the Japanese owners before me didn't drive it that often. Aprox 5000km a year looking at the service history.

[MangoCactus]

19 hours ago, shoney said:

I have seen some for 150 on ebay specifically for the hybrid

 Is it safe to recharge a 12v if flat

I've seen that one on ebay. It doesn't have a vent port on the left like my one so at least for the hybrid its no use.

 

 

Forgot to ask on the previous post but if my battery is AGM will it say so on the battery? Want to make sure I use the right setting on my external battery charger.

 

[Rojie]

5 hours ago, MangoCactus said:

Looks like I'm going to have to fork out for the expensive battery then! Not the end of the world but mildly annoying. Thanks for checking @Picasso.

My local Toyota Garage will be able to get me one within 2 weeks direct from Japan. My battery only gets to ~9v when fully charged with an external charger and drops to ~6v very quickly. It's definitely toast in my case. Its not that old (2020) But I know the Japanese owners before me didn't drive it that often. Aprox 5000km a year looking at the service history.

 

Sounds like it is down by 2 cells.

[PaulE]

The Panasonic battery doesn't say AGM on the label but I am advised it is by a specialist I have used- the Yuasa equivalent says it in the online spec. A standard 12v battery won't do the multiple stop starts and live very long (I know I had one).

[Alphie]

I have 2003 hybrid (camper conversion) & have changed the 'ignition' battery twice in 5 years 1st with a cheap lead acid, now for the last year with a LiFepo4 & have had no problems. Remember, as has been said by others in threads on this topic - this battery on the hybrid does not do the engine cranking (this is done by the main hybrid battery) it merely supplies power to the computer(s). I don't have a battery temp sensor. Maybe it was removed or overridden by the importer/camper converter. My battery is mounted under the drivers seat which may not be the manufactures original location. To be clear I am not confusing this (ignition/vehicle) battery with the leisure battery.

[Goz]

On 2/13/2025 at 4:15 PM, Picasso said:

Hello may depending on the year the original battery has a heat sensor built in so you can not really put a normal battery in as the sensor is connected to the hybrid system the original battery's from Toyota are Panasonic and still are even if you by from Toyota pm me your reg no. or vin no. and i can confirm for you which is correct battery for you .   

 

As an aside with my mk2 I removed the paper (genuine panasonic battery too) and this "built in" thermometer was just hot glued to the top of the case under the label I really doubt it does as much as many people suggest 🤣

[smurf]

3 hours ago, Alphie said:

I have 2003 hybrid (camper conversion) & have changed the 'ignition' battery twice in 5 years 1st with a cheap lead acid, now for the last year with a LiFepo4 & have had no problems. Remember, as has been said by others in threads on this topic - this battery on the hybrid does not do the engine cranking (this is done by the main hybrid battery) it merely supplies power to the computer(s). I don't have a battery temp sensor. Maybe it was removed or overridden by the importer/camper converter. My battery is mounted under the drivers seat which may not be the manufactures original location. To be clear I am not confusing this (ignition/vehicle) battery with the leisure battery.

No temperature sensor on the gen 1 hybrid 12V battery. The original location was at the rear of the centre console, but I suspect you have the same conversion as myself, and the centre console has been removed, the leisure battery is under the gearshift area, and the 12V battery is under the driver's seat. 

 

Did you have to put in a DC/DC charger for LiFEpo4 battery?

[Alphie]

Yes, you're right that's where my batteries are too. No i haven't boosted the charge voltage & it seems to cope with 13.9, though i suspect it is not reaching full charge. I have also installed a solar panel so this also contributes & through a solar controller (they are both LiFepo's & manually linked most of the time).