No. Nothing.

And there are folks here that put in the superior AGM batteries in their HL.

 

No. Nothing.

And there are folks here that put in the superior AGM batteries in their HL.

Thanks Highlander 2017, Replacing batteries and such on this later model cars sure isn't like it used to be. First time I ever ran across EFB or AGM batteries. I understand the need given the demands of the stop/start system. I thought I saw one other thread in here about AGM vs EFB batteries, and that it wasn't a good idea based on the charging system characteristics. Any thoughts?

Suggest researching the cost of a premium Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery before going with the dealer's expensive Enhanced Flooded battery. I think you can beat the $400 price and swap out the batteries yourself. For modern Stop/Start vehicles, the AGM technology will provide better cyclic recovery/durability and higher starting capacity; especially at low ambient temps (i.e. wintertime).

Thanks Penzfan,, appreciate the input.

 

Suggest researching the cost of a premium Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery before going with the dealer's expensive Enhanced Flooded battery. I think you can beat the $400 price and swap out the batteries yourself. For modern Stop/Start vehicles, the AGM technology will provide better cyclic recovery/durability and higher starting capacity; especially at low ambient temps (i.e. wintertime).

 

Check out this AGM battery from Costco...$160.

Costco | Interstate Batteries

costco.interstatebatteries.com

 

 

Bought this a month ago, $209.99 + tax. Was installed at the store, Advance Auto Parts. They used a memory minder. I checked the voltage today after driving yesterday with a Fluke DVM, 12.23 Volts. I disable the start/stop about 98% of the time in a 2019 Highlander Limited (GAS) with 20,000 miles on it. This is my 3rd Highlander, 2006, 2010, 2019. The OEM battery tested good but I like having an AGM so no worries about water levels especially living in Phoenix, AZ. At age 79 I don't want me and the wife sitting out in the desert in 120 degree heat waiting for help so plan on buying one every 3 years. Cheers to ALL HL owners.

 

There are a few blokes here that replaced their OEM EFBs with conventional flooded batteries and reported no issues. I'm sure the SS will be hard on them, but if you disable it or not allow it to pop off, maybe?!?!

 

Thanks everyone for sharing info. I'm gathering that DIY replacement of the battery in my 2018 Higlander is doable. Putting the electrical system on temporary life support (power supply through the OBD or cigarette lighter) is necessary to preserve computer. settings during the process. Are there any issues with the charging system not having the right charging profile if I change from an EFB to an AGM battery, i.e does the new battery needs to be registered with the BSM in order for it to be properly charged? Is this something the dealer can rectify? I was thinking another route to go would be to just buy the battery at Auto Zone or similar and let Toyota service do the install, if it makes more sense if they have to adjust the BMS. Thoughts?

 

So I am jr member here with very little experience but I can tell you the battery profile can be changed to "None specified battery in the engine ECM using the Toyota techstream software.

I have no clue if any Toyota dealer knows this can be done, and if they would even do it. Probably not on both accounts.

I did it to my own car a 2019 LE with EFB, I have not changed my battery, I am experimenting as the normal battery profile under-charges the battery.
I started a thread here on the topic : Highlanders with Stop / Start, techstream says battery...

I'm currently "graphing" the charger profile with the car set to : none specified battery type, and the alternator spend a lot more time outputting 14 volts and on 85% of my stops I get the message saying stop / start is canceled due to Non specified battery type.

if you can't find something to change the setting using techstream I would try to top off the battery once a month at least with a battery tender device.

 

I just 3 month I replaced my EFB that went bad for an Optima AGM 34R, from my minivan temporary@$170, with no problems and quick start.
The EFB( low AGM version) an in between the Flooded battery and an AGM. Per Yuasa.
I decided to upgrade to the Odessy ODX- AGM24F
just to see if is better than the Optima. Since the Optima has degraded in past years been made now in Mexico. Used to last 5- 7 years. Now 3-4 years.
Yes, the Odessy cost @ $100 more, but I decided to put it to the test. Since I have a wifi remote start from 12V solutions that monitors battery Voltage.
With the original EFB battery I always had 12.6v after the car was off. With the Odessy battery stays at 13v after car is off and maintains it still 12 hours after and during my working hours. Monitoring the Charging, charge ranges from 13V to 14.6V, and that is even the vehicle in idle. So, any battery and a good AGM battery will work. I don't and hate the Start/Stop so is disable. Don't think is worth the off/on to save 1 mile/gallon. IMHO, Unnecessary extra junk on a vehicle.

 

$100.00 Walmart Everstart in mine for the last year and no issues.

 

So today I went out and threw in a $200.00 Duralast EFB from Autozone in my 2018 Highlander, figuring maybe the best thing to do was an 'in-kind' replacement to a 'specified' type of battery (Toyota's Techstream terminology) I used a 9V memory preserver through the OBD connector, and all the radio settings were OK afterward. No problems driving so far,, no funky 'non-dedicated battery' messages, and the Stop/Start appears to be working fine. Guess we'll see how it goes over the long haul.
There were cheaper or better battery alternatives (as some of you have pointed out), and I almost went with an AGM, but I wasn't sure if there would be problems with the charging system due to a mismatch of the battery type. This still got me on the road at half what the dealer service wanted for the battery and the job. Kinda pissed at Toyota for this kind of stuff (I emailed the service guy to get some background on battery change out for this car, but he never got back to me). Thanks again everyone for your input, it is much appreciated and it really helped. Glad these forums are here for information exchange, one of the tew ways we can fight getting ripped off.,

 

So today I went out and threw in a $200.00 Duralast EFB from Autozone in my 2018 Highlander

Sweet. Report back in the future if you experience a problem.

$100.00 Walmart Everstart in mine for the last year and no issues.

Do the same. Are you using the S/S, or did you disable it or keep it from activating?

 

Mine is disabled with Phil's device he makes.

 

Did you have to have our dealer reprogram your computer to make this battery work? There was some cat on here a few months back that said they had to do that. I called BS on that.

 

No I didn't. My radio resets had to be put back in but that was all I noticed. There is a lot on the internet about having to reset the battery management system but my independent mechanic said that from what he could determine that was not necessary. I chose to avoid the dealer and follow his advice but you have to decide. I was just careful to disconnect negative terminal first and attach last as always. Like Psychodad I assumed that it was best to stick with a EFB type as far as the car's charging profile is concerned, but not sure if that really matters.

 

I just got the Interstate AGM battery at costco for 159.00. Instralled it myself...no problems.

 

First of December I replaced my battery on 2018 Highlander with a Autozone EFB. It took about 10 minutes, used a memory saver via the OBD and no problems with this installation. I then put the battery that I installed on a CTEK trickle charger which took over night to top it off.

 

I just replaced my battery with interstate battery from costco.. just the reg one since agm one was back order. My car still has same issues as before.

 

Just got a call from dealership looks like I blew two fuses somehow. Instead $489 electronic diag. They only charged me $170 for reg diag. Glad I was able get the HL back on the rd.

 

My EFB from Autozone is running like a champ, installed December of 2021

 

Today I installed Autozone’s Duralast Platinum EFB, drove for twenty minutes and tested battery voltage to be 13.1v. Only had to reset clock, all radio and map information appears to have been maintained without use of a maintenance device. Start / stop did not initially operate, which didn’t bother me because I generally turn it off, but it now operates fine.

 

So roughly six months out and the Duralast EFB is working fine, I also bought a NOCO 5A battery charger and I have been topping off the battery charge off every couple of months. This usually take just a few hours. I have also purchased an onboard voltmeter (plugs into the cigarette lighter) to check the battery voltage during trips. The voltage readings vary between 14.2 (right after the first start up) and 12.0, While its not clear to me just how the charging system is regulated on cars with the stop/start feature, it does seem like the battery charge does not get fully replenished during most routine driving (short trips) with numerous stop/starts, so in my opinion, a battery charger is worth it if it helps prolong the battery life.

 

I've noticed the same thing on my 2018 HL XLE w/ SS and the OEM battery. it's around 12.1 - 12.2 v after driving around town for an hour or so. Doesn't get up to 12.8 unless I put it on a 10amp charger for a while. But then it goes back down to 12.2 after a day or so of driving

 

That sounds odd,, The battery I put in was a Duralast EFB Group size 24F from Autozone; I had no problems with attaching the battery terminals., the terminals appeared to be similar to the standard ones you typically see on car batteries. I'm about nine months out now, and the car is still running fine, I top off the battery charge every couple of months with a NOCO battery charger.

 

I'll be replacing the battery in my 2018 Highlander XLE... came across this on EFB vs AGM:

EFB vs. AGM: What Will Power our Cars in the Future?

While AGM batteries have handled the demands of modern automobiles, EFB technology surpasses AGM in critical areas such as battery life and heat tolerance.

www.stryten.com

EFB vs. AGM: What Will Power Our Cars in the Future?

Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries have long been accepted as the preferred option for start-stop vehicles, and as a result, most modern vehicles on the road today are equipped with them. But a newcomer to the market – Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) – is poised to threaten AGM’s place in the United States market.
Consumers expect certain conveniences in today’s vehicles, including infotainment, voice recognition and anti-theft systems, but those features can be particularly draining on the batteries that must provide power for them to function. So, the right battery choice is critical.
While AGM batteries have handled the demands created by modern automobiles, new research shows EFB technology actually surpasses AGM offerings in critical areas such as battery life and heat tolerance, to name a few. In addition, EFB technology is more affordable than AGM.
The European Connection
EFB might be new to the United States, but the technology has been used in the European market since 2008. Since the U.S. automotive industry typically follows its European counterparts by approximately ten years, the time for EFB to shine is now.
European automobile manufacturers relied heavily on AGM solutions to power start-stop vehicles until 2008, when a shift began to take place, resulting in what is now an even division between AGM and EFB. At this point, approximately half of all vehicles in Europe use AGM batteries and half use EFB, but EFB is taking the market lead.
Looking Closely at New Research
A study, commissioned by Stryten Energy and conducted by an independent third-party research company and battery testing lab, tested the performance of EFB technology in comparison to AGM batteries and came up with some surprising results.
In many areas, EFB matched the performance of AGM, which challenges the long-held belief in the United States that AGM is a better option. In addition, EFB outperformed AGM in several other areas including battery life, heat tolerance and mid-depth cycling resilience.

• Battery returns in the United States are monitored every five years to determine why batteries go out of service. Between 1965 and 2010, the average battery’s life span increased each year, but between 2010 and 2015, battery life began to decline. Since then, the U.S. market saw a 30 percent increase in battery failure with cycling, which is directly caused by the ever-increasing use of battery-draining electronic features in automobiles.
• To measure mid-depth cycling resilience, the study performed a 17.5 percent Depth of Discharge Test, which is the industry standard for measuring a battery’s ability to operate under a partial state-of-charge application. This test is not only a simple measurement of a battery’s mid-depth cycling capability, but it is also designed to determine the cycle-to-cycle recharge capability of the battery. Partial state-of-charge operation is common in stop-start applications. Over an 18-week period, the total average capacity output of EFB was 50 percent greater than AGM for an equally sized battery. This finding indicates EFB not only can yield as many cycles as AGM but can also hold its total capacity to a higher level without decay.
• An area where EFB greatly outperformed AGM was in temperature tests. AGM batteries tend to lack thermal stability, which leads to shorter battery life in high temperatures. As a result, the U.S. Military has incorporated an overcharge/thermal runway test to its AGM test requirement process. The new study showed an EFB battery is able to handle a temperature increase at 50°C and absorb 52 percent more energy than a comparable AGM battery. When translated into an operations environment, the implication is that an EFB will last 52 percent longer than an AGM battery in high-temperature environments.
• A battery’s ability to accept a recharge after a discharge event is a feature with growing importance in today’s market, as it is a measurement of how prepared the battery will be to support the next discharge cycle. This capability is currently measured by a Dynamic Charge Acceptance test, which determines a battery’s charge acceptance capability under typical states of operation. When replicating real-world start-stop usage, the test showed EFB offers charge acceptance capability that is equal to AGM batteries.

Driving Ahead: Implications for the Future
Evidence provided by more than a decade of use in Europe as well as the latest U.S. study indicates EFB is just as good as AGM in terms of automotive battery performance. In most cases, EFB is even better than AGM. But if AGM and EFB are so similar, why would the U.S. automotive industry go to the trouble to switch from using AGM to EFB? The answer is simple: superior battery performance.
While AGM is still the battery of choice for powering deep cycle needs, which is a niche use of automotive batteries, EFB will provide a better experience for the majority of consumers. It may be too soon to tell which technology will win the U.S. automotive battery battle, but one thing is for sure: EFB is truly a game changer.
John Miller, Senior Director of Product Engineering, Stryten Energy

 

Well, I stumbled onto this thread since my 2019 Highlander Limited is about 3.5 years old and doing some research. Ridiculous to have to pay $400 to a dealer for battery replacement. That said, I'll throw in my two-cents worth of internet knowledge.

It appears that EFB's are designed to operate more at a "partial charge" than AGM, and thus the charging system of the vehicle may operate slightly differently. That could be why some folks are getting lower charging volts than what what is usually seen...and that's why replacing an OEM EFB with an AGM might not be the best choice in the long run. In addition, using a battery charger to "top up" your EFB could possibly be more detrimental in the long run than just routinely driving the vehicle. But again, internet information so who really knows for sure.

Also, the statement in the above article "In addition, EFB technology is more affordable than AGM." sure doesn't seem true since the cheapest EFB battery I can find is the Duralast Autozone battery that the people on this thread are using.

I just recently purchased an emergency jump start device since I hate being stranded. I just may wait till my OEM craps out before I make a battery purchase. Any follow-up news on the Duralast EFB, or any other options would be appreciated. I think I have convinced myself that getting an AGM for replacement is not worth the risk. I almost always disable the start/stop, so I'm more concerned about how the vehicle charging system might operate than anything else.

 

I can tell you my Duralast EFB installed March of 2022 has function just like the oem battery after the first couple of months. The first couple of months the “stops” of the start stop cycle were very short, but after that period the cycles now last as long as 90 seconds, which seems to be the longest stop that I’ve documented in my urban driving.

Let me know if you have any specific questions as I now have over a year and an Illinois winter with the Duralast EFB. I don’t document or follow the voltage like some others have documented.

 

AGM all the way. 2 years and no problems. Want the best deal...go to Costco..in fact this AGM is what comes up:

 

And your vehicle has the auto start/stop system? And if so I assume you are not getting any kind of error messages, etc. Do you allow the start/stop system to work, or do you turn that off?

 

I have the start stop system...sometimes I use it, sometimes I dont. no error messages at all..works fine

 

Here is what Walmart recommends....

http://goto.walmart.com/c/404739/56...attery-Group-Size-24F-12-Volt-710-CCA/286630898?athbdg=L1103&from=searchResults