The Toyota Sienna Battery [What Owners Need to Know]

The Toyota Sienna Battery: What Owners Need to KnowWhen the time comes to replace the battery in your Toyota Sienna, there is some vital information to know. Before you purchase a replacement battery for your vehicle, you should have at least a basic idea of what kind of battery you will need. How much that product will cost and what to expect from your new battery. Before we get too entrenched in the subject, however, let's cover the basics you need to know when it comes to Toyota Sienna batteries.

Toyota Siennas use standard automotive batteries, in either lead-acid, AGM, or lithium construction. When shopping for your battery replacement, sizes in either group 35 or group 34R should work in your minivan. Depending on the type and size of the battery, you can expect to pay between $150 to $230 for an average battery (but you can find some well under or way over this range). Your battery life will depend on your driving; you should be able to expect 4-6 years of life out of your lead acid or AMG batteries(or at least ten years for lithium batteries). 

Now, if you want to know everything about your Toyota Sienna battery, keep reading. This guide will cover all of the basics of the Toyota Sienna battery; then, we will provide some of the best batteries on the market.

What Kind Of Battery Does A Toyota Sienna Use?

First, we will discuss the types of batteries that fit the Sienna. There are lots of options out there, so it is essential to know what battery to shop for.

Power

According to the owner's manual, the 2019 Toyota Sienna uses a battery rated at 12.3 V or more. That's it - Toyota does not offer a specific battery type in the manual. This means that any 12-volt automotive battery that fits in your Sienna should work just fine.

Size

When you search for batteries that fit the Toyota Sienna online, most recommendations will be group 35 batteries. The group size refers to the physical dimensions of the battery, so that appears to be a popular size that fits the Sienna. Some other batteries, including the larger 34R, can still fit, however, and most of these will provide more cold-cranking amps to help your van start on those frigid winter mornings. And smaller batteries can work, as long as they have enough power and are used with a spacer to fill up the rest of the space in your battery tray.

Battery Type

The Sienna can use three main types of batteries: lead-acid, AGM (absorbent glass mat), and lithium. Each battery type offers its own set of pros and cons, so let's break it down in simple terms.

Lead Acid: these batteries use metal plates inside of a liquid suspension. These are common and the least expensive types of battery, generally. However, they are not sealed and can end up spilling the distilled water onto your engine bay. They also are less resistant to wear from constant discharge and recharge cycles.

AGM: Technically still a type of lead-acid battery, AGM batteries don't suspend the metal plates in a liquid. Instead, this more advanced design uses fragile glass fibers woven into a mat. This helps these batteries operate at all angles without possibly spilling over. They also offer extended battery life and enhanced vibration resistance.

Lithium: Similar to the technology used in cell phone and laptop batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFEPO4) are the newest tech on the market. These types of batteries tend to be much smaller and lighter than the other, more conventional battery types. They also recharge better without losing their power. As such, they tend to cost much more and are not nearly as universal in automotive use.

How Much Is A Battery For A Toyota Sienna?

Like most products, the prices of batteries that fit the Toyota Sienna are all over the place. For example, the batteries listed at the bottom of this article currently range from $181 to $416 (of course, those prices are subject to change at any time). If you shop around, you may even find some budget lead-acid batteries for less than $100.

Typically, you can expect to spend between $150 and $230 for moderately priced lead acid or AGM battery that offers good cold-cranking amps. A lithium battery, however, will be much more expensive - around $400. Once you realize that these lithium batteries typically last at least twice as long as lead-acid batteries, it makes the upfront cost easier to swallow. Just make sure you are planning on keeping the vehicle for that long before you invest in such an expensive battery!

How Long Does A Toyota Sienna Battery Last?

The Toyota Sienna Battery: What Owners Need to Know

Unfortunately, there is no reliable information indicating how long it takes the Sienna to go through batteries. However, because these are relatively average vehicles in terms of weight and engine size, we can assume that their average is not far off of the industry average.

According to this article on Reader's Digest, owners can expect to need to replace their new battery in between 3 to 10 years. That's quite a range, and it all depends on how you use your vehicle. The more often you start your car, for example, the faster the battery will wear down. So, take it easy on those short, frequent trips if you can.

Other factors that can shorten the life of your battery include: using electronics while the engine is off, extreme temperatures, and having a lot of tech features in your vehicle that draw off the battery (entertainment systems and vacuums included!).

Many manufacturers of lead-acid and AGM batteries include a 4-year warranty on their products. This means you can expect to be able to use it for at least that long, but most often a couple of years more. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, should last at least ten years.

Is A New Battery Covered Under Toyota Warranty?

New Toyota Siennas come with a 36-month/3,000-mile basic warranty. This warranty covers "repairs and adjustments needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship of any part supplied by Toyota..." (warranty manual, p. 13).

This means that Toyota will cover the replacement of your battery only if it failed due to a defect and not something under your control, such as misuse, water contamination, or improper maintenance. And, because batteries are generally reliable parts, the likelihood of Toyota covering a battery replacement within three years of purchase is very low.

The longer, 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain warranty is even more restrictive. So, after 36,000 miles or three years, Toyota will only cover repairs to the components of the engine itself - gears, gaskets, belts, etc. The battery, however, will not be included at this point, even if you experience a defect. You might be able to get the manufacturer to cover the replacement, however.

6 Toyota Sienna Batteries

Optima 8020-164 35 RedTop Battery

This Optima battery provides the optimal starting power, even in the midst of bad weather conditions. It's extremely durable and can withstand any vibration. The battery case is made from polypropylene, protecting the power source. Optima has built well over 100 million spiral starter cells since the company inception in the early 1990s. This high-performance battery should not be easily overlooked.  

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Arc-Angel Group 35 LiFePO4 Battery

 

Unlike most other automotive batteries, this Arc Angel battery is very lightweight. That's because it uses a rechargeable lithium battery instead of the more common lead-acid or AGM type. This provides several advantages, including weighing in at roughly half as much as those batteries. And, while it costs more than those conventional car batteries, Arc Angel provides a full 10-year warranty, meaning this product will outlast most others on the market quickly. Because of these properties and their inherent ability to recharge without losing any voltage capacity, these are popular batteries for RVs as well.

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Odyssey 34R Lead-Acid Battery

This Odyssey Extreme Series battery uses a conventional lead-acid design. But that doesn't mean you should discount it as a "regular" old battery, because the reviews indicate this is an active performer. It offers more cold cranking amps than just about any other battery on this list. Note that you do pay for the extra power, however, so if you don't often experience sub-0 temperatures, it might not be worth the cost for you.

From extreme weather to heavy offroad use, including winches, just about all owners are pleased with this product. In fact, as of right now, the only negative reviews state that this battery did not fit in the customer's vehicle. And Amazon verifies that it will install in the current-generation Sienna, so that should not be a problem for you!

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Delphi MaxStart 35 AGM Battery

Delphi engineers their MaxStart batteries to cover a broad range of cold-cranking amps and reserve capacity. What that means is this battery will be reliable in just about all conditions and under all power demands. And, because of the AGM design, it offers incredible vibration resistance and double the life cycle of lead-acid car batteries. A sealed housing also means this battery will resist corrosion much better than conventional batteries. Just know that, at 40 lbs, this is a massive battery, so you may need to get your weight belt out before installation!

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Delphi MaxStart 34R AGM Battery

Even though it measures slightly larger than the group 35 batteries, this group 34R Delphi battery is approved for use in the Toyota Sienna. The large size leads to a higher cold cranking amp measurement, at 775 (over 100 more amps than the group 35 Delphi battery!). This makes this battery an ideal option for anyone who lives in frigid environments. Of course, all of the other benefits of the other AGM batteries still apply here. And, as of the writing of this article, this big Delphi is even cheaper than the smaller version!

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Bosch Platinum Series AGM Battery

With 650 cold-cranking amps, this Bosch battery promises to have plenty of power on tap for those cold mornings starts. And, because it's an AGM design, this battery offers up to twice the life of conventional lead-acid batteries. That means, even though it is slightly more expensive than the cheapest options, this battery is an exceptional value. Other features include extreme heat and cold reliability, spill-proof construction, and a 4-year replacement warranty should you encounter and defects.

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Now that we have covered the ins and outs of the Toyota Sienna battery, you are prepared to make your purchase. Whether you opt for a budget lead-acid, the fashionable and expensive lithium phosphate, or somewhere in between, buying the right battery will lead you to a happy and fulfilling ownership experience.

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5 Comments

  1. I read this article and got some very good information about the sienna battery. This article really helps me when I need to replace my car battery.

    Thanks for such a valuable article.

  2. I need to power a 300 amp oxygen-concentrator with my new 2020 Sienna XLT. Can you suggest a battery large enough to supply this via an inverter attached? What inverter should I purchase? Thanks for your help.
    Jan

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