Hi all,

 

Please excuse a basic question here! My friend's 1998 Rav4 needs a new battery, providing it physically fits the tray and is at least the same CCA as the former battery will it be fine? I assume that the terminals are a standard size and will fit the terminal ends?

 

Cheers, Will

There are not standard sizes or positions etc  on batteries so best use suppliers websites to check, or even a local motor factor.  Others here would just be checking online as you or your friend can. 

Yeah, have had a look online but it seems there are various options. I think I'd best look at the battery physically and get a read on the CCA and size etc. 

Various configurations because of RAV4 from 1998 have different requirements engines etc.

 

So get the pictures, see the battery dimensions, were the terminals are, there fitment size etc.  Registration Number, VIN,  or take the old battery to a Motor Factors. 

Cheers Toot, yeah I'm pretty sure the battery that's in there is too small as it is, as it doesn't fill the tray. Hence my seeking assistance 

1 hour ago, hebdenwill said:

I'm pretty sure the battery that's in there is too small as it is, as it doesn't fill the tray.

That's not unusual - my previous 1.4 Octavia had a battery smaller than the tray but was the correct battery for the car as the tray is sized for the largest battery needed for all engine sizes/types.

 

So just because the battery is smaller than the tray doesn't mean it's the wrong battery.

Ah really? that's interesting, as I had the same thing with my car and replaced it with a larger one when I needed a new battery. You really do learn something every day

Different places have different databases, no databases are 100% accurate in my experience, Halfords seem to go their own way with batteries size numbers.

 

Tayna is the supplier I've used a few times - they do ask you to check and confirm your requirements.  Do not assume that the battery fitted to the vehicle is correct unless it's a factory fit.  Even then then perhaps it could be improved on, perhaps larger battery hence the tray space or the tray allows for diesel/auto battery in a petrol vehicle.

 

IIRC(?) companies like Toyota (unlike VWSkoda) give battery specifications sometimes in the 'Owner's Manual' / 'Driver's Handbook' so look there too if the paper printed copy is available. 

 

https://www.tayna.co.uk/Toyota-RAV_4-Car-Battery

Edited 28 March, 20233 yr by nta16

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

Do not assume that the battery fitted to the vehicle is correct unless it's a factory fit.  Even then then perhaps it could be improved on, perhaps larger battery hence the tray space or the tray allows for diesel/auto battery in a petrol vehicle.

+1

 

On my Toyota Aygo petrol there were 3 battery sizes - petrol, diesel and cold climate diesel - each getting larger and higher Ah and CCA. hen the battery needeing replacing I fitted the cold climate diesel battery as I had fitted a fairly power hungry ICE upgrade.

my friend decided to go to Halfords in the end, where they fitted the wrong battery, and for an extra bit of fun, wired it up backwards! which blew a main fuse, as you might expect

8 minutes ago, hebdenwill said:

my friend decided to go to Halfords in the end, where they fitted the wrong battery, and for an extra bit of fun, wired it up backwards! which blew a main fuse, as you might expect

They often deserve their nickname of Halfrauds 

As I put Halfords seem to go their own way with batteries size numbers and different places have different databases with all databases having errors and omissions (including manufacturers) so perhaps the Halfords battery was different rather than wrong - but - wiring it backwards shows lack of basic checking or any checking, the negative and positive battery posts and clamps are different sizes.

 

quite right NTA, a supervisor confirmed that the system had reccommended the wrong battery, and as for the terminals, he was trying to remedy the post being too big by using grease and a hammer!!

1 minute ago, hebdenwill said:

and as for the terminals, he was trying to remedy the post being too big by using grease and a hammer!!

Sorry, but that literally made me laugh out loud. 😆

 

Well that suggest the person wasn't trained at all so shouldn't have been doing the job, that is the fault of any management on site.  Your friend ought to complain about this to prevent it happening to other customers and perhaps get a gift voucher or something, they throw those around like confetti.