I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had the
code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a few years
after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been helpful so before
paying them to look up the code or tell me the default one, I ought to at
least try replacing it as explained below. I know they know the code
because they replaced the last battery and it came back fine. I'll go
elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.

I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12 volts of
course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel before removing
them off the old battery. That should keep the voltage the same and power
available while I install the new battery. I understand the importance if
"being careful" and not shorting the connections. It shouldn't be very
tough and you could probably do it with jumper cables if careful.

What do you think?

Bryan, 1/16/2007,10:59:00 PM, wrote:

> I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had
> the code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a
> few years after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been
> helpful so before paying them to look up the code or tell me the
> default one, I ought to at least try replacing it as explained below.
> I know they know the code because they replaced the last battery and
> it came back fine. I'll go elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.
>
> I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12
> volts of course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel
> before removing them off the old battery. That should keep the
> voltage the same and power available while I install the new battery.
> I understand the importance if "being careful" and not shorting the
> connections. It shouldn't be very tough and you could probably do it
> with jumper cables if careful.
>
> What do you think?

Doesn't the radio have a backup battery or hold its code for a few
minutes for just this reason? I don't know, I'm just asking since it
would make no sense to me that you would have to take the car to the
dealer to change your battery.

"Bryan" <NoSpam@AtMyEmailAddress.com> wrote in message
news:eok6u0$uvq$1@news.xmission.com...
>I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had the
>code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a few years
>after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been helpful so before
>paying them to look up the code or tell me the default one, I ought to at
>least try replacing it as explained below. I know they know the code
>because they replaced the last battery and it came back fine. I'll go
>elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.
>
> I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12 volts
> of course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel before
> removing them off the old battery. That should keep the voltage the same
> and power available while I install the new battery. I understand the
> importance if "being careful" and not shorting the connections. It
> shouldn't be very tough and you could probably do it with jumper cables if
> careful.
>
> What do you think?

Try something like this from AutoZone: http://tinyurl.com/27w62v

I've seen similar products at other auto parts stores.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0f1b70p1wc7jo000@news.readfreenews.net...
> Bryan, 1/16/2007,10:59:00 PM, wrote:
>
>> I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had
>> the code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a
>> few years after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been
>> helpful so before paying them to look up the code or tell me the
>> default one, I ought to at least try replacing it as explained below.
>> I know they know the code because they replaced the last battery and
>> it came back fine. I'll go elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.
>>
>> I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12
>> volts of course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel
>> before removing them off the old battery. That should keep the
>> voltage the same and power available while I install the new battery.
>> I understand the importance if "being careful" and not shorting the
>> connections. It shouldn't be very tough and you could probably do it
>> with jumper cables if careful.
>>
>> What do you think?
>
> Doesn't the radio have a backup battery or hold its code for a few
> minutes for just this reason? I don't know, I'm just asking since it
> would make no sense to me that you would have to take the car to the
> dealer to change your battery.

No, the radio does not have a backup battery.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Bryan wrote:
> I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had the
> code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a few years
> after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been helpful so before
> paying them to look up the code or tell me the default one, I ought to at
> least try replacing it as explained below. I know they know the code
> because they replaced the last battery and it came back fine. I'll go
> elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.
>
> I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12 volts of
> course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel before removing
> them off the old battery. That should keep the voltage the same and power
> available while I install the new battery. I understand the importance if
> "being careful" and not shorting the connections. It shouldn't be very
> tough and you could probably do it with jumper cables if careful.

I've done something like this. I used the jump-start device that has an
internal battery. It worked fine.

Bryan wrote:

> I need to replace the battery in my '97 4Runner and I have never had the
> code for the radio. It wasn't in the owners manual and it was a few years
> after I bought it that I noticed. The dealer hasn't been helpful so
> before paying them to look up the code or tell me the default one, I ought
> to at
> least try replacing it as explained below. I know they know the code
> because they replaced the last battery and it came back fine. I'll go
> elsewhere to buy my next Toyota.
>
> I was thinking that I could take my deep-cycle trolling battery (12 volts
> of course) and hook it up to the battery cables in parallel before
> removing
> them off the old battery. That should keep the voltage the same and power
> available while I install the new battery. I understand the importance if
> "being careful" and not shorting the connections. It shouldn't be very
> tough and you could probably do it with jumper cables if careful.
>
> What do you think?

I do this regularly (well, as regularly as I change batteries. I often do
this with carefully insulated connectors when i need to temporarily remove
the battery to get to a part under the bonnet.

J