Canada / Block heater / Permanent trickle charger / COMFORT+ heater / DEFA charger heater

Block heaters are not mandatory in Canada. Toyota puts it in vehicles sold in Prairie provinces. At @600$ for the Tundra.

Modern vehicles with a decent electronic do start by very cold weather. I drove many recent Truck/SUV in MB, AB & BC, without ever connecting the block heater; this because parking overnight on the street or simply when not equipped with it. (NB last winter with temp as low as minus 38F and C BRRR…).

However, driving by night with defroster, seat heaters, HIFI etc., the 3+ years battery went low and I had once to use the jump starter before getting a new battery. A trickle charger would have helped.

There is a big advantage to have a block heater connection, the possibility to connect a trickle charger or a secondary heater. Toyota.ca sells the COMFORT+ it at @1400$ / $1700, but unfortunately, it is not for the Tundra 22+. Here is a chart from the Toyota trickle charge install.

Why isn’t it compatible with the Tundra? Is there any issue with the EPS battery?

Some more googling brings me to a DEFA product which looks the same than the Tundra Toyota leaflet. Does anyone have an experience with it?

 

I have it on my 22 non hybrid. Dealer installed it. Is yours a hybrid? It’s pricy but works great. I paid under a G I believe

 

It’s officially available on the SR trim, but not the offroad for some reason. But my dealer is going to instal the trickle, and heater for me, the block heater is the same.

Block heater isn’t,600. It’s 4 something.

 

Thanks. Block heater is CAD$553.93 +tax. A lot for sth you can get for elsewhere for much less, and without offering possibility/option to couple it with a trickle charger or AC cabin heater in Canada. I still wonder why this option is not available for the upper trims. Is it because of the special Start/Stop battery?

What is your trim? I wonder how much you dealer is going to charge for the trickle and heater.

 

what province are you? In Manitoba it’s 473 for a block heater.
I thought the comfort block heater is “special” so I asked not to instal it as I want the comfort package. I was told that the block heater isn’t special.

so they are instaling the balance of the comfort system (cabin warmer, trickle, and Bluetooth controller) and charging me the difference of the comfort package minus the standard block heater.

they didn’t know why Toyota doesn’t list the option on all the trim levels.

 

The CAD$553.95 is from the Toyota.ca website. Fantastic, you got a discount in Manitoba. How much did the dealer charge for making your Tundra (trim?) more winter friendly with the trickle / cabin heater / BT? I maybe interested to visit him.

 

Weird, and honestly I have no idea why a block heater is 553 in Ontario and 473 in Manitoba. Sounds like a scam.

My dealer is charging me the difference of the comfort plus, and “standards” block heater. So 14 something minus 473mshould be around a grand or so.

 

on the HV trucks, it might have something to do with that the normal battery is only to keep electronics powered when the truck is off and doesnt have an alternator since the battery pack is used to run the engine.

on the non HV trucks, they have 2 normal batteries i think, one for start/stop and another for normal use?

someone with better brains needs to chime in

 

There is only one 12v battery. It’s under the driver side rear seat. Then there is the hybrid battery.

 

This was my response from my local dealer regarding comfort+/defa trickle charger.

The Trickle Charger & Comfort+ Packages are not available on the Tundra Hybrid as the hybrid inverter is in the way of being able to install the necessary parts required

 

one under the driver seat (non HV) if i remember correctly is for the start/stop system. the normal 12v battery is under the hood.

so i am guessing the one under the driver seat in the HV version is still for the start/stop system.

 

I’ve been in communication with DEFA. they just released updated chargers/system that is smaller, easier to mount, and more efficient. The person have been in contact with suspects Toyota has not tested the old system with the tundra hybrid as they were waiting for this new system. Anyways I plan on buying the DEFA and installing the charger/heater before next winter.

 

These are the old chargers. And Toyota has said it’s not compatible with the hybrid. Due to the inverter being in the way.

 

I couldn’t find them on the website?

 

Which website.

 

Where does one obtain these type of detailed instructions? Is this what I get if I subscribe to Toyota TIS?

 

uummm… defa’s website? Nothing about new chargers

 

https://www.defa.com/electrical-preheating/battery-chargers-warmup/

 

https://www.actiontrucks.com/product-detail/DEF418991/multicharger-1203x-onboard-charger?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw5ImwBhBtEiwAFHDZx2Hs__HZXJP_tjUDIEdiJ9Gdh7RSJt6tSDf_bBiPc0f6RlXxUMuyaBoCyCUQAvD_BwE

Old one Toyota uses.

 

I don’t know who you e been talking to (or who I’ve been talking to) but that “old” charger is the current charger according to DEFA. I’ve also been emailing them trying to get correct part numbers for the DEFA system that can’t be installed on my tundra.

it’s frustrat9ing. Almost ready to just buy a 50 dollar trickle from crappy tire. I don’t really need a cabin warmer. Nice to have,but ….

 

These are definitely the new ones. Hence they use to have the one Toyota uses on the website and no longer do.

 

The 1203x charger is the current,DEFA charger, and the one that can’t be installed on certain tundras. Except they can.

 

Not sure who’s telling you that

from DEFA
“Hi


yes, that's right, 1203 has been discontinued from our range.”

 

I’ve been talking to,DEFA North America.

 

Same… if the 1203 is new why would they have taken it down from their site?

 

https://www.defa.com/ca/product/multicharger-1203x/

 

I don’t know why but going through your link the site is completely different. Even the model numbers are different. And no 10amp version as the 1210. The 1205/1210 are the new versions of the 1204.

 

your,DEFA link is England. Mine is Canada English. Maybe it’s different?

 

Possibly. Regardless I’ll be getting the 10a charger. I’m looking at adding a termini 2100, the only issue is it’ll be a pain to run the wiring. It would have to go into the driver side then route under the dash to the passenger side. Haven’t looked to see if I can just push it through or have to take the dash apart, which I don’t want to do. Would be nice to have the heater after work on those -50 nights.

 

someone posted a link to download the instal instructions. (I think in Canada,section). You go through firewall on passenger side.