Have I A Battery Problem

scoop · March 8, 2010

I have a 56 RX400h SE-L bought 3 months ago. I recently made a 85 miles trip to Cambridge. When I got there I parked the car while I waited for some one. I had the radio on and my grandson was watching video on the DVD in the back. I had turned the engine off when I arrived, but after 15-20 minutes the dashboard display started flashing. It was a steady pulsing of the display coming on and then going off. Turning the power off and on again restarted the display flashing again. Eventually after a couple of minutes the display just went off. I called the RAC as the car would not start.

The people I was meeting turned up while I was on the phone and suggested trying to jump start the car using power leads from their car. Thankfully it started up straight away.

My question is should the Battery have gone flat after only 15-20 minutes with the radio and DVD working? Never having had a car with the DVD system installed I don't know if the system takes so much power it would flatten the Battery in 20 minutes or my Battery is suspect. The car starts everytime on all other occasions.

Any ones thoughts gratefully accepted.

Andy

rickj · March 8, 2010

Hi,

I've got an 07 RX400H SEL which I've had for about 2 months and I've experienced a similar issue.

A few weeks back the missus popped in to a shop while I waited in the car. I had turned the engine off and was listening to music but also had the display set to the map. After a few minutes my screen went on and off a few times and then eventually went off - similar to how you described it, but my engine did restart okay. I thought nothing of it at the time and we just drove on.

Then about 2 weeks ago I went out in the morning to drive to work and went to unlock the car but nothing happened, the Battery was completely flat. My Lexus Warranty meant I had RAC cover so they came out and jump started it but they recommended I give Lexus a call.

I called Lexus and they asked me to bring the car back for a Battery check. They said the Battery cells had failed and replaced them free of charge under the warranty.

So it could be that you have a Battery fault like I had.

Regards,

Rick.

scoop · March 8, 2010

Just spoke with the local Lexus dealer and they suggested I bring the car down tomorrow and they can check the Battery while I wait. The bad news is that there is only a 3 mth warranty on the Battery from time of purchase (on a used car), so that puts me 8 days past the warranty expiry.

Yeldarb · March 8, 2010

For the sake of 8 days I would have thought they would be able to come to some sort of arrangement.

Linehill · March 9, 2010

This all relates to the small auxillary Battery. It is too small for the Lexus and does not have enough residual power reserve. See the previous forum I put up a few months ago about leaving the parking lights on. We all agree this is a serious design fault, but Lexus don't agree, and the tray for the Battery is so small you cannot install a larger,more powerful Battery.

The best solution is to buy an engine starter/tyre compressor unit. Mine is a Blackspur and cost about £25 from The Range hardware store. There are many advertised on google. they consist of a built in dry battery/jump leads/compressor. A useful piece of kit. If you flatten the aux: Battery this will kick the ready system in to life. Regards Linehill (RX400h owner)

lfoggy · March 9, 2010

The 12v Battery on this car is simply too small. On mine you can listen to a cd for about 45 minutes with the ignition off before the Battery goes flat and if you leave an interior light on you will be lucky to be able to start the car the next day. I've never had the Battery go flat from just leaving the car parked up however, even for many weeks, which is a problem others have reported.

Once you are aware of this weakness in the design you get used to it and just need to be careful not to leave electrical stuff on with the ignition off....

The engine starter is a good idea

scoop · March 10, 2010

Thanks for every ones comments. Just to give an update. Took it to the local Lexus dealer and they did a test on the Battery while I waited. They said the Battery was fine and put the problem down to running the radio and DVd system with the engine off.

If nothing else I will know what the flashing dashboard display means :)