Completely Dead Electrics

[MJM444]

Started my LS400 on Saturday after non use of car for 3weeks and all was fine started straight away, went to start two days later and would not turn over I.e. dash lights on but. dimmed on turning key to start, don't know if I may have left something on from the Saturday.

Connected Battery to charger but did not appear to take charge and everything seemed to be dead electric wise.

Got a friend to try and Jump start with his 4 x4 I.e. Heavy Duty Battery but mine would nor turn over and everything looked dead I.e. no illumination at all.

Any suggestions ????

[steve2006]

Seems strange but if your Battery is completely shot it could cause the symptoms you have, my advice to to buy yourself a new Battery, fit it and then go from there.

[Bluesman]

How old is the dead Battery. Very cold temp over the weekend would easily knock out a dying Battery. Mike

[abs66]

New Battery is where I would start too.

Got mine from Toyota for a very reasonable price.

[MJM444]

The Battery is only 2 years old - the point is if another vehicle is connected up to mine I should get some reaction but my vehicle remains completely dead - should not happen even if my Battery was naff ?

[soundchaser100]

You need to disconnect your Battery from the car, then connect the external one as the only one. If it starts then, you know for sure if its your Battery or not.

Paul

[mikeyv]

Normally a jump from a good Battery using good quality leads will get you started, so I'd look first for a poor connection at the Battery.

Next step if connections are good, either try a known good Battery, or get yours tested before shelling out for a new one, especially as it's not very old..

[black400]

i had this happen before on two cars new Battery for some reason the old fckd Battery prevents the jump

[ROYT]

Did you leave the Battery on charge for a reasonable length of time..say a few hours?

Sometimes a very flat Battery is reluctant to charge at first and picks up after a while.

It could be a bad cell, as previous posts, have Battery tested first.

[brendangeorge]

Hi MJM - the AA if you are a member will test your Battery if you call them out. I had a similar problem when I had a duff 3 year old bat and could not boost it - the AA blokes nuclear power pack got it going though. I tried to charge it but the damn thing would not hold any - I ended up buying a new bat and have no probs now.

Bren

[ManicMark]

I would agree on there being a duff cell on the Battery, The cold weather has just finished it off. My mate has just had the same on his ls400 Battery only 8 months old & died this weekend, He only uses the car once in a while for a 30 mile round trip then it might sit for 3 weeks.

[Scribe]

I've had a similar problem with two cars. The batteries just failed suddenly, rather than running down and being coaxed along for a while with a charge. New batteries cured the problems in both cases. Maybe batteries are like everything else these days: expensive but poorly made, and you have to just chuck them away and replace them?

[Baldeagle]

Pain in the arse having a dead Battery, I just bit the bullet, and bought a new Battery for my LS400 yesterday, fitted it, am charging the old and keeping it for a spare, these models use a lot of battery-power when running,what with all the extra electronics, I realise the alternator should be up to the job of keeping it charged, but it's good to be prepared.

[Bluesman]

Pain in the arse having a dead battery, I just bit the bullet, and bought a new battery for my LS400 yesterday, fitted it, am charging the old and keeping it for a spare, these models use a lot of battery-power when running,what with all the extra electronics, I realise the alternator should be up to the job of keeping it charged, but it's good to be prepared.

I wouldn't waste your electricity keeping a duff Battery charged up. Mike

[Malc]

and I would go straight to Toyota / Lexus to buy your replacement Battery ... with a 3 year warranty and their assurance that it will probably last 5 years .

Might be the cheapest around anyway !"

I found that with my new Mk3 Battery

Malc

[brendangeorge]

and I would go straight to Toyota / Lexus to buy your replacement battery ... with a 3 year warranty and their assurance that it will probably last 5 years .

Might be the cheapest around anyway !"

I found that with my new Mk3 battery

Malc

The AA did me a good deal (sounds implausible) and I got a 3 year warranty as well.

Bren

[Bluesman]

and I would go straight to Toyota / Lexus to buy your replacement battery ... with a 3 year warranty and their assurance that it will probably last 5 years .

Might be the cheapest around anyway !"

I found that with my new Mk3 battery

Malc

Only way to go. Mike

[steve2006]

Same here with the Toyota Battery, cost me £80.00 IIRC.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Don't know about the LS but Lexus were £85 for my Battery on my IS and they fitted it for me for no extra.

£25 cheaper than Halfords :)

[Bluesman]

Lexus did mine, included fitting, coffe, morning paper, Sky News and a pretty receptionist looking after me. Mike

[steve2006]

Hmmm I think I got short changed, I had to carry it from reception to the car and then fit it myself. :D

[Bluesman]

Hmmm I think I got short changed, I had to carry it from reception to the car and then fit it myself. :D

Lexus Reading. Mike

[MJM444]

Hi all

Finally got the Battery charged, as royt said, the Battery was dead flat and it appears it takes a couple of hours before the charger kicks in before charging, the charger i have got has a setting for water filled batteries or gelatine i'm assuming mine is gelatine based, anyhow i had the charger on for 15hours fast charge and my car fired up first time - i'm not sure if I may have left the door not properly closed causing the Battery to drain right down, but if it happens again, first stop the Battery shop. I appreciate all the feed back from members it is one great thing being a member of the club. p.s can a dead flat Battery be tested

MJM444

[brendangeorge]

Hi MJM - you need to charge the Battery to test it - a real test is its capacity and CCA (cold cranking amps) for your 400 I think you need a 610A CCA and 70AH. A battery's life is governed by how many charge discharge cycles you put it through and how deep you discharge it. Car batteries do not like being flattened - they are designed for a large number (hundreds) of low level discharges, like when you start your car and then charge the bat by driving. If you keep flattening your Battery you will kill its life (i.e. reduce the number of charge discharge cycles available) and may cause it physical damge.

You will soon see if your bat is in good nick in the cold weather we are having.

Good luck

Bren

[ambermarine]

When I got the new Lexus in July MK 4 The Battery was knackered it was done in before driving the car up from Cheltenham because next day it was flat after a 350 mile trip.

I got a brand new one from My local supplier and that was flat after leaving the car stood for a week/ten days.

I spoke to Lexus and they informed me that the Mark 4 will drain a Battery in that time through the security system operation .

I now started to realize why the previous owner had fitted a switch allowing ignition by pass of the cigarette lighter so he could have a solar panel charger in the car,he only did nine thousand miles in 13 years.

I don't have enough light coming into my garage for a solar panel so I now use an intelligent charger to keep the Battery topped up .My previous Mark 1 had a switch allowing you to turn off the security but the only way you can do that on this mark 4 is leaving the key in the ignition or disconnecting the Battery, both no no's.