Battery Life

[KayCee]

I have 2005 gs300 i was recenfly waiting for my wife to come out of the hairdressers i was sat in car approx 45 min. Eventualy the wife appeared I started car and it only just turned over and luckily it fired up I never would have thought that 45 mins of the radio would flaten the Battery. At its lasr service Battery got a clean bill of health.

As anybody else come across this or is it a new Battery

Thanks Robert

[scudney]

How old is the Battery??some newer cars have the radios programmed to work for an hour maximum if car is stationary or engine not in use.Remember that while the engine is not running,and your radio is on the Battery is not being recharged via alternator,so will eventually run flat,hope this helps

[dave1]

Get the Battery tested. How long have you owned the car?

[steve2006]

I did the same with my LS when I was valeting it once, left the doors open and the stereo on for around an hour and the Battery was almost new.

[KayCee]

Thanks for replies Gents the Battery may be origional not sure so would be on way out i suppose, can a larger Battery go in there as in this day of traffic jams on motorways etc i could end up again in this position

[dave1]

I would doubt if its original, maybe 2nd as batteries are unlikely to last 9 years. Pointless putting a Battery in that is larger since the alternator etc will have been chosen at factory to be the best for the Battery specified. I don't see why motorway traffic jams would cause your Battery to lose charge? Best to get the Battery tested (free at most places) and if it is no good replace with the specified Battery.

[KayCee]

The Battery is an origional exactly as in the hand book with the window in to check healh it was white which means charging required.

I put on my charger and charger indicated half charged i left it on over night and light said Fully Charged but Blue light on Battery was still white

I may take it and get it checked at an Auto Electritian today but i immediatly noticed Dash lights were brighter so maybe was just a bit run down it asnt had any long runs last couple of weeks .

[ColinBarber]

measure the voltage of the Battery after leaving overnight before starting, I will probably be well down from the excepted 12.6-12.7v. I suspect the Battery has lost quite a bit of its capacity due to age and will self discharge quite quickly. You won't need a bigger Battery, just one that is fully functioning.

9 years is probably about right for the standard OEM Battery, Toyota tend to fit reasonable quality batteries at the factory.

[TigerFish]

Is it user serviceable? i.e. Can the electrolyte be topped up with distilled water. If the cells are low, it can effect the charge it will hold. Not many are these days, but worth a check.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

[KayCee]

Yes it can be topped up there is a Low Level mark and a High one and the level is smack in middle but i did notice after charging the window with the colors in was red but only faint which means needs topping up.

I will get some distilled water today and bring level up to high mark

Would that be ok ?

Robert

[Flakmann]

If you get two years out of a cheapo Battery, you are doing well.

So if your Battery is original and is over nine years old, then I think it`s on borrowed time.

[KayCee]

Right gents

I put the multimeter on it this morning here are the results

12.6 before anthing done Battery cold etc

i then started it and was showing 14.4

put headlights on heated screen and fog lights it dropped to 13.9

this was all at tickover as i couldnt check by reving on my own

but im sure those readings are ok it must have been one of those times was a little low as i recall i didnt go too far in the car that week and was stood 4 days prior

The Battery looks newish so maybe it had been changed prior to me getting it and as been serviced all its life at Lexus

[Flakmann]

12.6, after standing? Looks good to me.

And your alt`s doing its stuff.