Bootleg

Hi. I followed the same path from a VW Golf 3 years ago, via test drives of the usual German suspects, until my brother who has run a RX450H for 12+ years suggested I try Lexus. The RX was not my preference, but the IS300H caught my eye so I had one for a 24 hour test. The customer service I experienced from Lexus Bristol was way above what the unhelpful Audi/BMW/Merc showrooms were giving (in all honesty, it was virtually zero). Been running a Premium IS300H happily ever since. I will point out that the auxiliary Battery can be a gotcha if you don't run your car for a while. Plenty on here about that, especially during the pandemic.

5 hours ago, LenT said:

According to my CTEK it can be left connected without any risk of overcharging.  The charger does do a voltage check and indicates the percentage of charge, although how it does that may vary with the model of charger.

Mine also has a conditioning function but I have yet to use that.  Do you have a manual for it?

Thanks.

I guess there's no harm, just wondering if new batteries need it.

I've got the whole kit and manual. It's an AGM Battery and I don't believe conditioning cycles make any difference. 

Update. This arrived 2 days later and is now fitted. Lexus Bristol are still saying they're still on back order for them and surprised I sourced it myself from Lexus Direct.

Question 1: I've a CTEK trickle charger and the comfort connector attached to the 12v Battery. Will the Battery benefit from a charge now?

Question 2: the car is off road but unsecure. Planning to charge via the boot, any recommendations for leaving car as secure as possible?

Thanks

https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/parts/lexus-is/lexus-is-phase-iii-2013-present/lexus-is-3-engine-service-kits/lexus-is-phase-3-12v-starter-battery/

are back in stock, at least when I ordered one today. 3 working days for delivery.

£119

The Ctec charger has arrived. I assumed I'd have an AGM Battery, but there is no obvious indicator of this, or model number, though not much of the Battery is on show. Any ideas? The charging cycles are distinctly different between normal and AGM so I'm assuming i need to set the mode correctly. 

3 hours ago, LenT said:

 

3 hours ago, LenT said:

Did you order the additional charging leads?
These can be connected directly to the battery posts and merge into a single plug.  This connects to a similar connector from the CTEK.

It comes with the comfort connect eyelets if that's what you're referring to.

14 hours ago, Superduner said:

I put this one in:

Amazon.fr : Bosch S4021 Batterie de Voiture 45A/h-330A

 

That's the one the AA fitted to my brothers car.

14 hours ago, Superduner said:

Amazon.fr : TONWON Testeur de Batterie, 12V Bluetooth Automobile Charge Testeur de Batterie Analyseur Numérique Mal Pile Outil de Test

which really has helped me to work out what's going on under the bonnet.  Can't recommend it enough as a diagnostic tool.

If anyone is interested, I'll post the voltage graphs over 8 days of non use.

It is clear to me though that you have to use the car an awful lot to maintain anything like the full rated charge, and in winter, with lights and so on, it may not even be possible.

I'd be interested. I agree. I ran the car in Ready mode for 2 hours and a run of 1 hour and it held it's charge better, so the 1 hour recommendation could be too low. CTEK charger on order.

Thanks

Any updates on experience of non Lexus batteries?

My Battery is now well and truly done for. Below 10v in 2 days. 

Lexus had it in twice last year and all they did was charge it up and tell me to use it more. I'm using it 2 or 3 times a week, at least one hour ready mode, and if it goes more than 2 days the alarm goes off and I have to use the booster. 

They're still out of stock, patronising and bloody no help over the phone. 

I contacted Kwikfit who said bring it in and they'd take a look to determine best alternative. 

My brother had his replaced on his RX450h by the AA man when they called out Lexus Roadside assistance. 

8 hours ago, Linas.P said:

Because it is not Lexus. ... Top of the range Toyota... maybe, better than CT.. indeed. But it is not Lexus and comparing it with proper Lexus car is pointless...

Don't get me wrong CT, UX, ES are still great quality cars, but they are distinctively Toyotas, not Lexus.

Thanks for clarifying. To be honest, driving a Lexus badged car off a Lexus forecourt, it was an easy mistake to make.  

I guess it's economics, but at the risk of diluting the brand.

On 2/26/2021 at 8:13 PM, Bounce75 said:

When I picked my new IS 300h up a few weeks ago I noticed after driving it home & playing around with it that the Sat Nav was out of date.

I contacted the dealer I purchased it from & was told the update was free as it should have been done before I picked it up, problem was the purchasing dealer is nearly 200 miles away.

I contacted my local dealer who was brilliant, arranged for Nav to be updated for free & also programmed my windows to ope/close on remote.

They lent me a top of the range UX whilst this work was being done & I must say I am glad I bought an IS.

The UX to me seems to have a lot more plastic on the interior & seems like a downgrade, the seats I found were not as comfortable, the dash layout I also found not as appealing as the IS, but the biggest drawback for me was the look, I personally do not think it is a very nice looking car (sorry to those that own one this is my opinion & is not meant as a put down).

The big plastic wheel arch surrounds look out of place & the body shape is not too great either, too futuristic for me.

I parked it next to my friends Merc GLA at work & a few of us were comparing them & the GLA won hands down.

I am so glad to be back in my IS, the way the seats hug me, the driving position & the controls are where I want them, I love it.

Here is to many (I Hope) happy years of IS ownership.

Have a good weekend everyone.

I had the same reaction with a courtesy UX. I realise it's an SUV, but it didn't feel like a Lexus, it had no character, it was just average. Shame the IS300h is discontinued.

I've had my IS300h more in lockdown than not. I did a significant amount of research beforehand, including this site, read as much of the manual as I could, plus my brother has had an RX450h for 13 years, yet my first call to roadside assistance was for a flat aux Battery, just before lockdown. It was the first time I was aware of the aux battery. The Battery and any drain problems have been checked out twice by Lexus as ok. I need to know enough to get the best out of any machine I buy, but this has really put a downer on owning what I thought was the most reliable car on the market. I've got a booster pack, etc, but every time I go to start it up, I wonder, and that lack of confidence really takes the shine of what I think is an otherwise excellent car. Lockdown has exacerbated this weakness into its Achilles Heel. If asked what I think about owning a Lexus hybrid I will always mention this fact. Most of my street are familiar with me having the bonnet up or my head in the boot as they drive away in their Audis, BMWs and Mercs.

On 5/18/2020 at 10:37 PM, F.A. said:

Our GSF has its first MOT and a service today at Bristol Lexus and our RX had a warranty repair carried out last week.  

My IS300 is due its first MOT in June. Have first MOTs not been extended 6 months as well?

The warranty and service are due July, but the warranty has been extended 3 months. Lexus Bristol have texted me to say service and MOT are due now. I'll call them to clarify the situation, but I am a little confused. 

16 hours ago, Thackeray said:

19 hours ago, Bootleg said:

I had one of devices for a previous car, and it burst during use, so I'm rather nervous of them

 

17 hours ago, Bootleg said:

despite being a scaredy cat I'll go down this route

What happened? Were you starting a conventional car with a conventional starter motor? Did the device claim to be big enough to start whatever size of engine you were starting?

Of course, in a hybrid car, you're only booting up the computers so the current really shouldn't be enough to overload the jump starter, particularly if it claims to be big enough to start, say, a 2.5  or 4 litre engine.

It was a conventional car. It had previously worked fine, must have been defective. I'd bought it from a local motor accessories shop who were mortified. They immediately refunded me, came out and replaced my Battery with a new one for free. Good customer service, or guilt?

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

3 hours ago, Bootleg said:

I saw the email from Lexus to start it up periodically. I haven't done this.

Um....why not?

To be honest, with one day being very much like the other I am completely unaware of the passage of time or what day of the week it is 😉

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

3 hours ago, Bootleg said:

Are there other alternatives to get it up and running more quickly?

Yes. As William says above, one of those small jump start Battery packs will get it going quickly.

Thanks - despite being a scaredy cat I'll go down this route.

41 minutes ago, Thackeray said:

You could start the car with one of these mini jump start devices like this

The prices seem to have gone up recently - perhaps lots of people are buying them because of flat batteries. Previously they were available for £20-30. I don't know this particular brand but there are a several of this kind of device available.

Once you've started the car, it will charge normally. Or if you don't run it for very long you can trickle charge the battery later with a separate charger.

Thanks - I had one of devices for a previous car, and it burst during use, so I'm rather nervous of them. I see there's another thread covering this. In all my research before purchasing the IS300h, I never came across this issue. Trouble free motoring seemed to be guaranteed.

I first had a the flat Battery back in January, after had my 2 year old IS300H for 6 months. Called out the AA and then had it checked out at local dealer who said it didn't need replacing. In the current climate of course, it is now flat again having last been used 3 weeks ago (although the sense of passing time is a bit weird at the moment). I saw the email from Lexus to start it up periodically. I haven't done this. Any views on how long you should do this for?

It looks like I need a trickle charger. The CTEK MXS 500 appears to be the recommended charger. How long will I need to run it, to get to a point where the car will start? Why a trickle charge? Are there other alternatives to get it up and running more quickly?

I have off road but not secure parking, will I just run a power cable out to the car perhaps going in an open window? Will there be alarm issues?