12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[Hibird]

19 minutes ago, Max_Headroom said:

 

If you genuinely believe "a significant number were not complaints in fact just the opposite" you really do need to read the whole thread (as i have) and not make huge assumptions! 

Lets assume as you like to a third of the 325 are by members having problems with the 12v battery so over 100 members who don't drive their cars more than once a week are having major problems with the 12v battery, i imagine only a small percent of Yaris hybrid drivers drive so  infrequently that this becomes an issue 

I do not intend to count the posts but out of the 325 posts many will be arguing that there is NOT an issue.  I guess you don't agree and that's fine.

My Mk4 Yaris was a great car, maybe not perfect but what is. You don't but we do not need to agree !

Not sure where the once a week comes from but if it was 200 miles not sure it would matter.

[Graham47]

“100 members” is your assumption not Mikes.

My ‘guess’ is significantly less than that.

[Max_Headroom]

10 minutes ago, Hibird said:

I do not intend to count the posts but out of the 325 posts many will be arguing that there is NOT an issue.  I guess you don't agree and that's fine.

I am not asking you too count them i am asking you to read them, you made a sweeping statement that "a significant number were not complaints in fact just the opposite" based on nothing as you haven't read the thread, the majority of posts are by members having issues with the Battery and how they have managed to get round the issue few are from members who drive more than once or twice a week as they are not having any problems this thread is about those that drive so infrequently that the 12v Battery needs to be topped up by a charger or the car will let them down.

[Max_Headroom]

10 minutes ago, Graham47 said:

“100 members” is your assumption not Mikes.

My ‘guess’ is significantly less than that.

His assumption having not read the thread was "a significant number were not complaints in fact just the opposite"  do keep up at the back.

Thanks for the guess try reading  the thread as i did then no guesswork is necessary  😉

[Hibird]

16 minutes ago, Max_Headroom said:

I am not asking you too count them i am asking you to read them, you made a sweeping statement that "a significant number were not complaints in fact just the opposite" based on nothing as you haven't read the thread, the majority of posts are by members having issues with the battery and how they have managed to get round the issue few are from members who drive more than once a week as they are not having any problems this thread is about those that drive so infrequently that the 12v battery needs to be topped up by a charger or the car wull let them down.

I have read all the posts during this threads life and still think a MK4 Yaris purchase would be a good choice and far better than some other market offerings.

I think Graham is where he needs to be and does not need the keep up at the back stuff .... really sir !

 

[Max_Headroom]

21 minutes ago, Hibird said:

I have read all the posts during this threads life and still think a MK4 Yaris purchase would be a good choice and far better than some other market offerings.

 

As i posted earlier i am not knocking the Cross and one day will own one i agree they "are far better than some other market offerings" 

Customers who drive so infrequently that it causes this known issue *should be made aware this could cause problems and ICE engine model would probably be more suitable.

* Sales staff are never going to talk a customer out of spending £22,000+ so this will carry on.

Remember when DPF's started to appear on Diesels people who lived in cities and big towns were not told the car needed a good run regularly to keep the DPF problem free and they then choked costing many hundreds of pounds to get them cleaned or replaced.

Toyota should get their act together and sort this Battery issue.

 

[Hibird]

37 minutes ago, Max_Headroom said:

As i posted earlier i am not knocking the Cross hybrid and i intend to get one,  customers who drive so infrequently that it causes this known issue *should be made aware this could cause problems and ICE engine model would probably suite them.

* Sales staff are never going to talk a customer out of spending £22,000+ so this will carry on like when DPF's started to appear on Diesels people who lived in cities and big towns didn't know the car needed a good run regularly to keep the DPF problem free and they then choked costing many hundreds of pounds to get them cleaned or replaced.

Toyota should also get their act together and sort this.

 

I fully support any actions that Toyota may take that enhances customer satisfaction but the wheels turn slowly and I have heard nothing about possible future innovation to reduce the issue that some suffer continuing. Lets hope I am wrong

I never had a DPF so missed out on that party so was 'lucky' on that one.

"ICE engine model would probably suite them." not if they want a Hybrid

 

 

[Graham47]

22 minutes ago, Hibird said:

"ICE engine model would probably suite them." not if they want a Hybrid

 

 

It would be very interesting if we could get feed back from non-UK markets where ICE engined Mk 4s are available…

[Max_Headroom]

10 minutes ago, Graham47 said:

"ICE engine model would probably suite them." not if they want a Hybrid

Obviously if they want hybrid a non hybrid is not going to suit them and if they don't drive more than once a week a hybrid isn't going to suit them either and they'll be down £22,000 when they find out the latter.

[Hibird]

2 minutes ago, Max_Headroom said:

Obviously if they want hybrid a non hybrid is not going to suit them having said that if they don't drive more than once a week a hybrid isn't going to suit them either,  a classic catch 22!

I don't know anyone that drives once a week but accept such people must exist perhaps full electric is for them assuming budget and infrastructure allow. Anyway not something I have to worry about

 

[Max_Headroom]

1 hour ago, Hibird said:

1 hour ago, Max_Headroom said:

Obviously if they want hybrid a non hybrid is not going to suit them having said that if they don't drive more than once a week a hybrid isn't going to suit them either,  a classic catch 22!

Expand  

I don't know anyone that drives once a week

Neither do I and I said early in the thread that if this is a problem drive the car more often instead of looking at it from your kitchen window it's a very expensive garden ornament, that didn't go down well with the infrequent drivers.

I think the problem first reared his head when we had COVID lockdown and we were not allowed to drive, owners that didn't know how to use  "ready"  ended up with flat batteries and then ones that don't drive often added to the thread, now lockdown has ended we are seeing more of the I don't drive often types of posts, it's a shame as people will be put off buying a hybrid if the are not regular drivers and Toyota could fix this by putting a bigger Battery in but I bet they don't.

[Trewithy]

Is it possible to go to an independent Battery supplier and get them to install a Battery with a greater capacity? 

[Max_Headroom]

20 minutes ago, Trewithy said:

Is it possible to go to an independent battery supplier and get them to install a battery with a greater capacity? 

Good point,  i wonder if Toyota supply a heavy duty Battery that will fit. 

[Roy124]

No names, but in our last village we had a thriving high street, 2 supermarkets and 27 different places where you could eat or drink. 

If you used your car it was for the half mile trip to pick up the groceries.  We did not have a taxi service and a minority in God's waiting room used mobility scooters. 

Our E220 was definitely overspecced for the village. Is was, OTOH, ideal for transporting 4 adults from 2 locations, 200 miles, to a cruise terminal. 

Regarding a larger Battery, my dealer fitted a 42 AHr Battery to replace the failed 35 AHr OEM one. 

Covid lockdown was certainly a Battery killer and many cars would have been ownered pre-lockdown and before Ready mode once a week was advised.  Even once the issue was identified it took time to spread the word. 

At least the numbers who are now worried shows the knowledge has spread. Similarly, the numbers who have problems point to dealers not ensuring the lesson is taught. 

However it is perhaps not surprising that a dealer is going to minimise such problems. 

[Cyker]

We talked about whether a bigger Battery would help in another thread already; My thought was it might help initially as there's more charge to use up, but if the car isn't used much it'd still be in the same boat - Not enough charge being put into it in the first place, so it'd eventually run down and be back at square 1.

 

[Roy124]

Cyker, true to a point if discharge always exceeded recharge.   However if, say, a proper recharge occurred every 3 weeks but the small Battery failed after 2 weeks a larger capacity Battery would do the trick. 

I have now got my Battery monitor wired in to my CTEK charging cable and my phone is within BT range of the car. I can learn how the battery behaves over time. 

[Mikw]

On 2/9/2023 at 5:41 PM, Ken Machin said:

It seems that the 12v battery is not fit for purpose. Twice in the space of a few weeks my car has failed to start although it sits in my garage and is not exposed to extreme cold. I have had to call on Toyota Assist to get me going.

I now discover that this is not just my problem but quite widespread. I understand that by putting the car in ready mode and leaving it for 60 minutes regularly will cure the problem, even if the petrol engine is not running. The 12 v battery will be charged. I am able to do this in a locked garage, (with appropriate ventilation), but cannot turn off my lights since there is no off position on the new model, unlike my previous Yaris. This I guess will reduce the effectiveness of the charge.

Another way to keep the battery charged is to use a trickle charger. I have had conflicting advise about this. Both AA men tell me that I can charge the battery using the position connection under the bonnet with the negative attached appropiately to another part of the engine, whereas my Toyota garage says that this is not the case and the battery can only be charged when directly connected. This is difficult due to the position of the battery under the rear seat. Does anyone have a definative answer to this question?

 

 

When i do a "ready mode" session i reverse the car out of the garage a few feet and the lights turn off.

Other than that if i've had a short journey i'll just sit in it for a bit with the car still in ready mode and read for a few minutes.

[Mikw]

Just wondering what happens if you don't press the brake during start up?

I have to confess i do forget sometimes.

[Derek.w]

If you dont press the brake then some system start up and 12 volt Battery will charge but HV Battery will not charge.

You can charge the 12 volt Battery from under the bonnet but its not the best method I prefer a more direct rout so I have a connector plug fitted in the rear footwell  for quick connection.

[Max_Headroom]

10 hours ago, Mikw said:

Other than that if i've had a short journey i'll just sit in it for a bit with the car still in ready mode and read for a few minutes.

A good excuse to sit in the supermarket car park while the other half does the shopping  😉

[Roy124]

Mike raises an interesting point as does Derek. 

If you put the car in accessory mode, to listen to the radio for instance, it will shut down after a while to preserve the 12v Battery.  Or is it to preserve the HV Battery? 

I have a Battery monitor on so just put the car into accessory mode.  Voltage immediately dropped to 12v with no sign that the HV was charging the LV.  Must admit I switched off at this point rather than give the system time to activate if necessary. 

[Roy124]

Regarding charging.  As Derek suggests, a hard wire lead to  the Battery is best.  I got the garage to fit the lead and I can connect a CTEK charger using a long connection lead. 

I connect my Battery monitor to that lead when not using it for charging.  I have also connected the CTEK via the fuse box so that I csn use the Battery monitor at the same time. 

As Tony has said elsewhere, don't worry, but I admit to watching the battery monitor is instructive.  It has a trip output, same as hybrid coaching but the graphics seem inverted.  At low speed, manoeuvring on battery the track is shown red.  Descending a hill, presumably while the HV is regenerated the route shows green. 

[Cyker]

2 hours ago, Roy124 said:

If you put the car in accessory mode, to listen to the radio for instance, it will shut down after a while to preserve the 12v battery.  Or is it to preserve the HV battery? 

I think it is to preserve the 12v - All the cars I've owned did that in some way, even my crappy old Fiesta! And although that had surprisingly good traction it definitely didn't have a traction Battery!  

 

[TonyHSD]

25 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I think it is to preserve the 12v - All the cars I've owned did that in some way, even my crappy old Fiesta! And although that had surprisingly good traction it definitely didn't have a traction battery!  

 

This will apply to all accessories including interior lights, headlights, acc mode however doing it often will still kill your 12v Battery.
The hybrid Battery in Toyota cars can get damaged by water, moisture damage or heat , and eventually from lack of use if been completely discharged for extended period of time 6+ months, accidental car in scrap yards for example. 👍

[JimToday]

Agree the system is rubbish and Toyota don't care. We carry a car Battery and jump leads using at least once a week. We also plug in a solar panel trickle feed. I wonder if it is possible to get a crank handle to start it as I had on my first car.