12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[RickyC]

I never heard the brake booster noise when I open the driver door.  Maybe because I open the left one and you the right one 😉

[Roy124]

26 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Hm, that is strange. Do you think the software is set not to activate brake booster when opening drivers door but only when you seat inside and step on the brake then? 
 

I think that might be the case.  Of course many parts of a cars operation are just happen without you noticing.  The brake operation in the Corolla was an unexpected noise.  In the Yaris, without specifically check, the brakes seem to activate as I press the pedal and press Start.  

Next time I will do it slowly and check. 

[TonyHSD]

I noticed recently a fiat 500 has the similar electric brake pump because the driver opened the drivers door and the car made exactly the same sound as my car and I was surprised, the fiat was just a petrol manual, not hybrid or electric. Try to make a note on your cars. Unlock and open drivers door. 👂🎧
Anyone else on Yaris or Yaris cross, do you hear a brake pump noise when you open the drivers door or not? 
Let’s see if Toyota did indeed made a change. 

[Dala]

I also don't hear any sound when opening the door

------------------------------

before unlocking the car

----------------------------------
unlocking the car

----------------------------------

opening the driver's door

---------------------------------

pressing the brake

---------------------------------

[Derek.w]

29 minutes ago, Dala said:

I also don't hear any sound when opening the door

 

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

I noticed recently a fiat 500 has the similar electric brake pump because the driver opened the drivers door and the car made exactly the same sound as my car and I was surprised, the fiat was just a petrol manual, not hybrid or electric. Try to make a note on your cars. Unlock and open drivers door. 👂🎧
Anyone else on Yaris or Yaris cross, do you hear a brake pump noise when you open the drivers door or not? 
Let’s see if Toyota did indeed made a change. 

I dont hear the brake servo start up but other stuff comes on ie dash light up plus outside lights come I presume you can turn this off in settings but have not looked sometimes just unlock at drivers door but do not pull it open just open its adjacent passanger door to retrive or insert. items,

[Expat_Yaris]

Reading this with interest. I live in Spain 40% of the year currently. Just ordered a Yaris hybrid to replace a 20 Yr old Merc I inherited. Only replacing the Merc as I wanted a car that I could rely on when I come over and the Merc was getting a bit long in the tooth (despite it flying through its Spanish ITV test this year). The 10 year (with services) Toyota warranty was my main reason to go Toyota. 

Obviously if I am out of the country 60% of the time the Yaris won't be started weekly, not even monthly at times. 

If I am reading the post here correctly I appear to have two choices to keep my Battery healthy. 

Either a solar charger or a Ctek solution, both of which are a not ideal. 

Solar involves leaving the car in direct sunlight, which kills the headlights and eats trim.

The Ctek charger would mean the car is kept in my garage, but I have concerns about how hot it would get in the summer months being on 24/7 for a month or more. 

I am somewhat reluctant to cancel my order (deposit paid etc), based solely on what has been written above, but I must admit to being somewhat concerned about the cars reliability. 

Are the above solutions my only choice?

I noticed someone mention li-on batteries on Tesla's are these incompatible with Toyota technology. (I'm not Battery tech savvy, so apologies for my ignorance). 

[Derek.w]

27 minutes ago, Expat_Yaris said:

Reading this with interest. I live in Spain 40% of the year currently. Just ordered a Yaris hybrid 

You can have car in the garage and fit a solar panel outside on a wall or a roof.

A more drastic option is disconnect the Battery but even then if standing for six month it will need recharging before refitting.

Use a ctek charger and set it on bike mode or ctek MXS 3.8 its fully automatic and will run cool as you not pushing 5 amps out of it at any time even in car mode.  (BEST CHOICE out of the three).

Enjoy your new car.

[Catlover]

Expat_Yari said

The Ctek charger would mean the car is kept in my garage, but I have concerns about how hot it would get in the summer months being on 24/7 for a month or more. . 

I have had a CTEK 5 for 3 years now, being used on 2 Toyota hybrids, sometimes one straight after the first. I have not had any problem with over heating at all. If you were to leave it plugged in for weeks, once it is up to max charge it will just “tick over”, that is just kick in for a trickle when the Battery depletes to a set limit (set by the CTEX). Sort out the cable run and you could leave the car outside of the garage whilst the CTEX is plugged inside the garage, easy to sort.  You can always make covers for the headlamp (bulbs) using a material (your choice) and double sided tape.

[Cyker]

The CTEK chargers are generally well-regarded and will look after themselves. They won't just cook themselves of overcharge the Battery. If Shmee150 can trust his fleet of supercars to them, I'm sure it will be fine.

But you're going from a Merc.... to a Yaris??  

I think that alone will take a lot of getting used to!!!!  

[Roy124]

I think you might be missing the point.  Spain gets hot regardless of the charger.  The solar panel on top of a car port would keep the Battery topped up.  It does not even require direct sunlight to work.

[Expat_Yaris]

Many thanks for the replies, I'm still positive about getting the car so will find the solution that works best. 

To answer Cyker's concern about moving from a Merc to a Yaris. The Merc is a 20 years old A class, I'm sure El Yaris will more than match it for size and features! 

Roy is correct that the heat and humidity in the garage is my main concern about the Ctek, its been over 40 degrees with 90% humidity at times! However I will give it a test over the winter months next year, assuming El Yaris arrives by then. 

I will probably have to do a mix and match of Ctek and solar charging depending on the time of year and how long it will be left inactive. 

[Roy124]

2 hours ago, Expat_Yaris said:

I will probably have to do a mix and match of Ctek and solar charging depending on the time of year and how long it will be left inactive. 

I got my garage to hard wire a CTEK tail to the Battery with the socket just accessible by the read seat.  This is more convenient than using the clip on connection as that requires removing the appropriate fuse box cover and clipping on the the Positive terminal.

[Bassa]

Anyone with a Yaris Crossover 22 having problems with the car not starting?
I have heard  that if you do not do mileage of over 7,000 miles per annum, roughly twenty/thirty miles per day the 12volt Battery will not take enough charge.  Therefore,  not really suitable for low mileage users, (3,000/4000) annual mileage, or around town running. 
Out of the twelve months I’ve had my car, it’s spent three months over this time in Toyota garage. 
The courtesy new car I’ve had for four weeks, guess what, it failed to start! 
On another site I read that it cannot be left for two weeks parking whilst on holiday without a dead Battery on return.

I ask, should I have been informed on purchase that the car may not be suitable for low use mileage? 

 

 

[Mikw]

I think you'll be ok if you put it in ready mode for 60 mins about once a week.

[Gray86]

If you have a driveway or garage, give it a quick charge with a CTEK MXS 5.0 charger. Really easy to connect up, and doesn’t need to be on charge all the time, every couple of weeks in winter, perhaps every month in summer. Charges in around 5hrs and can be left on whilst you go on holiday or leave the car for prolonged periods. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Similar topics merged.

[Roy124]

Bazza, lots of advice here, all sound and the best advice depends on where you keep your car: garage, carport, open drive, in the street etc. 

Then how you actually drive.  How long in time (not mileage) is any one trip.  When you go on holiday how long in time is your journey before the holiday. 

These all create your user profile.  Your dealer should have found out how you use your car and briefed you on Battery care. 

When I bought my first Toyota the dealer asked if 8,000 miles per annum was OK for the future value calculation. I asked for 12,000.  He raised his eyes but we would have done 12k apart from Covid.  Present car is at 6k in under 7 months. 

[APS]

On 3/1/2023 at 8:09 AM, Expat_Yaris said:

Roy is correct that the heat and humidity in the garage is my main concern about the Ctek, its been over 40 degrees with 90% humidity at times! However I will give it a test over the winter months next year, assuming El Yaris arrives by then. 

The chargers from CTEK are IP65 rated, so will cope with both splash (rain) and dust. Humidity will not be an issue. They (at least the MXS 5.0) also have temperature compensation that reduces the charge power at higher temperatures. It is rated to operate at between -20 and +50 degrees. That's the stated spec, then there will most likely be a broad margin of tolerance as well.

[CPN]

16 hours ago, Bassa said:

I have heard  that if you do not do mileage of over 7,000 miles per annum, roughly twenty/thirty miles per day the 12volt battery will not take enough charge.  Therefore,  not really suitable for low mileage users, (3,000/4000) annual mileage, or around town running.

Mine is a Yaris (same drivetrain) and it has just completed 8,156 miles after 2½ years of ownership/motoring which makes our annual mileage 3,262ish (at the low end of the 3000/4000 miles quoted) and we have never had a starting problem. So, I guess that blows that theory out of the water so to speak... 😉

[Roy124]

• Colin, true to a point.  It is the quality of the time powered up rather than the simple mileage driven.

Mileage is a simple measurable quantity.  What matters is how you achieve that.  Not prempting you, but one user might leave the car in Ready more at each opportunity whereas another may switch off.  The latter was the norm for many years - car stopped, engine off, ignition off.

[CPN]

36 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

• Colin, true to a point.  It is the quality of the time powered up rather than the simple mileage driven.

Mileage is a simple measurable quantity.  What matters is how you achieve that.  Not prempting you, but one user might leave the car in Ready more at each opportunity whereas another may switch off.  The latter was the norm for many years - car stopped, engine off, ignition off.

Good point and well made. In actual fact, there are many times when we both go out together and, since my wife has nothing to get out of the car for, I leave the car with her sat in it while I do a quick errand and during those times, I leave the car on and in Ready Mode... I'm sure that all those odd times add up to help the car out...

[Cyker]

Yeah it's a bit more complicated than just miles per year as it's more about time on in Ready mode. The mileage is just a simplified way to quantify it, but you could be doing low miles in a city, and due to crawling through 2mph average speed traffic for most of it, that would give the car ample time to put charge into the 12v Battery!

The advice Toyota published to keep the 12v Battery healthy (i.e. 30 mins on Ready mode) during lock down is still valid.

[Dala]

Cloudy today, I tried plugging in a 20W solar panel

  

[Bassa]

6 hours ago, CPN said:

Mine is a Yaris (same drivetrain) and it has just completed 8,156 miles after 2½ years of ownership/motoring which makes our annual mileage 3,262ish (at the low end of the 3000/4000 miles quoted) and we have never had a starting problem. So, I guess that blows that theory out of the water so to speak... 😉

Is yours a Yaris Cross 22?   You will see from other posts that solar panels and jump leads are being purchased as ‘add on’s’ to boost the Battery. 
I think the Battery design on this model may be different.

I did not buy a brand new car to buy ‘add on’s’ to keep the Battery going. 
It has been reported on posts that this model will not stand for one/two weeks without the battery going flat whilst on holiday. 
I am sure this is not the case with other models. I.e Lexus (same company) 

infact I know this as we have a  five year old hybrid Lexus we have NEVER had battery problems and has stood for, in some cases, four weeks whilst on holidays. Since retirement stands for days whilst using the YARIS CROSS to keep up the miles. 
I love this Yaris Cross it is a lovely car, but it’s let me down. 
 

 

[Bassa]

See Dala on post above re solar panel. I trust Dala will give info on the outcome.