12v battery maintenance

[Roy124]

You do NOT need to DRIVE for 40 minutes a week.   You need to put it in READY mode for 40 minutes if you do not drive it.  That is a completely different process.

Put it in Ready mode, switch off your aircon and lights, wipers, etc and the HV Battery will recharge the 12v Battery and only start the ICE to top itself up.

My Yaris Cross was well charged before a holiday (4 hours driving) and left for 16 days.  The start voltage was 12.70v.  After 2 days it had dropped to 12.39v.  After 5 days dropped to 12.22v.  It then remained around this to the end.  That drop was not linear as it showed a flat line when we got home.

[Roy124]

The voltages I showed above may not be completely accurate but the important thing is the change in voltage.

Where you have a problem I suggest you take a daily reading at the same time each day.  If you have a significant drop over several days without use you can show your data with the garage.

On my Corolla I could show a daily drop exceeding 0.1v compared to that <0.03v on my YC last month.  The garage changed the Battery without quibbling.

The problem for a second owner is you have no idea if it has hard previous problems. 

[Marjan]

1 hour ago, Roy124 said:

You do NOT need to DRIVE for 40 minutes a week.   You need to put it in READY mode for 40 minutes if you do not drive it.  That is a completely different process.

Put it in Ready mode, switch off your aircon and lights, wipers, etc and the HV battery will recharge the 12v battery and only start the ICE to top itself up.

My Yaris Cross was well charged before a holiday (4 hours driving) and left for 16 days.  The start voltage was 12.70v.  After 2 days it had dropped to 12.39v.  After 5 days dropped to 12.22v.  It then remained around this to the end.  That drop was not linear as it showed a flat line when we got home.

I will receive my car in few days. 
Can you explain exactly how to put in ready mode?

Thanks🙂

[philip42h]

41 minutes ago, Marjan said:

I will receive my car in few days. 
Can you explain exactly how to put in ready mode?

Thanks🙂

😄 the dealer will show you before you drive off the forecourt - 'cos you wouldn't be able to drive off the forecourt unless you are in Ready mode. It just means 'started', on, and ready to go.

With the key on your person / in the car, place your foot on the brake, and press Start ... 😉

[Roy124]

As Philip says:

I would add, when the engine is cold it, the ICE - Internal Combustion Engine - will start.

If you do not drive off, once the engine is at operating temperature it will stop.  It remains in Ready mode and will restart periodically to top up the HV Battery. 

Unlike a pure ICE car you do not need to switch off to 'save' petrol if one of you remains in the car at the shops.

PS, I didn't know about Ready mode until the AA Man started the car for me.

[UncleZen]

I just got back from my second service (12k miles). Car started OK and drove to dealer OK, but apparently stopped during service, 12v Battery too low. 

I was advised to leave the car in Ready mode (standing or driven) for 1 hour per week. As a result of the 'flat' batteries I've had (no fault with Battery found according to dealer) the Hybrid Health Check could not be done. They even suggested getting solar trickle charger!

On that subject does anyone have a solar trickle charger?

[O.W.L.]

I'm not sure that any insurance company would be too impressed if you leave a car in ready mode then clear off indoors for 40 minutes whilst it gets stolen.

Could that even happen if put it in ready mode and take the keys indoors?

[Roy124]

Unlocked,  in Ready Mode,  the car is good to go though it will say key not detected.   It cannot be restarted after it is switched off.

Now the car, YC for example,  can be started with the doors locked by using the App and conditioning but only for 10 minutes.

Also, you may be able to lock the car whilst it is in Ready mode by using the manual key.

[UncleZen]

2 hours ago, Roy124 said:

Also, you may be able to lock the car whilst it is in Ready mode by using the manual key.

Yes, I've done this. 

FYI. In the 1 hour in ready mode the ICE started up for about 3 mins.

[Roy124]

Zen, did you think to check the HV values before and after?

Guessing, it could have been high to start and minimum at the end.  Did you switch off all non essentials as well?

[Big_D]

6 hours ago, UncleZen said:

On that subject does anyone have a solar trickle charger?

Yes, I have one. I have the AA Solar Battery charger. I have, however, never had the need to use it on my C-HR, or Yaris. I did use it on my motorbike Battery and it worked fine.

I have checked with Toyota (my local Dealer) and they have said this this will be fine to use on the C-HR, plugged into the OBDC port. 

[UncleZen]

19 hours ago, Roy124 said:

Zen, did you think to check the HV values before and after?

Guessing, it could have been high to start and minimum at the end.  Did you switch off all non essentials as well?

No it didn't occur to me until afterwards! But I will next week.

And yes. I switched off the radio and hvac, during the 1 hour, which actually coincide with me cleaning the car. 

[Chas G]

Does anybody know definitively what make of 12 volt Battery is fitted to the chr?

[philip42h]

2 hours ago, Chas G said:

Does anybody know definitively what make of 12 volt battery is fitted to the chr?

No.

But the Battery in my wife's 2021 C-HR is a Mutlu - a Turkish made Battery in a Turkish made car ... 😉

[Chas G]

8 minutes ago, philip42h said:

No.

But the battery in my wife's 2021 C-HR is a Mutlu - a Turkish made battery in a Turkish made car ... 😉

Thanks for your response which has answered my question 👍

[Marjan]

I just returned from a long 2 months vacation. C-HR was sleeping😴all the time and waiting for my return. 
long story short,the car turned ON without any problem👍

[UncleZen]

So, as the car is 2 years old. And the general concensus is that the factory batteries are of relatively low quality.

If I were to change the existing Battery which is made by Mutlu and is 45ah what quality brand do people recommend? And what is the next step up in capacity (ah)?

 

[Roy124]

26 minutes ago, UncleZen said:

So, as the car is 2 years old. And the general concensus is that the factory batteries are of relatively low quality.

If I were to change the existing battery which is made by Mutlu and is 45ah what quality brand do people recommend? And what is the next step up in capacity (ah)?

 

Battery replacement is a distress purchase.  Until you have indications that your Battery is failing I would forget about it.

PS

I googled for my car, one quote was Varta 44AHr for £53.01.  Another was £50 with Bosch at £53.

Halfords were asking £££.  KwikFit were in the same ball park.

[Cyker]

The Yuasa HSB202/YBX5202 seems to be the Battery of choice for Mutley refugees so far.

If mine goes that's what I'm intending to switch to, but 3 years and no problems so far!

 

[Roy124]

9 minutes ago, Cyker said:

The Yuasa HSB202/YBX5202 seems to be the battery of choice for Mutley refugees so far.

If mine goes that's what I'm intending to switch to, but 3 years and no problems so far!

 

Cheapest I found was £59.64.

[philip42h]

2 hours ago, UncleZen said:

So, as the car is 2 years old. And the general concensus is that the factory batteries are of relatively low quality.

If I were to change the existing battery which is made by Mutlu and is 45ah what quality brand do people recommend? And what is the next step up in capacity (ah)?

As above, Yuasa seem to be the better brand of choice. If you put your car's details into their Battery finder you can see what they recommend. I suspect it may be the YBX5012 at 54 Ah that would be the biggest upgrade, but then check and double check the dimensions to be sure that it will fit and that the positive and negative terminals are the correct way around for your car ... 😉

[Cyker]

The Mk4 OE Battery is 170x170x190mm which is what the YBX5202 is; 5012 might be too big to fit unless the fixing thingy is adjustable...

[philip42h]

21 minutes ago, Cyker said:

The Mk4 OE battery is 170x170x190mm which is what the YBX5202 is; 5012 might be too big to fit unless the fixing thingy is adjustable...

UncleZen has a C-HR; Yuasa say the 5012 will fit - else I wouldn't have mentioned it. But it all needs sanity checking ...

[Cyker]

Ah you're right sorry, my Yaris fixation in effect again  

[UncleZen]

So for the benefit of @Roy124 I probably should have mentioned that 3 days without driving the car is the capacity right now. So it's not something I shouldn't be concerned with.

I will look at the Yuasa and double check dimensions before purchase.

Thanks.