12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[Cyker]

The least hassle route if you can afford it is to just get the Yuasa and fit it rather than jump through all these hoops.

That said mine is still working, although it said failed in the HHC certificate again (It has a section specifically for the 12v battery) after I had to take it back because they forgot to do the HHC when they did the service! . But that was after nearly 2 weeks of minimal use over the Easter Hols.

I think my high use is keeping it just alive enough, but I'm deffo keeping that NOCO charged and ready!   

 

[MC1216]

9 minutes ago, Cyker said:

The least hassle route if you can afford it is to just get the Yuasa and fit it rather than jump through all these hoops.

That said mine is still working, although it said failed in the HHC certificate again (It has a section specifically for the 12v battery) after I had to take it back because they forgot to do the HHC when they did the service! . But that was after nearly 2 weeks of minimal use over the Easter Hols.

I think my high use is keeping it just alive enough, but I'm deffo keeping that NOCO charged and ready!   

 

I agree about the Yuasa Battery (used them on many cars and simply no issues)

I joined this forum to find out what issues i might have buying a new Corolla and apart from the Battery issues,the Toyota app and now the RSA which won't switch off on 24 models i don't see many other issues.

Just buy a Battery...yes Toyota should have done better but spending 20/30k on a car what is another £100 for peace of mind.

[ChrisJohn]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yes, I will keep the NOCO ready but the biggest factor as far as I am concerned is that my wife has lost all faith in the car's reliability. That to me is the number one factor in choosing a brand and car. Whilst I am happy to rely on the NOCO, the Yaris Cross is my wife's car and I cannot expect her to use the NOCO. I am 80 and she will be very soon. A reliable car is an absolute must.

[ChrisJohn]

That last post got away before I was ready!  What I really want is for Toyota to admit that they got it wrong. Their advice to leave the car in “Ready” mode to allow it to top up the auxiliary Battery is not acceptable.  It is my understanding that this advice contravenes Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, “engine idling is an offence”. Am I wrong in this respect?

 

[Dala]

10 minutes ago, ChrisJohn said:

... this advice contravenes Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, “engine idling is an offence”...

 

I just hope Toyota doesn't follow the slogan:
Do you have the money for a new hybrid car? Then you can pay fines!

[Roy124]

Chris, correct (I think).  Find chapter and verse and hit them with it.

Downside is they may disable the ore-heater option. 

I can see a least cost option.  Persuade Mrs CJ that the problem has been fixed:

Get a new Battery as Cyker recommends.   Get the dealer to fit a charger tail to the Battery.  Put the car on charge once a week overnight.

That should avoid to cost of a new car.

PS

I have issues like this where something fails and should be replaced but a little investigation and remedial work does the trick.

[anchorman]

On 4/24/2024 at 7:26 PM, ChrisJohn said:

That last post got away before I was ready!  What I really want is for Toyota to admit that they got it wrong. Their advice to leave the car in “Ready” mode to allow it to top up the auxiliary battery is not acceptable.  It is my understanding that this advice contravenes Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, “engine idling is an offence”. Am I wrong in this respect?

 

They know Chris but there are a lot of cars with no problems and the floodgates will open on those too.  Have a read through the thread and you’ll find many a noble crusader that wants to tell Toyota a thing or two.  You’ll end up going to a lot of effort for nothing and you might eventually get a new Battery but at this stage, probably the same as the one you’ve got.  It is actually in hand and they are working on it but the best thing you can do is spend £75 and 20 minutes sticking a new Yuasa Battery under the back seat and be done with it.  Your faith will be restored in what is actually a very good car.  

[Derek.w]

I hope Toyota just fit a solar panel or two to the roof problem solved unless you car in the garage or has a covering of snow.

 

 

[Cyker]

I would have liked that as an option - I think they should just produce one body type instead of two (i.e. the current pano-roof/no-pano-roof) and if you don't want the pano roof stick a solar panel where the pano roof would have gone!  

You can get very cheap low efficiency solar panels that are literally printed onto a flexible polymer substrate so they are light and can even conform to the existing double-bubble shape of the non-pano roofs.

It could charge the 12v and maybe even supply some power to the traction Battery - While a solar panel on a roof the size of a Yaris' isn't going to output much power, when the traction Battery is only 700Wh (0.7kWh!) capacity, it's a sizeable fraction!

I'm surprised EVs don't have such things as standard, especially given how massive their footprints are - It'd be a drop in the bucket of their massive 70kWh batteries but free power is free power, and if you get stranded somewhere at least it'd be able to put in some power to get you going!

[anchorman]

You can switch the later ones on remotely from anywhere in the world if it needs a little boost.  A reasonable prediction of the weather will minimise the engine running.  

[Roy124]

2 hours ago, anchorman said:

You can switch the later ones on remotely from anywhere in the world if it needs a little boost.  A reasonable prediction of the weather will minimise the engine running.  

You need to be a bit canny there.  Set the conditioning too low, or even off, and the engine won't run.

Too low could be 21 degrees even on cooler days as the closed car can soon become warm enough to cut out the heater.

Running at local dawn will catch the coolest period.  Hit one of our tropical episodes- typically while you shiver in Maderia- and you could dip out.

[hind]

10 hours ago, Cyker said:

I would have liked that as an option - I think they should just produce one body type instead of two (i.e. the current pano-roof/no-pano-roof) and if you don't want the pano roof stick a solar panel where the pano roof would have gone! 

Toyota already did this for Prius on JDM 

So it's definitely doable and not by a crazy DIYer with an angle grinder 😄 

[trashman1965]

I'm sure I remember it as an option on UK cars some years back. Was pretty pricey from what I recall.

[Auris Geezer]

As a low milage user, less than 50 miles a week, and having fitted a flylead to the battery+ and a local earth for my CTEK 5.0 smart charger, how often does "the collective" think I should put it on charge for please?  It's the original Battery.

Cheers, Trev.

[Chas G]

I note that Battery issues seem to have reduced now that the weather is warmer. Be interesting to see how 12 volt brick gets on when it's 25 deg C and ac gets turned on.

[Dezzer21]

Got in mine this morning after 14 days standing turned on and started no problem.👍

[Roy124]

5 hours ago, Auris Geezer said:

As a low milage user, less than 50 miles a week, and having fitted a flylead to the battery+ and a local earth for my CTEK 5.0 smart charger, how often does "the collective" think I should put it on charge for please?  It's the original battery.

Cheers, Trev.

Trevor,

The first point is how much time do you spend in Ready mode to drive 50 miles?  If it is 2 legs, each 40 minutes you should not have a problem.  If it is 10x5 miles the start sequence means you need a bit more charging time. 

If you give one overnight charge per week that will avoid most problems.   Longer once a week, better still.

[Dala]

8 hours ago, Auris Geezer said:

As a low milage user, less than 50 miles a week, and having fitted a flylead to the battery+ and a local earth for my CTEK 5.0 smart charger, how often does "the collective" think I should put it on charge for please?  It's the original battery.

Cheers, Trev.

With the CTEK smart charger, it is not a problem to always leave it connected to the car Battery and disconnect it before driving.

[Derek.w]

8 hours ago, Auris Geezer said:

As a low milage user, less than 50 miles a week, and having fitted a flylead to the battery+ and a local earth for my CTEK 5.0 smart charger, how often does "the collective" think I should put it on charge for please?  It's the original battery.

Cheers, Trev.

CTEK charger for low users twice or three times a week, I am finding that in the another option is solar charging if the car is outside but for how many months before I return to mains charging only time will tell for my location we just have to wait and see.

I attatch picture of my last 15 days short trips & solar charging>

Yes its still an ongoing project.

[Roy124]

@Derek.w that sawtooth graph shows a steady drop in immediate start voltage (a downward slope) taking each low point.  I have noticed a similar negative gradient with regular short trips.

The time in Ready mode meets the recommendation but has less benefit than a straight hour in Ready mode or an hours driving.

My conclusion is regular charging is the best solution if your driving is made up of short trips, say 15-20 minutes. 

[Derek.w]

12 hours ago, Roy124 said:

@Derek.w that sawtooth graph shows a steady drop in immediate start voltage (a downward slope) taking each low point.  I have noticed a similar negative gradient with regular short trips.

The time in Ready mode meets the recommendation but has less benefit than a straight hour in Ready mode or an hours driving.

My conclusion is regular charging is the best solution if your driving is made up of short trips, say 15-20 minutes. 

The down drop to around the 12 volt mark is because of the small capacity Battery Mutlu 35Ah  & a lot of short trips for my tipical day.

 

 

[Graham47]

54 minutes ago, Derek.w said:

because of the small capacity battery Mutlu 35Ah 

I thought you fitted a higher capacity (Yuasa ?) Battery some time ago following dead Battery problems ?

 

am using EFB calcium type battery Not sure if yours will be the same my replacment is 

Yuasa HSB202 Part no YBX5202  45AH cca 440 amps the old one was just 35AH.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/217673-12v-battery-maintenance-issues-etc/page/60/#comment-1731946

 

[Derek.w]

Yes Graham47 I fitted a Yuasa Battery but I have removed it to cary out a reconditioning 

desulphation on it when I have time after setting up my solar charger I will refit it.

As you can see the Battery in not dead just not good at holding a charge under a small car hibination mode.

Maybe you like to see a daily brakedown of a number of small trips.

Note no voltage drop to 12 volts on the first stop start set.

 

[Graham47]

10 hours ago, Derek.w said:

As you can see the battery in not dead just not good at holding a charge under a small car hibination mode.

Quite honestly, I don’t see anything.

Posting various graphs is fine but sometimes some explanation of what you’re trying to demonstrate is needed 🤔

No idea what those spikes are and why the fact that the Battery level seems to return to its previous (12.4v) level is seen as some sort of fault ?
Surely if you suspect this (new) Yuasa Battery is now faulty then the thing to do is get it tested and get a warranty return ?

[Derek.w]

12 hours ago, Graham47 said:

Quite honestly, I don’t see anything.

Posting various graphs is fine but sometimes some explanation of what you’re trying to demonstrate is needed 🤔

No idea what those spikes are and why the fact that the battery level seems to return to its previous (12.4v) level is seen as some sort of fault ?
Surely if you suspect this (new) Yuasa battery is now faulty then the thing to do is get it tested and get a warranty return ?

OK Grayham47 Look at the first start stop cycle no voltage drop down to 12 volts.

Then look at the second start stop cycle voltage drops to 12 volts because it has not recoverd in the short time period.

Thats what I am pointing out. The third cycle has less voltage drop so a improvment in recovery from the second set.