Flat Battery

[Robbie_B]

I have a 2023 Yariscross, in December & January it had a flat Battery. I do not use the car every day. I am told by the dealer this is the problem and that I need to start it up weekly.

Has nayone else suffered this problem ?

[CPN]

Dare I suggest that you do a search of these forums before you post? (you will find multiple threads about this issue...)

[Roy124]

John, short answer Yes.

Longer answer, after much argument,  the issue is greater parasitic draw from modern cars with Alarms, active connection with the manufacturer,  maintenance of the media system and car settings, and listening for remote entry calls.

It applies to other makes as well as Toyota.

[Primus1]

Yes I had this on my cross just after Christmas, as Roy said it’s other makes as well, my Ford puma had Battery issues although it never totally flattened the Battery, I just resign myself to charging it if I have to leave it for any length of time, and I’m going to invest in a portable jump starter..

[Chas G]

1 hour ago, Roy124 said:

John, short answer Yes.

Longer answer, after much argument,  the issue is greater parasitic draw from modern cars with Alarms, active connection with the manufacturer,  maintenance of the media system and car settings, and listening for remote entry calls.

It applies to other makes as well as Toyota.

Saw a friend yesterday who owns a Range Rover and he said he had to call out "Vogue" (not sure who they are) because it wouldn't start a few months ago. The car gets very little use, maybe 10-20 miles a week.

They replaced the Battery and basically said that he needed to use the car more or charge it regularly. 

Now every Saturday he drives 10 miles up the A40 to Beaconsfield and back and hasn't had any further problems.

My Yaris Cross wouldnt stay charged after one 20 mile journey plus a few short journeys every week.

[Roy124]

It seems almost all modern cars are liable to high current draw and going flat.   Luck of the draw really 

[Gren]

My diesel Renault Captur also had this problem

[Robbie_B]

Thanks CPN, I am new to this forum.

[CPN]

2 minutes ago, Robbie_B said:

Thanks CPN, I am new to this forum.

I realise that and thank you for not taking offence. 🙂

[skidlid]

3 hours ago, Roy124 said:

It seems almost all modern cars are liable to high current draw and going flat.   Luck of the draw really 

Well our 2018 Fabia has not had an issue in 6 years and its still on the original Battery. It gets used alternate weeks i.e stand a week and gets used 3 or 4 times the next week (does probably 120 miles that week). Use our Ring charger every couple of weeks as advised by the dealer.

The 2020 Superb PHEV gets exactly the same use but since the 12 volt Battery is topped up by the traction Battery I don't think there is any need to charge it, so far so good.

We must be lucky (so far).

[Bernard Foy]

5 minutes ago, CPN said:

I realise that and thank you for not taking offence. 🙂

Life is too short for that Colin, especially that no offense was intended on your reply 👏👏

[Roy124]

@skidlid 

"Use our Ring charger every couple of weeks as advised by the dealer.

The 2020 year PHEV gets exactly the same use but since the 12 volt Battery is topped up by the traction Battery I don't think there is any need to charge it, so far so good.

We must be lucky (so far)."

Did you have a reason to charge the Fabia and assume the Superb can do it itself?

The LV - HV situation is chicken and egg.  The LV needs the HV before the HV can charge the LV.

If your profile fits - parasitic draw, usage pattern, Battery quality - you will not have a problem. OIf anything is not good then a problem may occur at some time. 

[skidlid]

34 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

@skidlid 

Did you have a reason to charge the Fabia and assume the Superb can do it itself?

Having had experience of cars with stop/start since 2008 when it stops working when the weather is set fair I know the Battery is a bit low for the cars liking. A long drive normally sorts it and when I was doing 30 miles a day to work/home did not have any issues in the BMW, Seat and first Superb. Retired now and during first lockdown we did even fewer miles and stop/start was flakier than normal. When the car went in for a service in May 2020 the garage said the Battery was low but OK which was when we got the Ring charger. So far so good and its almost 4 years since we got the charger.

Despite its limited use the PHEV Superb has never had a stop/start issue (as did the ICE Superb) thus felt no need to charge it. Like the Yaris its got posts under the bonnet for jump starting and charging (the 12v Battery is in the boot) which are easy enough to access but if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[anchorman]

On 2/2/2024 at 5:21 PM, Roy124 said:

John, short answer Yes.

Longer answer, after much argument,  the issue is greater parasitic draw from modern cars with Alarms, active connection with the manufacturer,  maintenance of the media system and car settings, and listening for remote entry calls.

It applies to other makes as well as Toyota.

Assuming they’ve pro-rata’d the calcs for the size of the car and the expected draw on the Battery and now I’ve seen that the Battery is identical on an LBX to a Cross, I’m inclined to think Battery quality is as much to blame as parasitic draw.  I think these Mutlu batteries have a yield point where they don’t recover.

[Countryside]

1 hour ago, anchorman said:

Assuming they’ve pro-rata’d the calcs for the size of the car and the expected draw on the battery and now I’ve seen that the battery is identical on an LBX to a Cross, I’m inclined to think battery quality is as much to blame as parasitic draw.  I think these Mutlu batteries have a yield point where they don’t recover.

Omg it’s the same Battery in the LBX ? 

[Graham47]

That’s not what @anchormanis saying, it’s the same specification Battery.

 

Did you bother to read his further thoughts ?

[Primus1]

13 minutes ago, Graham47 said:

That’s not what @anchormanis saying, it’s the same specification battery.

 

Did you bother to read his further thoughts ?

He does actually say it’s identical, as the LBX..

[Graham47]

I read it as “identical specification”.

Since, as he has said elsewhere, he hasn’t yet seen the actual Battery I don’t see how anyone can read it as “identical “.

[Countryside]

35 minutes ago, Graham47 said:

I read it as “identical specification”.

Since, as he has said elsewhere, he hasn’t yet seen the actual battery I don’t see how anyone can read it as “identical “.

I agree 

[Dala]

Turkish car Battery has CCA 264Ah. This Battery is supposed to have CCA 240Ah. This Battery is even weaker. Maybe made in Pakistan or Bangladesh. 😉

[hind]

35 minutes ago, Dala said:

Turkish car battery has CCA 264Ah. This battery is supposed to have CCA 240Ah. T

You mixed up the unit. It's A, not Ah, as CCA doesn't describe capacity but the top current in amperes in cold weather. Which doesn't matter for a hybrid as they use less than 20 amps. Pure capacity does. 

[anchorman]

Sorry, I had to go do something!  This is the chart for the Cross which shows both batteries, so yes - Lexus

7 hours ago, Countryside said:

Omg it’s the same battery in the LBX ? 

Don't do a typical forum meltdown Michael.  Lexus have done their sums and know what to expect PROVIDING the Battery quality meets their expectations.  I’m 99.9% sure it won’t come with a Mutlu Battery but in the highly unlikely chance that it does, it will get a £75 mod from day one.

7 hours ago, Graham47 said:

I read it as “identical specification”.

Since, as he has said elsewhere, he hasn’t yet seen the actual battery I don’t see how anyone can read it as “identical “.

Fair point.  It seems that the specification for Toyotas made in Japan are different from the ones made in France.  A Japanese Cross has a 240Ah Battery just like the LBX and the French made one has a 264Ah battery.  The only distinction I can find is that the 240Ah battery is stated as “with LW package" but that isn’t defined in the terms chart.  

 

[anchorman]

This is LBX  

[anchorman]

I’m not good at electronics (pretty good at auto electrics) but it seems the LBX system has a capacitor back up Battery.

[anchorman]

9 hours ago, Primus1 said:

He does actually say it’s identical, as the LBX..

Identical specification Alan.  The brand remains to be seen but I would expect it to be Japanese.