Battery For Rav 4

[Hoovie]

Hi Guys - got a Battery question and thought this looks a good place to put it :D

Got a 05 reg Petrol RAV XT3 (4.2.5 Model) - Battery died last Jan/Feb (2007) so only about 18 months old - RAC man came to jump it and he did a test and said the Battery failed the deep discharge test. Mr T replaced with a new battery.

Battery died again THIS Jan (2008) so only 12 months old :o - RAC man came out to jump it and tested it - again it failed the Deep Discharge test (think that is what it is called)

The car sometimes sits unused for days, sadly (I work from home) and I think both times I may have left a light on that drained the battery enough to set the alarm off which then finished the job

So - is the battery the problem, or could there be something else that is killing it permenantly?

As the RAV is still under 3 years old, I am going to get the battery swapped out - should I ask them to fit the Diesel spec battery to make it less of a strain? will they do that?

I don't want to be buying a new battery in a years time :( - I am guessing the battery is not covered by the extended warranty, so once the 3 years is up, I am on my own on that front?

Any thoughts? I am a bit shocked and disappointed that Toyota batteries only seem to last 18 months or less

[Parts-King]

Toyota batteries have a three year warranty so it is not normal for them to fail at 18 months. I suspect you have a Battery drain problem. When we fit batteries under warranty we have to put an OBD tool on it to read the code, this unique code is then attached to the claim, if the OBD doesnt think the Battery is duff, you dont get a new one :D: :D:

Seriously, get the vehicle looked at, you could have something faulty that is causing the Battery to drain

Kingo

[Hoovie]

Toyota batteries have a three year warranty so it is not normal for them to fail at 18 months. I suspect you have a battery drain problem. When we fit batteries under warranty we have to put an OBD tool on it to read the code, this unique code is then attached to the claim, if the OBD doesnt think the battery is duff, you dont get a new one :D: :D:

Seriously, get the vehicle looked at, you could have something faulty that is causing the battery to drain

Kingo

Cheers, Kingo :)

The RAC man did a test for this and found no significant drains. The only things I have fitted to the car that are not standard is a ICE-Link jobby for an iPod - wired to the Cigar lighter/ignition I think, and a Bluetooth/GPS thingy that is again on the cigar lighter/ignition power circuit I believe.

I intend to get a complete service before the 3 year anniversary to make sure everything is as perfect as it can be before the standard warranty is up (so got 4 new wheels lined up for request as they have some bubbling) so will ask them to check for current drains. I don't want to have new batteries just for the sake of it - I just want a nice sorted car :D

What is an "ODB", btw?

Cheers,

Hoovie

[bothwell_buyer]

Don't bring OBDs up cos pinkminkee gets upset......its what some cars have to diagnose faults, by remembering fault conditions and then reading them on a £30 reader.

I know that Mr Kingo says T batteries last 3 years - my experience going back to the early RAV days was you were lucky to get a year out of them. The petrol RAV Battery on the 4.1 early model is not much bigger than a motorcycle Battery. You can buy higher capacity batteries - and it sounds as if you need one so that it can cope with yer music equipment etc...especially if you only do occasional miles.

You can try using a trickle charge Battery charger when the car is standing idle for a few days to keep the battery up to charge - these things are used a lot in the classic car circles. Less brutal than jump starting the car.

[Parts-King]

OBD = On Board Diagnosis

The early 4.1 batteries were indeed, not up to the job, the alram used to drain the Battery after a short period of inactivity. The Battery on a 4.2 is a much better Battery. Apart from the 4.1 batteries, most Toyota batteries would last 10 years! This is no longer the case, but on most models they do last considerably longer than 3 years

Kingo

[chatman]

OBD = On Board Diagnosis

The early 4.1 batteries were indeed, not up to the job, the alram used to drain the battery after a short period of inactivity. The battery on a 4.2 is a much better battery. Apart from the 4.1 batteries, most Toyota batteries would last 10 years! This is no longer the case, but on most models they do last considerably longer than 3 years

Kingo

Mine lasted 5 years..........Then died :( :( Still got new one and all better now....Starts even better now when freezing cold...Like it was this morning....

[Parts-King]

Oooomph restored then :D:

Can't let you forget that one Chatman

I have a new name, I was described as "Lurking" on the forecourt yesterday

Lurko

[chatman]

Oooomph restored then :D:

Can't let you forget that one Chatman

I have a new name, I was described as "Lurking" on the forecourt yesterday

Lurko

As long as it was Lurking and Leaking on the forecourt.... :o :o

Yep as Sig says Oooomph restored.....

[Hoovie]

Toyota batteries have a three year warranty so it is not normal for them to fail at 18 months. I suspect you have a battery drain problem. When we fit batteries under warranty we have to put an OBD tool on it to read the code, this unique code is then attached to the claim, if the OBD doesnt think the battery is duff, you dont get a new one :D: :D:

Seriously, get the vehicle looked at, you could have something faulty that is causing the battery to drain

Kingo

Went to the dealer today to get my wheels evaluated for replacement under warranty and while there they did a test on the Battery and it reports as fine - and I have had no problems since it got jumped - so it has been passed with a clean bill of health and that is fine by me :D

The chap there said that there is about 0.5A current drain from the electronics every day so if the vehicle is not used for about 3 weeks (not the case here, but I think I may have left a light on ) then the Battery could die enough anyway not to start up the engine

Cheers for advice

[mabozar]

Petrol RAV's are 45 AH rated, the diesels are rated 70 AH minimum, some are 80 AH that is nearly double that of a petrol engine, PM me the cars chassis number and I will tell you the price of a Toyota one

Kingo

Kingo ,I took it to a Toyota dealer today and he fitted a 70AH it cost me £103,now to sort out Kwik-Fit,I`ll write to Head Office

Golly gosh. I've never ever paid more than £45 for a vehicle Battery and that includes the massive heavy duty ones I use for the umpteen ton electric winch. £105 for a Battery?

Naw - ye're kidding me oan!

Dis it come wi a ten year warranty or sumpthin?? Or does that include the £85 fitting fee??

wrote to kwik_ fit got a phone call from area manager they are going to refund my £103 for the Battery and give me £50 in vouchers,so waiting for the postie :D