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Hybrid TechnologyUnique topics related to the 2010 - 2015 RX450H model hybrid drivetrain and other features/options found only on the RX450H. Please use the main forum for discussion about shared components with other third generation RX models.
I still don't understand why so many people keep looking for aftermarket batteries in this thread when you can get the OE Lexus Panasonic battery for $250 from Lexus if you shop smart.
Originally Posted by Hayk
Still don’t understand why so many people on here continue to experiment with aftermarket batteries when the factory battery can be purchased for around the same cost.
Bought a 2010 RX450h in 2016, Lexus dealer was kind enough to install a new Panasonic OEM 12v battery.
Now, a bit over six years later, battery died on a ski trip, probably partly to being cold-soaked. I always carry one of those tiny lithium jump starters (about the size of a pocket dictionary), and got the car started after re-aquainting myself with the location of the +12v metal tab under the hood in the fuse box. Then I began consulting this very long thread and calling around for a replacement battery. Lexus wanted $380+! Toyota dealer wanted over $300! And looking at this thread gave me heartburn--so many lost souls, trying to find a suitable substitute.
Well, based on my experience over the past two days, it's much ado about nothing.
IT'S JUST A GROUP 35 AGM BATTERY. With a vent, although I suspect every AGM battery has a vent.
(1) Remove the hold-down bracket by taking out one nut just in front (towards the front of the car) of the old battery. The other end of the bracket had a bolt that simply wouldn't budge, but I found I could gently bend the hold-down arm up enough for the battery to clear.
(2) Get the new battery nearby, then remove the minus and plus nuts, tuck the cables out of the way, and heft the old battery out. Oh, and disconnect the old battery vent hose on the side first. New battery fits in the tray perfectly. Immediately reconnect the cables. No loss of any car settings. Battery was disconnected for maybe 3 minutes.
(3) Car acts dead. push the Start-Stop button and the screen shows a message like "Software is re-loading. Do not turn off the car" or something like that. After about a minute, everything goes blank. Step on brakes, hit the Start-Stop button, everything boots up normally.
(4) The new battery has vents on both sides, and the old battery had a connector that would not pull out. Simple fix: rummage around for a piece of small-diameter plastic or rubber tubing that will fit the hole, shove it in, then shove the car's rubber vent hose over your piece. I'm assuming most fellows have a box or drawer holding various pieces of rubber or plastic tubing. Just find one that fits, or get something from the hardware store. Batteries inside a passenger compartment need to be vented to the outside so hydrogen gas can't build up inside. The Internet tells me that flooded batteries (the old-fashioned kind) outgas but the newer (and more expensive AGM batteries) don't outgas at all unless they are overcharged. Still, the car people put in a vent tube, just in case, and it's easy to connect it to a battery. I blocked the left-side vent hole with electrical tape, which is apparently what they used for the Panasonic battery.
In my haste I had forgotten to re-install the corrosion-preventative pads and also the clear plastic battery cover. Not really needed but I saved those parts anyway.
The new battery is a "Duralast Platinum," whatever that is. It was purchased for about $220 at "Autozone," a pretty common auto parts store. Other parts stores didn't have an AGM in a Group 35 size, but for some reason Autozone had three different varieties.
Hope this helps. It's only been a day with the new battery, but so far it doesn't look like much of a deal to find a battery that fits.
Old battery Swap completed Vent hole in new battery New battery Ready for swap Battery location
Great story, thanks. I tried Autozone and they say they have no battery that will fit my 2015 RX450h they recomend S55D23L, the Panasonic part number. How well did your battery fit the compartment? any mods needed? Also no Autozone here in Canadia.
Great story, thanks. I tried Autozone and they say they have no battery that will fit my 2015 RX450h they recomend S55D23L, the Panasonic part number. How well did your battery fit the compartment? any mods needed? Also no Autozone here in Canadia.
I had recently posted about the Costco Group 35 AGM which was an almost perfect fit, plus I believe Canadian Tire has a similar one that someone had recently talked about. 2 easy options for Canadians.
Yes, I read your posts. However, both Costco and Canadian Tire say their batteries will not fit. I'm not sure what I need to do to make them fit. If it's modifying the tray I'm ok with that, the height is a diffent matter.
Their online fitment guide provides no battery suggestion, plus the staff won’t waste their time to look into it further, but the group 35 agm from both places “do” fit. It was the work around for the vent elbow which caused the most problems, but luckily people found solutions for that as well.
The only “official” replacement is the dealer battery if none of the suggestions provided here fill your needs.
As Roscol has mentioned, this is a big black hole for some reason. You look up the extensive battery database and it shows something for every vehicle on two or four wheels--except the 2010-13 RX450h!
All I can tell you is that the Group 35 AGM battery I installed in the photos was an EXACT FIT as the old Panasonic battery. Why all the mystery is, at this point, a mystery to me. You probably need a battery with the (+) terminal on the LEFT side when installed, because I'm not sure the cables will reach far enough if the terminals are switched. And you'll need to get a vented version, which perhaps all AGM batteries are; I really don't know. Hooking up the Lexus rubber vent line just needs a touch of imagination. I had multiple examples of small-diameter rubber and plastic tubing in my junk drawer, and a 1" piece of one of them jammed in the battery vent hole perfectly. Then I just pushed the Lexus rubber vent tubing on the other end.
Group 35 is very common. The local Costco here in Oregon had them ready to go, but said he would have to order the AGM version.
Yes, I read your posts. However, both Costco and Canadian Tire say their batteries will not fit. I'm not sure what I need to do to make them fit. If it's modifying the tray I'm ok with that, the height is a diffent matter.
As you can see from my post above, I installed a Canadian Tire Motomaster Eliminator AGM Group 35 in my 2014 RX450H and it was a perfect fit to replace the Panasonic D23 battery which had failed. The battery vent tube had to be modified, but that was an easy fix with a short piece of clear tubing and some silicon caulking. See: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...l#post11388549
This Canadian Tire battery has performed well for me in the 5 months that I have been using it. The Motormaster AGM carries a 5 year full replacement warranty and is made in the USA. I paid CAN$ 227 for mine in June 2022. The replacement Lexus battery (D23 or equivalent) was quoted at CAN$452 from my local Lexus dealer.
Can I hook up my battery charge to the front charging points while I change my battery to avoid losing the settings?
If not please explain. I think I saw posts about them but can't locate them.
CanJim ,
I have successfully hooked up my NOCO battery charger to the front charging point on my 2014 RX450H and used it to maintain 12 volt power when changing my 12 volt battery.
Your battery charger MUST have a "12 volt SUPPLY MODE" option for this to work. Hooking up a battery charger in the BATTERY CHARGE MODE will usually NOT supply power when you remove your 12 volt battery.
Keep in mind, when your charger is in 12 volt supply mode, the battery cable positive terminal will have power on it at all times, and you will need to be be careful when handing the positive battery terminal ... wrapping / covering it with an insulating material is highly recommended during the 12 v battery removal / installation purpose.
A step by step procedure is similar to the Lexus boosting process as follows:
1) Open the hood and remove the engine compartment covers.
2) Remove the fuse box cover and open the exclusive jump starting terminal cover.
3) Connect the positive (red) charger clamp to the exclusive jump starting terminal on your vehicle
4) Connect the negative (black) charger clamp to a solid, stationary, unpainted metallic point away from the exclusive jump starting terminal and any moving parts.
5) Power up your battery charger and switch it to 12 volt supply mode.
6) Remove the positive 12 volt battery terminal and wrap / cover it with an insulating material. Proceed with the 12 volt battery replacement.
Thanks for this great information.
My battery charger is a Motomaster Eliminator Intelligent Battery Charger/Maintainer which puts out 2 amps. There is no mode change to 12v supply. Will this not be suitable? Would it damage the electonics to use it? or would it just not work to keep the electonics alive during the swap. I also have a solar charger, Coleman 3.5w which puts out 233ma, I use it as a maintainer.
It looks like my only option will be to do the swap quickly and hope the settings aren't effected.
When I swapped out mine, I did not loose any settings. I did move at a reasonable pace . had everything ready and although I did not time it, but it was about a minute without 12v.
Another time I had the battery disconnected for 30mins + and even then I had no issues. Was it coincidence or not, but on reconnect 450H asked me to standby as it was updating and in about 2 minutes everything was normal [this happened a while ago ... before Lexus decided to discontinue 2g??]
There is no mode change to 12v supply. Will this not be suitable? Would it damage the electonics to use it? or would it just not work to keep the electonics alive during the swap.
As I understand it, most smart chargers need a minimum voltage ... let's say for argument sake, of about 8 volts or above before they will starting charging a depleted battery. Some of the new smart chargers (NOCO for example) can "Charges dead batteries as low as 1-volt. Or use the all-new Force Mode that allows you to take control and manually begin charging dead batteries down to zero volts."
So unless your have a 12 volt Supply Mode option, your charger likely won't work to keep voltage applied while you change your battery ... since your battery charger would be connected to zero volts.
Another way of keeping 12 volts on your system when changing your battery is to use another 12 volt battery and a set of booster cables. Just follow the boosting process in your manual ... and remember that the positive cable to your battery will be live and the connector should be insulated until you are ready to reconnect to your new battery.
-: SUCCESS :- Swapped the Panasonic for a Motomaster Eliminator Type 35 AGM costing $273 (Canadian) including tax, with a 5 year warranty and 5 years jump start. ThreeCW you were right. I decided that the jumper cables were the riskiest option so attached the battery tender. Didn't work just as you advised. I unhooked the Panasonic and everything went dead, put in the Motomaster and everything lit up again including the ready light and the radio. Engine started so everything looked good, no loss of settings. I tried to close the rear hatch but got two beeps and it wouldn't close. I closed the hatch manually and of course it wouldn't open. A message on the screen said turn off power. I did and the hatch opened and closed normally, phew.
Problems encountered:
I had to remove a body panel to get at the rear tie down strap bolt as mentioned. The panel clicks out and back in again so not a problem
The Motomaster is over an inch shorter than the Panasonic so the tie down strap wouldn't work. Fortunatly the Motomaster comes with a spacer that bridges the gap.
The vent holes in the Motomaster are no longer round, they're best described as sausage shaped. Good advice about having spare tubing and silicone. I managed to get the tube attched and glued in place. I blocked of the other vent with a bit of tubing blocked by glue.
My thanks to everyone who has chimed in on this thread. A great community, I'm very gratefull.
11-07-22, 05:59 AM
