Dead Battery
08-14-06, 12:33 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dead Battery
Well, here is an easy answer question or one for the dealer. I live in Manhattan, obviously, and my IS 350 is strictly a weekend car. I keep it in a garage by my apartment. So after 5 days in the garage, I come to get it and the battery is so dead, not even the interior lights would light up. Lexus service came, gave em a jump and no problems over the weekend, but it only sat overnight.
So, here is where it gets complicated. My garage left the electronic key in the car for the 5 days. Would this cause a battery drain? The garage is 24 hours and lit all the time but the headlights will kick on inside, but they did turn off after I parked it. So, is leaving the key in the car for a number of days a no-no? Do you think I have a short in the system.
When I parked yesterday evening, I turned everything off, headlights set to off, not auto. The car was locked and the electronic key was placed in the garage office 2 floors above. Anybody want to predict the outcome when I check on the car Thursday night (in preparation for Friday)?
So, here is where it gets complicated. My garage left the electronic key in the car for the 5 days. Would this cause a battery drain? The garage is 24 hours and lit all the time but the headlights will kick on inside, but they did turn off after I parked it. So, is leaving the key in the car for a number of days a no-no? Do you think I have a short in the system.
When I parked yesterday evening, I turned everything off, headlights set to off, not auto. The car was locked and the electronic key was placed in the garage office 2 floors above. Anybody want to predict the outcome when I check on the car Thursday night (in preparation for Friday)?
08-14-06, 04:28 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
yeah well my battery once died all the down and it might not ever be the same ever again but today whatever state it is in, it's fine...holds whatever it needs to start me up every morning been about 6 months now i think. you don't need a 100% performing brand new battery in order to live with your car day to day stress free.
08-14-06, 04:38 PM
#4
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
You should have the dealer replace the battery. It has a sulfated cell and will never hold a decent charge again. Occasional use is actually the hardest on batteries, and once it sulfates, it's gone unless you have it reconditioned. High performance batteries seem to suffer the most.
There are special chargers that can recondition your old one, and they are for people who have occasional use batteries. One company that does this is Pulse-Tech. If you continue this same use profile, it might be worth the ~$100 their device costs to keep your battery working.
And, yes, their claims have been independently validated by both the US Army and the US Air Force. They really work. They're just not practical for most people because the devices cost about the same as a battery, and most people will just buy a new battery, or get one under warranty (what I did with my red top Optima when it died from lack of use.) Buying the gizmo will just prevent the inconvenience of a dead battery every week or so.
There are special chargers that can recondition your old one, and they are for people who have occasional use batteries. One company that does this is Pulse-Tech. If you continue this same use profile, it might be worth the ~$100 their device costs to keep your battery working.
And, yes, their claims have been independently validated by both the US Army and the US Air Force. They really work. They're just not practical for most people because the devices cost about the same as a battery, and most people will just buy a new battery, or get one under warranty (what I did with my red top Optima when it died from lack of use.) Buying the gizmo will just prevent the inconvenience of a dead battery every week or so.
08-14-06, 04:48 PM
#5
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks so far about the advice, but no one yet has said what they thought about the electronic key being left in the car. Just going to wait until later this week and see how it goes.
I find it hard to believe that a battery once drained will never hold a charge for a week again. This may be a new car, but its not my first. My last two cars were driven in the same manner and neither one ever had a problem holding a charge for a week, and one of them had the original battery which was 13 years old. I find that kind of battery performance you (collectively) seem to be predicting to be completely unacceptable.
I find it hard to believe that a battery once drained will never hold a charge for a week again. This may be a new car, but its not my first. My last two cars were driven in the same manner and neither one ever had a problem holding a charge for a week, and one of them had the original battery which was 13 years old. I find that kind of battery performance you (collectively) seem to be predicting to be completely unacceptable.
08-14-06, 04:56 PM
#6
Your battery did not majically drain. Whoever parked your car and left the key in the car left the car on not knowing how the push button start really works. It was either pushed once or twice but not the third time to shut the car off. Better replace that battery.
08-14-06, 05:09 PM
#7
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
Thanks so far about the advice, but no one yet has said what they thought about the electronic key being left in the car. Just going to wait until later this week and see how it goes.
I find it hard to believe that a battery once drained will never hold a charge for a week again. This may be a new car, but its not my first. My last two cars were driven in the same manner and neither one ever had a problem holding a charge for a week, and one of them had the original battery which was 13 years old. I find that kind of battery performance you (collectively) seem to be predicting to be completely unacceptable.
I find it hard to believe that a battery once drained will never hold a charge for a week again. This may be a new car, but its not my first. My last two cars were driven in the same manner and neither one ever had a problem holding a charge for a week, and one of them had the original battery which was 13 years old. I find that kind of battery performance you (collectively) seem to be predicting to be completely unacceptable.
Trending Topics
08-14-06, 05:33 PM
#12
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FYI, mine did not die completely either, if the battery is required in order to remember all the information plugged into the NAV/radio (destinations, phone nos. radio stations) and the seat/mirror settings. However, I did have to reset the windows. Note also the car is less than 2 weeks old and has only 300 miles.
I always thought that if the computer detected that the battery was being drained (with the engine off) to the effect that it would compromise the charge needed to start, it would turn off any and all devices draining the battery to maintain a sufficient charge for a start. Obviously, I was wrong.
I always thought that if the computer detected that the battery was being drained (with the engine off) to the effect that it would compromise the charge needed to start, it would turn off any and all devices draining the battery to maintain a sufficient charge for a start. Obviously, I was wrong.
08-14-06, 06:43 PM
#13
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
It might just be defective. It happens. Depends on a bunch of details, but it wouldn't surprise me. The battery should easily hold enough charge to sit for 3 weeks without a problem.
08-14-06, 06:48 PM
#14
Driver
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: HI
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure about your key question and other variables that may have been involved with your experience, but I have left my car without using it for 11 almost 12 days back in June when I went on vacation and did not have any problems with it upon my return.
As a precaution, you should probably get your car checked especially knowing how new it is.
As a precaution, you should probably get your car checked especially knowing how new it is.
02-26-07, 08:01 AM
#15
GX and 2IS Moderator
Battery Drain
Couple things about this - 1) I definitely think that leaving the key fob in the car will drain the battery. 2) I also think that Lexus vehicles (and probably all newer vehicles) are unneccessarily hard on batteries when vehicles are kept in "storage". 3) I seem to remember reading a TSB regarding warranty of batteries for vehicles that are kept in storage, or have a constant parasitic drain on them (i.e. leaving the key fob in the vehicle...my assessment of that verbage - not actual TSB language) - are not covered under the battery warranty. You may be able to get a 1 time courtesy replacement, but I would probably go out and buy a battery tender/trickle charger for it.
I leave my GS in storage for the winter and have been thru a battery every winter so far...last one replaced under warranty - pre TSB, but I'm betting I won't be able to manage another one...and lazy me - I didn't attach my charger until the battery was spent.
I leave my GS in storage for the winter and have been thru a battery every winter so far...last one replaced under warranty - pre TSB, but I'm betting I won't be able to manage another one...and lazy me - I didn't attach my charger until the battery was spent.