Hey all,

Haven't posted on here in awhile, but I recently had a battery drain issue on my IS- as in a complete drain, with the car unresponsive to any 'Start' button presses and completely. Had to get a new battery for that, which sucks considering I put a new one just under a year ago.

While I don't know the exact cause, I had a gut feeling that it was the Network Gateway Computer, seeing as though it's a 2014 with the Blind Spot Monitor and an early production VIN (per https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...86305-5448.pdf).

I just bought the replacement Gateway (part number 89100-30160), and plan to install it myself.

If anyone's replaced it themselves (or has some knowledge on the subject):

Is it advisable to disconnect anything (e.g. battery) before swapping the old for the new part?

Is any reprogramming necessary before installing the new part?

Thanks in advance.

 

There's no harm in replacing the Gateway ECU, but also consider that the old one was fine for the last 9 years, so I'm hard-pressed to think it finally packed it in.
If it was going to fail it would have done it about 7-8 years ago.
Outside of the issue being the battery, be prepared that the ECU may not fix the issue.

It is always recommended to disconnect the battery when replacing electrical components, but if you don't it won't be the end of the world in the this case.
The new ECU does not require any programming, it's plug and play.

Why did you replace the battery again, I would have just charged the old one and kept driving...since it was less than a year old.
Unless you think the old battery could have been an issue, then I can understand that.

 

Thanks for the info on the programming/battery disconnect.

Definitely valid points on the ECU and how long it lasted. The ECU and previous TSB for it was one of the first things that popped up in my research (barring bigger electrical issues). I probably jumped the gun a bit, but I find some peace in knowing that I'm ruling out possible causes for the drain. Honestly was just hard pressed to find some reasons as to why the old battery was testing at just around 5-6V after just one day of sitting.

As for charging the older battery, it tested as being dead to the point where it couldn't be charged anymore (according to the Sam's Club guy, a "dead cell," if I remember correctly). Hence, replacement with a new one under the battery manufacturer's warranty.

I should probably note that I had the battery/alternator tested at Autozone just after the installation of the newer battery. Result was a 'voltage regulator failure, but by then I already ordered the updated ECU.

I haven't had any problems since the replacement and Autozone test, and I especially haven't seen the symptoms of a bad alternator- CEL/battery dash light or otherwise. At just about 57k miles I'm really hoping it isn't the alternator, but with the age of the car it just might be a possibility.

I'll keep an eye on it for sure, but is this a normal length of life for the alternator? Or could it be another electrical problem I haven't considered yet?