agibson

Hello everyone, I have a 2002 LS430 with approx. 237,000 Kms
Never had a problem with starting the car. Battery was replaced last year. Everything boots up through the system check then goes off. After several cycles of the system check ( key in pre-start position) it will remain on, however the only thing that is not a the proper lighted intensity is the pod which displays the odometer reading. When the key is turned to full start all I get is a rapid succession of clicks.

Not sure what is going on any thoughts?

I once heard that sometimes mice can chew into the wiring harness and cause a short in the system.

Luckily I have the day off tomorrow but need to get issue resolved ASAP

Please help.

Thanks

GS2EGGROLL

check your battery, sounds like you need battery..

Gene01

First, get a digital voltmeter (you can buy a cheap one for a couple of bucks).
Measure the battery voltage with the key OFF. It should be 12.6 volts. If under 12.5, the battery needs to be charged.
If it will not take a charge, it needs to be replaced.
Then, measure the voltage with the key ON. It should not drop very much, perhaps to 12.4 V.
Now turn the key to START while observing the voltage. If the engine turns over at normal speed and the voltage is above about 9 V, but the car does not start, you have a problem with the fuel or ignition system.
If the engine does not turn over and the voltage is lower than about 9 V, the starter motor is not getting enough current.
Possible causes are:
1. Bad connection(s). Check this first because it is the easiest and cheapest to fix.
The positive battery terminal connector is a common point of failure due to corrosion. You need to check carefully for corrosion at the positive cable connector back inside the insulation sleeve.
2. Worn/pitted solenoid points (which do not allow enough current to pass to the starter motor).
3. Starter motor brushes or commutator
4. Starter motor windings.

agibson

Thanks for the quick replies.

Got a jump of the wife's car and it came to life immediately.

Went on a nice long drive with everything off to recharge. I never suspected the battery because all the lights interior and exterior came on. I guess premium car requires premium juice.

What is the average life expectancy of a battery for this vehicle?

I replaced the battery not that long ago with one from Interstate. Opinions welcome, I will look into having a load test performed to determine battery condition.

Thanks again.

Legender

Connections can also be a problem...at the terminal... the clamp from the jump start may have been enough to get you started.
Any loose cables, positive or negative can be detrimental... Batteries should last at least 3 years...and sometimes longer.
Cables can get corroded and come loose. I've seen it happen on plenty of cars, not just Lexus.

You can have plenty of power for the lights...and not near enough for the starter...
These cars are very power sensitive.
I'd still test the battery and make sure it's good also...they have been known to go bad at times also.

Jabberwock

You almost certainly have a problem with the battery, the cables, or with loose or corroded connections or combination of these elements.

Also - check the battery fluid level - pry open the battery caps and check to see that the fluid levels are up to the min fill line in each cell - if not refill any low cells with distilled water.

A well maintained battery should last 3-4 years on average, but they do go bad a lot earlier or sometimes last a lot longer. My 06 LS still has its original factory OEM battery - 7 years and still going strong.

inkredible

Could be a bad cell. Definitely sounds like a battery issue. I had this issue. I returned it to where I purchased it and they gave me a replacement due to it being under warranty.