LeX2K

Lead acid batteries don't tolerate being low on charge for long periods they'll die a quick death if it keeps happening. Considering getting a battery tender.

jcg0324

Kathy, it would help if you tell us how you drive and how often. How much stop and go driving (city) vs. highway driving? How many miles do you drive per year or week?
Is the battery you have now the original battery that came with the car? Even a junky battery should last at least 2 or 3 years; but there are exceptions. A new and unused battery that has been sitting on the shelf for 2 years can become sulfated. This will cause problems from day one with that battery.

nguykat

Hey jcg0324,

My battery was definitely weak, but I got my car up and running again.

I've had my car for about 11 months now and the odometer is showing 186 miles.

I pretty much drive it around the neighborhood once a week and go out to run errands here and there. Since I wfh and get my stuff delivered to my home nowadays (driving needs have changed), I understand I will have to rack up some mileage for the time being until my work arrangement changes.

Yes - the battery I have now came with the car when I bought it.

jcg0324

That comes to about 4 miles per week of driving. Not enough to keep the battery charged IMO. I would suggest a battery charger overnight charge at least twice a month.
Good luck.

ravenuer

Or she could have a battery tender permanently installed under the hood and just plug it in and leave it when parked.

autotech13

Yep. That's exactly what I do to both of our Lexus's.

jcg0324

Autotech13, maybe you could post a picture of the battery tender hook-up so Kathy can see all of what is involved and maybe suggest a make and model of battery tender to purchase.

autotech13

I have two CTECH battery charger/maintainer units. They are made in Sweden but are available here. There are several models to choose from, but I like the idea of a battery charger and a maintainer together. I got them from an Interstate battery store. I also have just the CTECH maintainer hooked up to my tractor for the winter.

Cocal

I have a CTEK and I find it amazing, much better built than NOCO, but also more expensive.
I use it twice a year late fall & early spring to desulfate and recondition the battery and I have no deposits whatsoever on the battery terminals, the battery is as strong as ever and it's 5 yo.
It is a unit I would recommend wholeheartedly!

autotech13

You are exactly right, the wife's 2013 ES has the original battery from the factory, and still going strong!

rc16

For those of us who have larger than normal parasitic battery drains, two solutions are to drive the car more or use a battery charger. Whenever those cannot be done (long term parking at the airport, for instance), there is another solution, it is the DCC fuse located in the engine compartment fuse box. The DCC fuse is the fuse that disable many of the accessory functions but still permits the car to start and drive. This fuse is used by the factory when they finish to build the car to limit the drain during transportation. It also limits the drain while the car is sitting on the dealer's lot before being sold.

dibl

Great tip -- thanks for posting it!

mikemu30

Nine years old and you're still rolling the dice? Impressive but I'd not wait for it to go dead at this point.

Siex

Hi I have a 2018 rx350 the battery keep dying any advise

Siex

So my battery will last for like a day