Lexus battery mystery

[IanA2]

I've been running a GS430 for a few weeks, lovely car, goes like stink.

Yesterday I had a meeting in London. Parked the car about 8.30 at the station, came back about 5.30, no problems.

This, morning the battery was dead. I tested it with one of these:

TestMate mini

It registered 7

I put my optimate charger on the battery and I can hear a little "click" every two seconds roughly.

I'll see what's happening in the morning but I reckon it'll be a battery pack start job.

Question is, what's caused this complete overnight drain. Afaiaa nothing was left on.

Any ideas?

 

[LTD]

Poor battery discharging in cold temperatures ?

Does the reading alter after a long run ?

 

[IanA2]

I suppose that's possible, but it happened so suddenly, no previous problems, and it wasn't as cold last night as it has been of late.

It hasn't had a run since it suddenly discharged. Sorry if that was not clear.

 

[markjay]

Had that on two cars in the past... battery seems fine most days but from time to time it just dies with no warning - car won't start. Not weak battery, just stone dead like a brick... On both occasions new battery sorted it.

The electrician explained at the time that debris from the plates accumulates at the bottom and eventually short-circuits the plates from time to time. No idea if this is correct but as said a new battery fixed it.

 

[Ted]

Markjay, what your elictrician said is absolutely correct - this is a common reason for battery failure - easily detected by putting a high load on the battery and watching the affected cell 'boil'. This will often be accompanied by a 'metallic' smell which I believe may be ozone.

IanA2 - No idea what caused the battery to discharge, but personally, as it is so completely flat, I would disconnect the negative terminal while you charge it up with the optimate. These don't put out a huge amount of charge, and you may find that whatever has caused the discharge, whether legitimate or not, may be draining the power you are attempting to put in.
Don't know about the LS, but removing the battery on my RX had no effect on any of the systems - no warning lights/radio codes to reset.

 

[grober]

Crucial question how old is the battery? Putting it another way- how many winters has it seen? Battery life can be affected by many factors- type of use - lot of stop starts- vibration- heat --- but the biggy--- has it ever been discharged for a longish period of time----- classic scenario--- sat on a forecourt for a couple of months and then "tickled into life" with one of these fast high current chargers= battery life shortened considerably. Batteries are also far more prone to damage if they are subjected to sub zero temperatures --- while discharged! You can see how a previously slightly dodgy battery becomes " terminal" during the first cold snap. Sulphated batteries can be revived by intelligent chargers but with today's cars so highly reliant on battery power unless there is convincing evidence for some sort of parasitic drain overnight [ interior boot light is favourite but lots of stories of on board computers not fully shutting down is another] then if the battery is more than 4 winters old I would replace it thus eliminating at a stroke the most likely cause of the problem.

 

[jaymanek]

This time of year is when batteries die.... I would put a new one on and then monitor it... The clicking sounds to me as if something is trying to run, so maybe something is discharging it..

However you would have noticed before now!

 

[IanA2]

A bit of a mystery still. I used my battery pack to start it, drove 10 miles and afterwards it started fine. Did another short run a hour later and again it started fine. Weird. I haven't a clue how old the "Halfrauds" battery is, so if it plays silly buggers again I shall just put in a new, decent battery. So for now at any rate, all seems well.

 

[Ted]

Personally, I would charge the battery and get it tested.
While it is entirely possible that the battery failed overnight, the symptoms are usually less catastrophic than what you experienced.
You may argue that for £100 it's money well spent at the start of winter, but I would prefer to condemn (or not) the battery on sound diagnostics.
If it turns out not to be the battery, you have just added £100 to your overall bill.

 

[jaymanek]

If it were me I wouldnt want to be stranded again, it get down to Euro's and hand over your card in exchange for a Bosch S5.

 

[IanA2]

If it starts ok tomorrow I'll leave it for a while, if it don't then it's curtains for the little guy

Are these Optima batteries worth the money?

 

[mr. shr]

If it were me I wouldnt want to be stranded again, it get down to Euro's and hand over your card in exchange for a Bosch S5.

Exactly what I did last week on my Mum's 211.
All seems good now.

 

[mr. shr]

Personally, I would charge the battery and get it tested.

How do you get it tested? Is it expensive?

 

[IanA2]

Get's even weirder, despite the fact that I only gave the car two short runs yesterday, and despite the fact that there was a heavy frost last night, it started on the button.

It were the Gremlims

 

[Ted]

How do you get it tested? Is it expensive?

Auto electricians. Thet will put a high rate discharge tester on it and show you the result.
Nominal charge or probably free if they can flog you a battery.
The battery has to be well charged to do this test.

Actually anywhere who sells batteries should have this kit and know how to use it.

 

[richard]

Question is, what's caused this complete overnight drain.

Its because the battery is upset as they put it in a Lexus - it wanted to be in a Mercedes Benz.

More seriously almost certainly the battery - but if you are in Lightwater anytime, we can put a battery tester on it for you (and not be biased by the fact we'd like to sell you a battery as we don't..)

Richard

 

[IanA2]

Well the mystery continues. It started ok a few times, then it needed the battery pack three days in a row, so, new battery. Put a new battery in, started, got me home, next morning zip. Checked the battery, it's fine and fully charged. All I'm getting is a click when I turn the ignition, it's as though the starter motor is stuck. Any idea? I think I'll have to get the RAC out.

 

[jaymanek]

well most likely a starter or some ignition issue...

 

[IanA2]

That's what I was thinking. See what the RAC man has to say.

 

[Dieselman]

Battery connections or earth strap to body connection?