Lexus IS 200t F Sport - Start Up Issue

[BalKang34]

Hi,

About 6 months ago i purchased a 2015 Lexus IS 200t F Sport, its only done 24000 miles and i am very happy with it. However, during the last 2 weeks i have noticed when i attempt to push button start it, it hesitates and struggles for a couple of seconds then it starts, it first seemed like a low Battery but i am told the Battery is fine. Its not normal as befire it would start without any hesitation. It is due the 40000 service which ive booked but im somewhat concerned why is this hesitation , strughling happening. Can anyone please help with this?

Thank you

[NemesisUK]

5 minutes ago, BalKang34 said:

i am told the battery is fine

Who told you this and how did they determine it is fine?

Batteries can and do fail dramatically, fine one day struggle the next.

[scudney]

The colder weather could be a contributory factor 

[BalKang34]

Thanks for the reply. My friends brother is a mechanic and he suggested if it was the Battery then when i start it again immediatley after the first time it hesitated  it would struggle even more or just not start. So when i start it and it struggled, i turned it off and started it again and it was fine, but the next day it struggled again?

[BalKang34]

12 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Who told you this and how did they determine it is fine?

Batteries can and do fail dramatically, fine one day struggle the next.

Thanks for the reply. My friends brother is a mechanic and he suggested if it was the Battery then when i start it again immediatley after the first time it hesitated  it would struggle even more or just not start. So when i start it and it struggled, i turned it off and started it again and it was fine, but the next day it struggledagain?

[BalKang34]

16 minutes ago, scudney said:

The colder weather could be a contributory factor 

Hi, thanks for the reply, i have read this eleswhere but i am concerned as my previious Lexus IS300 sport (2002) never had any such problems, ive owned that car for 12 years and alltiugh its a key start, i never had any problems with cold weather starting, so this being alot newer car i am concerned. Has it happened to your car?

[scudney]

Have the Battery checked out first and take it from there 

[BalKang34]

26 minutes ago, scudney said:

Have the battery checked out first and take it from there 

Thanks, its going for a 40k major service so hopefully they can check. I just went out to start it again after 3 hours since my last drive and it was perfect. 

[reeac]

When you say that it hesitates and struggles, is that the sound of the ICE or is it the "ready" light hesitating before lighting up? The former suggests a traction Battery fault as that supplies the electrical power to turn over the engine. Traction batteries have a very good record for reliability. The latter suggests a fault with the 12 volt auxiliary Battery which has to power up the electronics which control everything. I've had the latter and have installed a small digital voltmeter in the central storage compartment which I check at every cold start. The auxiliary Battery seems to lose voltage rather too quickly for comfort ...the system powers up at 11.5 volts ok but that seems very low for a 12 volt Battery. I believe that I read that 10.8 volts is the minimum that will power up the electronics.

[BalKang34]

49 minutes ago, reeac said:

When you say that it hesitates and struggles, is that the sound of the ICE or is it the "ready" light hesitating before lighting up? The former suggests a traction battery fault as that supplies the electrical power to turn over the engine. Traction batteries have a very good record for reliability. The latter suggests a fault with the 12 volt auxiliary battery which has to power up the electronics which control everything. I've had the latter and have installed a small digital voltmeter in the central storage compartment which I check at every cold start. The auxiliary battery seems to lose voltage rather too quickly for comfort ...the system powers up at 11.5 volts ok but that seems very low for a 12 volt battery. I believe that I read that 10.8 volts is the minimum that will power up the electronics.

Thanks for helping. So as i approach tje car it opens normally and then i press the brake pedal as normal and all the ligjts and symbols light up as normal. Its when i press the start button the engine hesitates and i feel it struggling for about 2 seconds trying to ignite or tick over

[reeac]

Whoops!!!!!! Just realised that your car isn't a hybrid so forget what I wrote. It might be the 12 v. Battery, though. Typically they last up to 10 years nowadays but I expect that there are a few early failures. Check its voltage ... if flooded cell lead acid should read at least 12.5 volts, rising to 14 or more when the engine is running. If 12.0 then it's suspect.

[Martin F]

It does sound very much like the 12v Battery, as any issues tend to show up when the temperature drops like recently. Get them to check it during your service. But also I would suggest checking that the connections to the Battery are tight as well. 

[BalKang34]

Thank you very much to everyone who has provided some help. Car is back from its servuce andceverything seems to be fine. So hopefully it will be ok moving forward. They also did a health check and sent me a video with the engineer who was looking after the car, only thing was the wipers were smearing alittle bit so got them changed. He said other than that everything is good.

[BalKang34]

Hi, Ok so this morning I had the same issue reappear. Please find a video enclosed, I tried to capture what was going on, hope somebody can help? The car did end up starting. I drove it for half a mile turned it off then restarted it and it started no problem but initially on first start this morning it was playing up? Can anyone help, shed some light on this please? 

[matt8]

Looks like a 12V Battery issue.

Can you get access to a volt meter and see what the Battery voltage is at rest? I believe 12.4v is required, but someone more knowledgeable can hopefully guide here.

If it's low, can you borrow a trickle charger, charge the Battery up and see how it is?

[200h]

the flashing of the dash lights for me is the indication that the Battery is quiet flat

i have an IS300h and when the Battery has gone flat the flickering dash lights

are the first sign i see.

 

[chris1601]

Agree there is a 12v problem somewhere. What worries me is that you can start it after a run just fine. This suggests that the alternator is charging the Battery. Could it be that the Battery itself is actually fine but there is a parasitic drain somewhere? How long is there between a good start and a sluggish start?

[200h]

if you have the use of a volt meter connect it across your Battery

with engine running at idle your looking for 13.8v - 14.2v

turn on your headlights ,heated rear screen , heated seats , aircon (high load for winter driving)

the voltage may drop below 13.8v if you then increase the revs to about 2000rpm and hold the revs

you should see the voltage has returned back to 13.8v - 14.2v

this is testing the output of the aternator

if it doesn't you will possibly need a new alternator

if it does possibly need a new Battery

[Martin F]

@BalKang34 Have you actually done anything with any of the advice people have given you in this thread or are you just hoping things get magically better? 

[BalKang34]

Thank you very much to everyone who has provided some help and advise. I havent done anything over the festive period but im going to buy a bolt meter and charger today and do the various tests suggested. I will update you as soon as ive done them. Thanks again 

[rayaans]

Thats a gone Battery without even getting a voltmeter out. 

Mine just did the same thing after 6 years. Its highly unlikely to be an alternator

[BalKang34]

Thanks for the help. I think so aswell. I dont drive the car much as its a weekend car. Im going to buy a trickle charger and see how i get on. Allthough it struggles as per video, at times it starts without much hesitation

[BalKang34]

UPDATE: So i purchased a new Battery from Lexus which they also fitted and start up issue solved. Starts without any hesitation. Thank you to everyone for your help.