Battery problem

[dog3665]

I have had my LBX since March but I'm still recovering from a stoke that I had last may so the car is getting used once a week . I went to use it last week and guess what dead as a dodo.

AA came and did all the tests Battery no charge at all the car then got taken to the dealership who had it 3 days and they came to the conclusion that the Battery only wanted charging . ( I did have the car on charge before ringing the AA )

They said that I had to use the car for 40 minutes 3 times a week LOL I have read the handbook but I can't find anything stating that . The dealer also that I have to buy a trickle charger + other bits and bobs.

So for me to have confidence in my brand new LBX I have had to buy these.

 

 

 

[EEH]

Sorry to hear Nigel. Hope you are recovering well. Sadly nothing new to Toyota and Lexus Hybrids if not driven. Have a look at the numerous posts related to this topic on my Lexus and Toyota forums. 

I like you, do not drive the car the much and had a solar panel installed which I leave on all the time when the car is not being used. 3 months in and all good so far. I don t have access to power outlet so the option of trickle charging was not an option but Im sure it will do the trick

[Iain24]

I have an LBX on order and a bit alarmed by this Battery issue. We take campervan trips up to 6 weeks and it sounds like we would come back to a dead car. It looks like the simplest possible solution would be the AA solar panel plugged into the OBD port to trickle charge while we are away. The car cannot be connected to a mains charger where it is parked. Has anyone used the OBD port, please? Any experience with AA solar panel? Thanks

[stepppy]

It’s not just Toyota/Lexus hybrids, it is many manufacturers of hybrid and electric cars due to them using a small 12v Battery as it only has to operate electronics and not grange over an ice. 

Back in 2015 I had a Renault Zoe and I often got low 12v Battery warnings even though I used it every day. 

[lotoit]

Do you have disabled keyless feature? If you don't use the feature or don't find it useful (in my case) I recommend that you turn it off, as it may drain the Battery when the car is turned off.
I use the car only 2 days a week, and not many hours to be honest. I hope this problem does not occur. I also keep all Lexus Connected features disabled when the car is not in use (remote control... ie) which I think can still be active when off to communicate data to Lexus.

[Iain24]

Thanks, I see that it is a general hybrid problem, and that there are things to do that can mitigate it. But I think still that I would need to trickle charge. My specific questions are Has anyone used the OBD port, please? Any experience with AA solar panel? Thanks

The OBD port looks a simpler option than wiring up to the Battery, but maybe I am missing something?

[stepppy]

1 hour ago, Iain24 said:

Thanks, I see that it is a general hybrid problem, and that there are things to do that can mitigate it. But I think still that I would need to trickle charge. My specific questions are Has anyone used the OBD port, please? Any experience with AA solar panel? Thanks

The OBD port looks a simpler option than wiring up to the battery, but maybe I am missing something?

I know when I had my Prius, and I took it in for service during one of the lock downs, Toyota themselves were selling an OBD solar panels for around £90 IIRC.

They were also using these on their cars outside too, so I would think they worked well enough to maintain the 12v batteries on their stock cars which would point to them being good for the general end user.

[Lexusjim]

See this thread from 2020. My reading of it is that the panels don't provide enough power to the Battery to prevent it discharging.....

https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/123694-solar-panel-trickle-charger-for-obd/#comments

[Iain24]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like the OBD port on LBX might be usable, and a solar panel might have some benefit even if not complete solution. 

[Lexusjim]

If you decide to go for it, buy a reliable brand and the highest wattage. You don't want it to malfunction when you are away......

 

Something like:

https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rsp2000-20w-solar-battery-maintainer.html

and:

 

https://shop.ringautomotive.com/rspobdn.html

 

[Lbeex]

@dog3665

Sincerely, I wish you fast recovery.

BTW: I had 12V Battery issue just today Friday morning. This is my story:

My LBX did not start today (25^th Oct 2024) . Brake pedal oscillations, flashing control lights, paranoid reactions and finally dead, and locked doors  so no access to anything  (I was such a  fool that I get out and closed the door).

I was driving my LBX on Saturday around 85 km (54 miles) for about one hour. Then, on Wednesday I drive 10 km stopping 4 times (shop  to shop drive). Then on Thursday I started engine for a couple of minutes  and cleaned the windshield from inside etc.  Main Battery was charged to level 4. Then on Friday say 2 days from last drive, the 12V Battery is dead.  Last week temperatures above freezing!

I was able to use the manual key, and then start my car, since I had jump-start booster and I was aware how to use it and connect it to LBX - read the manual!

So even if I have this jump-starter or booster, these devices have limited  life in terms on number of recovery starts. I just bought a second one, because I am staying  usually in two locations.

I am going to double check LBX Battery at Lexus service o Monday and let you know outcomes.

Nevertheless, I am not going to generate aversion to LBX, but I am personally disappointed, particularly he solution could be simple:  

The LBX software is communicating a lot of messages more or less important – so why it is not displaying  or sending to My Lexus application any warning on 12V Battery state before it is dead.

Why there is not a simple socket in the vicinity under the rear seat (where this 12V poor guy is located) -  this would help a lot regarding access, and avoiding opening the hood, connecting cables etc.

Anyway, this is absolutely disappointing! Lexus is assuming that LBX is city car but not for elderly and /or retired  people. That sucks.

Sorry guys. I am considering getting rid of this car.

Shame on Lexus

[kevinc23]

I'm getting fed up with mine as well, with the Battery issue, annoying beeps, software map update issues and now a long drive for a recall. It also self brakes while I'm reversing into a friend's tight driveway.

Any more and I'll enjoy taking it down to the scrappies to be crushed.

[NemesisUK]

33 minutes ago, kevinc23 said:

It also self brakes while I'm reversing into a friend's tight driveway.

Can one not disable the function temporarily? It's only an aide, not safety critical

[kevinc23]

Don't think so, this is the Parking support Brake which is there to prevent you reversing over someone, but in my case it's the Begonias.

[NemesisUK]

53 minutes ago, kevinc23 said:

Don't think so, this is the Parking support Brake which is there to prevent you reversing over someone, but in my case it's the Begonias.

Turn off the Parking sensors?

[gdamorini]

On 10/24/2024 at 12:26 AM, dog3665 said:

I have had my LBX since March but I'm still recovering from a stoke that I had last may so the car is getting used once a week . I went to use it last week and guess what dead as a dodo.

AA came and did all the tests battery no charge at all the car then got taken to the dealership who had it 3 days and they came to the conclusion that the battery only wanted charging . ( I did have the car on charge before ringing the AA )

They said that I had to use the car for 40 minutes 3 times a week LOL I have read the handbook but I can't find anything stating that . The dealer also that I have to buy a trickle charger + other bits and bobs.

So for me to have confidence in my brand new LBX I have had to buy these.

 

 

 

Hello,

i own a 2019 250h UX, never had such a problem.

Last september i left the car parked for two weeks at the airport and when i got back it started right away.

Only thing i did for that two weeks period was to disable the keyless entry feature.

In any case i suggest you purchase a Bosch C30 charger, it's easy to use and will trickle charge the Battery. It comes with a cable that can be fitted to the Battery terminals, it has a connector for the cable that comes from the charger. So no worry about short circuitings when it is disconnected form the cherger.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Battery-Charger-Trickle-Function/dp/B0CJV44GK3?th=1

[ColinBarber]

2 hours ago, gdamorini said:

i own a 2019 250h UX, never had such a problem.

Last september i left the car parked for two weeks at the airport and when i got back it started right away.

That's how it should be, however the UX has a larger Battery than the LBX, and a 2019 model doesn't have always connected Internet connectivity which increases drain on the Battery.

[suedenim]

After owning the car for 6 months, without a problem, we were driving it less often over the summer and were hit with the same problem. I bought a Battery monitor so we'd have an idea when it was running low and took it into Lexus to get it fitted. The Lexus mechanic refused to fit it, saying it would drain the Battery very quickly.

He suggested we get this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AC1LLQY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title and it should slow down the drainage speed. He advised us that we should be ok if we switch the car on for 30 minutes, once a week - either driving it or just leaving it running.

We've followed his advice but now always fear that it won't start and have no idea how fast the Battery is running down.

We've had hybrids for 20 years without a problem and even left our Lexus CT200H sat outside for many months during lockdown.

We had decided we'd have to get rid of the LBX, if only so I could sleep at night, but apparently the problem affects all cars made since August 2023 so we're keeping everything crossed and holding on to it for now.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, suedenim said:

but apparently the problem affects all cars made since August 2023

Way further back than that I'm afraid. Mine's a 2018 and has the same problem and it may even go back as far as about 2010.

1 hour ago, suedenim said:

We've followed his advice but now always fear that it won't start and have no idea how fast the battery is running down.

I remember that someone replied to a previous post of yours, telling you of the Ancel BM300 battery monitor, so one of those along with this chart should help to alleviate your fears:

If you don't want to buy the Battery monitor then you can still refer to the chart but use a voltmeter that plugs into the car cig lighter/power point such as one of these

As for the Lexus guy telling you that the Battery monitor would drain the Battery quickly, that's just completely wrong. You can see from the screenshot below that it takes an average of 1.0mA to power it. When the car isn't being used the 'standing' current draw for gadgets such as the radio presets, the clock and so on is around 50 to 70mA, perhaps even more, depending on how much stuff needs to be kept alive. I'm sure you'll agree that an extra 1.0mA is just not going to cause any problems.

[Herbie]

Sorry Elaine, I've just re-read your post and realised that you have indeed already bought the Battery monitor. Now that you know from the user manual just how little power it takes itself (1.0mA or to put it another way, 0.01 of an Amp) you can go back and have it fitted. Used in conjunction with the chart I hope you'll have much more confidence in the car.

[Iain24]

Hello dogg3665, I hope you are recovering well. It would be interesting to hear how you are getting on with all that stuff  you got from the dealer.

I have concerns about the Battery (see above) but for perspective I do recall having to charge a BMW X5 if it was left unused for a couple of weeks. It was a very robust diesel but all the electronics were enough to kill it in a relatively short time. It isn’t a new or just hybrid/LBX problem

[dog3665]

Check this out

 

[Iain24]

Thanks Nigel. In summary, the video shows a test of three similar brand new batteries - from the LBX, a Yaris and a Volkswagen. The one from the Volkswagen emerges as best, the Yaris second and the LBX last. The tester observes that the LBX Battery has to support more electronics than the other two, so finds the decision to fit an inferior Battery puzzling.

If this report is well-founded then it looks like an issue that Lexus should address sooner rather than later.