Easter Rx400 Woes!

[Matty RX]

To add to the rear brake issue I already have with my recently purchased RX400, today the check hybrid system and VSC light came on!!! The car wouldn't drive any further than 200 yards!

I called the breakdown service and the fault code P0A1B was found, the car was put on a flatbed and taken to the nearest Lexus dealer (Woodford).

When we arrived the cars electrical system was dead!!! I cheekily rang Lexus assistance and they stated the obvious - check the starter Battery - which I did and lo and behold it has shorted on the retaining bracket which had not been secured when a new starting Battery had been fitted!!!

Now I have no faith in the supplying private dealer but how could anyone not re-secure this with the one bolt it requires + how did it pass it's MOT like that + how did the Lexus main dealer free safety check not find this (or are batteries not included - will check paperwork).

Wondered if I either got away with just a fried Battery and that was the cause of the fault code and messages or is it likely that more damage has been done????

Car is parked near to the main dealer and when I left it the Battery was coming back to like, so not sure if I should see if it drives ok tomorrow or leave it to the dealer first?

Cheers

[ColinBarber]

You get all sorts of weird errors when the aux Battery goes flat - I imagine you won't have further issues.

Regarding the MOT, the Battery is normally completely covered so it would be impossible for the tester to see if the Battery was securely held down.

[Matty RX]

You get all sorts of weird errors when the aux battery goes flat - I imagine you won't have further issues.

Regarding the MOT, the battery is normally completely covered so it would be impossible for the tester to see if the battery was securely held down.

Cheers for the reply. Think I'll see if it drives tomorrow and if there are still fault codes!

[nelmo]

Was this the same dealer who found £900 of brake work? But missed a loose Battery? Great safety check! Wonder what they actually checked in their rush to find something nice and expensive to tell you about? :-)

With a relatively old car like mine, I've decided to do the same as I do with the dentist - don't go until something is actually wrong. :-)

In this case, I'd try trickle charge the Battery and see how it goes. If you get starting problems in the near future, Battery is fried and worth changing it. Happened to me recently - new Battery fixed it all.

[Matty RX]

Was this the same dealer who found £900 of brake work? But missed a loose battery? Great safety check! Wonder what they actually checked in their rush to find something nice and expensive to tell you about? :-)

With a relatively old car like mine, I've decided to do the same as I do with the dentist - don't go until something is actually wrong. :-)

In this case, I'd try trickle charge the battery and see how it goes. If you get starting problems in the near future, battery is fried and worth changing it. Happened to me recently - new battery fixed it all.

It was! Checked the safety checklist they used and the Battery isn't included!?!?

Think I'll see if the car runs ok today and take it from there.....

[Boxbrownie]

Any chance they may have had to remove the Battery to get to anything when they did the other work?

[Matty RX]

Any chance they may have had to remove the battery to get to anything when they did the other work?

No other work done than a new starter Battery.

Decided to give the car a test drive today and now no fault codes or any other adverse effects!! Well chuffed just the brakes to sort now!

Cheers for all the responses.

[PCM]

Hope it all goes well from now on, now the Battery is secured.

( I used to have a Lexus Soarer and loved it. I found some Japanese coins in the car that I was told the Japanese place there for good luck! Transferred mine to my new car. Worth a try?! )

[Boxbrownie]

Hope it all goes well from now on, now the battery is secured.

( I used to have a Lexus Soarer and loved it. I found some Japanese coins in the car that I was told the Japanese place there for good luck! Transferred mine to my new car. Worth a try?! )

I had a Toyota Soarer on fleet as a competitor vehicle back in the 80's (way before Lexus was a glint) and it was a quite amazing car for those days, straight six turbo engine with ceramic technology in the engine and an audible warning system that used to shout at you in Japanese if you walked away and left the doors unlocked or lights on, got some very odd looks in the high street having this odd looking car spouting Japanese at high volume!

Most asked question about it from passers by though was the wing mirrors (yes real wing mirrors) with miniature wipers built into them, try buying spare blades for those in Halfords :)