Jump Start ?

[PaulWhitt20]

I know you are not supposed to jump start a hybrid but can you use a hybrid to jump start another car?

Does the CT have a normal 12v Battery and where is it?

Just wondered as my son had a flat Battery in his car so I went to the rescue in the CT with the jump leads and then thought how can I do this? We managed to push start him. But for future reference.

Thanks

Paul.

[Wass]

You can jump start a hybrid. The manual tells you how to do it.

In a nut shell, you only need a 12volt Battery to start the hybrid computer - the computer then starts the engine from the traction Battery... you must not have the other car running whilst jump starting the hybrid computer. Jump starting from a 12 volt Battery is very straight forward and easily achieved.

The problem is that you should not jump start another car from a hybrid since the hybrid Battery is not designed to turn a starter motor. That is, unless the other car just happens to be a hybrid waiting for its computer to boot up in order for the engine to be started from the traction Battery.

[steve2006]

Jump starting from any car these days poses risks especially when electronics are the norm, sudden heavy current draw can play havoc with sensitive electronics and may result in expensive repairs being needed.

My advice to to carry a jump start pack or similar or to be a breakdown service member.

All hybrid vehicles are fitted with a conventional 12 Volt auxillary Battery to power up the car from cold but may not be suitable for the heavy demands of a jump start their locations vary from make/model.

[KDS]

You other question not answered is the location of the Battery - it's in the boot under the floor on the right hand / offside.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

[Wass]

The jump start terminals are located away from the batteries under the bonnet ( see the instruction book). As Steve 2006 points out, the best Battery to use for this is an auxiliary Battery which isn't connected to any other vehicle.

[PaulWhitt20]

You other question not answered is the location of the battery - it's in the boot under the floor on the right hand / offside.

Sent from my iPhone using Lexus OC

I thought that was the traction Battery. Is the normal 12v Battery in the boot as well? Although it seems as though this is not powerful enough to jump start another non hybrid car.

Thanks for the replies.

Paul

[200h]

if you remove the boot floor and the undertray you will see the traction Battery between the wheel arches and the orange plug to isolate the traction Battery.

the normal looking Battery is located under the rear offside lights ,to gain access you will need to remove the boot floor and undertray,the boot floor cover in the

offside rear by the rear lights and the undertray (held in place by 1 plastic nut) you can now see the Battery

[PaulWhitt20]

Ok I've found them thanks. Not very easy to get at. I think the most important Battery to keep topped up is you phone Battery

[Silversalmon]

Battery Failed in my 61 plate CT200h last night. Car was totally dead and had to bragged on to a transporter and driven 50 miles back to Glasgow! Only bought this car in June, 19000 miles, They say i will probably need a new aux Battery at £95 + VAT and it's not covered by the Lexus warranty. My last Lexus IS300 Sportcross was on its original; Battery after ten years. Feel pretty ****** off with Lexus. Battery goes and it was locked in gear, not nice to see your car being winched on to transporter dragging locked wheels. Anyone else had Battery problems?

[ColinBarber]

Batteries can die, sometimes suddenly. Recovery should have been able to connect a power source to the terminals in the engine bay to power up the vehicle and put into neutral though.

[Silversalmon]

Hi Colin,thanks for the reply, picked up my car today, they fitted a new auxilliary Battery as a goodwill gesture and claimed there was no fault with the original Battery as they had charged it an it wasn't losing charge. Turns out the AA guy could have boosted it according to the Dealer. I'll watch this space as they say. Apparently the dealership had bought 35 CTs off lease and mine had been in stock 9 months, i suppose that could have taken it's toll on the Battery?

[ColinBarber]

Yes if they let it get flat it could of reduced its capacity. At least you have a new Battery now, you shouldn't have to worry about it for at least three years.

[Wass]

It might help with future incidents if people read up on how to jump start Lexus/ Toyota hybrid on board computers. The cars computer is booted up by the 12 volt Battery and once this is done, the on board computer enables the traction Battery to start the car. Many non specialist garages and recovery companies dont know this and so it is of great benefit for the owners of said vehicles to know something about their own vehicles.

The vehicles instruction book helpfully tells the owner how to start up the car should the 12 volt Battery fail. Simply by reading this section to the recovery operative, a lot of inconvenience may be avoided should the owner be of the non technical type need to get home with the minimum of fuss.

The manufacturers provide the vehicle with instruction books to enable those non technical type owners to be aware of how their vehicles may be operated in the event of some common faults. Those owners who dont read the instructions due to other things in their lives being more interesting/important have only themselves to blame.

I parked our hybrid in the airport long stay for a fortnight knowing that the car would most likely run its own12v Battery down. I therefore bought and charged a booster Battery for it prior to my departure and left the Battery in the car ready for our return... so that when i returned to the car after my holiday, i simply connected up the booster Battery to the underbonnet jumper terminals and started up the cars computer which in turn started up the cars engine from the traction Battery. The whole process took 2 minutes and was spectacularly undramatic and boringly simple.I just had to remember to unlock the car with the key in the lock rather than by pressing the button on the key fob.

[Silversalmon]

You must be a real fun guy to be around!

[Wass]

You must be a real fun guy to be around!

No, I'm not a real fun guy, I'm the sort of person who thinks it's funny that people or the companies they work for spend 10s of thousands of pounds on a piece of equipment and don't bother to find out about it. In this age of bean counting efficiency, it is still fashionable to not know anything about simple and basic engineering; like ignorance is an art form.

[adnewton]

I'm sure I won't be lugging a 12v Battery everywhere I leave my car parked whilst on holiday. I left mine for 2 weeks recently and had no issues with it starting.

As long as the Battery is decent, it should not run flat over 2 weeks of non use.

[AmbroseJohn]

I often leave my GS450h for a month or more but I recently broke my leg which has left me house bound for two months, plus it had already stood for a couple of weeks, so ten weeks in all.

Yesterday I hauled myself the half mile (on crutches) to my power less garage. The Battery had little life, the doors unlocked but the car won't start. Warning lights are on and off in no sensible order. I think I managed to turn everything off but the car will not lock. 

I then tried to jump it from a booster pack but still no joy.

I'm currently charging a spare full sized Battery. I hope I can jump it with no permanent damage.

 

Wish me luck.

[Herbie]

It's possible that the traction Battery is too low, in which case it's a recovery to the dealers or finding someone mobile who can do it.

Of course, it could be that the booster pack you used didn't have enough charge in it either.

[Britprius]

21 minutes ago, AmbroseJohn said:

I often leave my GS450h for a month or more but I recently broke my leg which has left me house bound for two months, plus it had already stood for a couple of weeks, so ten weeks in all.

Yesterday I hauled myself the half mile (on crutches) to my power less garage. The battery had little life, the doors unlocked but the car won't start. Warning lights are on and off in no sensible order. I think I managed to turn everything off but the car will not lock. 

I then tried to jump it from a booster pack but still no joy.

I'm currently charging a spare full sized battery. I hope I can jump it with no permanent damage.

 

Wish me luck.

John. You should have no problems jump starting the car with another charged Battery. I know you know about being careful when connecting the Battery to avoid reverse connection, but even the best of us can have the occasional brain storm.
I hope the Battery in the car has enough energy left in it to open the electric boot lock. If not you can always use the jump point in the fuse box under the bonnet.
I fitted a much larger AH Battery in my car to help with such circumstances as yours. It also does allow me to use my car to jump start other vehicles.

I hope your leg recovers quickly, and things get back to normal.

John.

[200h]

a 12v house alarm backup up Battery would be more than enough to power up a hybrid

and they are small & light enough to carry in your hand and cheap to buy

here is a link for the type i am talking about

https://www.toolstation.com/sealed-lead-acid-battery/p79562

[AmbroseJohn]

On 9/24/2019 at 11:27 AM, Britprius said:

John. You should have no problems jump starting the car with another charged battery. I know you know about being careful when connecting the battery to avoid reverse connection, but even the best of us can have the occasional brain storm.
I hope the battery in the car has enough energy left in it to open the electric boot lock. If not you can always use the jump point in the fuse box under the bonnet.
I fitted a much larger AH battery in my car to help with such circumstances as yours. It also does allow me to use my car to jump start other vehicles.

I hope your leg recovers quickly, and things get back to normal.

John.

Car started with no problems as soon as I connected the spare Battery. I then took it on a twenty miles drive to charge the Battery, yes even with a broken leg. I don't have a plaster cast, just nuts, bolts, plates and screws. 🙂  

So alls well that ends well.

[Herbie]

52 minutes ago, AmbroseJohn said:

Car started with no problems as soon as I connected the spare battery.

So that would suggest that the booster pack you used wasn't up to the job then.

[AmbroseJohn]

On 9/25/2019 at 1:27 PM, Herbie said:

So that would suggest that the booster pack you used wasn't up to the job then.

So it would appear.

[royoftherovers]

On 8/19/2015 at 10:42 PM, Wass said:

It might help with future incidents if people read up on how to jump start Lexus/ Toyota hybrid on board computers. The cars computer is booted up by the 12 volt battery and once this is done, the on board computer enables the traction battery to start the car. Many non specialist garages and recovery companies dont know this and so it is of great benefit for the owners of said vehicles to know something about their own vehicles.

The vehicles instruction book helpfully tells the owner how to start up the car should the 12 volt battery fail. Simply by reading this section to the recovery operative, a lot of inconvenience may be avoided should the owner be of the non technical type need to get home with the minimum of fuss.

The manufacturers provide the vehicle with instruction books to enable those non technical type owners to be aware of how their vehicles may be operated in the event of some common faults. Those owners who dont read the instructions due to other things in their lives being more interesting/important have only themselves to blame.

I parked our hybrid in the airport long stay for a fortnight knowing that the car would most likely run its own12v battery down. I therefore bought and charged a booster battery for it prior to my departure and left the battery in the car ready for our return... so that when i returned to the car after my holiday, i simply connected up the booster battery to the underbonnet jumper terminals and started up the cars computer which in turn started up the cars engine from the traction battery. The whole process took 2 minutes and was spectacularly undramatic and boringly simple.I just had to remember to unlock the car with the key in the lock rather than by pressing the button on the key fob.

A GREAT AND VERY SENSIBLE POST GEOF.

The Owners Handbook is the first place one should look for advice. 

[AmbroseJohn]

It's remarkable how little people know about these cars. My neighbour suggested I may need to change my alternator and didn't understand when I told him there wasn't one.  He looked at me as though I was stupid, when I also mentioned there was no conventional starter motor either. 🙂