Flat Battery On Auris Hybrid 2013

[Lestat69]

Hello all,

I'm new in this forum. I'm Italian and live in Dublin. I'm the owner of a Auris 1.8 HSD my 2013 and, despite the fact that I'm very happy with my car, it seems it has a problem with the 12v Battery.

Two times In three months I had the 12v Battery flat, after leaving my car stopped in the garage for 2-3 days. I am sure that the car was closed (it is equipped with the Smart Entry keyless system), no interior lights were on and the external lights were switched off. I called the Toyota assistance and in both cases the diagnosis revealed nothing, including the Battery (they tested with a special equipment and it stated the battery was not defective), and they only recharged it. I asked to have the battery replaced with a new one but they refused my request..

Now, I feel very worried, because it can happen again for the third time, anytime an anywhere.

I contacted an Italian forum, and I discovered that the problem is not uncommon (12 users had the same problem) and seems to be affecting only Auris HSD my 2013 equipped with the smart entry.

Does anybody in the forum experienced my same problem with Auris HSD my 2013? What did you do? Did the assistance eventually diagnosed anything?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Hello Tullius - welcome to Toyota Owners Club.

The Battery issue has already been the subject of the following threads in the Hybrid/Toyota Prius club:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/148440-excel-hybrid-12v-battery-prone-to-discharge/

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/151089-battery-has-discharged/

[FROSTYBALLS]

Moved to Hybrid/Toyota Prius Club

[Lestat69]

Thanks

[RunningInPleasePass]

Hello all,

I'm new in this forum. I'm Italian and live in Dublin. I'm the owner of a Auris 1.8 HSD my 2013 and, despite the fact that I'm very happy with my car, it seems it has a problem with the 12v battery.

Two times In three months I had the 12v battery flat, after leaving my car stopped in the garage for 2-3 days. I am sure that the car was closed (it is equipped with the Smart Entry keyless system), no interior lights were on and the external lights were switched off. I called the Toyota assistance and in both cases the diagnosis revealed nothing, including the battery (they tested with a special equipment and it stated the battery was not defective), and they only recharged it. I asked to have the battery replaced with a new one but they refused my request..

Now, I feel very worried, because it can happen again for the third time, anytime an anywhere.

I contacted an Italian forum, and I discovered that the problem is not uncommon (12 users had the same problem) and seems to be affecting only Auris HSD my 2013 equipped with the smart entry.

Does anybody in the forum experienced my same problem with Auris HSD my 2013? What did you do? Did the assistance eventually diagnosed anything?

Hello and welcome to the forum.

My Auris also has had this problem, Toyota do not admit it is a problem and usually blame the driver, the last reason I've heard of is that the key was kept too near the car overnight!

The only real solution is to get a new Battery, insist on a new one being fitted, if you persevere they will eventually fit one, but it may take several weeks.

[geo13647]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

My Auris also has had this problem, Toyota do not admit it is a problem and usually blame the driver, the last reason I've heard of is that the key was kept too near the car overnight!

The only real solution is to get a new Battery, insist on a new one being fitted, if you persevere they will eventually fit one, but it may take several weeks.

Welcome to the flat bettery forum.

The problem is that Toyota refuse to recognise this as an issue, because of this, they will not permit the dealer to order a new Battery under warranty.

All they do is recharge the Battery and perform some basic tests, however, as the battery was totally discharged, it is already damaged by sulphation. Some of this can be rectified by reconditioning, but the capacity is reduced each time this occurs.

As the battery design of the Excel is so marginal, ANY reduction in capacity, means that it's a not IF but WHEN you suffer a flat battery.

Once that happens, you are on the slippery slope to total failure.

I got my car back the Monday before Xmas, and as long as I use it every day, so far it seems fine, however if I leave it unused for a full day, I cannot guarantee it will work the next day. Now carrying a start pack in the back seat.

As Toyota have no interest in fixing this issue, looks like you need to allow additional cost for a proper battery and an intellegent charger, over and above the high cost of the car. THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING A TOYOTA HYBRID.

G...

[timberwolf]

I don't think it is a Battery capacity problem. I think you guys have a faulty component that is drawing excessive current when the car is "off".

[Parts-King]

Faulty Battery.......all the way, regardless of what the readings are

Kingo

[timberwolf]

Yes, but what is causing these brand new batteries to fail after such a short period (less than 1-2 months)?

[Parts-King]

Cant tell you that, Ive seen a couple of them where the Battery was changed and cured the problem

[timberwolf]

Seems odd that it appears to be a problem with just the 12V batteries for the new Auris? Why are we not seeing posts for problems with the 12V Battery for new cars for the other Toyota hybrid models (Prius, Yaris, +)?

[Parts-King]

Because they have different batteries, the Auris one is not the same as Prius and Yaris

[RunningInPleasePass]

It would be interesting to know exactly how many new shape Auris hybrids have been effected by this problem, as a percentage it will be very few, but as a total number it must be adding up now, and even Toyota must be taking notice you would have thought?

It makes a good case for not buying a new model, best to wait a couple of years for all these problems to be ironed out.

[Parts-King]

Toyota monitor the number of claims and parts orders very very closely on new models, they have a programme called Early Detection Special Activity, dealers have to get prior authority on all claims for new models, the actual fault and parts required is logged at manufacturer level and changes in production are made very quickly if required. That old saying about not buying until all the problems are ironed out is pretty much redundant these days. There will of course always be faults, but they should be very much limited

Kingo

[timberwolf]

Thanks Kingo, I remain sceptical, time will tell if those customers have to come back again.

[RunningInPleasePass]

From what I have been reading this problem only seems to effect Auris hybrids with the keyless entry?

[beachlife]

I posted that I was leaving my Auris Excel HSD (63 plate) from 16th September to 18th December (garaged) and due to the concerns that others had about the 12V Battery, I purchased a Ctek maintenance Battery and left it connected for the whole period that my auris was not used. I can report that I had no problems with the Battery since I have returned and been up North and down south since I have been back and car has been a joy to drive. So glad to say that the Ctek seems a good investment for anyone who has concerns about not driving the car on a regular basis.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

See my comments in the other thread on this same subject. The charge rate on the 12v is much much lower on a hybrid compared to a alternator car. This is not a problem if the car has been designed accordingly, but if Toyota UK have stuck too much ancillory . If the Auris HSD has had too much ancillary equipment the car may be struggling to top the 12v back up in time causing it to discharge much quicker.

It won't be a problem if the car is in Ready mode and running, but more a problem if the car has lots of items 'sitting' in the background draining the 12v overnight such as keyless entry (which the Prius does have) and other additional items.

Sounds like an oversight at the design stage. They've stuck on extra equipment to load the car up without thinking the HSD is different.

[Lestat69]

Thanks all for your answers. I've gone to the Toy dealer today, they checked the Battery with their equipment and apparently it was not faulty. Obviously Toyota refused the permission to replace the Battery with a new one. Anyway the responsible of the garage called Toyota to point out that, despite the fact that the Battery seems ok, the customer (myself) had the battery flat two times in a month. Then Toyota engineers asked the dealer to do further investigation and to send them the results.

Now the dealer is waiting for a reply and eventually the ok for Toy to replace the battery within tomorrow or eventually 2nd January. I keep the fingers crossed...

[Grumpy Cabbie]

It's probably not the Battery but the fact it is discharging quickly and being charged back up slowly. A few deep cycles of this and it will be killed though.

If you run your 12v flat on a traditional car with an alternator you jump start it and within a few minutes the 12v is getting back to a healthy state. With a Toyota hybrid the charging is much much slower, so you may jump start the car (being VERY careful if doing so) but if you subsequently stopped the car 20 minutes later (when an alternator car would be fine) you might not be able to start again.

This issue has been known about since day 1. The problems seem to have arisen when when the UK branch of Toyota have added much more equipment running off the 12v. The car then never has time to charge the 12v back up properly. If you do lots of short journeys or leave the car days at a time, the HSD 12v won't be charged back up enough and will cause problems you're experiencing.

[Cyker]

Thanks all for your answers. I've gone to the Toy dealer today, they checked the battery with their equipment and apparently it was not faulty. Obviously Toyota refused the permission to replace the battery with a new one. Anyway the responsible of the garage called Toyota to point out that, despite the fact that the battery seems ok, the customer (myself) had the battery flat two times in a month. Then Toyota engineers asked the dealer to do further investigation and to send them the results.

Now the dealer is waiting for a reply and eventually the ok for Toy to replace the battery within tomorrow or eventually 2nd January. I keep the fingers crossed...

Props to your dealer for pushing for it even tho' Toyota refused initially!

[Lestat69]

Just to clarify some details about my fault, for other's benefit, I had the Battery flat after a 1300km and 14 continuative hours of motorway driving with the ICE constantly active at a considerable regime (2.000 to 2.700 rpm), so I expected to have a 100% recharged Battery (I was driving back to Italy for the Christmas Holidays).

As soon as I arrived home, I garaged the car, fully closed and 100% sure no lights on and the keys were very far from the car.

If we consider that:

1) if any door open, the smart entry starts beeping, so none of the doors could have been left open.

2) if the external lights are left on, a buzzer starts making noise if attempting to close the car. None of this.

3) all interior lights are switched off anyway after 20 minutes, even if a door is left open, not my case again.

4) nothing connected to 12v plug, or USB, or OBD port.

then there was no possibility of a mistake: the car was fully switched off!

Left the car on 24/12 morning, found the Battery flat on 26/12 afternoon.

[kithmo]

Yes, but what is causing these brand new batteries to fail after such a short period (less than 1-2 months)?

Maybe some of the Battery components were submerged in sea water a couple of years ago.

I would like to say faulty Battery but why is it only happening on the Auris Hsd, what is the difference between the Auris Battery and the other hybrids ?

[geo13647]

Yes, but what is causing these brand new batteries to fail after such a short period (less than 1-2 months)?

Maybe some of the Battery components were submerged in sea water a couple of years ago.

I would like to say faulty Battery but why is it only happening on the Auris Hsd, what is the difference between the Auris Battery and the other hybrids ?

Smaller battery. 32Ah vs 45Ah

[geo13647]

Thanks all for your answers. I've gone to the Toy dealer today, they checked the battery with their equipment and apparently it was not faulty. Obviously Toyota refused the permission to replace the battery with a new one. Anyway the responsible of the garage called Toyota to point out that, despite the fact that the battery seems ok, the customer (myself) had the battery flat two times in a month. Then Toyota engineers asked the dealer to do further investigation and to send them the results.

Now the dealer is waiting for a reply and eventually the ok for Toy to replace the battery within tomorrow or eventually 2nd January. I keep the fingers crossed...

Good luck with that. Exactly the same happened to me. The dealer will get a series of Battery tests to do, you will get a questionnaire.

The result will be... ' there is no fault with your car, the only reason that the Battery goes flat, is that the customer keeps the keys too close to the car.

Please inform the customer to keep the keys further away ' well! that was the answer I got.

You need to keep your keys in a tin, buried at the bottom of the garden, or preferably in the next town. (Lack of smiley face )

Utter male cow parts, but that's Toyota's new and improved level of customer care these days.

G...