12v Battery problem

[Red_Corolla]

1 minute ago, O.W.L. said:

Thanks CL - looks like I could be in trouble at sometime, then. I don't think I've driven for more than 20 minutes per journey since I've had it, and that is fairly typical of my driving pattern.

Maybe a solar charger is in my future.

I thought about solar chargers myself, combined with an adapter for the OBD connector so that the connection remains live after the car is locked up. A lot of people buy them and make the mistake of plugging them into the 12v socket, which cuts off after the car is turned off.

[O.W.L.]

I know about the 12v socket in the centre armrest cubby, and the USB just forward of the gear selector.

Is there another socket somewhere handy, then?

[yossarian247]

10 minutes ago, Red_Corolla said:

At the risk of sounding argumentative, do you know what the state of charge was and how much current the battery was drawing when you did your test? The fact that you have 14v of potential at the terminals of a 12v battery does not prove that the rate of charge is rapid. There are other variables involved.

I agree about the current drain, mine measures over 20mA at rest which is a bit more than I'd like to see, ideally.

Both batteries had been charged up to capacity with a CTEK charger a day or so beforehand, so both should have been in a very good state of charge before the test. I appreciate that voltage when charging isn't the same as charging current. However the way I'm looking at it as a very rough and ready method of say, switching the headlights and heated rear window on in the hybrid makes the voltage drop from 14.1V to 14.0V, whereas doing the same on the diesel makes the voltage drop from 13.9V to 13.4V, both with fully charged batteries, then that is a reasonable indication that the hybrid has more spare charging capacity than the diesel?

[Red_Corolla]

3 minutes ago, yossarian247 said:

Both batteries had been charged up to capacity with a CTEK charger a day or so beforehand, so both should have been in a very good state of charge before the test. I appreciate that voltage when charging isn't the same as charging current. However the way I'm looking at it as a very rough and ready method of say, switching the headlights and heated rear window on in the hybrid makes the voltage drop from 14.1V to 14.0V, whereas doing the same on the diesel makes the voltage drop from 13.9V to 13.4V, both with fully charged batteries, then that is a reasonable indication that the hybrid has more spare charging capacity than the diesel?

It's reasonable provided that you checked the diesel alternator with the revs raised above idle. The charging capacity of a traditional alternator is proportional to engine speed whereas a hybrid is constant.

[Red_Corolla]

13 minutes ago, O.W.L. said:

I know about the 12v socket in the centre armrest cubby, and the USB just forward of the gear selector.

Is there another socket somewhere handy, then?

The OBD socket (the one used for plugging in a diagnostic computer) has a permanent live connection. It's normally somewhere low down in the vicinity of the steering wheel.

[Cyker]

To be absolutely sure you'd need an ammeter to see how many amps the Battery is getting too - Say if you could charge a Battery at 14v and 0.5amps, or 13.8v and 100amps - the 100amp one would charge faster (And probably catch fire but that's by the by  )

 

[O.W.L.]

36 minutes ago, Red_Corolla said:

The OBD socket (the one used for plugging in a diagnostic computer) has a permanent live connection. It's normally somewhere low down in the vicinity of the steering wheel.

Many thanks for the info - I will go looking for that tomorrow.

[Ineffective]

We’ve had our CHR hybrid for nearly three years it’s due for renewal and I don’t think we will . Having the same issue as everyone else -numerous breakdown call outs when the starter Battery won’t do its job , have a trickle charger and a solar charger (only good on sunny days) all of this is wholly unacceptable, we’ve had this problem for years , and the car is driven plenty ! However if it is left undriven for more than two days it won’t start . When breakdown call outs come it’s fixed in seconds but you then have to drive around for 30 minutes or more - defeating the purpose of trying to be climate conscious drivers doing unnecessary journeys just so the starter Battery will start the car . Love the car otherwise , so it’s a damn shame it’s proven so unreliable 

[DAVE WILLOUGHBY]

Goodbye Toyota.

My wife and I both have an Auris Hybrid and both cars regularly will not start. Toyota seem to be burying their heads in the sand about the problem. what is the point of having a car that continually lets you down. Looking to change both cars now and they will not be Toyota's.

[TonyHSD]

Well, there is nothing wrong to leave Toyota 👌, there are also other car manufacturers thankfully but remember that 12v Battery issues are not limited to Toyota only models but to all recent cars in the last 5 years or so including electric vehicles. The cars that would be less or not affected at all would be perhaps Dacia Sandero, VW Up, and other similar small petrol manual runaround’s cars that has electric only front windows and power steering, all other make and models might surprise you badly too. 
Good luck with either of your choice 🚙🚗🏁👌

[Roy124]

My neighbours have just bought Kia Niros.  I had a look at their similar forum. 

Before you buy any new model it is worth checking there. 

 

[Roger_N]

4 hours ago, DAVE WILLOUGHBY said:

Goodbye Toyota.

My wife and I both have an Auris Hybrid and both cars regularly will not start. Toyota seem to be burying their heads in the sand about the problem. what is the point of having a car that continually lets you down. Looking to change both cars now and they will not be Toyota's.

It may be cheaper to buy a new Battery.

Hybrid cars use batteries differently than petrol or diesel, they are much smaller in terms of how much charge they will hold and consequently they will run down quicker. If you only use your cars infrequently you are better getting a smart charger to keep it top up or a Battery booster to help it start.

If you over charge a Battery or let it run down on a regular basis it will not hold charge for very long.

Also how old are they? They may need changing anyway

 

Have you read this topic? https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/197816-12v-battery-maintenance/

 

[Kevkit]

On 11/2/2021 at 1:15 PM, AndyRC said:

Did you get a resolution to the “who pays” question ?  

I paid it under protest so that it would look more favourable towards me if it went further, but after a few more emails back and fore to the AA, I decided to call it a day as it was going nowhere. (Big guy against the little guy.) Toyota were fine and they checked the car over and would help if I needed more info but I just couldn't be bothered in the end due to work commitments etc. I'm sure someone more in the know about the legal ins and outs could have won.

[Kevkit]

Just like to say I love the car, no problems since. 

[Big_D]

I use my car every weekend, and always take my C-HR for a run midweek. I do this for for two reasons. One to keep the Battery charged and two, because I love driving it 😀

[AndyRC]

10 hours ago, Kevkit said:

I paid it under protest so that it would look more favourable towards me if it went further, but after a few more emails back and fore to the AA, I decided to call it a day as it was going nowhere. (Big guy against the little guy.) Toyota were fine and they checked the car over and would help if I needed more info but I just couldn't be bothered in the end due to work commitments etc. I'm sure someone more in the know about the legal ins and outs could have won.

Glad you are now sorted and loving the C-HR , sad that you ended up out of pocket through absolutely no fault of your own . Unfortunately you have to be like a dog with a bone on these issues and the big guys know there is a good chance that you will give up before they do. 

[Stopeter44]

12 hours ago, Kevkit said:

I'm sure someone more in the know about the legal ins and outs could have won.

You have to chose your battles. Someone once said to me "do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy ?", fighting litigious battles takes a lot of energy.

[JillG]

Our CHR is two months old and from day one the drivers wing mirror has failed to open numerous times. Car went in for a day yesterday and no fault found, they referred it to Toyota who have said it may be a Battery issue so it's going back in for a charge and test for another day.  The dealer has said to replace the Battery for a larger one is not under warranty and you should buy a trickle charger! or use it every day to keep it charged up! 

[Catlover]

I am thinking this 12v Battery malarkey is now getting ridiculous.  For sure I can see why during Covid lockdown, lack of use for says maybe running into a week or two, could lead to Battery problems, particularly so in the winter.  But so many newish cars are having problems. Maybe winters not been as bad as last two years, and covid is not stopping people moving abut more “normally” than before. So why still problems, and why so with newish cars?       
There has either got to be a problem on a  car like Jill’s in the above post, some drainage problem,……or the Battery really is too small…….. and I not sure about that.      
Jill’s car is two months old, drivers side mirror not functioning……. Oh yes it does at the Toyota dealer, presumably after it has been driven there and the 12v charged up a bit.           
For the dealer to say “buy a charger” or “use the car daily” is not on., not on an eight week old car.            
I suggest all those on TOC who have had problems, are still having problems, or would be having problems if they were not using a charger, or leaving the car in Ready mode for up to an hour, arrange to individually, with a pre agreed script, on a set day, at a set time, everyone send an email to Toyota Customer Services complaining about the problem not satisfactorily being resolved.

[Roger_N]

1 hour ago, JillG said:

Our CHR is two months old and from day one the drivers wing mirror has failed to open numerous times. Car went in for a day yesterday and no fault found, they referred it to Toyota who have said it may be a battery issue so it's going back in for a charge and test for another day.  The dealer has said to replace the battery for a larger one is not under warranty and you should buy a trickle charger! or use it every day to keep it charged up! 

I take it the passenger side is working OK, if it is how can it be the Battery? More likely to be a bad connection on the drivers side.

[Roy124]

My dealer, after one call-out and two further flats tested my Battery and changed if for a 52 AHr Battery vice 45 AHr. 

They never quibbled and never mentioned it. 

By all means say the some dealers do a warranty replacement for a larger Battery FOC. 

Aside from that, if they think your battery just needs charging (and as other's said very unlikely) at 8 weeks either it's a duff battery or something in the car is duff. 

[Spo2]

This is interesting thread . I am waiting for my CHR - I drive every day 3.5 miles and I am worried. Had a golf and ceed for several years and never had Battery problems in similar driving conditions. 

[JillG]

30 minutes ago, Roger_N said:

I take it the passenger side is working OK, if it is how can it be the battery? More likely to be a bad connection on the drivers side.

Yes we agree! It is booked in all day on the 1st March! 

[Spo2]

Possibly some experienced member should make a post for the course of action for 12v Battery and make it a sticky post. 

[Catlover]

On 2/11/2022 at 12:56 PM, Spo2 said:

Possibly some experienced member should make a post for the course of action for 12v battery and make it a sticky post. 

I think Frostyballs has done that, might be mistaken.