12v Battery problem

[TonyHSD]

Wd-40 works the best for me. I have used a couple of different lubricants through the years but the wd has always been my favourite because it looks almost invisible, attracts lees dirt it’s easy to wipe away any excess and has a pleasant smell. Last I used on my bonnet hinge and lock mechanism after an engine bay wash and works perfect, you can’t even see there is any lube on it. 👍

[JillG]

On 2/11/2022 at 10:47 AM, Catlover said:

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.

Our car went in for two days to have the Battery fully charged. Was told it was not fully charged on delivery!? If it happens again to buy a trickle charger! We will be trading it in if this continues to be a problem. Shame we let go of our RAV4 as this stood for two weeks and started first time.

[Catlover]

1 hour ago, JillG said:

Our car went in for two days to have the battery fully charged. Was told it was not fully charged on delivery!? If it happens again to buy a trickle charger! We will be trading it in if this continues to be a problem. Shame we let go of our RAV4 as this stood for two weeks and started first time.

Hi Gill, what sort of usage does the car get,frequency, lenght of journeys etc.???

When you had the car in for 2 days having the Battery charged up, was it the Toyota dealer that told you it was not fully chaged on delivery????                         

If so, I would be asking the dealer to provide a new one under warranty.  I would even send an email to Toyota UK customemr servicie saying you not happy the way you have been treated, that you should not be expected to buy a chager for a XXmonth old car, and you want a new Battery

[JillG]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

Hi Gill, what sort of usage does the car get,frequency, lenght of journeys etc.???

When you had the car in for 2 days having the battery charged up, was it the Toyota dealer that told you it was not fully chaged on delivery????                         

If so, I would be asking the dealer to provide a new one under warranty.  I would even send an email to Toyota UK customemr servicie saying you not happy the way you have been treated, that you should not be expected to buy a chager for a XXmonth old car, and you want a new battery

We do 600 a month which includes 70 mile round trip once a week, mostly used daily.  The main dealer implied it was not fully charged but nothing in writing! They refused a new Battery as no fault found.

Shame as we have just done 260 miles which delivered 71 mpg.

Edited March 10, 2022 by JillG

[Catlover]

Seems that your usage is ok.

I would definitely email customer centre, give them yous usage details as above, tell them what the dealer said, tell them you are disgusted it was suggested you buy a charger, you are very disappointed how you have been treated and your enthusiasm for Toyota has been dampened. Just tell them the facts. Worth a try.

[Spo2]

Listen to wise Joe! Might well write to the CEO of Toyota Uk as well. Pretty sure they will replace the battery- it might be a couple of hundred pounds at the most. 

[forkingabout]

An 012 Battery isn't going to cost Toyota much especially with the amount they must buy in. 

I would guess this is more of a dealer can't be bothered situation & if Toyota UK got involved the dealer would suddenly be more responsive to fixing the issue. 

[Spo2]

5 hours ago, JillG said:

We do 600 a month which includes 70 mile round trip once a week, mostly used daily.  The main dealer implied it was not fully charged but nothing in writing! They refused a new battery as no fault found.

Shame as we have just done 260 miles which delivered 71 mpg.

They would be my local dealer for service as well. I test drove the car with them but bought from elsewhere as they couldn't match the price I got from another dealer via Carwow. I think i am inline for poor quality of service.

[JillG]

They did beat Carwow.

[JillG]

On 3/10/2022 at 1:55 PM, Catlover said:

Seems that your usage is ok.

I would definitely email customer centre, give them yous usage details as above, tell them what the dealer said, tell them you are disgusted it was suggested you buy a charger, you are very disappointed how you have been treated and your enthusiasm for Toyota has been dampened. Just tell them the facts. Worth a try.

We did send them a message on their contact us! But will now be ringing them as it's happened again.  If there is nothing wrong with the Battery why should they recommend a charger?! It's a brand new XL version and they still have our Rav4 for sale at £36k! again brand new with lots of extras!

[Catlover]

2 hours ago, JillG said:

We did send them a message on their contact us! But will now be ringing them as it's happened again.  If there is nothing wrong with the battery why should they recommend a charger?! It's a brand new XL version and they still have our Rav4 for sale at £36k! again brand new with lots of extras!

Jill, are you saying you have contacted Toyota Uk head office customer service or you simply contacted your dealer?

[JillG]

No we will be ringing head office after we make one more call to our dealer. 

[JillG]

Less than 5 minute call to Toyota head office (Customer Relations!) and was advised to go back to the dealer again!!

[Catlover]

1 hour ago, JillG said:

Less than 5 minute call to Toyota head office (Customer Relations!) and was advised to go back to the dealer again!!

to do what?  Did they advise?

[JillG]

No they were hopeless, just go back to dealer!

[Steve_w]

Guys, a quick question for help.  In the family we have a 2020 CHR and a 2020 RAV4, both hybrids.  Having had a flat Battery in both cars I’ve bought a CTEK Good To Go charger.  Do both cars have AGM batteries and should I be using that mode with the charger.  BTW, local garage have not seem any issues with the RAVs but it’s a know issue with the CHRs. 
 

Thanks, Steve

[Catlover]

An AGM Battery is usually used if the 12v Battery is within the cab area of the car ie under backseat (Yaris hybrid), or boot are (Auris hybrid). If the CHR is a 1.8 engine I reckon that will be in the boot. Obviously you will know where the batteries are. As an AGM type is more expensive than a “normal” Battery, if the battery is under the bonnet it may well be a “normal” type.

The CTEK Good to Go charge is ok for AGM and “normal batteries. If you look at the CTEK unit it has a button that scrolls through 3 options, it would be good if you read the instruction booklet that came in the box. It is all very simple. Depending on the state of the battery it can take up to 8 hours or more, but you can disconnect and next time you connect, like an overnight break, it picks up when you reconnect.

[Steve_w]

2 hours ago, Catlover said:

An AGM battery is usually used if the 12v battery is within the cab area of the car ie under backseat (Yaris hybrid), or boot are (Auris hybrid). If the CHR is a 1.8 engine I reckon that will be in the boot. Obviously you will know where the batteries are. As an AGM type is more expensive than a “normal” battery, if the battery is under the bonnet it may well be a “normal” type.

The CTEK Good to Go charge is ok for AGM and “normal batteries. If you look at the CTEK unit it has a button that scrolls through 3 options, it would be good if you read the instruction booklet that came in the box. It is all very simple. Depending on the state of the battery it can take up to 8 hours or more, but you can disconnect and next time you connect, like an overnight break, it picks up when you reconnect.

Thanks for the reply. The CHR Battery is under the bonnet, type 350LN1-MF.  It looks like a normal Battery with the ability to top up the distilled water  I’ve searched the internet but I can’t find out what type it is.  Maybe it’s just a “normal” Battery  

 

[Catlover]

Just done a search and i tend to think it is "normal" as well.

Presume the Rav is under the bonnet as well???

[Steve_w]

No the RAV4 Battery is hidden away in the boot so I think it’s AGM

[Catlover]

Well, your CTEK unit has a normal and an AGM mode so your covered. Connect up early in the morning (weather permitting) and see how it goes. Of course if you don’t run the car enough the charge will deteriorate. 

[Roger_N]

If these batteries are fitted at build which you would expect, they could possibly have already been fully discharged by the time you get the car and this is not good for a lead acid Battery.

The time between being built and arriving in the UK can be variable depending where the cars are built and how long they been have built before shipping plus the shipping time. I think the C-HR is is produced in Turkey so not as bad as the RAV4 which has to come from Japan.

[Kevkit]

Hi all, well last weekend the car wouldn't start again and after the last time when a third party for the AA which Toyota road assist use, I was a bit apprehensive of what happened the last time, so I asked the AA if they were coming out or another third party(by the way it was in my drive again) they replied it was AA so that was good. So I explained and showed the lassie from AA where the third party started the car the last time, which they ended up blowing my main fuse and when I showed her she replied they had done it wrong and it was two positives. The good thing though she got it started no problem and she was really helpful and maybe I should have went further with the outcome of the bill I got for my main fuse blowing by the third party. Going into Toyota garage today to get the Battery checked out again and also going to buy a solar trickle charger. I also bought a dash cam for it as some **** had banged into the front of it while I was at the golf and who ever did it must have known but buggered off without leaving any details surprise surprise nowadays. Thankfully it's not to bad but replaced the numberplates, the holder needs replaced to, the honeycomb grill had popped, hairline fine scuffs on the bottom spoiler to say I was fizzin was a understatement just not knowing who done it. The numberplate holder is £80 quid alone plus other stuff so it mounts up out of my own pocket then again could have been worse if they had hut the front side then it would have been expensive. Sorry for the long winded comment 🙄😂

[Big_D]

I do swear by dashcams. They've saved my bacon (and bank account) a few times now.

[Chrisg99]

On 3/29/2022 at 1:33 PM, Big_D said:

I do swear by dashcams. They've saved my bacon (and bank account) a few times now.

I concur with you that a dash cam can save your bank balance. I have the Blackvue 750X (removed from my Corolla and waiting to go in the C-HR when it arrives) front and rear which is connected through two blackvue batteries that last around 60 hours recording without draining the car Battery which then charges when the engine is running. Not the cheapest camera system but I certainly recommend.