RAV4 PHEV

[kucyk]

15 hours ago, duncerduncs said:

With respect, it's hardly a disgrace that Toyota UK have sold their whole allocation of MY23 RAV4 HEV and PHEV models - they simply can't build enough of them quickly enough! 

You forgot to mention that the MY23 PHEV allocation was 10 cars 🤣 😜

[Gunner976]

Hi bought my 2021 RAV4 Phev Dynamic AWD last March after test driving my daughter Rav 4 Phev. The idea was to get rid of a second vehicle not required as my wife and I are retired.not wanting to go all electric we thought this was a good option. A few months later my daughters car had a problem with the 12 volt Battery going flat. According to the breakdown this was caused by a couple of weeks short journeys. Two weeks before Xmas my car suffered the same problem with the 12 volt Battery. The AA attended and started the car with a Battery pack, advising that it should be checked at a Toyota centre. I had not used the car for a journeys longer than 12 miles or more for the previous week but it was always garaged. The battery was tested the following day by Toyota, it was ok but needed charging. I was told that to keep the battery charged it had to be in the ready mode for at least an hour or more per week. Failing that a good option was to put it on a trickle charge as the 12v auxiliary battery is considerably smaller than conventional cars. This now being our only vehicle that was not what I wanted to hear. Now having to consider changing the vehicle or purchasing a second. Make up your own mind if this vehicle is suitable for your lifestyle.

 

 

[Flatcoat]

Why not simply use the car in ICE mode from time to time, say one journey per week? It may be slightly inconvenient but is it worth the cost and hassle of a second car. quite what that will solve is a mystery. Especially if that results in using the RAV less! or changing? And if so, To what? 

[philip42h]

45 minutes ago, Gunner976 said:

I was told that to keep the battery charged it had to be in the ready mode for at least an hour or more per week.

It's a PHEV! Just leave it in its garage and put it in Ready mode for an hour a week - say, while you are enjoying your Sunday lunch. There's no need to run the ICE at all. You will need to ensure that you top-up the traction Battery from time to time but you'd want to to that anyway ...

Now if it were an 'umble HEV you might need to put a trickle charger on it instead - but that's not too much on an issue for a garaged car!

😉

Edit: oh, and, you might want to consider getting a jump start pack just in case you forget for a week or three - then you can easily get going again without waiting for the AA.

[ernieb]

I bought a trickle charger with an adapter that I’ve permanently connected directly to the 12v Battery, easy job to plug the charger in after connecting to the Battery. My car is on the drive but the with the charger inside the car the mains lead is fed via the rear door seal and a couple of hours later I just disconnect.

Or as Philip says just leave the car in READY mode the traction Battery via the inverter will charge the car.

[George22]

Owned a Dynamic Premium RAV 4 PHEV since Mar. 2022

[Gunner976]

Hi all

Thanks for the advice, my issue is with Toyota,none of this information is given at the point of purchase. Being used to a conventional car Battery I have never had a problem. Trickle chargers and Battery packs are not a problem for me but I wouldn’t want my wife having to do that. 

[Flatcoat]

28 minutes ago, George22 said:

Owned a Dynamic Premium RAV 4 PHEV since Mar. 2022

And? I have owned one since January 2022…. 

[philip42h]

6 minutes ago, Gunner976 said:

Hi all

Thanks for the advice, my issue is with Toyota,none of this information is given at the point of purchase. Being used to a conventional car battery I have never had a problem. Trickle chargers and battery packs are not a problem for me but I wouldn’t want my wife having to do that. 

Well ... before we retired we did a lot more miles, so, of course, there was rarely a problem with the 12v Battery (until it died anyway). And in the bad old days of starter motors and alternators you needed a 'big' 12v Battery just to turn over the starter motor. So it had plenty of capacity to sit a while - though you might still have a problem turning over and getting started later.

Modern cars have more complex electronic systems, keyless entry and so forth - so they consume more power while they are 'off'. Added to that Toyota hybrids and all EVs have done away with the starter motor and alternator so no longer have any requirement for a starter Battery - they just need an auxiliary battery to keep the car alive when it is off. We might argue that Toyota could have fitted a larger auxiliary battery (but they didn't).

Toyota published advice on how to keep the auxiliary battery adequately charge early in 2020 - when, during lock-down, folk weren't using their cars for weeks on end and finding the auxiliary battery low on charge when the eventually did. It is by now a fairly well known 'feature' ...

60 minutes use per week isn't exactly a lot - even for those of us who are retired ... 😉

[philip42h]

... oh, and ... have a look at this thread:

 

There's a link to the Toyota advice on the subject:

And a specific issue known to affect the PHEV specifically:

You may want to get your dealer to check that this isn't a specific issue for you (or your daughter).

[Gunner976]

Thanks Phil that information is very useful. 

[SO8]

I read about this a lot re my Yaris so bought a Noco booster pack which I kept in the boot.  Tiny thing but never needed so far.  I have used it on my neighbours cars three times though !  Jump leads and their own booster pack wouldn't get their diesel cars going but the Noco did easily.  Worth the money if you can spare it for peace of mind ... not that it should be necessary but handy to have.