12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[Roy124]

16 minutes ago, anchorman said:

The trouble with fighting the dealer for a new battery is they want it for two days and if you charge a battery overnight it will invariably test ok

As I said before, I did a daily voltage check over a few days with the car sitting in the garage.  Presenting the results to the garage and they changed the Battery for larger capacity. 

PS, that was my Corolla in 2021.  The Cross has had no issues.

[anchorman]

7 hours ago, Roy124 said:

As I said before, I did a daily voltage check over a few days with the car sitting in the garage.  Presenting the results to the garage and they changed the battery for larger capacity. 

PS, that was my Corolla in 2021.  The Cross has had no issues.

My mate’s Battery problem gave him zero warning.  That’s the worst kind.  

[Roy124]

56 minutes ago, anchorman said:

My mate’s battery problem gave him zero warning.  That’s the worst kind.  

Don, my suggestion relates to the dealer having it for 2 days and saying no fault found.

If you then do a daily monitor while the car is not in use you have incontrovertible evidence that there is a Battery drain.  The drain could be either a 12v demand or Battery not holding the charge.  Either way they have to find a cause. 

[Cyker]

9 hours ago, anchorman said:

I’ve always had an open mind about this subject but a close friend bough his Cross new in April and this week the battery failed.  He uses it on a daily basis and he knows not to abuse it.   It not only failed but the 100amp jump pack wouldn’t start it so he had to get it up to his big charger with booster facility.  I’ve heard this many times but never witnessed it.  The dealer told him they couldn’t help and they’re right, you have breakdown assistance for that.  The trouble with fighting the dealer for a new battery is they want it for two days and if you charge a battery overnight it will invariably test ok.  Even if it doesn’t you’re just going to get another Mutla and my opinion of these things has gone right down the plug hole.   We fitted a Yuasa with almost double the capacity and it has completely cured the ones I’ve done in the past.  Let’s hope future generations of Yaris and Cross get a decent battery because it has to stop.  I originally thought normal every day use would prevent problems but it doesn’t.  

Ack that's bad news... It feels like there are a load of faulty batteries going through their supply lines, either that or they've been left to discharge too often while e.g. sitting in a holding area, so the customer just gets a half-dead Battery to begin with.

While mine hasn't given me any gyp yet, aside from having a warning in the previous HHC (The first 2 and the most recent one were fine), when it comes time for mine to be replaced I'm going to get that Silver Yuasa everyone else seems to be going for too!!

My car's not had an easy life, being subjected to lots of nasty vibrations and hard impacts from e.g. rumble-strips, speed humps, pot holes etc., and if the Battery isn't well made I can imagine those lead plates getting broken off, esp. as it's been confirmed it's just a normal flooded Battery, and not an AGM (AGMs are very hardy as the plates and acid mats are clamped together very tightly, which gives them higher structural strength than normal lead acid batteries)

[Roy124]

33 minutes ago, Cyker said:

My car's not had an easy life, being subjected to lots of nasty vibrations and hard impacts from e.g. rumble-strips, speed humps, pot holes etc.,

I had a SAAB99 for over 7 years.  I think the milage was around 80k but it was on its original Battery.  I thrashed that car in my late youth.  One time I was airborne on a very short,  but high, humpback bridge.   As the road became visible I saw it did an immediate 90 degree turn.  I applied full lock.

When the car landed it shot round the bend.  The engine bearers took the full brunt of the landing. 

Later, driving on a rough surface road in Turkey,  we found the most comfortable ride was at 50mph.

Battery mistreatment? Hmmph 😉

[Rhymes with Paris]

going to get that Silver Yuasa everyone else seems to be going for

That would be a sound decision I think Cyker.

I used to replace the batteries on my motorcycles with yuasa , never had any trouble.

And a friend replaced the Battery on my Tsport after it went dead in march after I was in hospital after it died , with a yuasa.

So far,so good.

They seem to make good batteries,both in charge retention, and robustness.

[anchorman]

This is it

 

 

[Lynns Husband]

Wife's Yaris unable to move on Friday night after work. Called AA  out Saturday  and diagnosed new auxilary Battery. No problem car is 8 years old.  Non of the Battery companies open on a Saturday had a Battery, surly it is just a battery. AA jumped started so we could get the car home. Monday came and we attempted to get a replacemt - no luck.  Reluctantly went to the main dealer.  They could supply but we had to get the car there. AA jump start agian.  I have to wonder what the query is. I repeat it just a battery 

[Roy124]

Anthony you are right, it's just a Battery, a Battery of a specific size and capacity.   There will be many different batteries to meet many different cars.  You cannot expect every garage to carry spare batteries for every car.

Besides,  stock batteries will be subject to deterioration if just left sitting on a shelf.   Similarly garage do not carry every spare for every car.   If a particular component is both low cost and high demand then a garage might have stock.

Regarding availability at a weekend,  a specialist like Kwik Fit may have stock and may be open, but you would have to be prepared to ring around and to them. 

[Max_Headroom]

28 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

Anthony you are right, it's just a battery, a battery of a specific size and capacity.   There will be many different batteries to meet many different cars.  You cannot expect every garage to carry spare batteries for every car.

Besides,  stock batteries will be subject to deterioration if just left sitting on a shelf.   Similarly garage do not carry every spare for every car.   If a particular component is both low cost and high demand then a garage might have stock.

Spot on Roy i can imagine these batteries are like hens teeth in the likes of Halfords, Euro car parts etc.

[Stobie]

Next working day delivery if ordered before 4pm and a much better Battery than the standard: 12V Car Battery, Type 002L, Yuasa YBX5202, 45Ah 440CCA Sealed Calcium | eBay

[Tel 2]

Please confirm a Flat Battery can be charged from a Gismo in the engine bay as My Cross has been parked in my Garage for 8 weeks following a major cycling accident that has temporally disabled my right leg .

Thanks Tel

[Roy124]

Terry, hope you are mended not.

You say charged?  Do you mean from a jumper pack or a smart charger?

Assuming you only have a jumper pack you certainly can't charge the 12v Battery.  You might be able to get it in Ready mode and leave it in Ready mode for the hour or more.

If you meant a smart charger then you can try charging and monitor the charge process.  That too might and more likely than the jumper pack on a completely flat Battery.

If the Battery has been fine previously you should then be OK.

 

[Tel 2]

Sorry

Can the AA charge the Car without the need to pull the car out as it facing the road ?

Terry

[Roy124]

3 hours ago, Tel 2 said:

Sorry

Can the AA charge the Car without the need to pull the car out as it facing the road ?

Terry

If they use a large jumper pack and can easily access your Battery or charging point they can certainly try and jump start.

Charging the Battery is quite different as it can take several hours.  I would expect if they cannot get your car started they would offer a tow to a garage.

[Roy124]

Terry, what kit do you have, jumper pack or smart charger?

Do you have a voltmeter?

[Tel 2]

I have nothing & understood all cars had provision in the engine bay to charge a Battery that was located say in the boot.

Tel

[Roy124]

Terry, I asked as you implied you had a gizmo.

To charge or jump a Yaris Cross, when facing the engine bay,  on the right is a flat box which is a fuse box.  The Battery is in front of that.

You can charge directly on the battery  or open the positive terminal in the fuse box.

Given you don't have any equipment  and are talking of the AA, call them.  They will explain and show you.

[Gren]

I'm going to be away soon so won't be using my hybrid for about 3 weeks.  I have a Noco Genius trickle charger - is it safe/advisable to leave the charger on AGM maintenance mode connected to the car for this period of time?  or is it better to not connect it and pray the Battery doesn't die while I'm away.  The car will be left at home, so I can leave the charger plugged in.

[jthspace]

1 hour ago, Gren said:

I'm going to be away soon so won't be using my hybrid for about 3 weeks.  I have a Noco Genius trickle charger - is it safe/advisable to leave the charger on AGM maintenance mode connected to the car for this period of time?  or is it better to not connect it and pray the battery doesn't die while I'm away.  The car will be left at home, so I can leave the charger plugged in.

I leave my 1993 MX5 on a Battery Minder whilst it is off-road November through to March/April and never had a problem. 

[Jeremy Eves]

My father bought a new Yaris Cross in Dec 2022. Unfortunately he had a long spell in hospital in May/June. I had to call the AA 3 times for a start due to 12V Battery issue, eventually contacting dealer who charged it fully. Since then the car has been used for a run of 2 hours once per week - a good run for Battery charging. But the 12 months service report comes back saying there is an issue with the 12V Battery!!

Dealer response is that the car is not being driven enough - hard to believe when it is getting a long run once per week. They originally said that Toyota designed the car for annual mileage of 8000 - 10000 miles. If that is the case it seems to me that my father, in his 90's was mis-sold this vehicle. He wasn't asked about annual mileage, and its a fairly safe assumption that most 90+ year olds dont drive that sort of mileage in a year. Mainly local short runs.

Dealers best advice was to change to a different car more suitable for application - that's an admission that this was mis-selling! Of course no salesman will make money by finding barriers to sale, especially in the motor trade! To change would mean a loss of £4000 / 5000 given the large year 1 depreciation.

I am really annoyed by a large national dealer and Toyota. I am unlikely to do business again with either.  

[Mojo1010]

They have not mis sold the car imo. The problem was the extended period of non driving, the Battery will not get back to the new level even if it's driven for 100 hrs a week.

We have members here doing 3000 miles a year and no problem. It's damaged, get a new Battery and the problem will be solved with current 2hrs a week driving. Put a 45ah one in, current Battery is only around 35ah. 

[Max_Headroom]

As said above he has not been miss sold the car in fact its nice to see a sales person actually put a figure on it.

8000 miles per year = 154 per week your  father is driving  2 hours a week if he could keep his speed to 60 mph for the full 2 hours he would only cover 120 miles and i imagine in the real world it will be a lot less than that and no where near the 153 stated by the sales rep to keep the car from letting him down.

Having said that i have said several times in the various 12v Battery threads here  that in my opinion Toyota sales should ask potential buyers what their average weekly mileage is and if its low they should explain they may need to use  "Ready" mode to keep the Battery topped up on weeks they are not going to use it much.

 

Quote

They originally said that Toyota designed the car for annual mileage of 8000 - 10000 miles.

Quote

Since then the car has been used for a run of 2 hours once per week 

 

[Roy124]

1 hour ago, Max_Headroom said:

my opinion Toyota sales should ask potential buyers what their average weekly mileage is and if its low they should explain they may need to use  "Ready" mode to keep the battery topped up on weeks they are not going to use it 

If you buy the car with a PCP you set an annual mileage limit.  Depending on ones understanding of the question which  might be "is 8000 miles enough" or "what mileage will you do?" The salesman should give advice.

When we bought out Corolla the salesman suggested 8k but I opted for 12k. Without lock down we would have done more.  With the Yaris Cross we are at 13.5k in 14 months.

[Max_Headroom]

1 hour ago, Roy124 said:

If you buy the car with a PCP you set an annual mileage limit.  Depending on ones understanding of the question which  might be "is 8000 miles enough" or "what mileage will you do?" The salesman should give advice.

So its likely he misunderstood the information given and the sales man/woman was not saying  they needed to do 8000 miles a year to keep the 12v Battery charged they were asking his  total mileage for the year.

I must have skipped this earlier and see (quote below) it says  "He wasn't asked about annual mileage" which makes it likely what i posted above is the case.

I do think it stinks that Toyota sales dont ask potential customers their weekly usage before taking £25,000 off them knowing full well if they dont drive them regularly they will be let down.

 

Quote

Dealer response is that the car is not being driven enough - hard to believe when it is getting a long run once per week. They originally said that Toyota designed the car for annual mileage of 8000 - 10000 miles. If that is the case it seems to me that my father, in his 90's was mis-sold this vehicle. He wasn't asked about annual mileage, and its a fairly safe assumption that most 90+ year olds dont drive that sort of mileage in a year. Mainly local short runs.