12v battery maintenance, issues, etc.

[anchorman]

1 hour ago, dcweather said:

I wonder what that hour a week would translate to in lost mpg?

It might not equate to anything if there’s plenty of juice in the traction Battery.  The best way of stopping it starting is to switch the heater and any electrical loads off.  It will of course eventually start to charge the traction Battery but you’d normally get several successful charges of the 12v Battery before it does.  This whole problem is exacerbated by the mutley battery which is prone to throw the towel in.  Rid that and you can virtually forget the starting thing.  

[Cyker]

5 hours ago, Stopeter44 said:

The 12v problem strikes again, second time in two weeks, third time overall. I knew the battery was weak, but yesterday caught me by surprise.

two weeks ago I had to get the car started by Toyota assistance, they said go for a nice drive it willer all right, and it was. 

Thursday, I did a 100 mile trip, Friday two ten mile trips, and Saturday - the car would only beep at me and say that there wasn't enough braking power. Same symptoms as two weeks previously. 

The car is already booked in for the DCM recall, which Toyota say addresses issues where the car does not "turn off" correctly, and hence excessive drain on the 12v battery.

I think the battery is shot and I will have to have it replaced, I had 4 bars on the hybrid battery graphic when I tried to start the car yesterday.

Is that the factory Battery still...?

 

[Stopeter44]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

Is that the factory battery still...?

Yes.

[SPR]

Dear all

I was thinking about buying a YC but after reading your problems with new vehicles, I'm all over it.

Maybe I can just help you with a hint of system integration, which I myself installed years ago on a vehicle that uses sene frequently and works perfectly. It is a DEFA charger integration system with an external socket and an attached 220V charging cable, which allows connection to the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle (can be under the edge of the vehicle bumper so that it is invisible).

DEFA ChargerKit 1205 Flex • Easily installed 12V/5A charger •

  

Best regards

[Cyker]

Yeah, if you aren't going to drive the vehicle regularly it's not a good choice - You're paying a premium for a highly efficient vehicle that will just be wasted, and the car wants to be driven! Mine has had no problems so far because I use it regularly.

 

[Countryside]

18 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Yeah, if you aren't going to drive the vehicle regularly it's not a good choice - You're paying a premium for a highly efficient vehicle that will just be wasted, and the car wants to be driven! Mine has had no problems so far because I use it regularly.

Do you use it everyday ?

 

[Bob66]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

Yeah, if you aren't going to drive the vehicle regularly it's not a good choice - You're paying a premium for a highly efficient vehicle that will just be wasted, and the car wants to be driven! Mine has had no problems so far because I use it regularly.

 

Wasted...a tad judgemental huh ?  How do you know "the car wants to be driven", my car seems just fine....albeit....getting a routine trickle.   🙂

[hind]

I know that for UK market all Y4 are hybrids but for other countries you can still choose between petrol and hybrid. There was a question on another board if it's worth paying 2000 GBP more for a hybrid version, for daily driving to work and back (around 20 km each day, 5 days a week). Taking fuel consumption into consideration, it was 1.5l/100km less for a hybrid and we calculated that it would take around 20 years of driving like that to compensate for the price of a hybrid (around 15 years if you pick CVT gearbox instead of a manual). 

So yeah, "vehicle that will just be wasted" can be rephrased as "your extra money put into hybrid Toyota is economically unjustified".

[SPR]

TOYOTAaaa do you hear, they have a problem!

The discussion is approaching 100 pages...

[Alan993]

Sitting in Toyota dealer waiting for new improved Battery to be fitted FOC.

Also been promised a free solar trickle charger so we can maintain Battery whilst away on holiday.

 

Fingers crossed these actions will resolve our dead Battery problems?

[Stopeter44]

1 hour ago, hind said:

Taking fuel consumption into consideration, it was 1.5l/100km less for a hybrid and we calculated that it would take around 20 years of driving like that to compensate for the price of a hybrid (around 15 years if you pick CVT gearbox instead of a manual). 

Yep, that was about the size of it. On the other hand are you going to buy a new car and keep it 20 years ? What are the residual values on the Yaris, Hybrid or Essence, after 3 years ? Many people "buy" on leasing arrangements, too.

Now, in France, for example, you can't get a MY24 Yaris other than as a hybrid. Toyota has upgraded the standard Battery, now at 45AH, and is proceeding with a recall to address issue(s) with the DCM (Data Communication Module, or some such), which "drains" the 12v Battery unnecessarily. 

[hind]

15 minutes ago, Stopeter44 said:

On the other hand are you going to buy a new car and keep it 20 years ?

Well, yeah, that's the plan 😄 at least for me. We were driving Y1 until it didn't pass MOT and changed it to a new one. Paid in cash. We requested underbody protection to be applied before we even drive it out of the dealers. 

But I don't think it will persist that long. I'd be really glad if it lives for more than 10 years.

[Stopeter44]

23 minutes ago, hind said:

Well, yeah, that's the plan 😄 at least for me. ...

But I don't think it will persist that long. I'd be really glad if it lives for more than 10 years.

That's ecologically sound, well as much as owning a car can ever be ecologically sound. It seems like many forum posters rarely go past 4 years of ownership. Toyota starts pushing for a trade in after 2 years of ownership. I paid cash too.

[Mojo1010]

1 hour ago, hind said:

Well, yeah, that's the plan 😄 at least for me. We were driving Y1 until it didn't pass MOT and changed it to a new one. Paid in cash. We requested underbody protection to be applied before we even drive it out of the dealers. 

But I don't think it will persist that long. I'd be really glad if it lives for more than 10 years.

10 years are no problem, unless you reside by the coast - salt - corrosion. 

Bought a Y3 at 2 years, had it for 5 years, no issues. 7 year old no problem, just services/tyres/wiper blades. Would go on another 10 years okay. 

Got a Y4 now also, keep it until circumstances change. Tempted to do a straight trade with Don's lexus UX in a few years 😉

[hind]

1 hour ago, Mojo1010 said:

unless you reside by the coast - salt - corrosion. 

17 km in a straight line but the biggest enemy is the road salt in winter. And we often have months of -3/+3 oC temperatures, where road maintenance workers apply salt in the evening to prevent icing at night and during the day leftover snow with salt and sand melts, forming the puddles of brine which wash your car from top (salty mist from the car in front of you) to bottom (splashing from your own wheels). 

[Stopeter44]

 

On 2/25/2024 at 11:06 AM, Stopeter44 said:

The 12v problem strikes again, second time in two weeks, third time overall. I knew the battery was weak, but yesterday caught me by surprise.

 

On 2/25/2024 at 11:06 AM, Stopeter44 said:

The car is already booked in for the DCM recall, which Toyota say addresses issues where the car does not "turn off" correctly, and I think the battery is shot and I will have to have it replaced, I had 4 bars on the hybrid battery graphic when I tried to start the car.

A good day today, because after Toyota assistance started the car, I took it directly to the dealer where they tested the Battery and proceeded with the DCM update. After they had finished the DCM update, they came to me and said the 12v Battery was shot, and it would be replaced under warranty with the new updated Battery (45AH).

Unfortunately, for logistical reasons, I was unable to use the car all day, but they loaned me a car.

Overall, a very satisfactory performance from the dealer*. OTOH, if I had to be at work it would have caused me some problems, being retired has its advantages.

*Alpes Sud Toyota (Sisteron-Volx).

[Bob66]

4 hours ago, hind said:

I know that for UK market all Y4 are hybrids but for other countries you can still choose between petrol and hybrid. There was a question on another board if it's worth paying 2000 GBP more for a hybrid version, for daily driving to work and back (around 20 km each day, 5 days a week). Taking fuel consumption into consideration, it was 1.5l/100km less for a hybrid and we calculated that it would take around 20 years of driving like that to compensate for the price of a hybrid (around 15 years if you pick CVT gearbox instead of a manual). 

So yeah, "vehicle that will just be wasted" can be rephrased as "your extra money put into hybrid Toyota is economically unjustified".

It's not all about money, Greta and I, are trying to save the planet too.  🙂

[Stopeter44]

31 minutes ago, Bob66 said:

It's not all about money, Greta and I, are trying to save the planet too.  🙂

That's how we settled on the Yaris hybrid, it was the best way forward for us in 2021. Reduced CO2 emissions, and roughly 30% better fuel economy (maybe 35%, since I've slowed down to get the best out of the Gen IV hybrid system).

[Cyker]

Hey stopeter, can you find out the TSB of the DCM update? I thought only the RAV4 had a dodgy DCM that was draining the Battery and needed a firmware update, but if the Yaris has a similar problem maybe the 12 Battery isn't all to blame...?

A good result though - Kudos to your dealer for just sorting it out with no fuss! A lot of dealers could learn from that example. I'm especially impressed they even offered to change the Battery after so long!! That's been a lot less consistent here.

[RickyC]

15 hours ago, Stopeter44 said:

A good day today, because after Toyota assistance started the car, I took it directly to the dealer where they tested the battery and proceeded with the DCM update. After they had finished the DCM update, they came to me and said the 12v battery was shot, and it would be replaced under warranty with the new updated battery (45AH).

Do you know which Battery they have installed as replacement ?

[Stopeter44]

6 minutes ago, RickyC said:

Do you know which battery they have installed as replacement ?

No, but they assured me its was the same as the MY24 Yaris Battery.

[Roy124]

15 hours ago, Stopeter44 said:

better fuel economy (maybe 35%, since I've slowed down to get the best out of the Gen IV hybrid system).

Have you noticed it makes virtually no difference to journey times but induces less stress?

I am fortunate to have only one 'wall of death' and mostly travel on the old style A and B roads.  We do one regular 75 mile journey and not one dual carriageway and only one bypass.

[Stopeter44]

24 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

I am fortunate to have only one 'wall of death'

The only thing I think of from that is a very tight banked hairpin bend ?

[Countryside]

1 hour ago, Stopeter44 said:

No, but they assured me its was the same as the MY24 Yaris battery.

That’s tells me it’s an improved battery 

[dcweather]

After my wife's failed after 7 years I got one of these:

https://commercialvehiclelights.com/product/ring-battery-power-bank-jump-starter-booster-6000mah-compact-lithium-rppl200/

There are two special terminals for it under the bonnet and it works great. Keeps in glove compartment because Battery failed once in Tesco car park. won't work if Battery plates have failed and shoted. Great to get you home and you can charge your phone from it as well.