Recurring dead battery problem.
11-03-21, 02:56 PM
#17
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Location: CA
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Hi, I have a 1997 Lexus ES300 with approximately 100k miles and have been having a battery issue that I have not been able to solve. The problem is intermittently the battery will die and will have to be jumped off. I have replaced the battery 4 or 5 times over two years and recently replaced the alternator and the issue continues. The problem typically occurs when my wife is driving around town doing errands making multiple stops. And has happened several times when she has sat in car on phone talking while car idles in summer heat. Then goes in store and upon returning car will not start. Basically you hear the clicking because battery does not have enough charge requiring a jump. Very frustrating and dealer hasn't solved because they can't replicate the problem. Although they offered to tow it for free the next time it happens just to check it out before its jumped off. Any help would be appreciated.
....and having wasted a few thousand dollars with a local dealer's service department...
...perhaps you, too, will find one of these suggestions helpful.
1) The last time my (3rd new) battery died and AAA was preparing to tow the car to my new mechanic, I noticed something odd as they raised the front end on a sunny afternoon:
The headlight on the passenger's side was on. I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been positioned precisely where I was, with the front end raised to that precise angle.
The driver's side headlight was not on. The "lights" function at the steering wheel was on "automatic," as it always was.
My mechanic disconnected the "automatic" headlights option. That means I have to turn the headlights on and off the old-fashioned way (using "On" and "Off").
But the battery hasn't died once in the 9 months since then.
2) Before discovering the automatic headlights glitch, my mechanic had suggested that I purchase a solar car battery charger & maintainer. The idea is that when the engine is off, the battery still is receiving a steady, tiny electrical charge that, in theory, will prevent the battery from ever going completely dead; it always will have at least enough juice to start.
I bought mine from Amazon, which has a wide selection of them.
I'm not guaranteeing either of the above remedies will work on someone else's vehicle. But given the frustration I've now managed to avoid for 9 months, I thought I'd mention them here.
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DaveInMesa
RX - 1st Gen (1999-2003)
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05-07-16 08:48 AM
