Hey everyone, I'm trying to help my girlfriend with her car, I normally do work on trucks since that's what I've owned the last 18 years.
She parked her vehicle at my place and 4 days later it wouldn't start. We tried jumping it, it would turn over but not start the engine. We checked battery and ended up having to replace it- dead cells wouldn't retain a charge.

Since replacing the battery, the drivers seat power controls won't respond, brake lights won't come on and starter motor won't turn over, and the dash gives a message telling us to depress the brake when starting even with the brake pedal depressed. After much reading, we thought it may be the brake light switch, replaced that, no change in issues. Checked all the fuses, none are burned out.

All interior lights work, doors and trunk lock/unlock from remote.

I've tried disconnecting the battery and letting the computer reset.

Any ideas what else it may be before I spend a day getting in the engine area and replacing the starter motor?

 

Perplexing … what kind battery was put in the car? Should be a group 24F. I would run a load test on it to be sure it is not a dud. The sitting voltage should be 12.6 if a flooded battery, but it may be lower now after trying to start the engine.

 

Try testing & charging your new battery. Many of them sit for months and have a low charge and even a new one can be defective as pointed out above.
This happened to my neighbor. We had to charge the new battery all day and then it worked fine.

 

It is a 24F, sitting voltage is 12.6. I've kept it charged with a battery maintainer between attempts to start the car.

 

Tested it and got good readings, I've been keeping the charge topped off with a battery maintainer between periods of working on/trying to start the car.

 

Check the battery cables, and all the fuses including the one between the battery and alternator. There are I think 2 fuse boxes. One under the hood and one under the dash between the steering wheel and side of the vehicle. Under the cover should be a fuse diagram.

​​​​​​https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...y-replace.html

​​​​​​https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...w-battery.html

 

What is CCA reading? 200 min CCA should get it cranking. Beyond that, as stated above, check the connections for corrosion, and don't overlook the ground to chassis connection. Check for codes.