msyost

I believe it is the original battery. I’ve contacted Lexus (corporate) and I’m waiting to hear back. The closest dealer is 1.5hrs away so I’d like to know if they are going to cover it before I drive all the way down.

Thanks for the advice. Is it really bad on the alternator to run it with a bad battery?

sderman

Perhaps you might get a longer life out of an Optima battery? Also lead-acid, but a different interior configuration.

BradTank

Yes, the alternator has a voltage regulator that can sense the proper voltage output it needs to charge the battery to the proper level. In an attempt to charge the battery, the alternator never stops running at full output, but the battery can't hold the proper charge. It makes the alternator get really hot.

If it's a short term thing, it will usually be fine, but longer term it could present a problem. Replacing a battery is a lot cheaper than an alternator (especially on this car where it's buried) , so I personally would replace the battery asap. and not run it in a way where it requires a jump start every time.

BradTank

I also have family members here and unfortunately they have the same issue. All the parts stores here will tell you the same thing.

Just some links to show you its not just me.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/traffi...car-batteries/
https://www.yelp.com/topic/phoenix-c...bout-two-years
https://www.sundevilauto.com/about-u...re-by-the-cold

"Battery tests have indicated that for every 15 degrees Fahrenheit the ambient temperature rises, the life of a typical car battery is cut roughly in half. A battery that might last ten years at 77 degrees might only last for five years at 92 degrees - and if the temperature is increased to 106 then that lifespan drops to two and a half years."

BradTank

I've heard that the quality of Optima batteries at one time was stellar but has gone downhill since they were bought out by Johnson Control and production sent to Mexico. I had an Optima for a vintage car before and I had to return it for a replacement before the warranty ends. There's people that say gel cell batteries actually do worse in the heat that traditional wet cell battery.

Something like 95% of car batteries are made by 3 companies with just different labels. Johnson Control, Exide, and East Penn. Consumer Reports had a pretty extensive article on car batteries and their conclusions were basically to go to Costco (Interstate) or WalMart as they were the best price/warranty combination. I've also purchased dealership batteries from Lexus and find they have about the same life.

I've heard good things about Deka batteries but have never tried them.

msyost

You’re d finitely right. I opened my hood and it was excessively hot. I think I’ll get the battery replaced at Walmart today or tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

msyost

Well I heard back from Lexus and they were very unhelpful. Absolutely no grace period on the warranty. I have since replaced the battery. If this happens again in the near future then I can be certain that this is the problem. I suppose I will have to purchase the replacement gateway computer and pay the dealer to install it.

notabot

I just wanted to chime in - my car was one of the affected vehicles. Mine was a 2013 CPO that I bought in 2016. When I bought the car, I checked out the previous service history and noticed that the previous owner had experienced this problem a few times already - the first time was just 7,000 miles after he had bought the car. Every time he brought the car in for this problem, all they did was replace the battery. From what I can tell, he just gave up and turned the car in after multiple (4 or 5) attempts. After I bought the car, I didn't experience the problem until about 18 months later (a month ago) and it really was bizarre and troubling. Sometimes the car would start just fine, sometimes it wouldn't (no dash lights or anything, just nothing). There was no rhyme or reason to it. It even happened once after I had just stopped to gas up, once after a long road trip, etc.

-You know the worst part? When it happens, you can't pop the trunk open because it's electronically controlled so too bad if you have your jumper cables or jump-pack in the trunk. Which, of course, I did, because I saw the previous history of the car. A lot of good that did me.

-So, I was due for a regular maintenance service anyway and told them about the problem (noting the previous owner's multiple attempts too). I even emailed the service advisor the TSB (you can also go to the NHTSA website to find it) and...honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but they were really great about it. They replaced the gateway computer under the CPO warranty with no fuss or muss (although it took a day to get the part)- even had an RX 350 loaner for a few days too. They won a lot of goodwill for doing this and now I expect the car to be as reliable as advertised.

Good luck!

bc6152

Just an FYI - you can still open the trunk when your battery goes south. There's a keyhole under the lip and you insert your Lexus key into it to open the trunk manually.
Another forum member posted that info long ago so I don't take credit...