Sudden Drop in Traction Battery
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 12,055
Likes: 0
Received 74 Likes
on
45 Posts
Sudden Drop in Traction Battery
I got in the car this morning and it was a full battery, all the bars showed in the consumption screen. This is often the case after the wife drives. Haha.
Well u was driving out for maybe for ten minutes and all was well. Of course the car was trying to get rid of the extra juice. One by one the two top bars disappeared and it was on the normal charge. I was then surprised to see the third bar drop soon after. I let it go as I was sitting in traffic. Well I turn the navi to the radio screen to switch stations and when I switch back to the hybrid screen I was in the purple. Just two bars left. All of this couldn't have been more than 3 minutes and maybe half a two blocks of driving. The ICE kicked in to charge. Just a weird situation. I'm not too worried since battery warranty is for 8 years but it is a bit disconcerting.
Well u was driving out for maybe for ten minutes and all was well. Of course the car was trying to get rid of the extra juice. One by one the two top bars disappeared and it was on the normal charge. I was then surprised to see the third bar drop soon after. I let it go as I was sitting in traffic. Well I turn the navi to the radio screen to switch stations and when I switch back to the hybrid screen I was in the purple. Just two bars left. All of this couldn't have been more than 3 minutes and maybe half a two blocks of driving. The ICE kicked in to charge. Just a weird situation. I'm not too worried since battery warranty is for 8 years but it is a bit disconcerting.
#2
I have seen this happen also. My guess is that there is something in the programming that calls for a "complete" discharge on some periodic basis. I am not sure that I see it every time it happens but I do see it every month or so.
#3
Racer
I too remember seeing this happen once on my 2006 RX400h where it seemed to drain down to where I had only one or two bars for a very brief period of time -- ICE kicked-in and I don't remember ever seeing it happen again in the many years I owned that truck. I did not consider it worrisome at the time since the whole thing is computer controlled, and like Bob, and my being an old-time software guy, just considered it some part of the programming.
So far, I have not seen this happen on my 2013 RX450h, nearing 18 months of ownership -- but then again, I only keep the small black & white hybrid graphic between the dials up most of the time -- not the larger color display that takes up the full Nav display where the traction battery charging/recharging action would be even more obvious if I kept my eyes on it.
So far, I have not seen this happen on my 2013 RX450h, nearing 18 months of ownership -- but then again, I only keep the small black & white hybrid graphic between the dials up most of the time -- not the larger color display that takes up the full Nav display where the traction battery charging/recharging action would be even more obvious if I kept my eyes on it.
#4
Racer
I've seen this happen once in the last year too. It was odd because normally after cold startup it's usually reluctant to use the battery much, but that time it used it steadily until the two purple bars, the engine started, and completely normal after that.
#5
Lexus Champion
Honestly, I probably wouldn't have noticed if it happened to me. I let the Hybrid do its thing and lets its software manage the discharge and whatnot. I will occasionally force it into EV, but that mode is not very cooperative to begin with.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post