ejthomp

My wife and I like to travel. We just got back from a week long trip and found the battery on our 2005 LS430 was dead. I thought the battery should hold a charge longer even with the keyless entry left on so I just installed a new Interstate battery from Costco.

So, here is the question: If you need to leave your LS430 at the airport....and in your rush, you leave the remote keyless entry on... How long do you believe you should be able to park it and still have enough battery juice to start it when you return?

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

I have gone over 30 days and it started right up. I travel all the time and have no issues even with smart key left on.

Are you sure you did not leave a map light on?
You may need to do a parasitic drain test. Your battery should last at least a few weeks.

02Legend

iTrader: (3)

I travel a lot for work and the average time I am gone is 2 weeks, if not more at a time. My current battery is just over 2 years old and I have been gone for almost a month at times and had no issues.

KING

iTrader: (1)

I find that my car will not start up if I leave it for more than a month.
But I just usually disconnect the battery cable very time I plan on parking her for a long time without a start.

Legender

Yep, it will drain. A newer battery might last longer than one that has a few hears on it. I find a couple of months on a new battery without starting will just about kill it. Guess I need to drive it more.

ejthomp

Thanks guys. The previous owner installed an iphone USB adapter so you can plug in an iphone and see the menu on the display screen. I need to check for a parasitic draw. The car had a yellow top Optima battery that was only a year old. It should have lasted longer, that's for sure.

smokey6010

I leave my car for as much as 4 months at a time but always connect to a Battery Tender. Its not good to deep cycle an automotive battery. That really will shorten its life.

Bocatrip

This is certainly the way to go for peace of mind, especially if you are not sure how your car will hold up after long layup. FYI....if you have never left your car for extended layups, just be aware that if you do come back to a dead battery, your battery is more than likely useless and you will need a new one due to the slow drain. The battery tender is the way to go to be assured it will be fine unless you are leaving it somewhere without juice.

ejthomp

Well I did the parasitic drain test and found a constant 0.18A draw with the keyless entry on. Not sure what would be acceptable, but I figure this is too much. The previous owner installed a MediaBridge MB-1500-Toyota from Dice Electronics. No idea what the draw might be from this, but I notice my iphone shows it is charging when connected, even when radio and key are in off position.

To remove it, I have to pull the radio. My wife doesn't use it so it's only a power sucking accesory in our car.

Tom57

How long the battery will last depends upon a few variables: alternator/regulator output, battery capacity and its condition, and any other "accessories" that may draw current when the car is off. In simple terms, think of the battery as a 1-gallon container. When fully charged, the container is full. The alternator refills the container when there is draw down out of the container. If the alternator (and internal voltage regulator) aren't operating to full (peak) capacity, the battery never gets fully filled. As batteries age, even a fully functioning alternator cannot fill the battery to full - the battery won't go through a fully charged cycle - like it's a 1/2 gallon container now. Batteries have different reserve capacities and cold cranking amps. Batteries made for the northern climates are also different than southern climate batteries. Heat saps battery life, and short trips don't fully charge the battery. A fully filled (charged) battery will last longer with a fractional amp drain (ex. Smart Access "on") than a battery that is less than fully filled.

My Mercury Metallic '06 (75K miles) will start after sitting for a month or more stored in the garage in winter with Smart Access left "on."

Moikoi

My 05 LS430 drained down a two month old Costco battery in three weeks.

Bocatrip

Was it completely dead? Were you able to save the battery after recharging or did you need a replacement?
PS. The survey with only 6 responses cannot really give a precise conclusion for how long our cars can be sitting before any battery draw will keep it from starting.

ejthomp

Do you have anything installed that is non-OEM?

My 05 LS430 drained an 11 month old Optima Yellow Top in seven days. I definitely have a problem. I would think you might too, but not as bad.

I'm a Costco battery believer if for no reason than knowing I can return at any time. I will get this fixed, but should the battery get totally drained for some reason, I will have it replaced.

Moikoi

Yes, it is running fine after recharging.

Moikoi

No, not that I know of. My smart key battery was dead would that have anything to do with it?..