I was messing with the bluetooth FM transmitter I received the other day with the overhead lights on and the radio on for about 5 minutes.

I tried to start the car and nothing but clicking. After taking my battery out of the car I put my charger on and it charged it for about 3 hrs (on quick charge) and got it to about 14.1 V. I should have put a volt meter on the battery to check the before and after charge. I don't trust the reading on my charger.

Observations:
1) The battery is a Lexus battery, 84 month, 570 CCA.
2) I pulled the positive cable first and then the negative cable.
3) I noticed a small amount of battery corrosion on the positive terminal of the battery but not the negative.
4) I cleaned both terminals and wire ends using a battery protection kit.
5) To remove battery the battery clamp needs to be removed. There is the clamp hook that needs removed (I left nut on the end) and a nut on the other part of the clamp (nearest the engine wall) that needs to be removed.
6) Then the plastic cover needs to be removed but there are two attachments on the side of the cover that hold the positive wires. This needs to be unclamped.
7) After removing the plastic cover the battery can then be lifted out.

From what I read, to determine when the battery was made there is a letter/number combo inscribed in the plastic on one side of the battery. Mine said L200 (plus some other numbers). L is the month of mfg and 2 indicates the year. I'm assuming that it was manufactured in 2012 which would make it 3 yrs old.


Also I understand that there are only 3 manufacturers of lead acid car batteries in the U.S that are packaged under various names.

 

What year LS?

 

2005.

I tested the battery, without the car on, using a voltmeter and got 12.5 Volts.

Testing battery with the car running I got 13.7 Volts.

Supposedly this should read 14.1 to 14.8 volts so now I'm wondering if my alternator is going out?


I did have a crappy $4 voltmeter from Harbor Freight so I'm going to buy a better voltmeter to verify.

 

Use the on-board voltage check. Press & hold the OPTION button and hold it down while the car is running. Turn the park lights "on" and "off" 3 times. Then, the MENU pops up on the screen. Push MENU, then Display Check, then "Vehicle signal check" to show the the voltage.

 

Awesome. Thanks.

 

Take it to local Walmart or Pep boys/Autozone equivalent and ask them to test your battery. Takes 5 minutes. Coincidentally I finally replaced my 10 year old OEM Panasonic battery on my 2006 LS yesterday with a new Group 24F Max Battery from Walmart. New battery cost with 3 year full replace warranty was $116 including tax. The Walmart auto tech was surprised that the original OEM battery was still starting the car at 10 years old. Thoughtfully the old battery had given me some warning in that in the last month it had started cranking the engine a little slower. The battery test showed its CCA was down to 240. I figured after 10 years it deserved to go to recycle heaven.

 

When I replaced my '01 Panasonic battery, I re-purposed it and used it as a battery back-up for the sump pump. Just replaced last year. 14-year useful life.

 

Where is this options button?

 

I went to o'reillys and they determined that the battery is bad. Also found out that the local Toyota dealer doesn't warrant Lexus parts.
The battery is a 84 month bought three years ago.

 

Right side of the Nav screen (to the right of the "MENU" button).

 

You alternator is fine. It does not put out 14+ volts but under certain conditions. Anything over 13+ volts means the alternator is working as it should. Even my brand new Denso alternator and battery only puts out 14 + volts on cold starts and for a short period of time. Try measuring it on a cold start first thing in the morning.

 

I have no nav screen

 

My CHEVROLET Malibu puts out between 14.2-14.7V according to the information screen.

 

I don't think your alternator is going bad. The LS430 just suck so much energy if it was running off of the battery. Heck, sometimes after leaving the car for a month or so you'd find the battery dead.(never found out what sucks the battery, maybe the alarm system. Seems to be a common problem with the 430.)

Those 5 minutes working with the bluetooth transmitter and your headlights on should not have caused this though, you might have an older battery it looks like.

 

The 430 does not. It's all regulated by the voltage regulator.