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My 2023 Lexus NX 350 (gas-only) displays "Battery Charging" (along with the Auto Stop/Start icon) on the dash for days at a time every time I hard press the brake at intersections. The manual has a long list of situations when Auto Stop/Start "may not engage" (e.g Climate control situations which also require battery power) but the manual does not provide any guidelines to foster ideal driving conditions in order to eliminate or reduce this incessant message. Driving with climate turned off does not seem to improve anything.
After opening a case with Lexus Canada over several months, I was told that it is working "As Designed" and the case was closed. I do not know how they arrived at this conclusion even after the local service department told me they had no diagnostic tests specific to diagnosing Auto Stop/Start.
BTW.... At least they tested the 12V battery. The tests have come back healthy. I can only assume that there is not enough battery power available to restart the engine which is required if the Auto Stop were to engage. i.e. don't stop the engine if you can't restart it.
Anyone else have this problem? In one of the Lexus NX 350 ads, under the comment section, I found a negative review in which the customer pointed out they see a message that the battery was charging while the car was being driven. The review did not elaborate further. I can only assume that this customer may have been experiencing the same thing I have been.
I interpret this message as saying the engine wasn't "stopped" when you came to a stop, because the computers determined the 12V battery was below some voltage threshold. This appears to me, to be normal function. What is your concern?
I interpret this message as saying the engine wasn't "stopped" when you came to a stop, because the computers determined the 12V battery was below some voltage threshold. This appears to me, to be normal function. What is your concern?
You are 100% correct, as described above, the stop start is operating as designed. The battery charging message will only stay off when there is sufficient charge in the battery to operate the car / a/c etc satisfactorily while at a stand still.
It may not be desirable, but it is exactly what my NX does and appears to be normal. It has been pretty rare that I don't get this message especially during winter when batteries tend to be a bit weaker from the cold temps. When the engine does stop, it starts within 10 seconds anyway. In the summer it was a bit more useful, but now I use the message as a reminder just to turn the whole system off. Every time I do, I smile, ahh, that's better.
I've heard that in some situations and given the high electrical demand in modern Toyota/Lexus, its not uncommon that the charging system won't fully charge the battery.
I interpret this message as saying the engine wasn't "stopped" when you came to a stop, because the computers determined the 12V battery was below some voltage threshold. This appears to me, to be normal function. What is your concern?
My concern is that the manual lists a number of situations under which the feature will not engage while I am looking for ways to make the feature engage more frequently.
1) The service department recommended driving it on the highway for 45 minutes but, to me, that's wasting gas just to save gas!
2) One thing that I've been trying lately does seem to help but may also be wasting gas. At the start of my day, when I first get into the car and while in park, I rev the engine to 3000 RPM for 10 seconds. I still find at long stops (e.g. long red lights at an intersection), the engine will start up around 30 seconds into the stop while the brake is still firmly pressed. Also revving the engine at times does not always provide enough charge so this is still hit-or-miss.
3) Leaving Climate off in order to preserve the charge for Auto Stop is self defeating if you want to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer.
4) I have also found that "Auto Hold" along with "Auto Stop/Start" doesn't work so well.
You're overthinking the feature too much. It really doesn't save much gas at all and that's assuming the conditions are ideal to allow it to work. The majority of owners with this feature on an ICE don't like it because of the abrupt starting and delay (myself included), unlike a hybrid where the ICE start-up is almost unnoticeable.
My concern is that the manual lists a number of situations under which the feature will not engage while I am looking for ways to make the feature engage more frequently.
1) The service department recommended driving it on the highway for 45 minutes but, to me, that's wasting gas just to save gas!
2) One thing that I've been trying lately does seem to help but may also be wasting gas. At the start of my day, when I first get into the car and while in park, I rev the engine to 3000 RPM for 10 seconds. I still find at long stops (e.g. long red lights at an intersection), the engine will start up around 30 seconds into the stop while the brake is still firmly pressed. Also revving the engine at times does not always provide enough charge so this is still hit-or-miss.
3) Leaving Climate off in order to preserve the charge for Auto Stop is self defeating if you want to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer.
4) I have also found that "Auto Hold" along with "Auto Stop/Start" doesn't work so well.
Everything you've said here is exactly why there is a booming business in selling the auto-cancel specialty cables to defeat these systems from coming on automatically in pretty much all cars that have the little cancel buttons. I've installed a couple myself on other cars I've had and might yet still do the same for my NX. I appreciate your desire to have and use every feature of your new Lexus working perfectly. I've been there, done that. You'll eventually move on just like the other 97% of us, save it for occasional use on a pleasantly mild day. Even hybrid start stop can be challenged by cold weather and the need for HVAC operations, and they are much more capable. You gave it a good try, kudos... On my Subaru, it would actually track how much gas is saved. Each stop would save me about 2 to 7ml of fuel. You would have to get massive use to save much fuel, but at what cost... IMO, for every $0.01 saved in fuel is $0.02 worth of wear and tear on the fancier and more expensive start stop enabled battery and starter motor. Interesting fact, did you know that your starter motor has a preprogrammed death based on the number of start stop cycles. The number is large, but if you reach it, a check engine light is set that says "replace starter motor", regardless of whether the motor is good or not. That little button has sucked up your starter motor to become an emissions control device that must be replaced to pass an emissions check. sigh...
Everything you've said here is exactly why there is a booming business in selling the auto-cancel specialty cables to defeat these systems from coming on automatically in pretty much all cars that have the little cancel buttons. I've installed a couple myself on other cars I've had and might yet still do the same for my NX. I appreciate your desire to have and use every feature of your new Lexus working perfectly. I've been there, done that. You'll eventually move on just like the other 97% of us, save it for occasional use on a pleasantly mild day. Even hybrid start stop can be challenged by cold weather and the need for HVAC operations, and they are much more capable. You gave it a good try, kudos... On my Subaru, it would actually track how much gas is saved. Each stop would save me about 2 to 7ml of fuel. You would have to get massive use to save much fuel, but at what cost... IMO, for every $0.01 saved in fuel is $0.02 worth of wear and tear on the fancier and more expensive start stop enabled battery and starter motor. Interesting fact, did you know that your starter motor has a preprogrammed death based on the number of start stop cycles. The number is large, but if you reach it, a check engine light is set that says "replace starter motor", regardless of whether the motor is good or not. That little button has sucked up your starter motor to become an emissions control device that must be replaced to pass an emissions check. sigh...
Yes, that's exactly what I did. My NX350 is the first car with engine start/stop function. For me, this function is useless; I prefer to move quickly and without delay at intersections.
So I bought and installed an adapter that remembers that I turned off this function.
Now she doesn't annoy me.
Yes, that's exactly what I did. My NX350 is the first car with engine start/stop function. For me, this function is useless; I prefer to move quickly and without delay at intersections.
So I bought and installed an adapter that remembers that I turned off this function.
Now she doesn't annoy me.
For the gas only 350. So if you turn off the auto stop every time you get in the car, do you still get the battery charging notice?
No, I didn't get it when I turned it off every time I started the engine.After installing the adapter, he presses the button for me.The message appears when the system wants to turn off the engine when stopping at an intersection, but sees that the battery charge is insufficient and therefore displays a message and does not turn off the engine.
I want to thank everyone for their contribution to my quandary about this "poorly implemented" feature which, as I have discovered, is not unique to Lexus. In many of the postings on this feature, the high runner feedback has had to do with the jerkiness of the start up after a stop. For me, that was never my concern.
Read on if you would care to know why I’ve been pursuing this issue…….
My issue began on day 3 of ownership when all I kept seeing was "Battery Charging", I took it in to the dealership to ask “What’s going on with this new car?”. I was advised to drive the car on the highway for 45 minutes to build up enough charge so that the Auto Stop/Start would work "as designed". Basically, their advice was to waste gas to save gas. Go figure! I replied that, like many a dog owner, I was not prepared to "walk" my car daily. I did not follow that advice to the letter! After 30 days, I took it back in to ask them to check the battery. They did. It was not holding a charge. They replaced it with a brand new battery. When the sales manager walked by and naively asked me if I liked my new car. Defiantly, I said “No!”. He offered me to exchange it for another. I should have taken him up with the offer.
But the back story is that I traded in my 8 year old Volvo and bought this Lexus because I knew others who have enjoyed theirs. That Volvo (no longer under warranty) experienced an electric failure (the dash would light up like a Christmas tree at random). The Volvo was still driveable regardless that the Central Electronic Module was complaining about communication failures galore. Volvo Canada came back with 5 areas to investigate which would have cost thousands until they found the cause. Next day, I called to discuss further. They ghosted me.
So, with this angst-producing "Battery Charging" message, I've been burnt once (Volvo) and twice shy (Lexus), so-to-speak.
The manual lists all the situations when it won’t engage. I’ve been looking for advices on settings, or good driving habits, that would produce a better result.
I know how far I’ve driven over the last 10 months and how much I’ve spent on gas. Regardless of what the car is reporting on KMs/100 litres, I can calculate that from my records. In the end, if I can improve on that statistic, I’d save some money but, set against the cost of future repairs or servicing, you are correct in that it really isn’t worth the it in savings or anxiety. Darn it!
If only the user interface designers chose not to display “Battery Charging”, and stuck with ( I paraphrase) “ Auto Stop/Start not currently available”, I’d probably feel better about this car going forward.
Auto Stop/Start - Battery Charging
