I have a 2006 Lexus RX330. I live in Phoenix, AZ. and the battery life for this car is about 20 months. Why is the battery life that short? I have a 2002 Lexus GS300 and the battery life is about 4.5 years. I use the same type of battery in each vehicle. Any info would be helpful.

 

Welcome to Club Lexus. I have a 2007 RX350 on the original battery. My son has a 2004 RX330 that is also on the original battery. So there is nothing wrong with battery life, but something else is going on here. My 2007 factory battery was not maintenance free. I needed to add water about very year. What brand of battery are you replacing with? I have seen some bad batteries coming out of Mexico, especially those sold under the NAPA name (I had problems with several of these batteries in my Toyota Tundra). I witched to Interstate batteries and never looked back. I am sure others will chime in with ideas as well. Good Luck.

 

Are you being told that the batteries in your RX are dead? Dead cells? Have you had the charging system checked? Maybe (a stretch) overcharging the battery. Maybe (a stretch) there is an open circuit draining the battery. Would also be curious to hear what battery you are using as a replacement. Brand and battery size. As Rainbird has stated, it may not be a maintenance free battery. It may be the wrong one. You may just be having problems with that brand in that size for the RX. More details needed.

Here in the heat of FL, I have had very good luck with my Duralast Gold purchased from AutoZone.

 

I just replaced my OEM battery in my 2004, i would recommend buying one from Costco, there batteries are top notch, and they come with a 36-month no hassle replacement guarantee.

so if your car does in fact eat batteries every 20 months, at least the cost will be kept to a minimum.

other option is to go big, and buy one of those dry cell optima batteries for a few hundred, your choice

 

Just keep in mind your OEM factory battery carries a full replacement 84-month warranty (not prorated warranty) so don't waste your money on any aftermarket battery unless it is out of warranty. I've heard battery life in Phoenix/Vegas area is shorter than other cooler areas due to the high summer heat. Typically most OEM batteries generally last 4 to 5 years but there are always exception.

 

Another factor commonly overlooked is road conditions. Vibration from rough roads will kill a battery in no time.
If that is not the case I would say over-charging.

 

Recognizing that you are in Arizona, I would suggest that many batteries there don't last as long as those in other climates. Can you say 110 degrees ambient temperatures? I would think that underhood temps there are ridiculous. That said, most "maintenance free" batteries aren't. All the manufacturers did was to remove the screw on caps that some of us grew up with and installed snap in caps. Each year I wash the top of my battery with water and soap and then hose it clean. Next I remove the cables from the battery and clean the terminals as well as the cables themselves using a steel brush and baking soda. Once the baking soda has neutralized the "icky stuff" that forms, I then rinse the battery again. A lot. I don't remember my chemistry anymore but the white powerdy substance is a reaction with the fumes that vent out of the cells. The next thing I do is to gently pry the caps off of the battery holes and see if any of the reservoirs need water. I always add distilled water to eliminate introducing unwanted minerals into my battery. Once the cells are full, I reinstall the caps and wait until next year. Btw, 2005 RX330 with original battery.

Just my procedure but it works for me. For instance, last week some workmen were working on my house and the one guys battery wouldn't hold a charge. I had him pull his car into the garage and did the above procedure. Two of his cells were very low but I topped them off, cleaned the battery as described and charged his battery while he was working. Two weeks later, he was still using that battery.

Oops, missed the 20 month life on the battery. Sorry. Your dealer should be able to do an electrical inspection on your car, ensuring that your alternator is putting out 14.5 volts +/-, there aren't any "key off" discharging, etc. Ask them.

 

I also live in Arizona and own a 2009 RX350 and we are now on our third Battery. If it happens again i think I will forget the free battery and just go buy something else. I would tell you this is not normal for a battery in Phoenix but if i talk about how battery's have latest in other cars i have owned i will get slammed on this site for not keeping the topic about RX350's , so i will refrain.

 

My 2007 RX350 came with a EXIDE battery and I just replaced it April 7, 2012. Couldn't locate another EXide so I settled for an Interstate. I've had Interstate's in the past but no other battery has lasted in any brand of vehicle as long as the EXIDE lasted in this RX