Car Not Starting....

[willf85]

I own a 1991 Lexus LS400 and I was wondering if you guys could help me figure out an issue I just had with my car. I went to start the car the other day and when I turned the key, there was nothing...it was like the battery had been dead for weeks, it didn't even have enough juice to push the steering column into place. I had driven the car the day earlier with nothing wrong, I didn't notice anything different. So I am able to jump the car and allow it to run and look around to see if I had left a light on in the car or anything of that nature (to see if it had drained the battery) and there was nothing.... I had to drive close to an hour on the highway so I start driving and every so often my dash lights would flicker off and then turn back on right away. This would happen close to every 5 minutes or so. I was able to make the drive back without the car ever stopping (luckily) but as soon as I turned off the car in my driveway, the power was completely gone once again (it didn't even have enough power to put down the antenna). I had to jump it once again and drive it over to my mechanic and when I parked there, same thing happened with no power at all. I was wondering if anybody had any issues like this before and if so what the diagnosis was. Thanks for your help, please ask if you need more information.

Willy

[92Lex]

How old is your battery?

[obergc]

Sounds like a dead battery, quite possibly an open cell. Check across your battery terminals with a DVM. If your lights were flashing you should get your alternator checked also.

[blake918]

If your lights were flashing, you should get your alternator checked also.

It sounds like an alternator problem to me too. My ES had an alternator with a "spot" on it. It would work sometimes and sometimes it would. I would be driving along, and then, the battery malfunction light came on-everything would die out(stereo, lights, etc.), and the car would nearly die. I'd pop it into Neutral and rev the engine so that the car wouldn't kill. After being stumped for several months(along with Lexus of N.O.), I finally changed the alternator and all has been well! :D

[VMF]

if alternator would not work you will have the battery light on.

its just a dead battery. if there was no joise to move the steering column and no lights were left overnight then its def battery. you better chaNGE IT ASAP since you will have to jump start the car almost every time:)

[willf85]

thats the thing, my battery was said to be brand new when I bought the car 1 year and 3 months ago....I don't think it is the alternator, because of the fact that once I do jump it I am able to drive until the car turns off (meaning the alternator is powering the whole car and the battery is just not holding any juice) but then again...the battery is not old at all and well within its expected lifetime. The other thing that I wasn't sure about is how this would just happen overnight, I didn't have any problems with the car at all the day before while driving or anytihing.

Thanks again...

Willy

p.s.- also, there are no warning lights currently on in the car when it is driving...i dont know if that helps anything.

[ylekiot1]

the guy i bought my car from had the same issue right after he bought it. turned out to be either a bad battery cable or ground cable.

[RA40]

A dead alternator typically will show as a <check engine> <parking brake> <battery symbol> on the warning lights. Sounds like a dead battery. Remove it and have a local auto parts shop like Kragen so they can test it. Within a few minutes you'll have an answer.

Could be a drain from one of the many accessories.

[flanker271]

the guy i bought my car from had the same issue right after he bought it. turned out to be either a bad battery cable or ground cable.

So a bad ground cable can discharge the battery?

[new_owner]

I am having the same problem with my 91 LS400.

But for me..once I jumped it..its working till now..( touch wood !! 0

I got it checked..and they said..there is some problem with the alternator.

Battery is fine and there are no other warnings.

Not sure what exactly the problem is...If its alternator..what should we check?

[92Lex]

I got it checked..and they said..there is some problem with the alternator.

Battery is fine and there are no other warnings.

Not sure what exactly the problem is...If its alternator..what should we check?

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If it's the alternator then you should check the alternator.