Very Cold, Car Not Starting, Not Cranking

[Lexls]

Ok, I'm back from a great vacation guys, but unfortunately my car is dead . My car has sat outside for a week in sub-zero temps. Today it's 4 degrees and I have been trying to start it up with no luck so far. I would really like to hear your thoughts on this, here are the symptoms...

-When I try starting I hear a rapid clicking. The clicking corresponds to the ignition key light ring blinking.

-Engine does not turn over at all.

-Instrument cluster, lights, stereo, CCU, etc. all turn on when the key is turned.

-The battery is less than a year old.

-No corrosion on the battery terminals.

-Battery leads are bolted on tight.

-Battery read 7v so I hooked up another car to charge it for about 10 minutes. Tried it again and nothing at all, no clicking even, nothing. After a few more turns of the key the clicking noise above returned, but again, no start.

Is it possible that since it's been sitting so long in the bitter cold that the engine and/or starter just froze up? That what I currently think. Does something electrical need to be reset? ....did the starter die (I certainly hope noooooooo!)?

I always thought something like this was a battery problem, but I charged it up and still nothing....should I just wait until it warms up? Any ideas?

[Lexus_Luxembourg]

For sure it's the discharged batterie. Recharging it for 10 minutes will help nothing at all. The VERY least is to charge it for 12 hours. Still better, take the batterie out and into the warm. Hook it up to a loader for 24 hours. Now try it. If the symptoms remain and the voltage is still so low the baterie is damaged beyond repair. Possible but not very likely.

There is NO way the car will start with only 7 Volts showing on the meter. The very least is 11 Volts and I assume then the batterie is in top condition as well as the rest of the car.

The clicking is the starter relay. Almost all cars do this noise when the batterie is too weak to throw over the starter.

Alain

[silvermate]

hey man, glad u had a good vacation

its definately your battery, can't get or hold a charge anymore.......

replace it and your good to go

[Lexls]

Well, I'll bring it inside and try charging it for a while. If it proves to be dead I'll bring it back to sears for a new one. At least it's still under warranty :) I'll let you know what happens.

[vyhanh]

Not a way to welcome you back from holidaying, is it???? :chairshot:

If you use a new battery and still have problem, then something bad. Definitely the battery !!!

Good luck !!!

[Lexls]

It started!!! All is good :D

Lucky I was able to find someone with a plug in charger. I charged it for 2-3 hours and then gave it a try and it started the first time. Thanks for the quick help guys :)

[90LS400Lexus]

Excellent! I was also thinking it was the battery.

BTW- keep that cold air up there! On TWC this morning- it showed the temperature in International Falls, MN was -44*F! I could not even fathom temperatures that cold.

It is 17* here at this very moment (normal low for us on this date is 24*) and we are freezing. Not used to weather this cold, especially considering it was 72* three days ago. Looks like winter is roaring in- even here in the southeast. That time of year though. At least we still do not have any snow on the ground.

It started!!!  All is good :D

Lucky I was able to find someone with a plug in charger.  I charged it for 2-3 hours and then gave it a try and it started the first time.  Thanks for the quick help guys :)

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[akewlguy]

Sounds like my LS, but mine happened after I drove it for 10 minutes..

- Terminals were coroded, but I cleaned them

- Without jumper cables car interior lights just go dead after turn

- With cables clicking and more clicking

- During this whole time the interior lights, time and power was there... Just not enough to even get the starter to turn? I think...

At the shop since I cant get a ride or a battery tonight.

Hey do you all reccomend Interstate battery?

I tell you what... Although I have about 5 options to have a great night... It feels like my 1st love just dumped me... Sucks not having the LS. Also walking home from the bus sucks quite a bit!

Anyone in DC want to go party?

[akewlguy]

Okay.. So when the battery is low or almost dead the radio lights do not come on??? Also my D for Drive would not come on. The window was somewhat slow. My problem is I did not drive for about 3 weeks so you sorta forget the exact details. Or maybe you dont want to think something is wrong.

Either way I pray my battery is dead. NOTHING ELSE

[blake918]

Hey do you all reccomend Interstate battery?

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The Interstate battery that is in my LS is about 4 years old, and it's on it's way out. I think that's a pretty decent length of time for a car battery. The past several mornings we've been in the 20s-30s, and the car just barely starts. The battery says it has something like 550 or 600 CCA which isn't cutting it, not to mention it's 4 years old. Interstate makes a model with 800 CCA that I'm going to buy if I can't get them to replace the current battery I have under warranty.

[914lps]

I have used Interstate batteries for years, like 15+ years. I will no longer deal with this company. One of there dealers tried to rip me off, and companing to interstate was a wast of time.

Mine was no longer holding a charge. Went to a interstate dealer to get it replaced (under warenty). Guy siad need to test it first. Then siad, with you key off something is still pulling power from the battery, we need to find and fix that first at 100.00 per hour to look. I asked the guy are you just showing that there is voltadge flow, or are some real amps being pulled. He said, something is pulling voltdge, but no way to seee how much power is being pulled. And that this "short" is killing battery and could start a car fire!

I told him that allmost all cars these days pull power with the key off. The car clock, stereo, security system, and cpu, need to have power even with the car turned off. And without seeing "how much" power is being pulled, there is no way to know if it is out of the norm. Guy told me I was uninformed and my car was a fire waiting to happen.

I reported this to interstate. Got nothing from them. I bought a new battery someplace else. Car is fine and no fire yet....... But it has only been about 1 year.

I know a bad dealer does not reflect on a company, but they did nothing when I complained. Zip, zero, nada.....

So, if you ask me they can go

[akewlguy]

If battery is low will the car turn off the cig lighter? It seems the past month my LS's cig lighter did not work all the time.

YIPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MY LS IS FIXED. This is sorta corney, but I have been chilling in my office all night so I am so freaking happy!! Now off the fix the dash and hood shocks.

Thanks for the support.. WHAT A NIGHT..