flanker271 Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Hi folks, Haven't been to the forum lately, hope everything is well. My LS finally quits on me. It did so this afternoon without warning. The car doesn't start! It worked fine this morning, but somehow it decided not to start this afternoon. All instrument lights light up, but when I turn the key I don't hear any cranking sound, not even clicking sound! Also, neither of my climate control (fan) nor my radio worked when I put the key in "accessories". My neighbor offered me a jump, but I'm still unable to start the car. After the jump I can hear clicking sound but it still will not start. I'm sure this isn't a battery issue because I had a new Toyota Tundra Alternator and a Toyota battery installed just 6 month ago, and it is trouble free this morning. Also, my neighbour's big GMC Yukon is unable to jump start my vehicle either. I'm planning to take the car to my local Toyota dealer for inspection on monday, but before I do that I want you guys' opinion, so I can be psychologically ready. Could it be the starter going bad or could it be the ECU? Any thoughts?
95LS400Bob Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Battery connections, battery. Starter connection or starter. Many times light duty battery jumper cables are not enough...cheap cables won't pass enough current. Remove battery and take it to be tested. Batterys can short or dies at anytime, especially todays batterys.
RFeldes Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 My experience has been battery connection. Twist connectors and see if they turn. Place the negative jumper cable on a bolt connected to the car body and the positve on the positive terminal as low and tight as possible. with the jumper vehicle running,Wait about five minutes and give it a go. If the cables are tight, and it starts, its battery or alternator. Autozone will test for free. Good luck.
VBdenny Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 The LS is one of the hardest cars in the world to jump start. I'm not sure why but I know from from experience how hard these are to jump. You have to connect the jumpers and let it run for a long time before it will start. The click you hear means not enough juice.
flanker271 Posted April 24, 2005 Author Posted April 24, 2005 I didn't connect the negative jumper cable to a bolt to the ground, but connected it to the negative battery terminal. My neighbour revved his engine to try to help me start (he did so for about 3 minutes) but no luck. I checked the battery terminal connections and all is tight. 95LSBob, by saying Starter connection which location or wire are you referring to? If I still can't get it start today I'll have it towed on monday. It's embarrassing to see a tow truck towing a Lexus!
Kennyr Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Hi folks,Haven't been to the forum lately, hope everything is well. My LS finally quits on me. It did so this afternoon without warning. The car doesn't start! It worked fine this morning, but somehow it decided not to start this afternoon. All instrument lights light up, but when I turn the key I don't hear any cranking sound, not even clicking sound! Also, neither of my climate control (fan) nor my radio worked when I put the key in "accessories". My neighbor offered me a jump, but I'm still unable to start the car. After the jump I can hear clicking sound but it still will not start. I'm sure this isn't a battery issue because I had a new Toyota Tundra Alternator and a Toyota battery installed just 6 month ago, and it is trouble free this morning. Also, my neighbour's big GMC Yukon is unable to jump start my vehicle either. I'm planning to take the car to my local Toyota dealer for inspection on monday, but before I do that I want you guys' opinion, so I can be psychologically ready. Could it be the starter going bad or could it be the ECU? Any thoughts? ← If you hear a clicking sound now after the jump then theres a good chance its your battery. If the battery is shot a jump wont start your car. Dont be fooled by the fact that the battery is only 6 months old. It could be toast.
LexKid630 Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Its hard to "picture" a lexus (especially an LS) not starting....You'd think they're invincible...
95LS400Bob Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 I didn't connect the negative jumper cable to a bolt to the ground, but connected it to the negative battery terminal. My neighbour revved his engine to try to help me start (he did so for about 3 minutes) but no luck. I checked the battery terminal connections and all is tight. 95LSBob, by saying Starter connection which location or wire are you referring to? If I still can't get it start today I'll have it towed on monday. It's embarrassing to see a tow truck towing a Lexus! ← You just have to follow that positive battery cable. It's going to wind up at the starter somewhere.
RFeldes Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Well, I got hit today, stopped in to check my losing lotto numbers, went out and turned the key, nothing. Checked the terminals and sure enough, the wing nut connecting the starter and alternator, to the positive terminal, was loose. (two leads)Tightened it and still nothing... called my girlfriend and she pulls up in her bimmer and gives me a jump, to the car that is. How embar-!Removed!-ing!! It seems that when the seasons change, hot/cold etc., the terminals work themselves loose and voilla. It takes a lot of current to crank a Lexus because of the "Hoss" starters and those posts have to be very tight or the alternator won't recharge your battery. I think that is why (seasons changing) we have a rash of starter problems right now. Car is on a charger right now.
branshew Posted April 24, 2005 Posted April 24, 2005 Doesn't sound like a starter to me - more like an alternator that has caused the battery to drain past revival. If you get a jump, use the heaviest gague cables you can find. Let it charge for at least 5 minutes while the jump vehicle is running. As you start it, have the person in the jump vehicle give their car some gas to up the amps
flanker271 Posted April 25, 2005 Author Posted April 25, 2005 Good evening, Had multiple attempts to jump start today, no luck. I did all the steps you guys offered. I let the battery charge for 10 minutes but still won't start. Strange thing is, after charging for 10 minutes I still hear the same clicking sound as before. The engine doesn't even turn. Radio and blower motor doesn't work, but instrument panel lights up. The temperature has been changing rapidly here in Tucson. Last Friday it was about ~90F but yesterday and today there was a thunderstorm and the temperature dropped below 70F. The battery clamps are tight, however. I checked the alternator and it is nice and dry. Will have it towed tomorrow and will let you guys know what happend. I have put over $3000 repair on this car: -Engine and Transmission Mount -Powersteering Pump (rebuild) -Powersteering line (expensive, ouch) -Alternator twice (first one is a NAPA reman, which is defective) -Upper and Lower control arm and ball joints -Waterpump -dealer changed all the wires because they claim it was rusty -recharged the freon twice @ $145.00 each, dealer still could not find a leak. right now the a/c compressor is noisy, so I'm ready for that to. I don't know how much more I have to dump tomorrow. I'm beginning to question the reliability of the LS....think I'll turn to Acura or Infinity next.
bartkat Posted April 25, 2005 Posted April 25, 2005 You really need to put it on a charger and see if it will take a charge or not. Or just try a new battery. I don't know as I'd be questioning reliability of the model, as it appears to be 13 years old.
flanker271 Posted April 25, 2005 Author Posted April 25, 2005 Could it be possible that the alternator is not capable of charging the battery fully (not producing enough amp) so the battery actually discharges itself over a very long periods of time?
95LS400Bob Posted April 25, 2005 Posted April 25, 2005 Yes. Or the battery may have an internal short in it. I have seen batterys that would not jump start because they are shorted inside. The best way to check this is to remove a known battery from another vehicle and install it in your car..even temporarily..and see if the car starts. Check headlight brightness to see if battery voltage is low.
RFeldes Posted April 25, 2005 Posted April 25, 2005 Well I left a charger on all night and the battery did not charge. put in a new one this morning and all is well.
95LS400Bob Posted April 27, 2005 Posted April 27, 2005 Well I left a charger on all night and the battery did not charge. put in a new one this morning and all is well. ← Today's batterys die very strange. And young.
flanker271 Posted April 27, 2005 Author Posted April 27, 2005 You guys are amazing...hit the point dead on! The AAA truck used something called, according to the driver, a "super jumper" or something like that and my car started up right away. I then turned it off, and it's doing the same thing again. The driver told me to drive for 10 miles on the freeway, which I did, and problem solved. After I went home, I noticed this: this headlight switch is in the on position. Now I'm puzzled: I thought LS400's headlights will turn it self off when the car is turned off right? So how can my headlights drain my battery?
flanker271 Posted April 27, 2005 Author Posted April 27, 2005 Today's batterys die very strange. And young. Wonder why....maybe today's automobiles are more electronically sophisticated and that put more demand on the same battery technology 10 years ago.
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