akritori Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 All, I joined the forum just this a.m. as I was searching the web for the reasons why a 3 year old Lexus Battery for my 94 ES300 would explode suddenly as I tried to start my car? Has anyone had this happen to them? What could be wrong, how much warranty does a battery carry, and should I simply replace it and not worry? Thanks for any response(s). -Akri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amf1932 Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 A battery explosion could be caused by many reasons. If the electrolyte level in the battery was low there is the possibility that an electrical arcing(spark) took place between the plates within the battery. This would ignite the gases and cause the battery to explode. This can also happen if the terminal connectors on the battery were oxidized, and while cranking the engine a spark jumped and ignited the battery gases. Battery warranties vary, so it's impossible to tell how long this battery was warrantied for, unless you have the papers that came with this purchase. I think you should just replace the battery. These things happen, but it's generally an uncommom occurrence. If you replace it yourself be sure that the terminals are clean and tight. Put a light coat of grease over the terminals to prevent oxidation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branshew Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Did it happen when you tried to start the car? Usually heat combined with a low water level in the battery will cause this. I don't know if your battery was "maintenance free" or not. If your new battery is not, checking the water level every oil change doesn't hurt - if any water needs to be added, use ONLY distilled (not spring) water to fill it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 my dad had this happen with his 91 Camry and then again with his (now mine) 95 ES300. maybe its a common problem with toyotas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted July 30, 2003 Share Posted July 30, 2003 Its all in the battery. I had this happen to my mother's New Beetle, had a serviceable battery. We were really surprised, as the VW dealer never bothered to service it. Replaced it with a maintenance free battery, no more problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 my main question is where are you located as the weather may have a lot to do with battery fatigue and failure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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