Dead Battery...again!

[skitch23]

Hi! I went to start my 2006 IS 350 last night and it was sluggish to turn over. Same thing again this morning, only worse. My car will have its 4th birthday next week & doesn't quite have 50,000 miles on it yet. Obviously my problem is the battery is dying, but I have already replaced the battery on it twice, so this will be the 4th battery in 4 years! Granted I live in Arizona so the life expectancy on an 84mo battery is only about 24-36mos, but could there be something else wrong with my car that is draining the battery more rapidly?? I don't do anything out of the norm as far as leaving on electronics or lights. I just start my car, drive to where I'm going and then shut it off. Since my warranty is set to expire next week I am concerned that there will be ongoing issues that will end up coming out of my pocket :(

[CUMan]

I would try a couple of things. First, remove both battery cables (negative first) and clean the battery terminals and the inside of the cable connectors. Make sure that any corrosion is completely removed. If you can access the other ends of the battery cables, check to make sure there are good connections and there is no corrosion present. Put the connectors back in place (positive first) and make sure they are on tight.

The second step would involve a multi-meter. First, check the battery voltage with the engine off. A fully charged battery should show a charge somewhere around 12.5-12.6 volts. Crank the engine and check the voltage again. The voltage should go to somewhere around 13.5 to 14.0 volts. This higher voltage indicates that the alternator is charging the battery properly. If the voltage reading is not this high, you could have an alternator or wiring problem.

[BDR1000]

I have an RX 330. Battery died as a result of interior light being left on. Put in a new battery, I have power for dash, lights etc, but the car will not start. Does the security system diable the car when the power is completely turned off to the car? The security light normally flashes and now is holdig in the "on" position.

Thanks for your help.

[1990LS400]

Well, as shown in your owners manual the immobilizer can be activated when a battery is replaced. Per the instructions in the owners manual, have you tried a different key?

Are the battery cable clamps nice and clean? Don't know if that could be a factor in this situation but cleaning the cable clamps and battery terminals with a terminal/cable clamp cleaning tool (and also baking soda, water and a brush) a few months ago to clean all the gunk off stopped my battery from running down nearly as quickly when I inadvertently leave an interior light on.

[tw0leftskis]

You might want to perform a parasitic draw test on the battery. 35-55milliamp is ok. anything more then you have a short somewhere.

[steve32110]

Hi,i would get a cheap voltmeter, sears for sround $20. And set the dial to read dc volts, then touch the neg. post w/ the black end and the pos w/ the red end. With the car not running you should read at least 12v to 12.5v, Then start the car and repeat test,should read 13v to 14.5v . Then while running turn on lights and fan to high and read again to see if the alternator can still keep the output of dc volts up to atleast 13v. Also i recommend a sears diehard gold battery , they cost a lil more upfront but repay you tenfold in the longrun.. as always make sure battery post has no loose connections and spray with a protector to keep out corrosion. good luck