Vehicle Suddenly Seems DEAD!

[ccc124]

Hello, I am brand I to this forum and I am thankful in advance for those who may be able to help me with my issue.

I have a 2004 RX 330 that has 80,000 miles on it and, until now, has been in excellent mechanical condition. I drove it last Friday and everything was completely normal. However, when I tried to start it yesterday, it seemed completely dead. By “dead,” I mean no lights or sounds when opening the door and no sound whatsoever when turning the key to try to start it… it is just dark and quiet as if it were magically unplugged or operating from a giant (on/off) switch, and it was in the off position. My initial thought was the battery, so I attached my battery charger to it and within five seconds, it indicated the battery had a full charge. That’s about the extent of the information I can offer on this particular issue, having never experienced it before and having very minimal mechanical knowledge/experience.

And oh, one other point, after my “smart“ battery charger quickly indicated a full battery, I also noticed another button on the charger that read “Alternator Check.” I pressed the button and an alternator icon appeared and the word “Check” began flashing. After about 10 seconds, a triangle icon with triangle with an “!” in it appeared above the alternator icon and something to the effect of “not enough voltage getting to alternator. I then the “battery Voltage” button and it read 13 Volts. I found the instruction document for the charger and it said do to only check the alternator function when the battery was fully charged, AND to let the car run long enough to get to it’s normal idle before testing. Since it’s not starting, I’m not sure if the “fault“ result was accurate.

Thanks!
 

[RX400h]

The first thing I would do is to see if I could rotate either battery cable clamp/connector on its battery post. A loose clamp may result in a nonstart condition.

If the connections are tight, the next thing I would do is to remove the battery and take it to an auto parts store to have them run a load test, where a simulated starter load current draw is applied to the battery after they ensure that it is fully charged. If the battery is good but needed a lengthy charge, there could be something that is draining the battery, And yes, a bad alternator, by not charging the battery, would cause the same condition.

Lastly, a bad ignition switch or Park/Neutral safety switch could also result in a no-start situation. Try wiggling your ignition key and shifting your car into neutral while trying to start the engine. 
If all else fails, having your vehicle towed to a mechanic or auto electric shop will be necessary.

Good luck.