Something is draining the battery

[Haliuna]

Hi all! I own 2017 ES300 with less than 50k. Starting last Sunday, it wouldn't start unless we jump start it. Checked all the lights, can't figure out the problem. The battery is good. Just wanted to see if anyone else had similar problem before calling the dealership (yikes, $200 for diagnostic). TIA

Hali

[RX400h]

How do you know the battery is good? The first thing I would do is charge the battery to full charge. Jump starting it is good if you want to drive the car home but the best thing to do after that is to use the battery charger until the green light illuminates.

Then you can measure voltage at the battery while engine is running. It should be 13-5 - 14 volts DC. This will tell you if the alternator is supplying enough juice to the battery.

My guess is that your alternator is fine, given that it is only 5 years old.

[Haliuna]

I had to jump start yesterday morning and drove 115 miles, so battery was already charged when I got to my destination in Redwood city. Once I was done I drove to the nearest Lexus dealership there. The guy there just did me a favor and checked the battery. The car WAS NOT running at the time, he checked and said it was fine. But again, I don't know what he does there and how competent he is, he was nice enough to check it for me. To get diagnostics, I would have to shell out $200. But thanks for your input..it gives me a hope that it might not be an alternator and it's just a battery issue. The reading the guy got on his gadget was 12.39. I will drive to Autozone tomorrow and have it checked there.

[ANCO 56]

It may be the cable to the starter is bad,or possibly starter solenoid sticking. Sometimes if a car doesn't start, taking a hammer and banging on starter may loosen stuck solenoid or gear and car will start. if this is the case then starter is bad.It may be a number of things EG: Battery,starter,cables etc. Best way is to have a pro or someone who knows about these things look at it. Sooner or later it needs to be fixed and it will cost. No getting around it. 

 

[RX400h]

Checking a battery typically requires performing a load test on it after it had been fully charged. The battery tester display in your photo shows that the battery rated CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) is 450, yet the tester appeared to measure only 326 CCAs. The display also has "Good - Recharge" on it. To me that indicates that the battery is good but may need a recharge.

Did he check the battery cells to make sure they are fully filled with distilled water? Low levels could cause issues.

Anthony, I doubt that a 4-5 year-old starter is bad because when they jumped the battery, it started the engine. The technician probably checked the cable connectors for tightness. I believe Autozone will not charge you for checking the battery. They may put it on a charger to make sure it is fully charged. Hopefully your trip's distance to the dealership was enough to charge the battery fully. But if the dealership did not check the cells liquid levels, you should ask the Autozone person to do it.

[FloNana]

Just wondering if you found a fix for the constantly draining battery on the ES350.  I have 2014 ES350 that started that problem last summer.  Annoying as heck and the dealership said it could be a $1800 fix and no guarantees.  The have run the diagnostics twice for me.  Mentioned  a notice from HQ that said similar issue was developing in 2013 and newer models.  We had a trickle charger installed and plug the darn thing in every night.  That works, but I don't trust the vehicle anymore.  

[RX400h]

I would take it to an Auto Electric shop for a second opinion. Dealerships often send customers to AE shops because their expertise is diagnosing and fixing battery drain issues.

[Rocket Scientist]

I  have a 2013 ES 350. If I let the car sit for over a week the car won't start. Easy to start with a boost charger. Battery tests good.  I read in the manual about turning off the receiver module by using the Park on/off button. This will turn off the draw of the receiver if you are not going to drive extended periods. Any comments from the group?

Bill in Denver

[RX400h]

Hello, Bill. Who tested the battery, and was it load-tested? Obviously, not starting after one week is not normal. Is your remote fob battery good?
If that battery is week, you can sometimes verify by placing the fob against the vehicle's start button as you press that button. A weak fob button can often allow the vehicle to start if you do it this way.