Another dead battery thread

Hi

I've done my googlefoo, but not finding a similiar situation like what I'm experiencing so here goes

On my 13, I had the battery replaced with factory battery at dealer. That was at 56k in Feb this year. They recommended it due to the starting amps were low, and it was orig battery. Mind you, I had no problems
Well here we are in Nov and I've had a dead battery like 5 times, jumped everytime, using a battery pack.
I've had it to the dealer three times for the issue and they aren't finding anything or a draw. All I have right now for custom electronics is a dash cam and morimento led fogs. Also has a remote start that wasnt working right so thought sure enough, thats gotta be it. Had it disconnected while parts being ordered. Nothing else. Even unplugged my dash cam for a while, still issues.
Charging system good, seem like this occurs more often when I let it sit for 6hrs or more. Started a little slow this morning, drove to work and let it run for a bit. Went in. Came out after work dead again. Jumped it, drove for a bit, stopped at bank turned off and afterwards it fired right off.
Now the other night I hear the purge pump running, it was quite loud so I'm starting to think that it may be what's drawing too much juice.

So my friends at Tacoworld, what say you? There' is some excellent knowledge on here so hoping for some input.

It's going into the dealer tomorrow morning for the remote start. I keep using the same service advisor so that i don't have to keep explaining..

 

Might sound stupid but the battery could be defective. It happens. I'd run over to Wally world and spend $100 on an everstart Maxx, slap it in there, and see what happens in the next few days. This would be my first step being you said you had no problems before the new battery.

 

I would like too, but already dropped a good chunk of change on the one from Toy. But it sure seems like a coincidence that new battery brought new problems. I asked the dealer about replacing it and rec'd the answer back that the battery tested good so they can't do anything. If I drop another 100, will they reimburse, my guess is no.

 

Purge pump - from a 2015 owners manual:

Approximately five hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear sound
coming from under the vehicle for several minutes. This is the sound of a fuel
evaporation leakage check and, it does not indicate a malfunction.

I do not know the potential for a purge pump to cause parasitic drain, but who knows. Might be hard to do at work, but I would wonder how long this purge cycle is really running when it kicks on after 5 hours approximate.

This may not relate to your case, but I'll throw it in. I went thru an ordeal with an'06 Toyota Avalon loosing the dealer supplied battery known as Tru Start. I replaced the battery several times - well before the 2 yr. free replacement occurred. I threw in the towel and bought aWalmart Maxx Start(I think that's what it is called) and that was the end of that.
I would not swap out the battery until you get a handle on the purge valves activity and IF it's involved here. Seems like you are going to have to have an amp meter hooked up across the fuse that controls the purge valve circuit and watch the pull - amt of current being used and how long. Obviously you'll have more time for this at home.

 

Disconnect the battery at night and see if it starts in the morning. If it's dead when disconnected all night, then it's junk.

 

Don't buy any parts until you know it is bad, buying a battery makes no sense. Get a ammeter put it in series with the battery cable. There may be a parasitic draw. Lester and Muddinfun are right.........good luck. keep us informed. Happy Turkey

 

This might not be what is causing your issue but I saw this while looking at TSB's at work.

https://testing-public.carmd.com/Tsb/Download/114429/SET-TSB-16-002

You need to do a draw test and start pulling fuses until the draw goes away (if you have one) and then see what is on that circuit.

 

Take it some other place then Toyota and have them do a battery check. Where I used to work we had a handheld device that would check the condition of the battery and the cranking amps, also if wanted it would go through a series of tests by starting the car to check the starter draw up to testing the charging system. It would then print out the results you could give the customer. Many times it would read battery needs charge but looking at the cranking amps which for that particular battery might be 550 and showing 250 would indicate a dead or couple of dead cells.
If this shows the battery is at fault take the paperwork back to Toyota and get them to replace the battery. Also agree with HAVOC you might want to do system parasite draw test with an ammeter.

 

This.

If it's bad, argue for a replacement on their dime.

If you get no where, walk away. Costco sells Interstate batteries for our trucks (carry out only) for around $100. Better warranty than parts house units, and certainly for the price.

 

This is a useful and inexpensive tool to have around to diagnose battery problems

$45 Schumacher BT-100 Battery Load Tester and Voltmeter - 100 Amp

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-B...467&sr=8-4&keywords=schumacher+battery+tester

 

I just replaced the original battery Sunday on my '13 as it load tested weak. Todays batteries seem to die with no warning so better safe than sorry with the cold coming. Is the battery case on you new battery clean? I had a situation in another vehicle, where a battery was going dead overnight but charging fine. We live in a salt air environment. The battery case became dirty with road grime, acid film and what ever else and became conductive and the battery was discharging through the case overnight. It was not caked with dirt, just a light film. Voltage was measureable between positive post and the top of the case. I removed the battery and cleaned the case and no more problem. It could also be just a bad battery. It is about 8 months old. They can fail.

 

That is a GREAT POINT. Salt water conducts electricity! Winter driving gets everything coated with salt water.

 

What battery did you end up going with?

 

I used an Advance Auto Silver 27F battery. I received an email offer for 25% off so after core return it was $106.00. It was $130.00 normally.I ordered it online and picked it up 1/2 hour later at the store. Too easy.

I have the factory tow package so 27F is the oem size.

 

Decent buy!

 

For determining if its the battery (overnight drain) or some unknown device drawing all night, I use a Battery Disconnect switch installed temporairily. Very easy to determine if its the battery or something else.

When parking it for the night, just turn the battery off. If the battery is good in the morning you have a bad draw. If the battery is dead, you at least know you have a bad battery.

$13 Top Post Battery Master Disconnect Switch

https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery...18876&sr=8-3&keywords=battery+terminal+switch




Edit: What I forgot to say is that this type of battery disconnect is standard on vehicles I drive. I frequently leave my vehicle for weeks or more parked in a parking lot or deployment site and don't like coming back to dead batteries.

I agree with others, a cheaper alternative is to just pull the terminal off. But for me, I install these switches mainly for the utility of having a quick power disconnect for all the maintenance and other (above) needs.

 

For a 1-time test, it'll be a lot more cost effective just to take the wire off the battery and leave it dangling. Same effect, only difference is the price: free.

 

Agree

 

Thanks for all the input guys.

Dealer blamed my dash cam, but I call BS. Ima going to play their game one more time only because they have been good to me otherwise. The cam does use a hot and a switch circuit, but I've had it unplugged b4 to see it it was the cause and of course, it wasn't. Dealer seemed to think I was blowing crap up their ass. When I told the actual svc tech the issue didn't crop up until new batteey, he was like where's the old battery, let's put that in, right in front of the advisor. I was like hell yeah. So this time, if it goes dead again told me to call and they would send a tow. Get me where i was going. Which they are very good at getting me to work.
.

One thing I did forget to mention was, I drive two miles to work and two miles home. Well, the old battery had no problem with that, but this new one sure does. I do get it out on the weekends for longer drives so it's not just a garage queen.

I might look into the tester @badger suggested, that could be ha dy for other thinngs. or look into the TSB @HAVOC posted. The dealer says basically no amp draw when off, but as soon as that cam goes on, there's a lot of pull. The cam only comes on when it senses movement when off, and unless i have critters in the garage, which I very highly doubt, there's nothing to set it off. Also has a under 12v detection and I can confirm it does work. I have another car that is a garage queen and never see any hints of the four legged furries.
I too like the part @DanvilleTrain idea posted, might stick that on my garage queen.

My battery is clean and I'm not in a salt water state. Battery hasn't even seen the salty winter roads yet. But good thought.

Think I'll still find a draw meter. Not sure if my voltage meter has that feature or not? but I I'll poke around at it. Never been very good at using it. Time to learn

 

Possibly a bad battery !!!

I'm lucky to get 2.5 yrs out of a 72 month 6 yr rated battery up here in the high Desert