Great Video LSFT, thanks again for this! I would agree a battery tender is almost a must for these types of vehicles unless you regularly drive longer trips. Please everyone keep in mind though that we're looking at the complete electrical system at work here and it's way more complex on modern cars. Toyota and all other manufactures of hybrid vehicles have made designs that are utilizing both a high voltage 'traction' battery which primarily does all the propulsion work and then add a 12 volt battery to still do all the other electrical requirements for the vehicle to function. So you have a monster of a battery with high voltage and a tiny one as well. They utilize a dc/dc converter when determined ok to allow the big battery to supply the little battery assistance with the 12 volt requirements. This is where the engineers decide how to 'manage' all the stored energy. It would be simple to allow the big battery to keep the small battery charged no problem, always providing you with a fully charged 12 volt battery to 'start' your car. But they don't, for safety reasons I'm sure, allow a circuit like this to 'stay on' constantly and deplete the bigger battery, plus it would look like your EV range is mysteriously dropping off when you park your car. In simple terms they 'sacrifice' the 12 volt battery and let it deplete when all systems are not running. At some point things change. I'm assuming when they're confident that they can begin to allow the converter to send a charge to the 12 volt battery happens when you are going to drive the car or, put it in on/run mode, which gives the order to have the car ready to drive on your command including using the gas engine when needed to produce more energy. A healthy fully charged 12 volt lead acid battery at rest with no draw will ONLY make 12.6 volts. Anything above that and it's being assisted by other means, namely a regular alternator in an old fashion system, or the dc/dc converter in a new one. So when your voltmeter plugged into your 12 volt socket shows more than 12.6 volts, it's already being 'assisted' by the charging circuit. This is why your trickle charger and it's internal circuitry is needed to determine the health of the battery. For example, at 12.4 volts, your battery will be at roughly 75% charge OR has begun to have a draw on it. At 12.2 volts it will be at 50% charge and at 12 volts it will be at roughly 25% charge. Constantly having your 12 volt battery remain at less than full charge will reduce it's life and will need to be replaced sooner than optimum lifespan, which is typically 4-6 years. I suspect if you opened the (powered) back hatch to attach a multimeter to each terminal of the battery to test it, you would have already added a 'draw' on the battery which will be included in your reading. Same is true if you're sitting in your car looking at a multimeter plugged into your 12 volt outlet. Some interior lights or displays or other safety circuitry will be on etc. With these vehicles the only way to truly test a battery's health is with it completely disconnected meaning nothing is connected to it at it's battery posts or through the obd port using a battery test procedure from a reader or laptop auto software program like a technician would have.
Thanks for the lengthy writeup and all the details - very technical and great information. Unfortunately, I'm not technical enough to do all that and really hope that other owners wouldn't experience a 12V battery failure with this video.
Hi there, I just wanted to thank you so much for this video, it really help me connect our Noco Genius 5... I needed everything you used as well and found it all at CanadianTire. Our new Toyota Venza went dead last week and what a pain getting boosted and having the dealer clear all the codes triggered by the dead battery. Same thing happened to us, letting the car sitting too long and not enough highway driving to charge the 12V battery. Thanks Again!! 👍🏻🙏🏻
Wanted to share that a trickle charger will also work going through the jump point in the engine bay. Hooked the positive up to the point in the fuse box on the right and the negative to an unpainted surface (one of the nuts on top of the strut). I only had a 1.5A charger so it took a bit longer but it did the trick. Love the vids, keep up the good work!
The 12v just died on our RX350h. I was wondering if I can charge the battery overnight from the fuse box in the engine bay? So far it’s been 3 hours and the RX is still dead.
Thanks LSFT for this reference video on the battery problem, that has happened in various cases with the first winter for our NXs. Spring is coming soon!
Thank you very much for your channel and this helpful video. Our 450h+ is arriving early in 2024 and I will stay on top of the battery health from the get-go by doing exactly what you did.
Exciting times.. hopefully no delay on your 2024. They do have a Lexus trickle charger that you can install which is easier to plug into and charge, but definitely a lot more $$$.
Just to add a few details. I have '22 NX350h that I last drove not 3 days ago for a total of 40 kms of mixed highway and city driving. So 20 kms there, an hour wait then 20 to get back home. I just put a multimeter directly on my battery posts while it sits in position in the back compartment under floor. It was only at 11.50 volts! So the marker lights were on, I had turned off dome lights though, obviously it would have been in a quasi 'accessory' state for me to unlock it and raise the power hatch. I would have thought my little adventure would have been enough to top it back up plus a little depletion over 2 days but not down that far! I have put it on my charger now to bring it back to full state of charge and I do have to travel some 300 kms tomorrow so I'm gonna check readings over next few days to see how much depletion is occurring.
Thank you LSFT.. this is a great & very helpfull video for phev owners. i might install one also on my NX 450h+ especially dealing with very cold winter here in montreal.. 👍
My pleasure. I think if you drive longer distances (~20 mins) drives, you shouldn't have this problem. But it's still good to top off the batter once a month to ensure you don't have to worry about it.
@@martinpanganiban3024 Yes - it will charge the 12V even if you are running on EV mode only. For my purpose, I drive less than 1 km after starting the car during weekends and slowly it will drain the 12V battery
I never timed it. Typically I just leave it overnight and unplug it when I'm leaving in the morning. Once it's full it just maintains the charge. So there is no harm to keep it plugged in.
Hi LSFT! I have the same issues with my 22 - 450h+. 3 times dead battery. My concern is the stationary battery drain, approx. 0.3 volt/24h. due to that the battery will not take charge to than12.5V. Do you know how much stationary drain one should expect. Also, when charging the traction battery, i get + 0.3V in trickle charge to the 12V battery. I.e not much. I wonder what is your experiences. Thanks for your informative videos.
Hi Ralph, I haven't measured how much I was losing per day and how much charge I was getting during the traction battery charge. So you have any accessories that were added like a dashcam?
@@lsft I have no accessories installed. But the battery drain when parked seems very high. Should be interesting to know what to expect with a battery in good condition and 100% charged. I will have to let my dealer look in to it.
Had the same problem with my 2016 optima SX. Battery was over 300$ to change. I was doing 6-7000km a year. Just bought a 2023 RX350h… gonna look into one of these.
Hi LSFT. Picked up our NX450h 3 weeks ago and I installed the same trickle charger as you today. When I plugged it in it was only 25% charged. Do you think this is surprising for a new vehicle? I’ve been trying to drive longer distances and trying to use the engine as much as possible. Other than this sketchy battery, it really is a fantastic vehicle.
You do not need to use the gas engine to charge the 12V battery. When you plug the trickle charger, monitor the time it needs to charge to the next level. If it quickly goes to full, then it is ok. But if you do drive short distances and if you park in the garage you can consider letting the car run in EV mode inside the garage and let it auto shut off after 60 mins. Turn off the climate so that it purely just runs. They do suggest running the car for at least 20 mins for it to charge the 12V battery on every trip. The problem you see is everything in the car relies on the 12V battery - like your mobile app, digital key (if setup), the steering wheel moving forward and your seats moving into position, the side mirrors folding out all uses the 12V battery every time you unlock and start the car. An example is: you start the car and it uses 2% of the battery to start it, but it only charge 0.5% in the 5 minute drive, then you would have lost 1.5% of the battery one time. Then next time going home, you start the car 2% used to start the car and charge back 0.5% then you lost 3% in that trip to destination and home. Over time, you will get to a point where you have a lot less juice in the battery. I really hope Lexus would add something to monitor the 12V battery and automatically wake up the car and use the traction battery to charge the 12V. No need to start other systems, but just to handle this situation.
Thank you for the detailed response. You explained it very well. I also hope Lexus figures this out and does as you suggested. It makes so much sense. What are they waiting for?
Thanks for the instructions. I ended up getting this same charger. Question: At 6:20 you mentioned using the inside nut vs outermost nut. Is there a reason for one nut over the other?
I actually tried the outside but first, it is much harder to get the nut completely off. It can be loosen to get it off the -ve pole, but not easy to get the nut completely off. That's the only reason.
@@ONI1013. I let it run for 15 mins idle per day cos I drive a very short distance in the morning. Then every other week, I'll charge it. But since I've installed the battery monitor, I'll do it when it's needed.
@@lsft Before you got the monitor, did let the _car_ sit idle on Ready Mode every day, or you run this battery charger run 15 minutes every day? We also drive only very short commutes and we only drive it about 3 times per week.
I bought it at Canadian Tire in Canada. About $21 that you can plug into the 12V socket. www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-battery-charging-system-monitor-12v-digital-display-0113007p.html?rq=motormaster%252520battery%252520tester
I am new to car. Just bought my first used Lexus. May I ask, what is the difference between this product (Noco Genius 5) and a jump starter? I usually drive twice a week, mainly to the groceries. Which product should I buy? Thanks 🙏
The noco genius 5 is a trickle charger that will help charge the battery and maintain it. A jump starter is used to start the car when the 12V battery does not have enough power to start the car. Two totally different products. One is a product to maintain the health of the battery and the other is used to start the car when the battery is low.
I actually didn't put it through the back hatch. I opened up the rear door window and put the cord out the window. I didn't like the wire being pressured on the rubber seals.
@@lsft Thanks for the info. The battery in my 350h died last week and I am going to the dealer to investigate the Lexus trickle charger and see if it is worth the extra money and exactly how it works since the battery is in the back.
I carefully routed the 12v charger cable through the rear hatch and placing the CTEK Charger on a paint tin under the car - No rubber damage. But also moved the keys, so the car couldn't be driven off, dragging the CTEK charger behind it...!!!
Hi, just to let you know, if you only do very short journeys, or use the car infrequently the battery maintainer is best plugged in always when you are not using the car it will maintain the battery to it's optimum level and the battery will stay in perfect condition for many years. Also the original battery leads with the Noco 5 amp battery maintainer are wide enough for you to have enlarged the holes with a M8 drill and saved you the expense of those additional leads. Thank you.
Yes - there are ways to get the M6 to M8. But I don't want non-handyman people to follow this and it would better to get the M10. If there were issues, they will say that you modified their cable and things may not be good if something goes wrong. Thanks for the feedback - definitely an option for some handyman.
@@kohkae1177 Hi, no it costs very little, once charged it maintains using milliamps of energy. I have two cars and three motorbikes all on there own C-tek charger. For the whole year cost would be less than £10 annually, so very inexpensive.
Hey, thanks for the video! I am having issue with my 2013 LexusRDX450h. I recently bought it and noticed it doesn't have green Ready icon and doesn't run, but the dashboard is showing other icons. Do you think it needs a 12v battery to be charged? Or it is something else? It doesn't show any error like check hybrid system. Just shows Brake red icon and Start button has amber color not green.
You can try to boost rather than charge and see if the green ready light would light up. You may also need to put the keyfob on the start button (if your keyfob battery is good or not)
@@lsft To boost do you mean a jump it start? I did that and green ready icon popped up and I drove to the store. But a few hours later when I tried to go back home, it again didn't have ready state and was not able to start the engine. Keyfob got a new battery.
@@vladv7019 you need to let the car run for at least an hour for it to charge the 12V battery. Driving to the store might not be enough to charge the battery
LSFT, yesterday my 12V died too, yet I typically drive 10-20 miles RT on most days. Like another subscriber asked, I too wondered if EV mode (how I drive 95% of the time) was really charging the 12V battery, or if the NX needed to be driven in hybrid mode. Otherwise, I'm stumped on why my battery died if both EV and HV modes charge it. I should note, I live in a place that rarely drops below 40°F or exceeds 90°F, which I assume should be a benign environment for the battery. Regarding your NOVO setup: how often and for how long do you typically connect the NOCO to your 12V battery (e.g. every night, 3 nights)? When running the NOCO, I assume it must be plugged into an outlet; if so, is your hatch door open to run NOCO's power cable to the outlet? Thanks for your insights on this and the many other topics you cover on the NX 450h.
Oh no. I hope it didn't create a lot of issues. You really don't need to drive hybrid mode to charge the battery. You should have the dealership to check the 12V battery to make sure there aren't any defects with the battery. I typically charge it once every 2-3 weeks. I don't charge it daily or weekly. Typically I would find one day where I charge the car and use another plug to charge the 12V battery at the same time. I don't put it through the hatch, but I open the back window a little and funnel the plug through the window crack. Hope all is well with your NX.
First of all -thank you for all that interesting stuff (it's not a common knowledge!) And I would like to ask you a question-does your android auto works wirelessly? I've found some reviews and authors said that somehow AA work in NX '22 wirelessly. And it seems strange. Mine doesn't. But maybe it depends on the market 🤔. Best regards:)
Android Auto works wirelessly in Canada and United States. I am aware it's not wireless in UK and most European countries. I do not know about other countries.
@@lsft Thank you very much for your quick response:) It's good to know that you guys in North America can enjoy wireless connection... Wish we had the same opportunity. Maybe one day (I hope). Is it possible? What do you think/know about this? Best regards
Lexus sells a battery trickle charger accessory for $500 why wouldn’t you guys just get that? And sorry I didn’t watch the whole video just some parts I’m wondering why this is even needed? Does the battery die fast?
Lexus started to sell it after this was installed. A Noco trickle charger is $100 vs $500. There have been some owners who have had dead batteries. I wouldn't say it dies fast, it's only the way I drive that causes it to die. No matter if I drive a regular ICE vehicle, short distances will cause it to die.
@@lsft I've got my 450/2024 2 weeks ago and asked my dealer to install trickle charger and he said no you don't need it, its there already when you charging lithium battery 12v one charges also, and yes before I plugged in it was showing 12.2v after plug in it was 12.8v,
@@valhood6086 your dealer is right. It will charge when you charge your car. Again it depends on your driving habits. I drive short distances therefore it doesn't charge for each startup
You need to get out more, LSFT. The first 10 days I had only the 240 V charger. It was soooo slow. I found myself working for the technology, not the technology working for me. Every time I returned home, I plugged it in even to get an hour of charging. Then Lexus installed my type 2 charger and it takes less than 3 hours from dead empty. And I am diverting my solar PV so 18 kW costs me A$0.90. I can use Lexus’ navigation or waze, or Apple maps or google maps. Do the last 3 slow down on corners when in cruise control? The Lexus nav does. Another very important question. It is normal for the car’s odometer to show a higher speed than the gps speed. From what I can see, using Waze, the discrepancy could be as high as 6kph. That is very significant. On a highway I can set the speed on the cruise control to 120kph in a 110km zone and only be
Unfortunately, the pandemic has changed how I work and there is no need to drive to the office everyday which really changes my driving behaviour. At least your Type 1 is 240V charger and not 120V in North America. It takes 12 hours to fully charge using the stock EVSE. I think on 240V it should be faster. The car will slow down on curves and it doesn't matter what navigation software you use. That feature is part of the adaptive cruise control. As with the speed, I have notice the reverse in Canada. I drive 60kph, but Waze GPS says I am driving 65-70kph. I don't think this is a problem with the car, but issue with Waze and the phone's GPS is not calculating correctly. Trust your car's odometer as that should be the most accurate.
I haven't been able to validate that when charging the traction (hybrid) battery, if the 12V battery would be charged as well. If it does not then I wouldn't change it so it can.
Does the NX plug-in hybrid have an alternator to charge the 12 volt battery when the engine is running? Also, does it have a block heater for cold weather?
@@lsft that is good! Lexus offers a block heater with a bumper plug but you can also get a trickle charger that works from the same plug. Sounds like a must-have for the 450H+
@@lsft So, I am confused. If there is a DC to DC converter (instead of an alternator) it should operate when the engine is running and providing charge back to the traction battery. In that case, if you run the car in hybrid mode, the 12V battery would normally be fully charged, just like a gas engine car. And, with longer trips, this would always be the case as you are always in hybrid more. Further, that DC to DC converter will be very efficient in that conversion from a couple of hundred V to 12V is efficient. Obviously, running the converter while in EV mode would not normally be done in that it would diminish the EV mileage and, even so it's only 37mi. But, when supplying a charge to the traction battery via external charging, the converter could easily be used to charge the 12V battery and it could be a switch in the settings or not. Are you saying that this is not done? This is obviously not a safety issue in that you are already charging a lithium ion traction battery which is far more dangerous than a lead acid battery. And, are you sure that it is a lead acid battery and not an AGM battery? You had your trickle charger set to lead acid and not AGM?
@@rickheider7086 the 12v battery is a lead acid battery and not agm. I check the specs and it's not an AGM. I originally thought it was an AGM as well. My CT has an AGM but not the NX. I do not know if the charging of the traction battery would charge the 12V. It does make sense, but it doesn't seem to be doing that. I don't have the tools to check that. My understanding is that while driving in EV mode the DC to DC also charges the 12V. If not the car will not be operating very quickly.
Thank you for asking LSFT the same question I have in mind for the correct battery type setting. I have 2024 RX350h, assume has same type of battery, and would like to install NOCO 5 to trickle charge the 12v battery when away for about a month to make sure the battery maintain fully charged when come back.
I think your 12V battery is not in shape anymore. I think it has been drained to a couple of times, and sadly the lead acid batteries do not handle well this situation. I had this problem on my 2005 Prius, it was a which was on display for some months and had drained the 12Vbattery, and when Istarted using the car, I had similar issues some months and finally I had it replaced, and the problem was solved. The trickle charger is good idea, and especially with a new battery it will make lifetime much better.
It had only drained once and it was checked and it was reported ok. I will be asking the dealer to check the battery every time I get service to ensure it's ok. I have the trickle charger to ensure it's all good. I also turn off the headlights and infotainment screen after I power off the car which helps reduce the drainage of the 12V battery. Charging it up once a few weeks seems to help maintain it.
Why don't you just plug into 12v power outlet in the boot. It's already there ready to go. Just make sure current output of charger is less the power outlet fuse
I'm a bit confused with your comments. The 12V power outlet is powered by the 12V battery. The trickle charger is trying to charge the 12V battery. Wouldn't this be an loop and draw the battery even lower?
@lsft Connect the output of the charger to the 12v outlet. Current WILL flow from 12v outlet to the battery. I am unsure if the 12v outlet is supplied all the time on the NX (ie ignition off), but if it is this will work.
It is trickle charging when the large battery is charging. Depending on how you drive and how fast you charge. The car has so many components that continue to use the 12V battery does impact the amount of juice on the 12V over time.
@@lsft Is the plug-in charger for the large battery is not sufficient to trickle charge the 12V if you left it plugged in when vacationing or away for long periods of time (2-3 weeks)? Thank you!
@@johjoh43 it only chargers the 12V when it charges the traction battery. If it's not charging, the plug-in charger is disconnected and won't charge the 12V. It's advised to not keep the plug in while you are away. It will cause the 12V to die even faster. When the plug is plugged in, the 12V battery is used to monitor the systems.
There has been reports of some owners with 350h owners having dead batteries as well. But again, it depends on the behaviour of the owners and their driving patterns.
We shouldnt have to do this. This is a luxury car. It is very sad that we have to do this to avoid getting locked out of our cars during a regular grocery run.
@@iamdenislara I had already said that in a video. That does sound easy and a software fix that they can add in. They just need to work on it. It does mean the 12V would need to be always running and never sleep.
The Lexus does not come with a jack or area to store a spare tire. They have silly storage area under the floor where you can store books or extra clothes 😂.. what a waste of space. If you wanted to convert to great proper quality normal smooth and quiet running non flat tires you have no place to store a spare. 👎👎👎
I will never buy a vehicle with run flat tires. Terrible… also never buy a car without a spare tire. I prefer smooth running quality tires with a spare tire. Run flats should have only been an option at worst. I will not consider Lexus.
I guess that's fine for Lexus. Tons of people don't like the run flats and still buy it. People will swap them out right after delivery or drive them out and swap to non run flats. You'll need a tire repair kit. There are cars that give you regular tires, but with a tire repair kit. The world with spare tires are getting less and less.
Great Video LSFT, thanks again for this! I would agree a battery tender is almost a must for these types of vehicles unless you regularly drive longer trips.
Please everyone keep in mind though that we're looking at the complete electrical system at work here and it's way more complex on modern cars. Toyota and all other manufactures of hybrid vehicles have made designs that are utilizing both a high voltage 'traction' battery which primarily does all the propulsion work and then add a 12 volt battery to still do all the other electrical requirements for the vehicle to function.
So you have a monster of a battery with high voltage and a tiny one as well. They utilize a dc/dc converter when determined ok to allow the big battery to supply the little battery assistance with the 12 volt requirements. This is where the engineers decide how to 'manage' all the stored energy. It would be simple to allow the big battery to keep the small battery charged no problem, always providing you with a fully charged 12 volt battery to 'start' your car. But they don't, for safety reasons I'm sure, allow a circuit like this to 'stay on' constantly and deplete the bigger battery, plus it would look like your EV range is mysteriously dropping off when you park your car.
In simple terms they 'sacrifice' the 12 volt battery and let it deplete when all systems are not running. At some point things change. I'm assuming when they're confident that they can begin to allow the converter to send a charge to the 12 volt battery happens when you are going to drive the car or, put it in on/run mode, which gives the order to have the car ready to drive on your command including using the gas engine when needed to produce more energy.
A healthy fully charged 12 volt lead acid battery at rest with no draw will ONLY make 12.6 volts. Anything above that and it's being assisted by other means, namely a regular alternator in an old fashion system, or the dc/dc converter in a new one. So when your voltmeter plugged into your 12 volt socket shows more than 12.6 volts, it's already being 'assisted' by the charging circuit. This is why your trickle charger and it's internal circuitry is needed to determine the health of the battery. For example, at 12.4 volts, your battery will be at roughly 75% charge OR has begun to have a draw on it. At 12.2 volts it will be at 50% charge and at 12 volts it will be at roughly 25% charge. Constantly having your 12 volt battery remain at less than full charge will reduce it's life and will need to be replaced sooner than optimum lifespan, which is typically 4-6 years.
I suspect if you opened the (powered) back hatch to attach a multimeter to each terminal of the battery to test it, you would have already added a 'draw' on the battery which will be included in your reading. Same is true if you're sitting in your car looking at a multimeter plugged into your 12 volt outlet. Some interior lights or displays or other safety circuitry will be on etc. With these vehicles the only way to truly test a battery's health is with it completely disconnected meaning nothing is connected to it at it's battery posts or through the obd port using a battery test procedure from a reader or laptop auto software program like a technician would have.
Thanks for the lengthy writeup and all the details - very technical and great information. Unfortunately, I'm not technical enough to do all that and really hope that other owners wouldn't experience a 12V battery failure with this video.
Hi there, I just wanted to thank you so much for this video, it really help me connect our Noco Genius 5... I needed everything you used as well and found it all at CanadianTire.
Our new Toyota Venza went dead last week and what a pain getting boosted and having the dealer clear all the codes triggered by the dead battery.
Same thing happened to us, letting the car sitting too long and not enough highway driving to charge the 12V battery.
Thanks Again!!
👍🏻🙏🏻
Glad that the video helped you set up your trickle charger.
Wanted to share that a trickle charger will also work going through the jump point in the engine bay. Hooked the positive up to the point in the fuse box on the right and the negative to an unpainted surface (one of the nuts on top of the strut). I only had a 1.5A charger so it took a bit longer but it did the trick. Love the vids, keep up the good work!
Thanks for the information. I was thinking of doing that and it would be better to have it installed on the grille like the Lexus Comfort+ system.
The 12v just died on our RX350h. I was wondering if I can charge the battery overnight from the fuse box in the engine bay? So far it’s been 3 hours and the RX is still dead.
Where do you connect the positive in the fuse box? How do you secure the negative?
Thanks LSFT for this reference video on the battery problem, that has happened in various cases with the first winter for our NXs. Spring is coming soon!
Spring is coming soon. Winter tires coming off and better EV range as well. Cheers!
Thank you very much for your channel and this helpful video. Our 450h+ is arriving early in 2024 and I will stay on top of the battery health from the get-go by doing exactly what you did.
Exciting times.. hopefully no delay on your 2024. They do have a Lexus trickle charger that you can install which is easier to plug into and charge, but definitely a lot more $$$.
Just to add a few details. I have '22 NX350h that I last drove not 3 days ago for a total of 40 kms of mixed highway and city driving. So 20 kms there, an hour wait then 20 to get back home. I just put a multimeter directly on my battery posts while it sits in position in the back compartment under floor. It was only at 11.50 volts! So the marker lights were on, I had turned off dome lights though, obviously it would have been in a quasi 'accessory' state for me to unlock it and raise the power hatch. I would have thought my little adventure would have been enough to top it back up plus a little depletion over 2 days but not down that far! I have put it on my charger now to bring it back to full state of charge and I do have to travel some 300 kms tomorrow so I'm gonna check readings over next few days to see how much depletion is occurring.
Keep me posted on your findings and thanks for the details.
Thank you LSFT.. this is a great & very helpfull video for phev owners. i might install one also on my NX 450h+ especially dealing with very cold winter here in montreal.. 👍
My pleasure. I think if you drive longer distances (~20 mins) drives, you shouldn't have this problem. But it's still good to top off the batter once a month to ensure you don't have to worry about it.
@ LSFT... is the 12V battery charging when your running on EV mode?
@@martinpanganiban3024 Yes - it will charge the 12V even if you are running on EV mode only. For my purpose, I drive less than 1 km after starting the car during weekends and slowly it will drain the 12V battery
This is a good video, thanks. Subscribed
Thank you
thx for the video! QQ - how long does it take to charge 12V with the trickle charger you use here?
I never timed it. Typically I just leave it overnight and unplug it when I'm leaving in the morning. Once it's full it just maintains the charge. So there is no harm to keep it plugged in.
Hi LSFT! I have the same issues with my 22 - 450h+. 3 times dead battery. My concern is the stationary battery drain, approx. 0.3 volt/24h. due to that the battery will not take charge to than12.5V. Do you know how much stationary drain one should expect.
Also, when charging the traction battery, i get + 0.3V in trickle charge to the 12V battery.
I.e not much. I wonder what is your experiences.
Thanks for your informative videos.
Hi Ralph, I haven't measured how much I was losing per day and how much charge I was getting during the traction battery charge. So you have any accessories that were added like a dashcam?
@@lsft I have no accessories installed. But the battery drain when parked seems very high. Should be interesting to know what to expect with a battery in good condition and 100% charged. I will have to let my dealer look in to it.
@@ralphjohansson2631 let me know what you find out.
Had the same problem with my 2016 optima SX. Battery was over 300$ to change. I was doing 6-7000km a year. Just bought a 2023 RX350h… gonna look into one of these.
Since you drive little it's better to have one to help maintain the battery!
going through this with my 2023 rx350h....
Hi LSFT. Picked up our NX450h 3 weeks ago and I installed the same trickle charger as you today. When I plugged it in it was only 25% charged. Do you think this is surprising for a new vehicle? I’ve been trying to drive longer distances and trying to use the engine as much as possible. Other than this sketchy battery, it really is a fantastic vehicle.
You do not need to use the gas engine to charge the 12V battery. When you plug the trickle charger, monitor the time it needs to charge to the next level. If it quickly goes to full, then it is ok. But if you do drive short distances and if you park in the garage you can consider letting the car run in EV mode inside the garage and let it auto shut off after 60 mins. Turn off the climate so that it purely just runs. They do suggest running the car for at least 20 mins for it to charge the 12V battery on every trip. The problem you see is everything in the car relies on the 12V battery - like your mobile app, digital key (if setup), the steering wheel moving forward and your seats moving into position, the side mirrors folding out all uses the 12V battery every time you unlock and start the car.
An example is: you start the car and it uses 2% of the battery to start it, but it only charge 0.5% in the 5 minute drive, then you would have lost 1.5% of the battery one time. Then next time going home, you start the car 2% used to start the car and charge back 0.5% then you lost 3% in that trip to destination and home. Over time, you will get to a point where you have a lot less juice in the battery. I really hope Lexus would add something to monitor the 12V battery and automatically wake up the car and use the traction battery to charge the 12V. No need to start other systems, but just to handle this situation.
Thank you for the detailed response. You explained it very well. I also hope Lexus figures this out and does as you suggested. It makes so much sense. What are they waiting for?
@@RickA-Z hard to say. Maybe the monitoring of the 12V when the car is low might cause the car to use more battery. 🤷
Thanks for the instructions. I ended up getting this same charger. Question: At 6:20 you mentioned using the inside nut vs outermost nut. Is there a reason for one nut over the other?
I actually tried the outside but first, it is much harder to get the nut completely off. It can be loosen to get it off the -ve pole, but not easy to get the nut completely off. That's the only reason.
@@lsft Oh I see. So they both would work, but the inner one is easier to easier to remove. How often are you charging your battery?
@@ONI1013. I let it run for 15 mins idle per day cos I drive a very short distance in the morning. Then every other week, I'll charge it. But since I've installed the battery monitor, I'll do it when it's needed.
@@lsft Before you got the monitor, did let the _car_ sit idle on Ready Mode every day, or you run this battery charger run 15 minutes every day? We also drive only very short commutes and we only drive it about 3 times per week.
What battery tester are you using in the video? And great work as always! I always look forward to them!
I bought it at Canadian Tire in Canada. About $21 that you can plug into the 12V socket.
www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-battery-charging-system-monitor-12v-digital-display-0113007p.html?rq=motormaster%252520battery%252520tester
I am new to car. Just bought my first used Lexus. May I ask, what is the difference between this product (Noco Genius 5) and a jump starter? I usually drive twice a week, mainly to the groceries. Which product should I buy? Thanks 🙏
The noco genius 5 is a trickle charger that will help charge the battery and maintain it. A jump starter is used to start the car when the 12V battery does not have enough power to start the car. Two totally different products. One is a product to maintain the health of the battery and the other is used to start the car when the battery is low.
@@lsft thank you so much for detailed explanation
Great video. Were you able to close the back hatch when you had the trickle charger plugged into the wall outlet?
I actually didn't put it through the back hatch. I opened up the rear door window and put the cord out the window. I didn't like the wire being pressured on the rubber seals.
@@lsft Thanks for the info. The battery in my 350h died last week and I am going to the dealer to investigate the Lexus trickle charger and see if it is worth the extra money and exactly how it works since the battery is in the back.
@@jamescordiner8822 there is the convenience in plugging it into the front grill. It's just 3 times over my noco install.
I carefully routed the 12v charger cable through the rear hatch and placing the CTEK Charger on a paint tin under the car - No rubber damage. But also moved the keys, so the car couldn't be driven off, dragging the CTEK charger behind it...!!!
Hi, just to let you know, if you only do very short journeys, or use the car infrequently the battery maintainer is best plugged in always when you are not using the car it will maintain the battery to it's optimum level and the battery will stay in perfect condition for many years. Also the original battery leads with the Noco 5 amp battery maintainer are wide enough for you to have enlarged the holes with a M8 drill and saved you the expense of those additional leads. Thank you.
Yes - there are ways to get the M6 to M8. But I don't want non-handyman people to follow this and it would better to get the M10. If there were issues, they will say that you modified their cable and things may not be good if something goes wrong. Thanks for the feedback - definitely an option for some handyman.
If keeps plugged in, would it cost an expensive electricity bill?
@@kohkae1177 Hi, no it costs very little, once charged it maintains using milliamps of energy. I have two cars and three motorbikes all on there own C-tek charger. For the whole year cost would be less than £10 annually, so very inexpensive.
@@stephenpotts8170 thanks 🙏
@@stephenpotts8170someone says, do not connect the negative cable to the negative connect of the battery, is that right?
Thanks
Hey, thanks for the video! I am having issue with my 2013 LexusRDX450h. I recently bought it and noticed it doesn't have green Ready icon and doesn't run, but the dashboard is showing other icons. Do you think it needs a 12v battery to be charged? Or it is something else? It doesn't show any error like check hybrid system. Just shows Brake red icon and Start button has amber color not green.
You can try to boost rather than charge and see if the green ready light would light up. You may also need to put the keyfob on the start button (if your keyfob battery is good or not)
@@lsft To boost do you mean a jump it start? I did that and green ready icon popped up and I drove to the store. But a few hours later when I tried to go back home, it again didn't have ready state and was not able to start the engine. Keyfob got a new battery.
@@vladv7019 you need to let the car run for at least an hour for it to charge the 12V battery. Driving to the store might not be enough to charge the battery
@@lsft Oh ok, thank you
LSFT, yesterday my 12V died too, yet I typically drive 10-20 miles RT on most days. Like another subscriber asked, I too wondered if EV mode (how I drive 95% of the time) was really charging the 12V battery, or if the NX needed to be driven in hybrid mode. Otherwise, I'm stumped on why my battery died if both EV and HV modes charge it. I should note, I live in a place that rarely drops below 40°F or exceeds 90°F, which I assume should be a benign environment for the battery.
Regarding your NOVO setup: how often and for how long do you typically connect the NOCO to your 12V battery (e.g. every night, 3 nights)? When running the NOCO, I assume it must be plugged into an outlet; if so, is your hatch door open to run NOCO's power cable to the outlet?
Thanks for your insights on this and the many other topics you cover on the NX 450h.
Oh no. I hope it didn't create a lot of issues. You really don't need to drive hybrid mode to charge the battery. You should have the dealership to check the 12V battery to make sure there aren't any defects with the battery. I typically charge it once every 2-3 weeks. I don't charge it daily or weekly. Typically I would find one day where I charge the car and use another plug to charge the 12V battery at the same time. I don't put it through the hatch, but I open the back window a little and funnel the plug through the window crack.
Hope all is well with your NX.
@@lsft thanks, would like to follow that practice
That was very informative. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Which battery does the car use to start the engine? The 12 volt battery or the lithium-ion battery pack?
12 volt.
i don't know. how batteries are there?
First of all -thank you for all that interesting stuff (it's not a common knowledge!)
And I would like to ask you a question-does your android auto works wirelessly?
I've found some reviews and authors said that somehow AA work in NX '22 wirelessly. And it seems strange. Mine doesn't.
But maybe it depends on the market 🤔.
Best regards:)
Android Auto works wirelessly in Canada and United States. I am aware it's not wireless in UK and most European countries. I do not know about other countries.
@@lsft Thank you very much for your quick response:)
It's good to know that you guys in North America can enjoy wireless connection... Wish we had the same opportunity. Maybe one day (I hope).
Is it possible?
What do you think/know about this?
Best regards
@@dariuszk8796 I think it will happen. Just needing an OTA update. Just don't know when.
Lexus sells a battery trickle charger accessory for $500 why wouldn’t you guys just get that? And sorry I didn’t watch the whole video just some parts I’m wondering why this is even needed? Does the battery die fast?
Lexus started to sell it after this was installed. A Noco trickle charger is $100 vs $500. There have been some owners who have had dead batteries. I wouldn't say it dies fast, it's only the way I drive that causes it to die. No matter if I drive a regular ICE vehicle, short distances will cause it to die.
@@lsft I've got my 450/2024 2 weeks ago and asked my dealer to install trickle charger and he said no you don't need it, its there already when you charging lithium battery 12v one charges also, and yes before I plugged in it was showing 12.2v after plug in it was 12.8v,
@@valhood6086 your dealer is right. It will charge when you charge your car. Again it depends on your driving habits. I drive short distances therefore it doesn't charge for each startup
You need to get out more, LSFT. The first 10 days I had only the 240 V charger. It was soooo slow. I found myself working for the technology, not the technology working for me. Every time I returned home, I plugged it in even to get an hour of charging. Then Lexus installed my type 2 charger and it takes less than 3 hours from dead empty. And I am diverting my solar PV so 18 kW costs me A$0.90. I can use Lexus’ navigation or waze, or Apple maps or google maps. Do the last 3 slow down on corners when in cruise control? The Lexus nav does. Another very important question. It is normal for the car’s odometer to show a higher speed than the gps speed. From what I can see, using Waze, the discrepancy could be as high as 6kph. That is very significant. On a highway I can set the speed on the cruise control to 120kph in a 110km zone and only be
Unfortunately, the pandemic has changed how I work and there is no need to drive to the office everyday which really changes my driving behaviour. At least your Type 1 is 240V charger and not 120V in North America. It takes 12 hours to fully charge using the stock EVSE. I think on 240V it should be faster.
The car will slow down on curves and it doesn't matter what navigation software you use. That feature is part of the adaptive cruise control.
As with the speed, I have notice the reverse in Canada. I drive 60kph, but Waze GPS says I am driving 65-70kph. I don't think this is a problem with the car, but issue with Waze and the phone's GPS is not calculating correctly. Trust your car's odometer as that should be the most accurate.
Hi, any way to connect that little charger to the main charging port? That way 12v battery gonna be always fully charged.
I haven't been able to validate that when charging the traction (hybrid) battery, if the 12V battery would be charged as well. If it does not then I wouldn't change it so it can.
Does the NX plug-in hybrid have an alternator to charge the 12 volt battery when the engine is running? Also, does it have a block heater for cold weather?
No there is no alternator. It uses the DC convertor to charge the 12 volt when the car is running. Block heater can be installed and not standard.
@@lsft that is good! Lexus offers a block heater with a bumper plug but you can also get a trickle charger that works from the same plug. Sounds like a must-have for the 450H+
@@beri232 yes. They do offer that. But it's a lot more expensive than other trickle charger.
@@lsft So, I am confused. If there is a DC to DC converter (instead of an alternator) it should operate when the engine is running and providing charge back to the traction battery. In that case, if you run the car in hybrid mode, the 12V battery would normally be fully charged, just like a gas engine car. And, with longer trips, this would always be the case as you are always in hybrid more. Further, that DC to DC converter will be very efficient in that conversion from a couple of hundred V to 12V is efficient. Obviously, running the converter while in EV mode would not normally be done in that it would diminish the EV mileage and, even so it's only 37mi. But, when supplying a charge to the traction battery via external charging, the converter could easily be used to charge the 12V battery and it could be a switch in the settings or not. Are you saying that this is not done?
This is obviously not a safety issue in that you are already charging a lithium ion traction battery which is far more dangerous than a lead acid battery. And, are you sure that it is a lead acid battery and not an AGM battery? You had your trickle charger set to lead acid and not AGM?
@@rickheider7086 the 12v battery is a lead acid battery and not agm. I check the specs and it's not an AGM. I originally thought it was an AGM as well. My CT has an AGM but not the NX.
I do not know if the charging of the traction battery would charge the 12V. It does make sense, but it doesn't seem to be doing that. I don't have the tools to check that. My understanding is that while driving in EV mode the DC to DC also charges the 12V. If not the car will not be operating very quickly.
the setting has
12 v
12 v agm
12 v lithium ion
NX350 H
what setting to trickle charge?
12V
Thank you for asking LSFT the same question I have in mind for the correct battery type setting. I have 2024 RX350h, assume has same type of battery, and would like to install NOCO 5 to trickle charge the 12v battery when away for about a month to make sure the battery maintain fully charged when come back.
I think your 12V battery is not in shape anymore. I think it has been drained to a couple of times, and sadly the lead acid batteries do not handle well this situation. I had this problem on my 2005 Prius, it was a which was on display for some months and had drained the 12Vbattery, and when Istarted using the car, I had similar issues some months and finally I had it replaced, and the problem was solved. The trickle charger is good idea, and especially with a new battery it will make lifetime much better.
It had only drained once and it was checked and it was reported ok. I will be asking the dealer to check the battery every time I get service to ensure it's ok. I have the trickle charger to ensure it's all good. I also turn off the headlights and infotainment screen after I power off the car which helps reduce the drainage of the 12V battery. Charging it up once a few weeks seems to help maintain it.
Is your battery not AGM?
There is no AGM on the battery. Checked the battery part number and it does not look like one
Why don't you just plug into 12v power outlet in the boot. It's already there ready to go. Just make sure current output of charger is less the power outlet fuse
I'm a bit confused with your comments. The 12V power outlet is powered by the 12V battery. The trickle charger is trying to charge the 12V battery. Wouldn't this be an loop and draw the battery even lower?
@lsft Connect the output of the charger to the 12v outlet. Current WILL flow from 12v outlet to the battery. I am unsure if the 12v outlet is supplied all the time on the NX (ie ignition off), but if it is this will work.
@@darrenheading4057 I believe it does not supply power when the vehicle is off.
The older 2019 NX300h power socket in the boot/trunk is disconnected, when the ignition is turned off - So had to wire directly to battery..
Seems like a major oversight by Lexus engineers if they haven't included trickle charging the 12v battery when you plug-in to charge the main battery.
It is trickle charging when the large battery is charging. Depending on how you drive and how fast you charge. The car has so many components that continue to use the 12V battery does impact the amount of juice on the 12V over time.
@@lsft Is the plug-in charger for the large battery is not sufficient to trickle charge the 12V if you left it plugged in when vacationing or away for long periods of time (2-3 weeks)? Thank you!
@@johjoh43 it only chargers the 12V when it charges the traction battery. If it's not charging, the plug-in charger is disconnected and won't charge the 12V. It's advised to not keep the plug in while you are away. It will cause the 12V to die even faster. When the plug is plugged in, the 12V battery is used to monitor the systems.
Does anyone know if 350H has 12 volt battery problems Thanks
There has been reports of some owners with 350h owners having dead batteries as well. But again, it depends on the behaviour of the owners and their driving patterns.
@@lsfthow about NX300h? Thanks
@@kohkae1177 I have never heard of issues with the 300h. It all depends on your driving patterns.
Yes, mine just died.
@@sszzzzxx4702 is it NX300h?
So the moral of the story Lexus wants us to do more driving especially for PHEV may BEV ?
Well, even gas only vehicles have the same issue if you drive short distances.
We shouldnt have to do this. This is a luxury car. It is very sad that we have to do this to avoid getting locked out of our cars during a regular grocery run.
Grocery run may not be an issue. Even if I drove another luxury brand this is going to be an issue. Typical car design issue.
@@lsft a luxury car would detect the battery level and start the engine or take power from the track battery. I mean…. Sounds like an easy fix.
@@iamdenislara I had already said that in a video. That does sound easy and a software fix that they can add in. They just need to work on it. It does mean the 12V would need to be always running and never sleep.
@@lsft right so…. What’s your point defending the brand on your first comment?
@@iamdenislara I'm just saying... Even if I buy a BMW, Mercedes this will still happen. Not defending the brand.
The Lexus does not come with a jack or area to store a spare tire. They have silly storage area under the floor where you can store books or extra clothes 😂.. what a waste of space. If you wanted to convert to great proper quality normal smooth and quiet running non flat tires you have no place to store a spare. 👎👎👎
That's what a tire repair kit is for. Some ppl have changed the area to put a spare. But it won't work for hybrids. The RX does have a spare.
I will never buy a vehicle with run flat tires. Terrible… also never buy a car without a spare tire. I prefer smooth running quality tires with a spare tire. Run flats should have only been an option at worst. I will not consider Lexus.
I guess that's fine for Lexus. Tons of people don't like the run flats and still buy it. People will swap them out right after delivery or drive them out and swap to non run flats. You'll need a tire repair kit. There are cars that give you regular tires, but with a tire repair kit. The world with spare tires are getting less and less.