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Toyota Camry Battery Questions

81 messages,  Last post on Feb 28, 2012 at 1:03 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry, Sedan

Messages Page 9 of 9

#72 of 81 Re: changing out a battery [choochooman] by kiawah

Apr 07, 2011 (8:53 pm)

Replying to: choochooman (Apr 03, 2011 6:59 am)
I don't know whether it's needed or not, but when I replaced the battery on my 2007, the auto parts store where I bought the battery, loaned me one of those jump start battery pack thingies. It had a connector on it where you plug it into the OBD2 connector under the dash. That keeps power to the computer, allowing you to then swap out the battery....with no problems.

#73 of 81 Re: changing out a battery [choochooman] by metalibrarian

Apr 18, 2011 (10:11 pm)

Replying to: choochooman (Apr 03, 2011 6:59 am)
Changing the battery is no more difficult than it was in the 60s when I first did it. Plenty of other procedures are. But you can wipe out your radio stations, security codes, pre-set seat positions, keyless entry system--a pain in the neck .
 
Two solutions (1) one from choochooman above--borrowed from a parts store or (2) buy your own. I got a little device with a 9-volt battery that plugs into your cigarette lighter (or whatever they call them these days) and keeps just enough juice running thru the system while you're changing the carbattery to keep the codes fresh. Less than ten bucks. Mine was marketed by a company called Noco.

#74 of 81 battery swapout by metalibrarian

Apr 19, 2011 (8:23 pm)

I made a mistake in the previous message and did not give credit to kiawah.
 
Be aware, when you use either a jumpstart thingee or a 9-volt device, you can't have any draw on electricity. You have to make sure your radio is off and all lights are not operating. You can't open the door and suddenly have a light(s) try to function when you only have a little 9-volter plugged into your cigarette lighter! Best to open a window and operate the device thru that. The Noco directions actually advise users to pull the fuses for lights and stuff. I don't think one needs to do that as long as one ensures a light won't try to go on.

#75 of 81 Old Camry, constant battery problems by ludalex

Jul 23, 2011 (7:54 am)

My mother who is a senior drives a 1993 Camry (with just 65,000 miles on it), and it regularly has to be given a boost. At first, we thought it was the battery itself, so we changed it. But even now, with a new battery (about 6 months old), every couple of weeks, the car won't start. The AAA people who come to boost it say it's because my mom doesn't drive enough. She goes out at least once a week, and she starts the car a few times a week. it's true that she never takes in on the highway.
 
The car is with my mechanic now, and he can't figure out what the problem is. In fact, I told him that my mom is willing to pay whatever is necessary to fix it (it has no other problems), but he simply doesn't know. Clearly, something is draining the battery when it's sitting in the garage but it's nothing obvious.
 
Would anyone have any thoughts?
 
Thanks!

#76 of 81 Re: Old Camry, constant battery problems [ludalex] by wwest

Jul 23, 2011 (8:44 am)

Replying to: ludalex (Jul 23, 2011 7:54 am)
"...senior...goes out at least once a week...every couple of weeks..."
 
Door ajar.
 
Remove the bulbs from the dome/map/courtesy and the sun visor mirror(s)for awhile.

#77 of 81 Re: Old Camry, constant battery problems [wwest] by ludalex

Jul 23, 2011 (8:48 am)

Replying to: wwest (Jul 23, 2011 8:44 am)
Thank you. I know it's not the door because she checks for that every time. I'll try to get rid off these "optional" lights, but would you have any advice about making the battery last longer? I visit her once a week. So would it help if I took it for a 30-minute spin on the highway, for example? And, are there any suggestions I can make to the mechanic?
 
Thanks again!

#78 of 81 Re: Old Camry, constant battery problems [ludalex] by wwest

Jul 27, 2011 (8:35 am)

Replying to: ludalex (Jul 23, 2011 8:48 am)
I'll be 71 in a week, I lock my front door every morning as I leave, out of habit.
 
Ask me 2-3 miles down the road if I remember locking the door.....
 
Checking the doorS to be closed is made more difficult by the fact that the interior lights have a delayed off....You either have to walk around and SEE that the other doors are actually closed or stand and wait for the lights to extinguish.
 
I'm lucky in that I am not, "knock-on-wood" (KNOCK, KNOCK), yet really losing my short term memory....who do you suppose that is knocking on the front door at this hour of the morning...??

#79 of 81 Re: battery swapout [metalibrarian] by kiawah

Aug 04, 2011 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: metalibrarian (Apr 19, 2011 8:23 pm)
Could be any number of things. If you have had the battery tested and it is good, then you need to figure out what is draining the battery. To do this takes a lot of investigatory work, and requires that you place an ampmeter on the battery power cable, so you can monitor the current draw. Then start pulling all the fuses so you can watch when the power draw stops.
 
You'll undoubtedly find a set of electrical schematics very helpful, assuming whoever is troubleshooting this knows how to read them.
 
I've seen things like:
- trunk light bulbs on
- glove light bulbs on
- stuck relays
- electric seat switch bad keeping the motor energized
- defective radios, or aftermarked radios not installed correctly
- a defective engine computer, or defective body control modules
- diodes bad in the alternator
 
Could be any number of problems.

#80 of 81 Re: battery swapout [kiawah] by ludalex

Aug 07, 2011 (10:27 am)

Replying to: kiawah (Aug 04, 2011 2:21 pm)
Thanks! The mechanic figured it out. It turns out the security alarm system wasn't properly connected and was draining the battery.

#81 of 81 Re: Old Camry, constant battery problems [ludalex] by gotodrew

Feb 28, 2012 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: ludalex (Jul 23, 2011 7:54 am)
She's not going to want to put the car on a trickle charger. "my mom is willing to pay whatever is necessary to fix it" - She's got to change the car every 10 or 15 years, buy/lease a new one; maybe downsize to a Corrolla. Newer cars are safer and more reliable.

Messages Page 9 of 9

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