Toyota 12V Battery Maintenance

This new notification will be triggered by identifying a 12V Battery with a low (SOC) State of Charge, so in turn the owner can take action and restore battery operation.

Click here for more information on the MyToyota App 

You may ask why?

• Battery energy is constantly required to power E.C.U.’s (electronic control units) such as security system, smart entry onboard data recorders etc. which remain operational in standby mode, ready to be woken up when we undertake our next journey.
• If a vehicle is inactive for an extended period, the 12-volt battery will naturally discharge.
• If a vehicle is subject to repeated short trips, the 12-volt battery may not be adequately charged.

Running totally flat 3 times or more any 12- Volt battery can be permanently damaged. Performance (state of health and charge capacity) reduces dramatically owing to poor battery maintenance, leading to unreliable performance, as a battery that is repeatedly under charged or subject to poor care & maintenance will become unreliable and it must tested by a Toyota Dealer and if necessary replaced.

• Do I have to maintain the battery?

All batteries require regular maintenance & charging to keep them healthy, even more so where a vehicle is used for shorter journeys. Best practice for inactive vehicles is to schedule regular battery charging to keep healthy.

• Do I have to drive my car?

Toyota / Lexus hybrid vehicles do not have to be driven to charge the battery (HV & Aux battery) can be effectively charged by turning on READY as outlined below.

** Do not leave any vehicle running and unattended **

The following is a helpful guide to keep the 12-volt & traction battery healthy.

• Put the car in ‘Ready’ mode for about 60 minutes every 30 days to charge the battery. 
• Plus you can use A/C during this time to dry moisture and refresh the vehicles cabin. 

What safety precautions are required?

** Do not leave any vehicle unattended **

• Hybrid vehicles must have Ready turned On and shift select lever in P - Park position.
• Normal starting procedure:

1. Foot on brake pedal.
2. Press Start / Stop power switch.
3. Keep Ready On for 60 mins.
4. Ensure your vehicle’s transmission is in ‘Park’ and the parking brake is engaged.

We must stress the following:

Ensure there is no children or pets in the area, exhaust fumes will be output where the engine turns on. This procedure is to be performed on a suitable parking surface, and in a well-ventilated area. 

Never run the engine for an extended time if your vehicle is parked in an underground or closed garage.

Will I hear the car engine during this time?

In ‘Ready’ mode, you will hear and feel the internal combustion engine start up and run intermittently. This is a normal occurrence as the Toyota hybrid self-charging process.

We hope that the information provided, provides an overview of the 12-volt battery function and forms a working guide to assist you our customers in maintaining a healthy 12-Volt battery.