Slow to start D4

[SimmAus]

Hi All

Smallish problem that has started since the cold weather has hit us: my 5 year old D4 is taking her time to start (approx 3-5 seconds) - and this seems like a long time as she turns over slowly....always starts, just takes her time and then gives a small cloud of smoke (due to excess fuel?)

Seems to be OK after a full night on the ctek.
Without charging the cranking and optima are sitting at 12.48v in the morning.
I have the OEM cranking battery (agm) and traxide with a yellow top optima.

General question:
Do you think the cranking battery is on its last legs?
12.48v sits close to 90% SoC for the cranking battery...and I didn't think it would make THAT much difference.
No warnings from the car.

Cheers

[LandyAndy]

Batteries that are on the way out will always show so when the cold sets in.
Go to a reputable battery place and get it load tested.Chances are it will fail.
Andrew

[Tombie]

Main battery is dying (slow crank to fire) - however the delay before cranking is engine glowing up..

[Tombie]

SoC is not a load test. It's possible for batteries to pass SoC and fail completely under load.

[scarry]

What Andy said,and Tombie

One of the vans a while back had the battery at 12.65V,but starter would not turn at all.They call it a surface voltage.

When we checked the voltage while the key was turned,it dropped to 4.0V.

And this didn't happen first thing in the morning,it was later on at a job,engine was warm.

New battery all good since.

As a side note the van was 2 1/2 yrs old,but apparently Toyota have no warranty on the battery once it is older than 2yrs.
Even the service manager commented that the OEM batteries continually cause problems.They must be cheap garbage.

[drivesafe]

SoC is not a load test. It's possible for batteries to pass SoC and fail completely under load.

Partly correct.

Because SimmAus has one of my isolators, the batteries have a small load on them so his 12.48v would indicate his batteries are charged.

The reality is that the Optima is probably supporting the cranking battery.

SimmAus, if you have an SC80 isolator, when you finish driving for the day, try disconnecting the NEGATIVE cable from the Auxiliary battery's negative ( - ) terminal.

Then measure your cranking battery voltage in the morning.

You may find it is so low that you can not start the motor.

BUT, your auxiliary battery will still be fully charged, so reconnect the negative lead on your auxiliary battery and a single jumper lead from the positive ( + ) of your auxiliary battery to the positive ( + ) terminal on your cranking battery and you are back in business.

But it's time for a new cranking battery.

If you have a USI-160 isolator, when you finish driving for the day, simply switch the In-Cab switch towards the LED and if you have the same results in the morning, just jump start using the USI-160.

[Bobc163]

Same thing happened with my d 4 last week
New vitara agm battery (wallet still in shock) and difference is amazing
I think they just go downhill slowly and you do not notice (just like us ageing &#128521
Good advice that was given is to keep an eye on the battery charge as if you are using a fridge and you let it discharge too low you can damage the battery