[Guest]

Hi folks, hope you're all well.

As is the case for most at the moment during lockdown, I havent been using my 2 year old 1.8 litre Hybrid CHR more than possibly 5 miles per week at most.

Result being on 3 occasions this week had the AA come out to my house due to flat battery, in fact on day 3 when the AA guy put his rapid charger on the battery, it was flat again by the time he had gone to his van and walked back again!

Must admit I was surprised at how this lockdown has affected the battery, given I have frequently in the past left my car at airport carparks for 2 weeks, returned then car started first time.

Anyway, this post is certainly not intended as a whinge post, but as a helpful post for any other owners.

Anyway Toyota assistance were great and organised a battery replacement for me under warranty.

I wanted to share with you a great gadget I bought off Amazon which will allow you to easily jump start your CHR battery wherever you are you charge this gadget up on an ordinary phone usb charger, and it will hold the charge for up to a year, it will give you around 10 jump starts off a full charge and has great reviews. Here is the link

NOCO Boost Sport GB20 500 Amp... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015TKPT1A?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

They do make several other more expensive higher spec versions but this was adequate for me anyway.

Toyota UK have a Blog on their site with further advice.

Anyway, I hope this information is helpful to you all, that is my one and only intention.

Look after yourselves everybody.

 

[Dennismc]

I just had my battery replaced under warranty.
the car is four months old

 

[drabisan]

Let's look at the bright side: it's 17 April, how many times you filled the tank this month? 😉

 

[Kiss u]

I have also had my battery replaced under warranty although unlike yours mine was just under 3 years old.

 

[Guest]

According to the AA there are two types of battery, a Bosch one or Exide. He had to fit Exide, I think that might be not quite as good as a Bosch (me being a huge Bosch fan)
Anyway feel better having that jump starter gadget with me

Toyota UK recommend running it in ready mode on the drive for an hour each week if not using, during this lock down.

PS: Still in love with this car 2 years on

 

[adn1962]

Car setting is to continually look for key signal for 5 days, then it stops searching. This uses car battery to the extent it will reduce voltage.
I've changed my setting to 2 days. This may help with battery life.
Dealer can change this setting or via Carista.

 

[DutCHR]

How long you can park your car without starting problems depends also on the HV battery. Best is to park it with full HV battery.
And if your car is equipped with alarm system or not. With alarm system the battery will be drained faster.

To start again after a drain not much power is needed. The C-HR only needs to start up all ECU electronics so a small 12v battery can do the job when you want to jumpstart it. When the green READY light is lit, the HV battery will take care again of your 12v battery and recharging it. There is no alternator on the C-HR as known on common cars that recharging the 12v battery.

There are solar-powered trickle chargers on the market that can be connected direct to the 12v battery. That can help to keep your C-HR 12v battery charged enough to start after a while. If you have garage or driveway then you can maybe use a powered trickle charger also.
Dont use connection by the sigarette lighter because there is no connection with battery when the car is powered off.

 

[HRUSSELL78]

My 2018 CHR won't start. I managed to get in it, when I hit the ignition button it kind of started then everything went off. The clock comes on when I press the ignition button but nothing else happens, now I can't even lock it. The dealership is closed due to COVID, can anyone help?

 

[smartly]

You need to charge it, is it on a drive or in a garage with electric? If on road you may have a problem.

 

[Rosie60]

You can jump start it.

 

[Guest]

My 2018 CHR won't start. I managed to get in it, when I hit the ignition button it kind of started then everything went off. The clock comes on when I press the ignition button but nothing else happens, now I can't even lock it. The dealership is closed due to COVID, can anyone help?

Get in touch with Toyota uk, and they have now established an agreement with the AA to provide warranty battery replacements due to there not being any dealers open for service.
Or look at the link in my OP for the amazon portable jump starter

 

[Rosie60]

Mine too won't start. I've been taking it out one a week to get the Sunday paper 2 miles each way. The Ev battery was fully charged last week but I've obviously been quietly reducing the 12v battery. I've borrowed my husbands trickle charger for now (and his car this morning). I suppose more and more of us are going to be experiencing this. Cars these days need driving .

 

[Notebook64]

2017 wouldn't start. Error parking brake stuck. Something like that.
Toyota got AA man to come out and it was the battery.
Took it for a quick run. A few days later it was the same. Bought a Ring starter off Amazon. Worked a treat. Took it out for about 5 miles due to p9lice etc. Flat again today, so started it and went for a longer drive.
Reassuring to have the starter.
How come batteries are getting replaced? Should mine be? Have had it 5 months from Toyota dealer. Love the car.

 

[IceColdCrash]

In my opinion, car batteries don't like going flat,
If you let it go flat a couple of times then it won't hold charge anymore, no matter him many times you charge it.
Best thing is drive it once every couple of weeks or keep a charger connected but never let it go down to the point where charge is so low its not enough to start the car.

 

[Guest]

I must have been lucky, until now that is, 45 years of driving total of around 20 cars in that time, this CHR is the first car I've owned that needed a new battery

 

[Anixie]

Its weird to hear this. My hybrid has been sitting in front of my house for weeks on end. Only get it out for a medical check-up (not Corona related) every 2 weeks. No issues (but also no alarm, which I think in the UK is mandatory ?). Same was true for my GT86 of which in the end the battery (the stock 43aH one) did die, but only after 65.000 miles. That one I could also leave alone for weeks on end without issues, but again, no alarm system

 

[Alexr]

All this stuff about dead batteries made me realise my wife's Aygo had been on the drive for 4 weeks unused. It has keyless entry and start so I thought we ought to check it out. But the keyless entry worked instantly and the car started perfectly. So I drove it down the road (2 miles) and back. Strange that the Aygo can survive for 4 weeks and the CHR is dead after 1-2weeks. Having said that my CHR has been on the drive for 11 days now. Will give that a spin tomorrow if it is not dead.

 

[Guest]

Came out to my CHR last Sunday, not used it for 5 days. First thing I noticed was wing mirrors slow to open when I unlocked the car. Pressed start, plenty of dash lights, but main error was EPB not responding. I had to get a jump start from the wife's mini !!
That's with only a few days of no use, but thinking about it.... nearly a month of only short runs to the local shop for essentials. So, not surprised it gave up the ghost.

 

[adn1962]

I had a Lexus CT for 9 years and was on original battery when I sold it. Didn't have keyless entry, but had alarm system and keyless start. My C-HR (2018) to-date has started every time. Only use it once per week.
I have, as mentioned previously, reduced key search time from standard 5 days, down to 2 days. Think this may help.

 

[Alexr]

Had to lock down for a fortnight due to symptoms, and so I switched off the keyless entry. 17 days today, but when I went out to the car it barely had enough juice to open the wing mirrors, and then it went stone dead. Phoned Toyota roadside assistance and they are coming this afternoon. First problem I have had with it for over 3 yrs.