Toyota New Auris 1.8 Excel (UK Model)

Is it the hatch or the Estate/Station Wagon version? Post a pic? I do like the new Auris and the hybrid version is a good alternative to the Pious

 

Remember & post on the forum when your 12v battery fails.
G...

 

Don't you mean if? It is not a certainty that it will fail, as much as your experience of the car would lead you to believe it will.

 

lol I regret that it IS a certainty that a 12v will fail. It's just whether it will fail prematurely. A life of 5 years is acceptable, a life of 5 months as is experienced by many Auris HSD owners, is not. It appears it's the fully loaded top of the range version that's more prone to failure.

As you don't even get the Auris in NZ, it's a little difficult to talk with any confidence.

 

First of all, I just like to say that I have read many posts authored by yourself and have the utmost respect for what you say. I trust that the snippy tone of your post was unintentional and I just happened to catch you in a particularly grumpy mood today.

I agree, a life of 5 years is acceptable, a life of 5 months is not.

I have been following the 12v battery issue with keen interest, particularly as I am having some 12v battery issues myself.

Just going on what I can see as it has been present (both here and on TOC UK), I'm pretty sure that there have been more that 50-70 odd Aurises (Aurii??) sold in all of the UK and Europe. Again it would seem, that while there is definitely a serious issue here, certainly the amount that are failing are a small percentage. So I stand by what I have said, it is not a certainty that the posters car will fail. That is not to say that small percentage are not important and it would seem that finally Toyota UK (and even Toyota EU) are taking notice of the problem and looking at it very seriously. I look forward to hearing of a good outcome for all affected Auris owners.

It is true that the HSD Auris is not sold (yet) in NZ, but the Auris is sold in NZ albeit badged as the Corolla. That being so, I don't see how it can preclude me from making a comment, with confidence or otherwise, on this subject. My comments are on the basis of the facts as presented by the various posts throughout the discussion.

 

I'm grumpy cabbie for a reason! Don't take offense as none is ever intended.

The Auris sold in Australia and New Zealand is the Corolla and is the Japanese built version. Whilst very similar looking to the Auris, it is different.

The Auris HSD uses a small, very small indeed 35Ah AGM battery. It is much smaller than specified by all other Toyota and Lexus hybrid models presently sold. Some with technical knowhow have said that the battery could only manage to sit for about 15 days before going below a safe level and causing damage. It appears to be the fully loaded top of the range Auris HSD's that are having the most problems. My money is on an engineer forgetting that they were dealing with a hybrid AND an AGM 12v and working out specs as if it were a normal 12v and a normal alternator charger. The AGM is used because the 12v is in the passenger cabin. If it was up front I guess they could have got away with a normal 12v.

But you're more than welcome to have an opinion as am I. Whether we're both right or wrong or whether the truth lies somewhere in the middle is debatable; exactly what this forum is all about. So keep the comments coming

Added: Please see the following from wiki about the benefits and shortcomings of an AGM 12v;

VRLA battery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

::Welsh Accent:: "I know" and I haven't.

 

Is it actually an AGM? Like some of my previous cars with internal 12v batteries, the Auris one is fitted with a vent pipe the expels any hydrogen gas to the outside. Therefore technically I suppose you have a venting battery, certainly any time I have had to change an internally fitted battery, it was just a normal Lead acid one with a vent pipe fitting.

One of the other forums suggested a Bosch s5 replacement, which to the best of my knowledge, is a standard battery with a vent port.

Of course I could be wrong, but just putting it out there.

G...

 

I understand the AGM batteries require venting and have a valve to facilitate this.

 

The batteries in the Toyota hybrids are VRLA-AGM batteries. "Valve regulated lead acid absorbed glass mat."
Under normal circumstances they do not vent. The pressure being held by the valves until the gasses "hydrogen and oxygen" can convert back to water and return to the glass mats.
If however the battery is charged at a rate faster than this can happen pressure is released by the valves and is vented out "via the tube fitted on the hybrids".
This condition should be avoided in the design of the charging method as if this happens on a regular basis the battery will dry out as the gasses are effectively water removed from the glass mats, increasing the acid strength leading to plate corrosion, sulphation, and a short life.
This is the very reason we have to add water to standard vented flooded lead acid batteries.

John (Britprius)

 

Hi all, I've now had a denim blue 2015 facelift Auris Hatchback HSD for about 3-4 weeks and today I hit the EPA consumption numbers for the first time!
I only have about 800km on the ODO, and this is the first time I've driven 100km or more in one day. I've seen around 4.0 to 4.3 L/100km on 20-30km trips but today was the first <4.0L/100km trip.

This was after changing to winter 'friction' (no spikes) tyres with the summer wheels in the back - so extra weight. Around +10C outside.
Thinking optimistically with summer tyres in warmer weather and without 4x20kg in the back the consumption will hit even lower numbers - we'll have to wait until next summer and see...

Some notes so far:

• The beep-beep when reversing is annoying - haven't had time/energy to read online how to disable..
• The voice-control button on the steeringwheel is quite useless on my model since I don't have voice-control - why do they leave it there?
• On startup the radio always plays music from the USB-stick even if previously shut down with FM-radio playing. annoying. why?
• The Continental lidar/camera unit sometimes complains about visibility (clean the windshield!) even when it is perfectly clean
• Speedo seems to show higher than actual numbers. Why isn't it calibrated against GPS? Why isn't there a GPS speedo view on the NAV?
• They should have gone with a full LCD instrument panel. The analog speed-gauge just seems oldfashioned and hard to read when you get used to the speed display on the LCD.
• Why did they leave the 1980s clock on the dashboard? With GPS in the NAV, why doesn't it keep time and adjust for daylight saving time atumatically?
• Can't lock the doors with the remote when a door is open - this might also be adjustable via ODB-port?

Despite these comments I'm overall very happy so far.
I'd be interested to hear what other owners think about their Auris!

cheers!

 

congrats, all the best!

 

My Auris TS Hybrid is now coming up to three years old and has been faultless. Because it's on 17 inch wheels, which I did not want, fuel consumption is poor (compared to Gen 3 Prius). As it is used for short runs much of the time this is understandable. It is better than any auto deisel on the market and suits my life style. It has been left for up to six weeks without any battery problems. For me it is far better than the Gen 3 Prius to live with.
It does however have a couple of very annoying faults.
The lack of a digital speed readout on the panel and a poor, small, analogue speedometer makes it very hard to know what speed the car is doing. I have fitted a Hud-E to the Odd port, this is better but not ideal in sunlight. The face-lift ed 2015 model is supposed to have addressed this by adding digital speed to the centre panel. On mine the centre panel gives a whole lot of useless averages and graphics.
Has anybody experience of using Carista or simular to change the digital readout optoins?
My only other moan is the heater on Rhd models is only to the front and poor. Rear beep inaudible even at full volume.
Note the TS an estate (wagon) and has different,independent, rear suspension to the hatch and despite a shorter wheelbase is bigger than either the Gen 2 or Gen 3 Prius. Due to a change in the UK tax laws I may change it this year, but despite testing most VW, Mercedes and Audi modes have found nothing better for my life style . Maybe a Lexus 300h or a Gen 4 Prius if I can get one without the sanitary wear. I loved the Gen 2 but hated the Gen 3.

 

If you were getting less than 45 mpg then there's something wrong with the car, the oil or potentially your driving style.

The answers can be found in this forum.

 

gc, where you been man, leaf chat? we miss you!

 

Hi Grumpy
I have never got less then 45mpg UK gallons but 50mpg is rare. I have owned both Gen 2 and Gen 3 Prius and discovered years ago that a the biggest effect on mpg is the choice of wheel and tyre size. The Aruris Excel is on 17" LP tyres. Not my choice but Toyota GB claimed it is not homologated for the 16" wheels off the Icon stipulated on my order. Consequently my choice was to accept an insurance hike or live with the them. The official spec. states the difference 8 mpg. If you are the same Grumpy as on the Toyota forum you will of course know this as it is well documented.
The reason I bring up is Toyota now give the customer a choice with the new Prius. Some maybe tempted to go for the bigger wheels but need to understand the penalty. Both my Priuses were fine on smaller wheels and the Auriris Icon demo I borrowed was good on 16 ". EV mode at 70mph is another myth. No heater, or AC. full charge maybe but I have never fathomed the "fuzzy logic" of my hybrids. Often it starts before I get out the garage.