12v battery ?? please help.

no. the traction battery drains because the car goes easy on the engine until it warms a bit.

if you want to test your 12v, get a volt meter, or swing by an auto parts store for a freebie.

a 2013 12v is likely fine, but worth testing, especially in florida.

btw, there is no 'normal' on the hybrid battery charge indicator. as long as it's not below two bars, it's fine. it's just showing an approximate state of charge.

 

It's pretty common in hot weather for the traction battery to drop in a hurry with supporting the ICE, as Bisco said, along with the air conditioning load. But, if the 12V is failing, it's that much more load on the traction battery, so I think you should follow his suggestion and have it tested for peace of mind, if not for anything else.

 

If they test the car with the car off (and they should) there is no problems. The cheapest way to check is to just check the voltage with a multimeter, with the car off. This gives a rudimentary status feedback, depending on the voltage. 12.5 or higher, it's not bad. 12.2~12.5 it's getting into trouble. Less than that, you're in serious trouble.

But for more in-depth testing DIY, you need something like Solar BA5 (google that), which is a new-generation load tester. It'll give you the measured Cranking Amps, and a verdict, what to do. The battery shops, or dealerships, have similar, pro-level testers.

 

Try another place, they are incompetent. Or dealership but they might charge. Or start with a DIY cheap multimeter voltage check.

I check ours occasionally with a Solar BA5, just need to hook up directly at the posts. No need to remove.

 

the inverter keeps your 12v charged all the time. if you measure it with the car in ready mode, you'll see around 14.4 volts.
when you shut it off, a surface charge remains, giving you a false high reading.
if you test it at home, it's best to let it sit overnight. the machine an autocrats store uses probably mitigates that issue by putting a load on it.

 

that's what dads are for, unless mum is the mechanical one.

 

Once you're done with the car, you can check the condition of all the old batteries (AA or whatever) rattling around in the tool drawer.

Now you've got an answer, when someone asks what you want for your bday or Xmas.

 

Sounds good. Solar BA5 or sim will give more in depth assessment, but 12.8, odds are it's fine.

 

how long had the car been off for? if it went to 12.s w/ lights and stayed there, that's a bit low.

 

how long had the car been off when you measured 12.8?

 

G'day javierz,

If you've been a 'naughty boy' and Santa won't be coming , but if you have a few dollars to spare , you could check out a 4-in-1 cigarette lighter socket plug that, as well as having two USB charger sockets, will display in sequence (about 5 seconds per reading in a continuous cycle) your car's battery voltage, cabin temperature and USB amps out (when a device is plugged into the charger socket, otherwise '0.00A').

For e-bay example: Portable Black 4 In 1 Dual USB Car Charger Adapter Voltage DC 5V 3.1A Tester
There are plenty to pick from in a wide range of prices.

I've one in my 'c' which unfortunately I can't read while driving because the accessory socket is out of sight of the driver. But it does show the 'off' voltage is about 12V and the 'on' voltage is just over 14V to tell me the 12V battery is fine, as is its charging by the car. And gives my passenger something else to read/watch as well as the map screen as we drive along.

I've attached a photo of mine with two extendable micro-USB leads plugged in and showing the battery voltage with the car's 'Power' on.

David S.