Technical Car/Motor Issues > Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem?
Thread Author: Diamond Replies: 8
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 10:27 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Diamond
The voltage on the six year old Toyota battery in my car is generally around 12.4v at rest with the engine off. Five days a week I have it on my CTEK charger and have done so for three years.

This morning I go out to put it on a charge but always check the voltage beforehand. It was 13.67v. I put the multimeter on again and kept it on for several seconds and the voltage was rising. It got to 14.5v!

Remember the engine is not running. I put the headlights on plus the fog lights, it dropped back to 13.6v. These were on for five minutes. Switched the lights off and the voltage started to rise again. Its at 14.6v now.

Should I be worried because this does not make sense.
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 10:46 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Diamond
Panic over - problem was with the multimeter and a low battery!

I tested my other car and that had a high reading too. Changed the multimeter battery and readings are normal now.

Goes to show that things are not always clear cut.
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 10:48 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Zero
Excellent. Problem solved.

All you need to do now is have that compulsive battery voltage checking syndrome looked at.,
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 11:09 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Diamond
That`s what the other half just said as well!
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 12:49 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Clk Sec
>> Excellent. Problem solved.

And, don't forget to replace your battery before it dies and leaves you stranded at traffic lights on some busy road junction.

I do this every 5 years. Once bitten, twice shy.
:)
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 12:54 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Zero
no problem I have a source of barely used batteries for sale.
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 12:59 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Clk Sec
The next consignment is on its way...
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 16:00 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - TeeCee
Terminal voltage won't tell you a great deal anyway. It'll let you know the thing's dropped a cell, but usually that's way too late and you'll have been made painfully aware that its not up to snuff before that happens.

To check the things properly you really need a rapid discharge meter. Not expensive and only a rapid discharge test will tell you if its likely to let you down on a freezing cold night in the back end of nowhere. I always stick one across mine when the weather starts to cool off in autumn, before the nasty stuff hits.
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New Tue 9 Jul 13 11:44 
 Toyota Carina E - 95 1.6 strange battery problem? - Victorbox
The combination of LED's on the CTEK should show you if all is well or something is amiss without resorting to a multimeter.
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