Electrical/battery issues

LUCY06

MEMBER
2001 LEXUS RX 300
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
79,000 MILES

My lexus rx300 was jumped with reverse polarity by inept battery service tech resulting in lots of sparks, horn blaring, security alarm going off, lights buzzing, etc. Then silence. Reason for jump. Had left lights on. Prior to jump interior lights still on but car wouldn't crank, clicking noise so knew battery(2 years old) was low. Tech said battery was "really bad" and replaced it. Car still dead so he tried to jump it 5-6 more times? Reverse polarity again causing some sparks, etc. Towed to repair shop where main 140 amp fuse to alternator and some smaller fuses replaced. Car dead when I arrived at shop. They jumped it, said battery, etc "all ok" but two days later drained again, did so several times, then unable to be jumped at all. Towed to another shop. Battery would not charge w big external charger. Declared dead. New battery got car running but every few weeks battery discharges. Checked at several auto shops who say battery, alternator, starter fine but think unresolved electrical shorts causing battery drain. High read on amp meter test. Does that make sense? Did repeated jumps damage first new battery or was it bad to begin with?

1 Reply

RIVERMIKERAT

MECHANIC
6,110 POSTS

Most likely the repeated jumping and reversal of polarity has done some damage. The constant high current draw tells me either a switch shorted somewhere or some wires did. We have no way of knowing what condition the original battery was in before the jump starting was done. A 2 year old quality battery still has at least 3 or 4 good years left in it unless it was abused.