With winter coming, cars tend to suffer, the most basic situation is to have difficulties starting your Toyota Rav 4 in the morning with very low temperatures. Generally speaking this is related to problems recharging the battery of your Toyota Rav 4 . There are several factors that can explain why your battery does not recharge correctly anymore, and today we will try to help you to resolve this problem that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To do this, first we will explain how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Toyota Rav 4, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Toyota Rav 4 function?
Before we detail the different complications of recharging the battery on a Toyota Rav 4 , we will explain to you how its recharging system works so that you can discover the complications you are facing. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Toyota Rav 4 , turn on your headlights, listen to music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To overcome this problem, the engineers have produced a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy generated by the engine unit of your Toyota Rav 4 to generate energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . However, keep in mind that this process can just work when your car is running, using electrical components of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will drain the energy reserve of your motor vehicle. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.
Problems recharging a Toyota Rav 4’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Toyota Rav 4 you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is actually a problem in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.
Battery charging problem on Toyota Rav 4: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a specific charger
In this first circumstance, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , in fact, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Toyota Rav 4 to start, the problem certainly originates from your alternator which should not be able to generate any more current.
Battery charging problem on Toyota Rav 4: My motor vehicle shuts off and does not start regardless if I have charged the battery
If you have recharged your battery and you have managed to start your Toyota Rav 4 but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Toyota Rav 4 is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging problem on Toyota Rav 4: My battery is discharged although it is new
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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while you’re driving, the problem most probably originates from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to resolve the problem of battery charging on Toyota Rav 4?
We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are facing. Here are the different complications and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with simple mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, changing it is the best solution, depending on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This fix is feasible in case your alternator is accessible.
- Battery that no longer holds the charge: In such a case, the purchase of a new battery is the just realistic solution. Obviously, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros depending on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Toyota Rav 4 but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a motor vehicle electrician is in such a case necessary.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Toyota Rav 4
Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Toyota Rav 4 there are just few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient solution, you can discover some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. In any other case you can use cables that will just provide the energy needed to start.
If perhaps you have any further questions about the Toyota Rav 4, do not hesitate to consult our Toyota Rav 4 category.
