Dead battery(s) iForceMAX

[gpburdell]

Parking mode dashcams are notorious for killing batteries. It’s the reason I stopped trying to get parking mode working with my truck and cam.

I think your dash cam puts your truck outside the problem area other hybrid owners are having.

I disagree.

I‘ve had a Thinkware with parking mode and voltage threshold cutoff in my 3rd gen for over eight years. Blackvue in my funcar similar length of time. Both dual camera, front plus rear.

Battery life has been normal, replace every 4-5 years just like all prior vehicles without a dashcam. Zero discernible differenc.

Perhaps a dashcam setup that doesn’t cut off at a reasonable SoC voltage would be a problem, but your categorical claim is not my experience.

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[gpburdell]

Unless your truck has been sitting for an extended interval, that's unusually low for a Tacoma, even with Hybrid power system. You mentioned you weren't sure how low it can go to power your electronics. That battery voltage is something like 50 % charged or less. (depending on the chart used) Lead acid batteries really shouldn't be run down lower than 50% at most. At 12.08v (FWIW) you might consider topping your battery off... If your battery is the kind specifically made for "start/stop" operation and not a standard AGM, (an EFB battery) I'd still bring it up, again, "For What It's Worth."

Quoting @djevans post for the SoC chart.

Granted, I don’t yet own a 4th gen and this hybrid battery stuff has paused my interest in moving from my 2017 to a 2025. So take the following for what it’s worth.

A properly functioning charging system should leave a battery at 100% SoC every time you park it after normal driving.

Reading this thread and others, that doesn’t seem to be occurring for some portion of hybrid owners.

Two potential / likely causes - battery has a bad cell, or something not right with the charging system.

I suggest people check battery voltage after normal driving for a while and compare to SoC chart. In most cases you should be at over 90% SoC.

If not, the problem isn’t your telematics or dashcam. It’s the battery or charging system,

I’m curious as to the resolution, I really liked the 4th gen hybrid in test drives. But I’m not going to throw the dice at buying a problem I currently never have to worry about.

 

[WKTJR1]

My truck just sat for eight days in the garage with the app connected. Started with no issues.

 

[TacoFreak]

A properly functioning charging system should leave a battery at 100% SoC every time you park it after normal driving.

I suggest people check battery voltage after normal driving for a while and compare to SoC chart. In most cases you should be at over 90% SoC.

But I’m not going to throw the dice at buying a problem I currently never have to worry about.

IMO this gets right to the problem. My truck can't maintain its battery at 100% charge.

I charged it to 100% with a maintainer, but after a few days of driving it settles at somewhere between 30-65% charged. It starts because it starts from the hybrid battery @WKTJR1 , but even a small parasitic drain can run it down to where it won't even turn on. Eventually these batteries do go bad, which is a natural result of keeping them below 12.4 volts .

If you are not checking your battery when the truck is off you will never even know this is going on. I am getting my battery checked soon, but whether it passes or fails the underlying problem of it not keep the battery fully charged will still be there. These hybrids have only been in owners hands for about a year and as they get older I think a lot of people will have this problem.

I hear you @gpburdell. I traded in a 2011 Tundra which never failed to start in 14 years, except one time when the battery died after it was 8 years old.

 

[CrispyTacoLover]

I disagree.

I‘ve had a Thinkware with parking mode and voltage threshold cutoff in my 3rd gen for over eight years. Blackvue in my funcar similar length of time. Both dual camera, front plus rear.

Battery life has been normal, replace every 4-5 years just like all prior vehicles without a dashcam. Zero discernible differenc.

Perhaps a dashcam setup that doesn’t cut off at a reasonable SoC voltage would be a problem, but your categorical claim is not my experience.

Well, I saw a shit ton of complaints when I was researching solutions for my Garmin Mini 3. Glad there are solutions on the market.

The real solution should be to use the cameras built into my truck from the factory, like a Tesla.

 

[gpburdell]

Well, I saw a shit ton of complaints when I was researching solutions for my Garmin Mini 3. Glad there are solutions on the market.

The real solution should be to use the cameras built into my truck from the factory, like a Tesla.

Yes, the 12V cutoff in the Garmin Mini 3 could be problematic, especially if it's not exactly 12V. I prefer a higher cutoff like 12.2V or 12.4V, which can be had using an appropriate wiring adapter. The Thinkware and Blackvue cameras have those as available choices internally, and also go into a lower power consumption time-lapse mode when the vehicle is shut off (three-wire connection, ground, +12V constant, and switched +12V)

Now with the hybrids seeming to not maintain a full battery charge, the problem is even further exacerbated. Perhaps Toyota will identify a fix. Or perhaps they won't. Time will tell.

Agreed that the better solution would be to use the existing cameras, but that's not where we are today.

 

[TacoFreak]

This thread reminded me to give my 12v its daily check. On Tuesday it was 12.2v and I drove it for over an hour yesterday. Today it is 12.07v, and it would not take much parasitic drain to run it down to where it might not turn on. I have added nothing that consumes power when the truck is off and I don't use the app, so it is just box stock with normal use and not keeping the battery charged.

 

[CrispyTacoLover]

This thread reminded me to give my 12v its daily check. On Tuesday it was 12.2v and I drove it for over an hour yesterday. Today it is 12.07v, and it would not take much parasitic drain to run it down to where it might not turn on. I have added nothing that consumes power when the truck is off and I don't use the app, so it is just box stock with normal use and not keeping the battery charged.

Someone at Toyota needs to address this. Where is the Chief Big Guy when we need him?

 

[TacoFreak]

Someone at Toyota needs to address this. Where is the Chief Big Guy when we need him?

Really! Toyota needs to trot out Sheldon Brown and have him tell us what is really going on.

 

[gpburdell]

Really! Toyota needs to trot out Sheldon Brown and have him tell us what is really going on.

If anyone has access to TIS, it'd be interesting to see what the diagnostics say about 12V battery charging.

 

[TacoFreak]

If anyone has access to TIS, it'd be interesting to see what the diagnostics say about 12V battery charging.

A friend does - I will check with him.

 

[TacoFreak]

Here is something interesting. Someone on another thread posted that 4th gen hybrids do not have AGM batteries, and here is a chart showing the volage and percent charged for a regular 12 volt battery. If this is true, then my battery is even worse off than I thought. Right now it is sitting at between 30-35% charged 12.07v).

Percentage of Charge	12V Battery Voltage
100%	12.70
95%	12.64
90%	12.58
85%	12.52
80%	12.46
75%	12.40
70%	12.36
65%	12.28
55%	12.24
50%	12.20
45%	12.16
40%	12.12
35%	12.08
30%	12.04
25%	12.00
20%	11.98
15%	11.96
10%	11.94
5%	11.92
0% (Discharged)	11.90

 

[gpburdell]

Here is something interesting. Someone on another thread posted that 4th gen hybrids do not have AGM batteries, and here is a chart showing the volage and percent charged for a regular 12 volt battery. If this is true, then my battery is even worse off than I thought. Right now it is sitting at between 30-35% charged 12.07v).

Percentage of Charge	12V Battery Voltage
100%	12.70
95%	12.64
90%	12.58
85%	12.52
80%	12.46
75%	12.40
70%	12.36
65%	12.28
55%	12.24
50%	12.20
45%	12.16
40%	12.12
35%	12.08
30%	12.04
25%	12.00
20%	11.98
15%	11.96
10%	11.94
5%	11.92
0% (Discharged)	11.90

as I posted in the other thread, I’m skeptical of the claim. Every 380LN3-MF replacement battery seems to be AGM, which strongly suggests the 380LN3-MF is also AGM

I suspect someone read about the NiMH hybrid batteries and misconstrued that with the 12V battery.

Doesn’t really matter though. As you note, the SoC you’re seeing is unacceptable whether AGM or just basic SLA,

 

[WKTJR1]

This should be what we are are looking for.

Here is a simplified list for at home use.

Step	Task	Target/Expected Result
1​	Review symptoms and driving habits	Identify if low-use or high-load usage exists
2​	Measure battery voltage (vehicle OFF, 2+ hrs rest)	>12.6V = full, 12.2-12.4V = borderline, <12.0V = weak
3​	Start vehicle (READY mode) and measure battery voltage	13.8-14.6V = normal charging
4​	Wait 70+ min, measure dark current draw	<35 mA = normal, >50 mA = potential drain
5​	Check for dash cams/chargers/key proximity	All should be off or moved away
6​	Pull fuses one at a time if current >50 mA	Look for a sharp drop in current
7​	Optional: Perform load test (fully charged battery)	Voltage drop >10.2V = good
8​	Record optional OBD2 voltage/current data	Monitor for dips or charging issues

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