1999 Lexus ES300 Battery

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
417
If electrolyte gets on your skin, thoroughly
wash the contacted area. If you feel a pain or
burn, get medical attention immediately.
 If electrolyte gets on your clothes, there is a
possibility of its soaking through to your skin,
so immediately take off the exposed clothing
and follow the procedure above, if necessary.
 If you happen to swallow electrolyte, drink a
large quantity of water or milk. Follow with milk
of magnesia, beaten raw egg or vegetable oil.
Then go immediately for emergency help.Checking battery exterior
64E007

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
418

1Terminals 2Hold±down clamp
Check the battery for corroded or loose
connections, cracks, or loose hold±down clamps.
1. If the battery is corroded, wash it off with a solution of
warm water and baking soda. Coat the terminals with
grease to prevent further corrosion.
2. If the connections are loose, tighten the clamp bolts
± but do not overtighten.
3. Tighten the hold±down clamp only enough to keep
the battery firmly in place. Overtightening may damage
the battery case.NOTICE
Make sure the engine and all accessories are
turned off before performing maintenance.
When checking the battery, remove the ground
cable first and reinstall it last.
Be careful not to cause a short circuit with tools.
Take care no solution gets into the batterywhen washing it.
Checking battery fluid
There are 2 types of batteries: maintenance type
and non±maintenance type.
A non±maintenance battery has ºMAINTENANCE
FREE BATTERYº on its top. A maintenance type battery
does not have such indication.
Maintenance type battery
Check the fluid condition by the fluid level lines on the
side of the battery. Or if the battery has a hydrometer on
its top, you can also check the hydrometer.
Non±maintenance battery
Check the battery condition by the hydrometer on the top
of the battery.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
419
(a) Checking by the fluid level lines (Maintenance
type battery only)
64E008

1Upper line 2Lower line
The fluid (electrolyte) level must be between the
upper and lower lines.
When
checking the fluid level, look at all six cells, not just
one or two.
If the level is lower than the lower line, add distilled water.
(See ºAdding distilled waterº on page 421.) (b) Checking by the hydrometer

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
420
64E009
Check the battery condition by the hydrometer
color.
Maintenance type battery
1RED ± Add distilled water. (See ºAdding distilled
waterº on page 421.)
2BLUE ± Good condition.
3WHITE ± Charging necessary. Have the battery
checked by your Lexus dealer.
Non±maintenance type battery
1 RED ± Have the battery checked by your Lexus
dealer.
2BLUE ± Good condition.
3WHITE ± Charging necessary. Have the battery
checked by your Lexus dealer.
NOTICE
(For non±maintenance battery):
Do not refill the battery with water.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
421
Adding distilled water
(Maintenance type battery only)
64L062

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
422

1Low 2O.K.
1. Remove the vent plugs.
2. Add distilled water to cells needing fluid.
If the side of your battery is covered, check the water
level by looking down directly above the cell as
illustrated above.
3. Retighten the vent plugs securely.
NOTICE
Do not overfill the cells. Excess electrolyte
could squirt out of the battery during heavycharging, causing corrosion or damage.
Use a cover on the battery for longer life.
BATTERY RECHARGING PRECAUTIONS
During recharging, the battery is producing
hydrogen gas.
Therefore, before recharging:
1. Maintenance type batteries ± Remove the vent plugs.
2. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle,
be sure to disconnect the ground cable.
3. Make sure the power switch on the recharger is off
when connecting the charger cables to the battery and
when disconnecting them.
CAUTION
 Always charge the battery in an unconfined area. Do
not charge the battery in a garage or closed room
where there is not sufficient ventilation.
 Non±maintenance batteries: Only do a slow charge
(5 A or less). Charging at a quicker rate is dangerous.
The battery may explode causing personal injuries.
Maintenance type batteries: Be sure to remove the
vent plugs before recharging.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
423
NOTICE
Never recharge the battery while the engine isrunning. Also, be sure all accessories are turnedoff.
CHECKING AND REPLACING THE BLADE TYPE FUSES

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
431
64E016

1Type A 2Type B 3Good 4Blown
If there is an overload in the circuits from the battery, the
fuses are designed to blow before the entire wiring
harness is damaged.
NOTICE
Before replacing the fuses, have the cause ofelectrical overload determined and repaired byyour Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
Always use a genuine Lexus fuse or equivalent for
replacement. Never install an ordinary wire ± even for
a temporary fix. This may cause extensive damage and
possibly a fire.