‘Learned something new today’: Toyota mechanic issues warning after driver leaves phone charger plugged into their RAV4 too long

A Toyota mechanic issued a public service announcement: Do not leave your phone charger connected to your car. And know what accessory mode is.

TikTok user Kris Buchowicz (@krisbuchowicz) typically posts content about his job as a Toyota mechanic for his 191,000 followers. This time, he shared an issue one of his customers had with their 2020 Toyota RAV4 while sitting inside it.

“2020 RAV4, car has about 30,000 miles, customer states that when they turn off the vehicle, their radio reboots and stays on,” he says, turning off the car. The dashboard dims and shuts off. However, the radio starts rebooting and turning on. 

So he takes out the car keys. “Upon further investigation, found the vehicle does not lock or unlock,” he demonstrates, clicking the lock and unlock buttons on the key. “Which means the vehicle is in accessory mode.”

Wait, what is accessory mode?

• Most modern cars have it.
• It's a setting that lets you keep the car off and still use some of its amenities via the battery.
• While in accessory mode, you can use your radio, windows, windshield wipers, and more while the car is off.
• It can drain the battery... though it also saves fuel because it deters you from idling.

So in this case, the mechanic's client apparently turned on accessory mode and didn't realize they'd done so. As CarParts.com writes: "The way to activate accessory mode often depends on the make and model of your vehicle. Some will require you to turn the vehicle’s ignition switch to 'ACC,' while others need a specific button or lever to be activated. When you activate accessory mode, the vehicle’s electrical system will stay powered until you turn off the ignition switch entirely."

The mechanic also noticed that the customer has their USB adapter to charge their phone was plugged in. “When you remove it, the vehicle turns off,” he says, unplugging it as the entire car turns dark.

Buchowicz explains why the charger is causing problems: "When you leave it in, it actually supplies voltage to the car and keeps it in accessory mode.” As a result, the radio reboots. “I hope this helps one day and saves you a headache,” he concludes.

Does leaving a phone charger plugged in drain the car's battery?

Yes, if the car is off. When the engine runs, your car battery recharges itself.

But as Old Cars Weekly notes: "When you turn on your car’s lights, phone charger or any other accessory when the engine is off, that’s when your car is at the risk of battery drainage. For instance, imagine a couple of teenage kids who went to sit in the car just to chill. They turn on the AC, listen to music and charge their phones while they’re at it. They’re using all these appliances that run on battery, without starting the engine. Now that’s going to have consequences, isn’t it?"

The video racked up over 308,000 views and viewers praised Buchowicz for this information.

@krisbuchowicz Do we charge them a diagnostic fee for this? #carmechanic #mechanic #rav4 #toyota #carcharger #diagnostic #electrical #radio #cartiktok ♬ original sound - Kris Buchowicz

“Learned something new today thank you,” one viewer wrote.

“Thats great to know!! Thanks for making the video,” a second praised.

However, others focused on the car’s interior, criticizing its design.

“That's a 2020 radio? Jesus Toyota...thing looks straight out of my mom's 2012 minivan,” one user criticized.

“Before purchasing a new car, I go to an auto show so I can sit in the cars. Toyota has some of the ugliest interiors,” a second commented.

“Toyota been doing the basic interior and getting away with it too long,” a third remarked.

According to Cars.com, the RAV 4 interior was updated in 2019. The RAV is organized into six-year blocks called “generations."

"The redesigned 2019 RAV4 got a makeover that gave this compact SUV a rugged, chunkier look in place of the previous generation’s softer lines. Riding on the Toyota New Global Architecture platform, the RAV4 is powered by a standard 203-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that works with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Standard active safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high-beam headlights and adaptive cruise control,” per Cars.com.

The Daily Dot reached out to Buchowicz via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment, as well as Toyota via media contact form.

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