Battery Low warning

[etaf]

I get a "Battery LOW warning, battery will charge while driving"  Warning, after leaving the car a few days - then once i take for a drive , its ok , until left a few days again

took it to the garage and they tested the battery (replaced 5 years ago ) and the alternator and could find nothing wrong 

I suspect something is slowly draining the battery 

ben left for exactly 7 days - and got the error message

Car started first time 

I should have measured the battery without the car on at all - But didnt 

Went on a 20mile run keeping high revs and then i thought of measuring the battery every few days 

so straight after the 20mile run its 

12.16 V DC

I see that 12.6 should be the nominal, maybe i should go on a much longer run .... and see if i can get the voltage higher 

The garage did test the Battery for any drain , thats what they said , for condition as they know its 5 years old and changed it for me 5 years ago - also they thought maybe an alternator fault - but that was fine

I have no idea how this drain would be found 

I had the nearside light repaired , they found an issue with the control unit and took the light out and replaced the control unit and bulb - as suggested by a mate of the garage in Audi (saved a hundreds £££££ ) as a new light would cost about £700 and not sure what that included !!!!!

I have a post about the HID light here 

 

Edited January 5 by etaf

[cliffcoggin]

I very much doubt that power is draining from your battery, but why not check for yourself with the multimeter shown in your photo? That's what it is for.

More probable is that your battery is clapped out, and needs to be renewed. After all it is five years old, the same age at which the original battery was renewed. (The simple voltage test after a run that you showed is meaningless.) Make sure you buy a decent quality battery, and get it coded to the car.

[etaf]

thanks so much for the reply

That was the discussion i had with the garage when they looked up the age and they said they would check it all OUT

yep, they did get a decent battery and coded it into the car , as its an autostop/start thing 

I wonder why the garage said the battery was fine last month , best ask them next week

 

 

[spartacus 68]

5 years is kind of average for a battery. That said cars now are very susceptible to weak or worn batteries and your dash will light up like a Christmas tree. Especially with start/stop, air conditioning, heated seats, etc. Better to replace than risk being stranded. Cold weather adds another factor so cold cranking amps are reduced and you’ll find the car may not have the power to start it.

You can check with a multimeter at cold before a run. I’d expect 12.6v or so. At running, this can go up to 14.7v, but that’s important because it shows how it’s handling load.

Most modern batteries are AGM, so I assume that’s what has been fitted as it handles start stop.

 

[etaf]

thanks

I did say that to the garage , when they looked up when they changed the battery and said it proably needs replacing - BUT they tested everything (£51 charge) and said all was fine, clearly its NOT 

so i guess i will call again tomorrow 

it seems to start fine , no issue , in a garage but cold

yep, you can just make out AGM in the image i posted

[Magnet]

Hello Wayne,

I too would want to eliminate the battery as being the culprit, but to charge you £51 to check it is extortionate, and I certainly would be returning to them to check it again. If it were mine, I would take to a Halford’s store and ask them to test it for you. They usually do this FOC.

If it does test as below par, then it would generally be to your advantage not to buy one from there, but to come back to us for some recommendations of what brands to buy, and where to buy at competitive prices. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[etaf]

thanks

I will look into Halfords, our local one has been good 

They have often come out and sorted things for us - Family been going there for years 

I was surprised at the changes , but often they do not charge for checking things and changing lights etc 

Where would you recommend ???? 

i usually use the local garage as they have been good to us , and often fit things in quickly , sometimes for free and for tyres etc they will match the F1AutoCentres on Price 

[Magnet]

Thank you for coming back on this Wayne. 
As a matter of interest, what brand of battery was fitted last time? 
OK, entrusting replacement batteries to your local garage is one way, and you usually get the best deal to them via. their motorfactors suppliers - which might not be the best value for money for you, but….
Just let us know what your Halfords battery check reveals, and what brand you currently have, and we will take it one step at a time if it tests substandard. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[cliffcoggin]

1 hour ago, etaf said:

i usually use the local garage as they have been good to us , and often fit things in quickly , sometimes for free and for tyres etc they will match the F1AutoCentres on Price 

To my mind that is a good reason to return to them for the new battery, even if it means paying over the odds for it. Good reliable garages are hard to find.

[etaf]

Just now, cliffcoggin said:

To my mind that is a good reason to return to them for the new battery, even if it means paying over the odds for it. Good reliable garages are hard to find.

Thanks, good point, will call them tomorrow 

Yep, these guys are just a few 100yds away - easy walk , but they still insist on picking us up and delivering the cars back to us

SO i guess I'm paying for the privilege a little or maybe a lot 

I suspect i will get the £51 refunded if a new batt is needed 

But we do use halfords for lights etc as they often go on a weekend 

 

 

[etaf]

short update, the local garage has agreed to look at it again and refund the £51 

i will update with what they find , not online now till next week 

but - thanks for all the help

[etaf]

measured battery again today - 3 days since car used 11.57V after a 24mile run at high revs (nolonger get warning) 12.1v

Also photo of the battery make/model info 

 

[cliffcoggin]

Your latest readings only reinforce my opinion that the battery needs to be renewed. However that is only an opinion, not a proven fact, so either you wait for confirmation by a proper test or you buy a new battery now. The choice is yours.

[etaf]

thanks, that was my discussion with the garage , why they didnt replace the battery when in last November 

So they will be taking it back in to sort out and properly test as mentioned , and replace 

 

[etaf]

well, they put a new battery in today - mentioned they have changed 20+ battery this week, I did say how come they said it was OK a month ago - got a few umms and aghh and thats what there test equipment said it was fine - load reading and hygrometer readings (do they still do that !!!!!) 

just been agro really as i have not trusted the car would start and for £200 it was not worth it , i wish i had insisted they changed last time

any way £186 for a battery - stop / start car 

The key fob , for both keys came up with an error - new battery needed !!!! had a play - checked withj garage and they said no errors when the delivered it back this afternoon

anyway - i have never changed a battery in the fobs - 14 reg car - so i changed 1 fob anyway 

and now both keys are OK  - strange

see how it goes when i dont use for a while and if i get the error again

Thanks for all your help and advice here

 

Edited January 14 by etaf

[cliffcoggin]

Cold weather always reveals the weaknesses in batteries of all types: lead-acid, ni-cad, lithium, zinc-carbon.