About to replace my Battery…

M

mac_in_scotland

New member
Hello folks.

I’m about to replace my battery due to it being the original (I think), and the constant “your battery is low” warning. I plan to swap it out myself.

It’s being replaced at the cost of the dealer I bought the car from which is nice.

My question is though, is it the main battery or the secondary battery that’s causing the “warning”?
I did a bit of searching but couldn’t get my head around it. :roll:
 
It will be the main battery.
My start/stop one went ages ago and gave no warnings before or after - I should really take it out and save a bit of weight!
I changed the main one myself - big bugger! - but still got the warnings until they coded it last week during a service.
I thought this wasn’t necessary but apparently it is - maybe only on cars with the auxiliary battery.
 
Thanks for that insight Lunar.

Easy enough to swap out then?
I did read about the coding thing, but got conflicting info.

I’ll have to check if mine actually has an auxiliary battery. Pretty sure it must do, as it’s a really early model, and they didn’t remove them till 2016 or something was it not!?


Lunar said:
It will be the main battery.
My start/stop one went ages ago and gave no warnings before or after - I should really take it out and save a bit of weight!
I changed the main one myself - big bugger! - but still got the warnings until they coded it last week during a service.
I thought this wasn’t necessary but apparently it is - maybe only on cars with the auxiliary battery.
Click to expand...
 
Yep, just lift out the well in the boot floor - move it slightly back as you lift it then tilt the front edge up.
10mm for the terminals I think.
Remove the vent pipe from the rear edge of the battery too and watch your back when lifting!
Remember to leave the driver’s door open and put a bit of carpet over the boot lip - you don’t want to shut them with no electric to hand!

I recommend Tanya for batteries.
This is the one I bought for my V6.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/g14/
 
That’s great Lunar, thanks again. Sound advice there.

It was Tayna I went through, and also ordered the Varta G14. 😎

Lunar said:
Yep, just lift out the well in the boot floor - move it slightly back as you lift it then tilt the front edge up.
10mm for the terminals I think.
Remove the vent pipe from the rear edge of the battery too and watch your back when lifting!
Remember to leave the driver’s door open and put a bit of carpet over the boot lip - you don’t want to shut them with no electric to hand!

I recommend Tanya for batteries.
This is the one I bought for my V6.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/g14/
Click to expand...
 
Lunar said:
I changed the main one myself - big bugger! - but still got the warnings until they coded it last week during a service.
I thought this wasn’t necessary but apparently it is - maybe only on cars with the auxiliary battery.
Click to expand...

Did you consider fully charging the old battery and then doing the swap? Maybe that would have convinced the car that the battery isn't low?
 
I did fully charge and condition the battery at first, but the warning came back after a couple of days of cold weather.
After 8 years of good service I decided to treat the car to a new one before it started throwing up random issues.
At the time I wrongly assumed that I didn’t need to code it, so didn’t bother to charge it up before swapping it out.
Every day’s a school day 😂
 
Lunar said:
At the time I wrongly assumed that I didn’t need to code it, so didn’t bother to charge it up before swapping it out.
Every day’s a school day 😂
Click to expand...

I'm not saying that's a fix, just something worth trying! ;)
 
Hi scm. (My full name initials by the way! 😎)

I didn’t consider that no.
Don’t think I actually own a charger actually.
But perhaps it’s something I should try and do prior to swapping over to the new battery, so the car “knows” it’s charged!?

scm said:
Lunar said:
I changed the main one myself - big bugger! - but still got the warnings until they coded it last week during a service.
I thought this wasn’t necessary but apparently it is - maybe only on cars with the auxiliary battery.
Click to expand...

Did you consider fully charging the old battery and then doing the swap? Maybe that would have convinced the car that the battery isn't low?
Click to expand...
 
mac_in_scotland said:
Hi scm. (My full name initials by the way! 😎)
Click to expand...

Snap! My comment was actually aimed at Lunar, but if it helps you (or doesn't!) so be it. :lol:
 
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