Car Battery (Apologies for naive post!)

[Spencer69]

Hi All, Hope all had good Christmas & New Year! Been a while since posted (maybe a good thing as not had to!) but need some advice, as title of post shows.

All been absolutely fine since last posting & no issues with car. Although winter & colder months disappearing, have escaped with no problems. However, on Friday gone, tried starting car and....dead! All dashboard lights came on just no turnover & classic battery drain problem. I have a scangauge2 which has always shown battery volt reading between 12.5 - 14. However, Friday morning showed just over 10 volts :-( Evening before had just done a 60 mile return trip and all well so shouldn't be case of lack of use.

Didn't really understand why as no major instruments left on such as lights/wipers as I didn't get the 'alarm' that sounds if you leave such items on, the 1 that sounds when you leave keys in ignition-anyway, sure you know what I mean. I did notice that when mechanic (below) came out, that the map reading/courtesy light on roof (push on/off type) came on as soon as car engine turned over and I may have forgotten to turn this off when turned car off after 60 mile trip!

Have a local independent garage that come out to those within 3 mile range (no charge-excuse pun) & told me magic eye indicator 'red' as he was using his magic black box to give battery charge.

So (apols for long lost) as I don't know how old car battery is (it may even be original 2010 reg) if my scangauge showing normal volt reading (12-14) is battery safe? And will 'magic eye' turn black again? Or just safer all round to have new battery?

1 last query, garage deal with Bosch batteries and give 3 year guarantee-is there onl 1 battery that will fit honda jazz or is there choice to upgrade to ( I believe) S4 battery for that extra peace of mind?

Many, many thanks for all replies.

[culzean]

You need to check battery voltage with a voltmeter with engine running to see if alternator is OK,  should be at least 14 even better 14.5  volts when engine running above tickover, fully charge the battery with either a charger or a decent run and  let the battery stand for an hour and then check voltage,  should be close to 12.6 volts.

If the battery is original 2010 then it is well into the danger zone for failure.

If you intend to keep the car get a Yuasa Silver from Halfords or wherever, 5 year guarantee, worth every penny ( if you work out the cost per year rather than just original cost it makes more sense). Yuasa HSB154 is OK for SI (my wife car has one,  from Halfords,  think HSB154 may be a Halfords number) and you get a capacity boost to 40Ah and more cranking amps, as well as extremely low self-discharge rate

with a decent voltmeter you can tell state of charge of a battery by its terminal voltage, otherwise specific gravity of electrolyte (but this is almost impossible to access on todays sealed batteries).

http://www.mmbalmainauto.com.au/PDF/State_of_charge_12_volt_batteries.pdf

[Spencer69]

Hi Culzean, Many thanks and fantastic reply.

'You need to check battery voltage with a voltmeter with engine running to see if alternator is OK,  should be at least 14 even better 14.5  volts when engine running above tickover, fully charge the battery with either a charger or a decent run and  let the battery stand for an hour and then check voltage,  should be 12.4 to 12.6 volts.'

These were the exact figures that my gauge was kicking out yesterday on run after charge-advised to run for at least 30 mins, longer if possible, I did, well over an hour.

TY for confirming my thoughts on age of battery and types. After typing original post I then came across (although they didn't feature when I used search function) the yuasa batteries, which as you advise equates go effectively Bosch £60 3 year guarantee or Yuasa £80 5 year guarantee-no comparison!

After the hour+ run yesterday, did normal Saturday shop run and all fine. Haven't started car yet (today) but will check all aspects and come back later, not just to respond but also to add experience for any further member probs/experiences!

Again, many thanks :-)

[madasafish]

My experience is that Bosch batteries are way inferior to Yuasa.. Our Bosch failed after 3.5 years in 4 year warranty. The Yuasa lasted 9 years (in a 14 year old Yaris)

[Spencer69]

Hi Madasafish, Only experience of Bosch car battery ever had was when battery is previous corsa died. Same garage, that I use today, replaced with Bosch (but that battery only 3 year guarantee-take it they also do 5 year too, from your post) & before we got rid of corse, bosch battery great for the 5/6 years!

At moment, as know reason for current battery drain, have now returned from short trip & all seems back to norma-please see Culzeans earlier post and gauge showing correct voltagel-haven't yet checked if magic eye back to black, and maybe if poss looking at finding age of current battery/make-although been under bonnet, still very wet here! If all well, will keep until MOT/full service and ask garage to change with yuasa 5 year guarantee...unless anything else untoward occurs battery related, of course. Fingers crossed!

[ianhj]

Hi,

If it is the original battery you've done well.

Sometime ago I decided to replace my car batteries every five years no matter what.

Always get my Honda one's from here:

http://www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/genuine-honda-jazz-battery20092015-p-1125.html

Cheers

Ian

[culzean]

Hi,

If it is the original battery you've done well.

Sometime ago I decided to replace my car batteries every five years no matter what.

Always get my Honda one's from here:

http://www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/genuine-honda-jazz-battery20092015-p-1125.html
D
Cheers

Ian

Still only 3 year warranty,  that will be just a standard chemistry battery

I always write the date the battery was fitted on the battery label, it helps me keep track of age and may have helped people who bought one of my cars.

[TopDown]

I had this happen with my previous Jazz a few days before I sold it.

Had been giving it a thorough clean and accidentally switched roof light to permanently on. Didn't notice when cleaning - and finished in daylight.

Next morning, dead as a Do-do.

As battery charged - trickle charger - rooflight came back on. Switched it back to 'Off' on closing door and 6 months later it's still fine. (Still in touch with buyer.)

That was a 2008 on the original battery - and still is!

[jazzygirl]

Same here.... managed to flat a battery by leaving the maplight on for a week.  I now realise that the 'clicker' to close car up does not turn off all lights.  Jazz less than year old....

[Oldie]

My 2009 ES 1.4i battery has just started to die so I bought a new one from Cox Motors link above and received excellent next-day service. I fitted it today and recoded the radio ok but unfortunately have "lost" the rear battery clamp M10 screwed rod which has fallen into the engine compartment somewhere! Try as I might, I cannot see it even with a mirror and torch. I just hope it can't cause any grief and will need to find a new one to hold the battery in its cradle. Oh well!!

[guest6766]

Had a very similar experience. Car starting/running perfectly. Drove home 35 miles on Thursday, then on Friday lunchtime went to start and battery dead. Multimeter reading under 9v, so was advised by a relative who knows about electricity that battery most likely dead and in need of replacing. Thought this odd as car less than 4 years old (October 2013). Think I may have left the map light (the ones that click, near the rear-view mirror) on overnight, but I was told this was unlikely to have a significant drain on battery??

I assume it was the original battery that died (pic attached); I had only had the car for less than 1 month. Replaced the battery myself with a Duracell (5 year guarantee) from eurocarparts. All working fine now. Just needed the radio code which, happily, the dealer had left in the glove box!

unfortunately have "lost" the rear battery clamp M10 screwed rod which has fallen into the engine compartment somewhere! Try as I might, I cannot see it even with a mirror and torch. I just hope it can't cause any grief and will need to find a new one to hold the battery in its cradle. Oh well!!

Oldie, I had the same issue. I found it resting in the plastic guard under the engine bay/radiator area. I needed to release a couple of the screws holding it in place first though. Maybe give it a few taps from underneath? You might hear it clattering around.

[Dayjo]

A couple of months ago, I left one of the maplights on. From mid afternoon, until 10.00, the next morning.

The two year old battery was flat. Mrs. Dayjo's taxi, couldn't take her out....... 

I now charge it, for one day, every winter weekend. To ensure marital harmony...... 

[flashwhite]

On my 2013 Jazz I left the map lights on from 10pm until 2pm the next day and the engine would not turn over. I checked the condition indicator (Varta battery) and it was black and so it was put on charge for 4 hours at approx 3 amps and started at once but the condition indicator showed no change. I am going to take the car out for a run tomorrow which should top the charge right up and see if the indicator goes green.

[culzean]

On my 2013 Jazz I left the map lights on from 10pm until 2pm the next day and the engine would not turn over. I checked the condition indicator (Varta battery) and it was black and so it was put on charge for 4 hours at approx 3 amps and started at once but the condition indicator showed no change. I am going to take the car out for a run tomorrow which should top the charge right up and see if the indicator goes green.

4 hours at 3 amps is not enough to put full power back into a flat battery - if it is 35 amp/hour size you would need 3 amps for 13 hours (charging efficiency is about 85% so you have to put 'extra' in).  Also remember that the 'window' on top of battery that changes colour is only showing specific gravity of electrolyte on 1 cell out of 6 (the cells are sealed from each other),  so you cannot guess what the other 5 are doing.  I would leave the charger on at least overnight (10 hours) and see what colour window changes to.

 I had a Varta battery on my motorbike that would not recharge after it went flat,  It was on the bike when I bought it,  normally I only fit Yuasa to my vehicles.

[plasma]

On my 2013 Jazz I left the map lights on from 10pm until 2pm the next day and the engine would not turn over. I checked the condition indicator (Varta battery) and it was black and so it was put on charge for 4 hours at approx 3 amps and started at once but the condition indicator showed no change. I am going to take the car out for a run tomorrow which should top the charge right up and see if the indicator goes green.

4 hours at 3 amps is not enough to put full power back into a flat battery - if it is 35 amp/hour size you would need 3 amps for 13 hours (charging efficiency is about 85% so you have to put 'extra' in).  Also remember that the 'window' on top of battery that changes colour is only showing specific gravity of electrolyte on 1 cell out of 6 (the cells are sealed from each other),  so you cannot guess what the other 5 are doing.  I would leave the charger on at least overnight (10 hours) and see what colour window changes to.

 I had a Varta battery on my motorbike that would not recharge after it went flat,  It was on the bike when I bought it,  normally I only fit Yuasa to my vehicles.

+1. same here,bikes and cars Yuasa have been the best.

Plasma.