Battery going flat?

[Calimo]

On Friday I left my hazard lights on for about an hour and when I tried to start the car it just made a single crank. I got a jump and it started straight away. I have had no other issues until today. I was sitting in my car for about 1h 30m and my phone was on charge and I think my dash cam stayed on too. When I went to start it, it did the same thing again. I called the AA and he jumped it and it started instantly. The AA guy said that they are small batteries, but the alternator was putting out the right amount and the battery was good too.

Could those 2 incidents have caused the battery to drain or is there some other issue or could there be something else draining the battery?

Edit: I've also noticed that since this first happened I've lost about 3 mpg on the computer and it's still dropping.

[culzean]

Most cars have smaller batteries these days to save weight and because engines start a lot quicker than they used to.  Having the hazards on for an hour will draw 4 x 21watts / 12 = about 8 amps, but because they flash it will be less than half that so 4 amps for an hour or 4 amp hours from a 35 amp hour battery, this suggests that your battery was either in a very low state of charge from very low mileage short journeys or more probably the battery is on the way out, is it more than 5 years old.  I have never ever had a problem with battery on a Jazz going flat.  When a car starts first turn of the key ( which our jazzes always did and still do ) it will take about 2% of a full battery charge.

Phone and dashcam would take very little power from battery.

The jazz battery is plenty big enough for its purpose providing it is in decent condition. Any battery over 5 years old is living on borrowed time, we are lucky in UK that our batteries last a long time, in hot countries like Africa, Australia and southern USA they can fail in less than 2 years.

I suggest you get a new Yuasa battery before the winter, otherwise you will be jump starting it a lot of times.  It may be that boot light is staying on, anything bigger like heated screen or aircon relay stuck would flatten battery completely overnight.

[JazzyB]

Sounds like you need a new battery, how old is this one?

[Calimo]

Most cars have smaller batteries these days to save weight and because engines start a lot quicker than they used to.  Having the hazards on for an hour will draw 4 x 21watts / 12 = about 8 amps, but because they flash it will be less than half that so 4 amps for an hour or 4 amp hours from a 35 amp hour battery, this suggests that your battery was either in a very low state of charge from very low mileage short journeys or more probably the battery is on the way out, is it more than 5 years old.  I have never ever had a problem with battery on a Jazz going flat.  When a car starts first turn of the key ( which our jazzes always did and still do ) it will take about 2% of a full battery charge.

Phone and dashcam would take very little power from battery.

The jazz battery is plenty big enough for its purpose providing it is in decent condition. Any battery over 5 years old is living on borrowed time, we are lucky in UK that our batteries last a long time, in hot countries like Africa, Australia and southern USA they can fail in less than 2 years.

I suggest you get a new Yuasa battery before the winter, otherwise you will be jump starting it a lot of times.  It may be that boot light is staying on, anything bigger like heated screen or aircon relay stuck would flatten battery completely overnight.

I see. The AA guy said that the battery was fine though.

[Calimo]

Sounds like you need a new battery, how old is this one?

I'm not sure, I've only had the car 8 months. Also, the AA guy said the battery was okay.

[culzean]

Sounds like you need a new battery, how old is this one?

I'm not sure, I've only had the car 8 months. Also, the AA guy said the battery was okay.

It is very hard to know if a battery is OK as you cannot see inside and you need to charge and load test it ( draw about 200 amps ) which I guess the AA guy did not do.  The fact that your battery has been fully flat a few times will have damaged it anyway and you do not know its history as you have only had the car a few months. Get a new battery and write the date on the label with permanent pen, that way in future if someone else buys the car they will know when it was fitted. Flat batteries and punctures are the main problems with vehicles, you cannot predict or prevent a puncture but your battery is giving you warning of imminent problems and failure - don't ignore it..... winter will soon be here.

[JohnAlways]

Good morning everyone.
Calimo you battery sounds exactly like my sons batteries. Work perfectly and out of the blue (sitting in a car park playing CD's for 30 minutes) flat battery. Both Jazzes did the same thing. Youngest's battery was only 12 months old, went back to battery specialist (where he bought it), no battery is fine. They both continued to have intermittent problems. I changed the eldest sons with a Yuasa (I actually ordered two by mistake) and he has had no problem since. Youngest with 12 month old battery, I put my 5 year old one on his car as I had fitted the other Yuasa to mine (though I wasn't experiencing any problems) and his problem has also gone. He knows he needs to get a new battery now. Two examples, very intermittent problems but both been fine for over 6 months now.

[Jocko]

I have always been a firm believer in, the first sign of battery problems, replace the battery. I have never been let down afterwards.
A car that won't stop can be driven (carefully and illegally), but a car that won't start is only of use for keeping chickens in!

[culzean]

You may find your steering is playing up as well,  MK2 Jazz electric power steering draws 60 amps.  With EPS on modern cars the battery needs to be in good shape (and a good battery,  preferably one beginning in 'Y' and ending in 'A'     ).

Not all batteries are created equal,  I have had German ones (but probably made in China) on motorbikes that have been pretty bad and have failed early (normally on the bike when I bought it ) - I will always fit a Y***A and never regretted it - if you work out a battery cost out as a price per year of service they work out cheaper anyway and you have peace of mind.

Yuasa Silver is the dogs dangly bits - and a 5 year warranty   

As Jocko says, a car that won't start is only good for keeping chickens in.

Many people buy an emergency starter battery because the car battery is playing up,  but instead of doing that spend the extra money on a good quality battery and you wont need the emergency kit (which many people put in boot or glovebox and forget about anyway and when the time comes to use it - guess what it is flat anyway).

[Calimo]

You may find your steering is playing up as well,  MK2 Jazz electric power steering draws 60 amps.  With EPS on modern cars the battery needs to be in good shape (and a good battery,  preferably one beginning in 'Y' and ending in 'A'     ).

Not all batteries are created equal,  I have had German ones (but probably made in China) on motorbikes that have been pretty bad and have failed early (normally on the bike when I bought it ) - I will always fit a Y***A and never regretted it - if you work out a battery cost out as a price per year of service they work out cheaper anyway and you have peace of mind.

Yuasa Silver is the dogs dangly bits - and a 5 year warranty   

As Jocko says, a car that won't start is only good for keeping chickens in.

Many people buy an emergency starter battery because the car battery is playing up,  but instead of doing that spend the extra money on a good quality battery and you wont need the emergency kit (which many people put in boot or glovebox and forget about anyway and when the time comes to use it - guess what it is flat anyway).

What model do I need for a 2009 automatic jazz?

[culzean]

You may find your steering is playing up as well,  MK2 Jazz electric power steering draws 60 amps.  With EPS on modern cars the battery needs to be in good shape (and a good battery,  preferably one beginning in 'Y' and ending in 'A'     ).

Not all batteries are created equal,  I have had German ones (but probably made in China) on motorbikes that have been pretty bad and have failed early (normally on the bike when I bought it ) - I will always fit a Y***A and never regretted it - if you work out a battery cost out as a price per year of service they work out cheaper anyway and you have peace of mind.

Yuasa Silver is the dogs dangly bits - and a 5 year warranty   

As Jocko says, a car that won't start is only good for keeping chickens in.

Many people buy an emergency starter battery because the car battery is playing up,  but instead of doing that spend the extra money on a good quality battery and you wont need the emergency kit (which many people put in boot or glovebox and forget about anyway and when the time comes to use it - guess what it is flat anyway).

What model do I need for a 2009 automatic jazz?

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=10404.msg64255#msg64255

If you have an automatic a good battery is even more important as you cannot bump start automatics.

Yuasa silver is better than OEM in a/h and cranking amps ( 40 against 35 and 340 against 280 )

[JazzyB]

You may find your steering is playing up as well,  MK2 Jazz electric power steering draws 60 amps.  With EPS on modern cars the battery needs to be in good shape (and a good battery,  preferably one beginning in 'Y' and ending in 'A'     ).

Not all batteries are created equal,  I have had German ones (but probably made in China) on motorbikes that have been pretty bad and have failed early (normally on the bike when I bought it ) - I will always fit a Y***A and never regretted it - if you work out a battery cost out as a price per year of service they work out cheaper anyway and you have peace of mind.

Yuasa Silver is the dogs dangly bits - and a 5 year warranty   

As Jocko says, a car that won't start is only good for keeping chickens in.

Many people buy an emergency starter battery because the car battery is playing up,  but instead of doing that spend the extra money on a good quality battery and you wont need the emergency kit (which many people put in boot or glovebox and forget about anyway and when the time comes to use it - guess what it is flat anyway).

What model do I need for a 2009 automatic jazz?

I would use the following link and input your details to get the right battery:

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/

[Calimo]

You may find your steering is playing up as well,  MK2 Jazz electric power steering draws 60 amps.  With EPS on modern cars the battery needs to be in good shape (and a good battery,  preferably one beginning in 'Y' and ending in 'A'     ).

Not all batteries are created equal,  I have had German ones (but probably made in China) on motorbikes that have been pretty bad and have failed early (normally on the bike when I bought it ) - I will always fit a Y***A and never regretted it - if you work out a battery cost out as a price per year of service they work out cheaper anyway and you have peace of mind.

Yuasa Silver is the dogs dangly bits - and a 5 year warranty   

As Jocko says, a car that won't start is only good for keeping chickens in.

Many people buy an emergency starter battery because the car battery is playing up,  but instead of doing that spend the extra money on a good quality battery and you wont need the emergency kit (which many people put in boot or glovebox and forget about anyway and when the time comes to use it - guess what it is flat anyway).

What model do I need for a 2009 automatic jazz?

I would use the following link and input your details to get the right battery:

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/

Can a bad battery increase fuel consumption? Maybe the engine has to idle faster to make the alternator work more to keep the cars equipment running?

[VicW]

Can a bad battery increase fuel consumption? Maybe the engine has to idle faster to make the alternator work more to keep the cars equipment running?

The engine doesn't idle faster if the battery is in poor condition. The bad battery usually only shows up when trying to start the car. A charged but poor battery will still show 13 or so volts across its terminals but it is unable to supply the current needed to start the car.
I have owned five Jazz's and had to change the battery on two of them, usually at about the six years old point.I have never noticed the reported effect on the power steering when the batteries have been poorly sick.

Vic.

[JohnAlways]

Hi

I used MDSBattery.co.uk and bought (2 my mistake) Yuasa batteries model no YBX5054 which is part of the silver range.

Fast delivery, very good price and no problems whatsoever. I would buy from them again anyway. Currently £64.95 with free delivery.

https://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/yuasa-ybx5054-silver-12v-40ah-054-car-battery.html

Cheers