Airport nightmare at 2a.m.

[sebastiand]

I'm not sure i have this super locking mode as mine doesn't have keyless entry.

If your car is LHD then it does not have superlocking, only RHD cars have it and it makes no difference to the power drain if a Jazz is superlocked or not, the car goes to sleep in the same way.

Yeah I'm not sure I have this function. Sorry if I didn't understand it well but I pressed the lock button on the remote twice (within 5 seconds after the first press) and then I tried to open the driver's door from inside and it allowed me to open the door from the handle inside (I had the window down to pass the hand, and the car was off).

But anyway, does this save battery in a car without keyless entry?


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[Downsizer]

P181 of my manual simply says that superlocking disables the lock tabs on all doors and is not available on all models. I suppose it would prevent someone breaking a window and reaching in to open a door. The manual says nothing about power saving. The security alarm system would still be functioning.

[Steve_M]

All RHD Honda have Superlocking, no LHD or other region vehicles have it. It is there to meet Thatcham security requirements. There are no additional circuits shutdown when it is activated. It just prevents the locks from being force or operated from the inside handles or lock buttons.

[sebastiand]

Yeah well, my car is parked in a private parking under the sun (as usual) with no power source nearby, to plug one of those CTEK smart chargers.

I understand battery will not surive a 7 weeks period parked, even if my car lacks keyless entry (it does have security alarm i think). So I think the safest approach (to preserve battery health) is to do what Fredbassett suggested.
And. I had no idea about the electronic parking brake, I'll keep it parked on P without it.

It’s a 30 second job to just disconnect the negative lead from the 12v battery if you’re not going to drive for 2-3 weeks. It would save all this hassle. I never put the handbrake on when parked on the level. The P brake will hold it.

[Lord Voltermore]

I parked my 2021 car for more than 7 weeks  during January and February ,in the open air.  I plugged  a solar trickle charger like this into the OBDII port.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124812935438?

The charger is only 2.4 watts maximum capacity,  but  despite the short daylight hours at the time   the charger gave a very small trickle charge. The car started  no problem.

The car might have started anyway even without the charger.   The car was very new at the time and had recently had some long journeys so the 12v battery was probably in good condition and fully charged.

This solution worked for me, but tbh its not very convenient for regular use. The charger is quite bulky and the OBDII port is quite hard to reach in the drivers footwell (on a right hand drive car) I had to go on my hands and knees  by the side of the car  to plug it in, although it might get easier with practice or easier on a left hand drive car.      I have not needed to use the charger again since then so cannot guarantee it will always work , especially with older batteries, or cars that get little use.     

I now always carry a small power bank  jump starter in the car  which I hope would start the car if the 12v battery does go flat.   These should be recharged every 3 months  , but mine is normally  still about 80% charged  after that time.  I have never needed to use this jump starter.  I think it should work, but  robsterboys experience has left me in some doubt  ???l
 Something like this -  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267785896110?

[nowster]

The only reason to not use the handbrake when parking for a long period is to prevent the pads from seizing to the brake discs.

Electrically, the manual suggests a minimum of running the car for 30 minutes every three months.

The Mk4 makes very light demands of its 12V battery. There's no starter motor surge current to accommodate as the ICE is started by the high voltage battery. It powers the electronics, the lights and the climate control system.

Long term drain when parked will be the alarm (which is door switch sensors only and is negligible), keyfob radios and the telemetry unit. The latter does continue to keep a 4G mobile connection active. I don't know how long it takes for it to enter its lowest power mode.

[sebastiand]

I now always carry a small power bank  jump starter in the car  which I hope would start the car if the 12v battery does go flat.   These should be recharged every 3 months  , but mine is normally  still about 80% charged  after that time.  I have never needed to use this jump starter.  I think it should work, but  robsterboys experience has left me in some doubt  ???l
 Something like this -  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267785896110?

attached my trusty NOCO battery - not a flicker.

As someone who is contemplating the idea of buying one of these lithium jump starters to occasionally leave in the car (when I know I'll leave it parked for a long time), I'm also confused.

These Noco jump starters have some safety features and do nothing if the battery is depleted (i think below 2V). For this you need to hold some "Manual Override" function, I assume this also didn't work, correct?

[coldstart]

plus: You have to establish a routine to periodically recharge the battery-booster of your choice in order to keep it effective!
(I'm topping up my Noco GB20 every three months - it usually takes less than 10 minutes on a normal phone charger)