I got in Elsie this morning and chug, chugg, click, click.

The battery was dead. I ended up using the bus on one of the coldest mornings we have had so far.

Not happy.

When I got back home I rang Skoda Assist. They came out after about 4 hours, but that wasn't a problem as I was at home and staying there.

Took one look at the battery. The eye was red. Not good.

It has been quite sluggish at starting in the cold mornings recently.

Skoda Assist (RAC) checked the car, jump started it then did a battery test and a discharge test. All passed fine. Said nothing was wrong with the car. Asked me if I had left anything on, a door ajar maybe, but no, the alarm won't set it car not shut, and everything turning its self off, so no idea why it happened.

Told me to get battery replaced under warranty if it does it again. He said the battery in Elsie is by Banner. He was not complimentary about them. Something about cost cutting.

So he then restarted Elsie by herself and told me to leave her on idle for 40 minutes. So used other key in drivers door to lock the car,with Elsie ticking over on the front drive.

He tld me that with modern alternators they just need to be over 700rpm to charge the battery, and it would be quicker leaving Elsie idling on the drive to charge her up, than driving because you would have all the electrics on which wouldn't charge the battery.

Surely the alternator should be big enough to cope with the lights, heated windscreen, heated rear window, heated mirrors, heated seats etc....,

Elsie turned 1 last week and we have until now, had 15,000 trouble free miles. (aside from the false neutral in the DSG gearbox over 6 months ago & the near side door mirror)

A battery should last more than a year. As said earlier. Not happy. Will it happen again?

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Hmmm... sounds dodgy to me! Definitely get Skoda to check it out

yeh it should last longer, how long are your trips in the car?

We do stupidly short trips so in turn change the oil twice a year and at weekends it gets plugged into one of these overnight.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Maximiser-3800-Battery-Charger/dp/B003LBK0KA

One thing I.have found with these sealed.for life batteries is that they run dry of fluid they all have a cap to fill them up and this usually will work if topped up with distilled water

You have those forward and rearwards cameras no? They are on motion movement detection? Are they draining the battery perhaps?

But really grrr!!! Hope you sort it and that it was only the battery and not some mysterious electrical problem. Been there done that with my Audi and that is not fun. Good luck.

Do some makes of battery not come with a lifetime warranty?

Why not try a lesure battery, had real problems going back to my boat and it had a flat battery due to the bilge pump drainig it and the boat, stuck one if these in, end of problem.

Edited 18 December, 201114 yr by servicepoint

You have those forward and rearwards cameras no? They are on motion movement defection? Are they draining the battery perhaps?

That was my first thought too, a standard car battery usually goes for 3 to 5 years at least.

The best I've seen was Mum's old Zafira, that did nearly 8 years on it's original battery!

They are on motion movement defection?

"'movement defection"? Bless. I've fixed my mistake now in the first post.

Shouldn't happen even once on a car of that age.

Ivor is 14 months old and covered about 8500 miles and has never missed a beat.

Hope Elsie is ok, Ivor will say a few prayers for her ok.

Yes I do have, or rather did have the video cameras on, but they should not drain the battery in 24 hours..... Though I did notice that around the cameras this morning the windscreen was defrosted.

I drive around South London all the time, generally with the engine running for between 1 & 4 hours a day. Seeing as the battery indicator eye is red, I will be looking to Skoda to replace the battery as it ought to still be under warranty.

Now do I use Allams, now James has gone, or do I risk it at SG Smith on the Purley Way. I mean, they are Skoda & Seat Dealers.....and just round the corner....well almost.

Regardless of whether the the camera's have drained the battery, the battery indicator should not be showing red after only a year and 15,000 miles.

batteries can just fail: Our Lupo had one at 2 years old.

Wow the DR's must chuck out some heat!

How do you have them wired in? as the car's now shut down non essential items (interior lights etc) to ensure that there is enough power in the battery to start the car.

Now do I use Allams, now James has gone

What ... where ... when did that happen.... and is he still around?

What ... where ... when did that happen.... and is he still around?

I think last Friday was his last day. Moving to Dubai. Still on here but now as James Rothwell.

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Regardless of whether the the camera's have drained the battery, the battery indicator should not be showing red after only a year and 15,000 miles.

As far as I understand it the battery indicator (or hydrometer) indicates a flat or discharged battery. When it is recharged the float should rise and cover the red tube.

If the battery indicator is still showing red after being recharged then it sounds to me like a faulty battery.

It is also worth noting that if a battery is discharged below a certain voltage it can prevent the battery from being able to receive a full charge again, a partial charge will result in a much lower capacity and the likelihood of future problems.

Whilst batteries should last much longer than a year the demands placed on them as a result of the electrical draw required by modern cars means that they aren't infallible.

Repeated cold starts, short journeys, auto lights, coming/leaving home headlights will over time shorten the life of a battery.

The lady over the road from me each morning jumps into her car, headlights on, wipers on, ignition on, seatbelt on – then starts the engine. After winter this is enough to flatten even the best battery – well within its first year of life.

If the camera's are warm enough to prevent the glass from freezing then this will be enough to flatten a battery.

Edited 18 December, 201114 yr by silver1011

Wow the DR's must chuck out some heat!

How do you have them wired in? as the car's now shut down non essential items (interior lights etc) to ensure that there is enough power in the battery to start the car.

What ... where ... when did that happen.... and is he still around?

Check this thread Martin: http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/221906-a-quick-note/

Check this thread Martin: http://briskoda.net/...6-a-quick-note/

Do some makes of battery not come with a lifetime warranty?

Why not try a lesure battery, had real problems going back to my boat and it had a flat battery due to the bilge pump drainig it and the boat, stuck one if these in, end of problem.

Leisure batteries are designed to give a low output over a long time, whereas car batteries are designed to give a high output over a short period.

Using your leisure battery to do that would kill it very quickly.

batteries can just fail: Our Lupo had one at 2 years old.

Very true...

Leisure batteries are designed to give a low output over a long time, whereas car batteries are designed to give a high output over a short period.

Using your leisure battery to do that would kill it very quickly.

True.

Leisure batteries don't like starting engines.

If you want to go nuts then my weapon of choice is the Optima Yellow-Top. Used them in several Land Rovers for years, events with two winches on the vehicle etc... never had one die.

Hi Mike,

to EtH is not her usual self; would agree a visit to the dealers is in order. Could try contacting Graham in Allams service dept.

Oh replaced my lads Fabia I original battery at just over 8 years old (in June), went dead without any prior warning. Managed to jump start it but the battery would not hold a charge. Also suffered power steering failure; common symptom apparently of a duff battery on the Fabia I.

Hope you get her sorted,

TP

With some of these camera's 3G detection of someone bumping your car and having theability to record how do you get this to work if the 12v socket goes dead when the ignition is off, even if you do manage to get it wired in live wont it then just flatten your battery? Thinking about this for the street I park in to detect who's bumped my car but dont want a flat battery every morning.

I have wired the front one into the permanent live in the fuse box as per The Great Yeti instructions in the technical section, and at the moment the rear is just plugged into the 12v socket at the back. They take very little current so I'm not worried about flat batteries etc....As I park mine on the drive at home, I unplug at the end of the day, and just plug back in at the beginning of the day, otherwise all the traffic going past will wake up the parking mode sensor and it will record all night long

Sounds like operator-error, not battery failure.

You do get a leisure starter battery, I believe you can also recharge them more often and not shorten their life as quickly.

That was my first thought too, a standard car battery usually goes for 3 to 5 years at least.

The best I've seen was Mum's old Zafira, that did nearly 8 years on it's original battery!

Our little Fiesta decided to kill her original battery after 14 years. then killed her replacement 2 years later :'(

Just goes to show that modern batteries are not always better than old technology

My MGB goes into the cold garage round about the end of October and normally doesn't emerge until April. I never do any of the things you're supposed to do to preserve the battery, yet it is always strong enough to turn the engine over, which usually fires at the second or third attempt. Battery has been good for about 7 years now.

My MGB goes into the cold garage round about the end of October and normally doesn't emerge until April. I never do any of the things you're supposed to do to preserve the battery, yet it is always strong enough to turn the engine over, which usually fires at the second or third attempt. Battery has been good for about 7 years now.

I've recently been converted to CTEK battery chargers on the VRS and GT-R. Worth about £50 IMO.