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"Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever" (superchan7) 11/02/2020 at 12:46 • Filed to: jaguar, Jaguar XJ, X351, Alfa Romeo, alfa romeo 4c, California, battery

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Meow  is whining about the battery voltage again. Hopefully it’s just the weather cooling down and not a dying battery.

E90M3 > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 12:55

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How long are batteries supposed to last for? I think the one in the M3 is original to the car. 

Tripper > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 12:55

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Both the forester and the 02 need batteries. 02 has lived on a tender since I brought it home, but last time it almost didn’t start on the tender...

I’ve been putting it off in the 02 saying that I’m going to relocate the battery to the trunk... Looks like that time has come.

404 - User No Longer Available > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 12:59

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Actually if it gets cooler and starts throwing battery warnings then it could very well be the battery. Exactly what happened to my F30 when the battery is at the 8  year mark.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > E90M3 11/02/2020 at 13:11

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I’ve never had a battery last more than five years or 40k-ish miles. 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 11/02/2020 at 13:14

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That's sad. My wife's battery lasted 9 years, the one in my pickup is from 2006 and still chugging.

404 - User No Longer Available > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 11/02/2020 at 13:22

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Actually my Solstice battery ran well into 6-7 years. I just replaced it out of caution, since they were relatively inexpensive and DIY-able . F30's battery hit the 8 year mark before it started throwing electrical warning and ASS not working.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 11/02/2020 at 13:23

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May dad just replaced the batteries in his 2000 Dodge Ram 2500. Even though that thing has been babied and is still under 60k miles, I still find it impressive.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > 404 - User No Longer Available 11/02/2020 at 13:29

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Ugh, this battery is only 2.5 years old, supposedly . W hen ITA97 in New Mexico inspected the car for me during my purchase process, the battery was dead and the dealer replaced it.

The first time it gave a voltage warning was at the beginning of the California lockdown where I didn’t drive the car for weeks.

Now I’m driving it for a good hour at least every week, and the latest warning coincided with a drastic cooling here in CA. Coincidence or not, I have no idea.

I mean, it is an English luxury car, so I’m not discounting anything yet .

hike > E90M3 11/02/2020 at 13:29

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It depends on the quality of the battery and the climate.  If you live somewhere very hot or very cold, a battery won’t last as long. I’ve seen them range from 3 to 5 years in the Mid-Atlantic.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > E90M3 11/02/2020 at 13:34

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Mine’s only 2.5 years old. I mean, it’s not dead but it gave a voltage warning. T he charger was bulk charging for nearly an entire day before finally plateauing .  We’ll see if it holds.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > E90M3 11/02/2020 at 13:34

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Generally I get two years out of batteries but I buy them used. Junkyard batteries are sooooo cheap. Seriously, an Interstate for $25, stamped manufactured in 2019...

Future next gen S2000 owner > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 13:40

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Was the battery a good brand or some auto parts store special? I’ve run through cheap batteries in less than 2 years.

gettingoldercarguy > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 13:47

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Do you have any accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter? USB ports, etc. can draw a current even with nothing plugged in and drawdown in the battery. Happened to my wife’s outback a bit ago.

Amoore100 > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 13:51

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I dunno, I guess I do go back and forth from the Bay and Tucson which does result in some climate variance, but I’ve had real bad luck with the batteries in both XC70s— probably no more than two or three good years before I get “Battery Low!” warnings and it cranks slow on cold start. Our tech also said that it’s possible that because there are so many onboard electronics that leaving the car in ACC at all without the engine going can lead to excessive battery drain which shortens the lifetime of most non-deep-cycle lead-acids.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > gettingoldercarguy 11/02/2020 at 14:13

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Hmm, I should try unplugging the dash cam!

gettingoldercarguy > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 14:23

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I run a small 3 pound battery that has a reserve to jump start if the main portion is drained down. I also have an sae connector wired from the battery through the front so I don’t have to pop the hood to put the car on a charger. Simple plug in.

JeffCronin > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/02/2020 at 16:03

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An XJ with electrical gremlins, who could have seen that coming? (former XF owner here)...

Victorinoo > gettingoldercarguy 11/02/2020 at 18:51

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Woah that’s cool. Is it wired to your alternator? And if so do you have a battery controller to disconnect it when the power is turned off?

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/02/2020 at 21:14

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I’ll have to look again, but I *think* it’s an Interstate...installed by the dealer.

gettingoldercarguy > Victorinoo 11/02/2020 at 22:10

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It’s built into the battery.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/restart-technology/

I believe they have or had one that is remote operated.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Tripper 11/02/2020 at 23:40

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Come it has!  Good luck and show us how it turns out.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 11/03/2020 at 06:17

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What happens if you disconnect it? Does it still go down? You might loose your radio presets. 

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 11/03/2020 at 13:39

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Radio presets.......a mong a few other things ;)

I’m gonna try unplugging the dash cam first and see if the problem comes back.