Car battery

Anyone changed a battery on a modern car? Professional mark up looks to be about £50.

My VW passat is not liking the current cold weather.

There seem to be several possible gotchas beyond the old lost radio code:-( A U Tube video demonstrated a temporary 12V connection via what I took to be the vehicle USB connection.

I was thinking a spare 12V battery temporarily clipped to the battery leads...

Reply to
Tim Lamb
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Modern cars seem to need to be 'told' they have a new battery.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield Esq

Do modern car radios still require a code? In my current car the radio shares the same display and controls as many of the other car functions. In my much older previous car the radio was somewhat more integrated into the fascia and not so easily removed as a standard universal brick type unit.

I'm not sure that there are any other major gotchas. The cars engine management may lose some of your personal driving habits but on cars I've owned it has been stated that the ECU re-learns them within a short time of driving. The car may perform slightly differently to what you are used to but only for a few miles.

Reply to
alan_m

How modern? I've always been wary recalling issues with less modern cars but have had no bother more recently, I've not changed a battery in anything younger than about 8 years though.

Reply to
R D S

Modern car radios aren't even a discrete device, they are part of the computer that's embedded into the dashboard. Nothing to nick, so no code required.

Last century I made a long double ender cigarette lighter plug lead, and used that from a doner car to the 'patient' car. That was in the good old days when the cigarette lighter sockets were not switched via the ignition key. Those days have long gone.

Reply to
Mark Carver

2012 but I think the design is 2009/10 >
Reply to
Tim Lamb

Depends on the make and model.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News

Can still do it via the OBD-II

Reply to
Bob Eager

Nor me but I try to connect my slave battery to the starter motor feed and earth on the engine to preserve codes as the clip is too easy to dislodge if it is on the battery leads.

Reply to
ajh

In message snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)" snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk> writes

I wonder if that only relates to start/stop functionality as you can use a conventional battery and override the s/s function. Battery charging characteristics are different.

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Reply to
Tim Lamb

Good point. I was thinking of making something up rather than using jump leads.

Reply to
Tim Lamb

When I changed the battery on my 59 plate astra petrol, it didn't care at all. No details were lost, radio still worked, etc.

Some cars are ok, some aren't. Google to see what other people do.

making up a battery pack of a few alkaline batteries to end up with 12V and connected to a cigarette lighter plug might be all that is needed.

Reply to
Andrew

In that case, can't you leave the ignition switched on while you swap the battery?

Reply to
Roger Mills

No cigarette lighter on this car. I think I'll go with AJH and find some safe connection points to couple in a spare battery. Modern car electronics have gone way beyond my level of understanding. Air bags, alarm, window position coding, auto door locks... long way on from my 1935 Morris tourer!

Reply to
Tim Lamb

Nope. My previous (2010) and current (2018) car have unswitched cigarette lighter sockets as well as switched ones.

Reply to
mm0fmf

My car needs a new battery coding to the car. This is to reset the adaptive charging system which is designed to minimise the load on the alternator and enable regenerative braking (ordinary diesel not a hybrid). Also to know the true state of charge of the battery for the start/stop system.

Reply to
mm0fmf

not even an "accessory socket" hidden away somewhere (including in the boot)?

Reply to
Robin

I know someone who killed an old Peugeot (not all *that* old) by changing the battery. It wouldn't start afterwards and needed a new ECU, which was not economic. This wasn't a con, either, it was not exactly a common occurrence, but not all that rare either.

I can't remember the model, just that it was a something-0-something. There was a lot of stuff on the Net (found *after* the event, of course) about how to disconnect the battery safely, which boiled down to removing the ignition key, waiting a while, then disconnecting the battery. But absolutely nothing electrical must happen after removing the key i.e. the driver's door must be closed and the window must be open to take the key out, and the bonnet already open. I can't remember what phase the moon had to be in.

Reply to
Joe

In message snipped-for-privacy@outlook.com, Robin snipped-for-privacy@outlook.com writes

There are USB connectors in the glove compartment and in front of the passenger seats. More faff than croc clip leads in the engine bay. At least I understand how they work:-)

Reply to
Tim Lamb

Hmm. This reads like techno speak for needing to pay money to your vehicle supplier. There are no electronics in car batteries. The battery I have ordered is an equivalent of the one fitted and I don't see any way the onboard computer will be able to tell it has been changed.

Reply to
Tim Lamb

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