New Car Battery

[Simon Mason]

Or if it is between 1700-2000.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Andrew expressed precisely :

I'm not sure you are correct with the 'significant drain'. My last car would gradually move its systems into normal sleep mode over the first

30 minutes. If the car remained unused for longer than 4 weeks, it would then go into a deeper sleep mode, switching off the remote key receiver, then you would need to use the actual key.

My present car drops down to a >20mA draw sleep mode within a couple on minutes. My car has a 75aH battery fitted, which equates to it being able to maintain that level of discharge for 3600 hours full to flat -

150 days, but probably much longer than that. Not that much worse than I would expect just leaving the battery disconnected from the car and my car has a mass of equipment on standby, so a more basic car will likely have an even lower discharge.

[Muddymike]

And an expert on car electrics no doubt.

Mike

[charles]

no, but she'd consult the resident Engineer

[tabbypurr]

That's never been my experience. Current wheels is on its 3rd battery, each of different capacity.

NT

[Rednadnerb]

When my battery packed up, the AA man said that Halfords batteries were as good as any.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think you haven't read what was said. About selecting the most expensive and highest current rating battery Halfords stocked and having it fitted by them. Most cars have only one size that will fit it - unless you're stupid enough to fit a smaller one and have it rattling around.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think some still do.

Depends. Just because it's integrated doesn't mean there's not a posh alternative (Bose or whatever) that is also integrated. And the one a mate had fitted to his Suzuki at vast cost did have a code number.

My aftermarket DAB one has a key card - which fits the SD card slot. Which you can also use a normal SD card in - to record to or replay from.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Ian Jackson writes

When this cropped up before I found the code printed on a sticker at the back of the radio! One day I'll get it out and look. Thanks for the pointer.

[Tim Lamb]

Yes but they are long out of business! This is a Y reg. Zafira!

Thanks.

I tend not to use the radio while driving and this is my *go-fer* vehicle so is not much used for long journeys.

[damduck-egg]

I'm sure it is not the case here but, My nephew could not get his radio on again after installing a new battery. A month or two went by before I visited and noticed.

Have you tried putting the Code in ? Yep , didn't work. lets try again anyway , go and get all things you got with the car. Nephew return with document wallet. Where is the code written , its often on a seperate card , " No ,mines in the Handbook " as he opened the page that described how to enter the code into the radio. Did you use this code then? "yep, Doesn't work " So you really entered that number 1234 in the handbook "Yep" You didn't think the word EXAMPLE in front of it might just mean that. OH, Didn't notice that Give us that document Wallet. Found a card with a number on it.

30 mins later the radio was working, it would have been 5 but his Mother and I couldn't stop laughing.

G.Harman

[Old Codger]

Not much older than mine though - 2004 Rover 75.

[tabbypurr]

then you thought wrong

they don't of course

car batteries don't rattle around, even if for some reason you forget to fi x them in place.

NT

[Muddymike]

I have seen first hand the devastating results of a car battery that was not clamped in.

Mike

[Ian Jackson]

Cars certainly used to be capable of accommodating (within reason) batteries of different sizes. My wife's Citroen C1 is fitted with a tiny battery, but has provision for one about 50% longer.

An unclamped battery is obviously free to move around, but its movement is often constrained by what surrounds if and the power leads. While I certainly don't recommend it, you might be able to drive for years without anything untoward happening.

>

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'll give you 100 quid if the most expensive/highest capacity battery that Halfords sell will fit either of my cars.

In which case there's no need for the vast number of different types, then. You simply buy any you fancy and fit it.

Only one with no knowledge of cars would think all fixings are the same and will work with any battery.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Very true. It's even something which is checked at MOT time.

The only battery type other than the correct one which is likely to fit the space is a smaller one. And depending on clamp type may not be possible to secure it.

Fitting a different sized battery should only be done by someone who knows what they're doing. Which seems to rule out many on here.

[MrCheerful]

An overtall one is fun when you slam the bonnet on its posts.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. Some cars that share a body with different engines may well physically have space for a different battery. Whether it will fit without further modification depends on make and model.

You might be able to drive on bald tyres too for years until something untoward happens. But given battery security is part of an MOT test, I'd say it's probably not the best of ideas.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Recently, a rather nice classic was destroyed by fire. The incorrect battery was used - the terminals reversed from the correct one, but otherwise the same sort of size. So it was reversed physically so the correct lead would reach to the terminals. And sadly the bonnet edge lip now contacted the 'live' terminal.