Starter Battery life

[colintfcolintf]

Hi,

my 2017 Cali goes in for DGS oil change at VW Hereford this week.

the starter battery is the original, so 7 years (and soon to be 8) years old, is it worth getting it changed at the same time before winter arrives ??

many thanks in advance. cheers, Colin

i had a quick look via search but didn't really find anything

 

[Meoncoast]

We changed ours at 7 years of age but started getting a warning message saying starter battery low on dash. We used Halfords I would expect top price for a main dealer rplacement.

 

[Deskman]

If it is in good working order (and you can ask your dealer to test it), there is no need to add an extra battery to the landfills yet.

 

[colintfcolintf]

many thanks both.

I thought a new starter battery had to be coded in ? for that reason i discounted halfrauds (despite having a trade card with them)

I will ask VW Hereford to test the battery - no warning messages at present, but just don't want to get caught out in a cold snap for example.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

The coding thing is normally horse manure as long as it is a like for like replacement, mail order a new battery from Tayna when you really need it...they will deliver next day.

 

[wildslammer22]

If it is in good working order (and you can ask your dealer to test it), there is no need to add an extra battery to the landfills yet.

Of an a bit of a tangent, an interesting (or maybe not!) and perhaps rather surprising fact is that lead acid batteries are a big recycling success story and have been for decades. In the G7 the average recycling rate is 97% and in the UK it has reached 99% (that was a few years ago so may have changed).

This process was originally driven by H&S and economics rather than environmental concerns but is a great model for what can be achieved in manufacturing if the will is there. Lithium battery recycling lags far behind the older lead based technology.

 

[kurienp]

many thanks both.

I thought a new starter battery had to be coded in ? for that reason i discounted halfrauds (despite having a trade card with them)

I will ask VW Hereford to test the battery - no warning messages at present, but just don't want to get caught out in a cold snap for example.

as long as you have the option/keep it plugged it once a month, that will also prolong the life of the starter battery very well. mine is on 7 years as well and have not considered changing yet. Van starts fine. You will get to know the battery is struggling when it does not start on first crank. Change then.

PS: The garage will advise you to change as it is 7 years. They will not even bother testing it.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

My smart for two diesel is 15 years old and still on its original Battery......it is onboard under the passengers feet, cosy and warm and the car isn't a start stop model which kills batteries. In contradiction my wife's smart for two (newer petrol start stop) needed a new battery at three years (under bonnet in the cold), smart said would need coding....oh no it didn't!

 

[SpuffingtonMe]

I tend to stick my vehicle batteries on a smart charger a few times a year - with the Discovery and other vehicles which have gone before, the charger goes on maybe once a month in the winter given the extra load the cold places on the battery.

Those with similar charging routines but who keep their cars for a lot longer than I do mine, suggest that they've been able to go well beyond 10yrs on original batteries by maintaining them like this.

I used a CTEK MXS-7

 

[colintfcolintf]

Maybe i'm being a bit paronoid.
my previous car used to eat big Bosche batteries every 5 years
the Cail has Solar so may on a good day get a 1A trickle charge
i have no means of plugging in at home the mains 240V or a trickle charger.
thanks everyone for their replies

 

[Pineweasel]

My Cali is 12 years old and the original starter battery is still absolutely fine with no special treatment (no solar, never plugged in at home, van sometime left unused for 2 or 3 weeks).

 

[TripleBee]

I changed my battery at 14 years.
At around 11 years, the starting got worse in the winter. Then I started plugging the EHU every weekend. That way I could extend the lifespan by about 3 years.
When the starting got worse again when the temperatures started to drop, I just bought a new battery and I hope I am good again for another 14 years. Luckily I don't have Bluemotion Technology, so no stop/start, no battery coding.
Just regular swap and done.

If the starting is still fine, there is no need for a battery replacement. From the moment you get the feeling that the starting gets tougher (slower or longer starting sequence), you might consider a new one.

 

[California Rob]

many thanks both.

I thought a new starter battery had to be coded in ? for that reason i discounted halfrauds (despite having a trade card with them)

I will ask VW Hereford to test the battery - no warning messages at present, but just don't want to get caught out in a cold snap for example.

If you are concerned about the battery i would just get it changed and enjoy the next 7 years. vw will probably charge you £50 to check the battery to tell you maybe its ok this year but who knows if it will be ok next year.. You could always do some home work what battery you need check Youtube how to change it and have a go yourself not that difficult to change a battery on a vw.

 

[Alied]

Maybe i'm being a bit paronoid.
my previous car used to eat big Bosche batteries every 5 years
the Cail has Solar so may on a good day get a 1A trickle charge
i have no means of plugging in at home the mains 240V or a trickle charger.
thanks everyone for their replies

If your location is still Bristol I have VCDS and more than willing to code the battery when needed.

 

[colintfcolintf]

If your location is still Bristol I have VCDS and more than willing to code the battery when needed.

Brilliant, many thanks for your very kind offer

 

[bangorlad]

I changed my battery at 14 years.
At around 11 years, the starting got worse in the winter. Then I started plugging the EHU every weekend. That way I could extend the lifespan by about 3 years.
When the starting got worse again when the temperatures started to drop, I just bought a new battery and I hope I am good again for another 14 years. Luckily I don't have Bluemotion Technology, so no stop/start, no battery coding.
Just regular swap and done.

If the starting is still fine, there is no need for a battery replacement. From the moment you get the feeling that the starting gets tougher (slower or longer starting sequence), you might consider a new one.

OK I'll ask - what's involved in replacing the starter battery, reprogramming etc? 10 years old original here and seems ok, still never worked out if the solar charges the starter. Original leisure batteries though...
Stew

 

[Ch1pbutty]

OK I'll ask - what's involved in replacing the starter battery, reprogramming etc? 10 years old original here and seems ok, still never worked out if the solar charges the starter. Original leisure batteries though...
Stew

No coding required.

 

[Quiddle]

Maybe i'm being a bit paronoid.
my previous car used to eat big Bosche batteries every 5 years
the Cail has Solar so may on a good day get a 1A trickle charge
i have no means of plugging in at home the mains 240V or a trickle charger.
thanks everyone for their replies

If you have Bluetti or Ecoflow type powerbank you can charge off that via the hook up socket.

 

[chockswahay]

Of an a bit of a tangent, an interesting (or maybe not!) and perhaps rather surprising fact is that lead acid batteries are a big recycling success story and have been for decades. In the G7 the average recycling rate is 97% and in the UK it has reached 99% (that was a few years ago so may have changed).

This process was originally driven by H&S and economics rather than environmental concerns but is a great model for what can be achieved in manufacturing if the will is there. Lithium battery recycling lags far behind the older lead based technology.

We got £42 from the scrap yard for our last two batteries

 

[markjameshall]

I replaced the starter battery myself on my 6.1 California without any problems no recoding or whatever. Afterwards I realised the auto stop/start had not been operating for some time I believe that is a sure sign the battery is on its way out - it was the same on my Mk 7 Golf.
btw i have a "Ring Automotive ULTRABOOST 1500A 12V Car Battery Jump Starter" which I used a few times to start the van while the battery was completely knackered it only uses a few per cent of its charge for each start and has a 60W USB C port I recommend it.