Gav
|
 posted on 7/3/08 at 11:45 AM |
|
|
Dead battery after tin top repairs
My car was hit about 4 weeks ago by my a neighbour who owned up and i got my car fixed by Direct Line.
Had a rental Golf GT TDI 2.0 all that time and is a cracking car!
Now when i went to pick mine up from repair it wouldnt start so the guy jumped it from a battery pack, he said to take it for a spin for an 30 mins or
so to get sme charge back in it, which i did except it still wouldnt start when i turned it off, so i left it charging all night and still no charge
in it in the morning.
Battery is buggered i thinks and ring the company who fixed the car and discharged the battery who basically told me to bugger off as its a servicable
item.
Now i was quite pissed at this point as i had no car with the prospect of shelling out for a new battery that was not fault of my own.
Rang direct line who sorted me a rental car first thing and said they will sort my car out next week as their is no chance they will get anyone to
sort it before the weekend.
Gotta say im really impressed with Direct Line!
Presumably the company wouldnt replace the battery as they had signed off the job as complete and it would be coming out of there own pocket so would
want a fresh order from direct line to get it fixed.
Still it all hassle that i could do with out
|
|
|
|
|
worX
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 11:48 AM |
|
|
I know this is going to sound a bit sceptical, but do you recognise the battery as being the one that was in the car when it was sent in?
Steve
|
|
|
muzchap
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 11:55 AM |
|
|
This happens A LOT on batterys that have been run down.
Solution (I know I'll get flamed for this)
In order to 'rescue' a battery (if it's still serviceable, i.e. no plates welded etc etc - after a prolongued period of
discharge)
Get a decent industrial battery charger, or one with a high output 'cranking' feature - connect and leave on the highest setting possible
for about 10 mins - this should force the battery to then accept charge.
I've recovered about 5-6 batteries like this...
Be careful though have seen my mate blow the side out of a lorry battery 
------------------------------------
If you believe you're not crazy, whilst everybody is telling you, you are - then they are definitely wrong!
------------------------------------
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 12:14 PM |
|
|
Even with old style batteries an alternator cannot recharge a completely flat battery, with new types of battery the problem is even worse because
they need jolted with a a higher voltage to get the charge going. Sometimes connecting the duff battery with a set of jump leads to good battery
fitted to car running at fast idle for 20 minutes and then putting it immediately on charge will do the trick
I suspect what will happen is they will offer a percentage contribution based on age of the battery to the cost of a new battery --- might actually
have been cheaper just to buy a budget battery yourself.
|
|
|
mookaloid
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 01:31 PM |
|
|
Surely if the battery has died due to being discharged and neglected by the repairers, then that is either their failure to correctly look after the
car or a consequence of the car being off the road for a month - caused by the neighbour's accident.
Worth asking IMHO 
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
|
|
|
RazMan
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 01:49 PM |
|
|
Th same thing happened to me when I sold my old BMW and had it standing for a month, waiting to be picked up by the new buyer. The battery refused to
accept a charge despite having been faultless during daily use. In the end I had to fork out £80 on a new battery so that the buyer could shift the
car off my drive
The moral of the story is .... trickle charge when taken off the road 
The battery will not be covered in this type of situation as it was on its last legs and needed daily charging to keep it in a useable state - this
happens a lot in long term parking and the only answer is a new battery unless it can be 'shocked' back into temporary life as described
as already said - but that can be risky.
[Edited on 7-3-08 by RazMan]
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
|
|
|
pewe
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 02:25 PM |
|
|
If you don't use the car regularly it's worth putting it on charge about once a month. Modern cars draw from the battery when stationary
and drain the battery. On start-up the alternator will whack in big amps to make up the deficit. Over a period of time that will lead to battery
failure as the plates aren't designed to accept big charges.
That's why the batt. cos only offer a two year warranty as use varies so much.
Could be that it was on its last legs anyway.
Cheers, Pewe
|
|
|
britishtrident
|
| posted on 7/3/08 at 04:40 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
Surely if the battery has died due to being discharged and neglected by the repairers, then that is either their failure to correctly look after the
car or a consequence of the car being off the road for a month - caused by the neighbour's accident.
Worth asking IMHO
Car batteries have a finite life -- they take a lot of abuse. With replacement bateries the manufacturers have it down to a fine art the battery
will last 6 to 18 months max longer than the warranty period.
When replacing a battery in a car you intend to hold on to it pays to buy a premium grade battery with the longer warranty rather than a budget
battery.
[Edited on 7/3/08 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
|
|
|
