Day 1 of euro road tour.....battery issue......help!

Day 1 of euro road tour.....battery issue......help!

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bigunit00

Original Poster:

890 posts

146 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
Guys,

Hope you are all recovering from Kentucky Sunday at Jez's place.

Some assistance required. I left for euro tour this morning and had the car on trickle charger for a day and half and probably 3.5 days of last 5. Thought that would be ok to top it up. Basically laboured to start this morning but had a channel tunnel time so headed off anyway. Started twice at the tunnel but when I went to start it a third time to get off the tunnel.......yep....nada.......had to push it out with some help and get it jump started. I decided to push on as far as I could and made it to Reims. Put some more fuel in and didn't think it would start....but it did miraculously. So have made it to the hotel but

- warning on dash is showing low Battery ......and there is an obvious reluctance to start on the key
- I have euro breakdown through classicline so will call them tommorrow. Intention is to get them to fit a new battery before I set off go the next leg

Questions:

- what battery spec should I ask them to bring/ buy and fit ?
- If the battery is dead flat in the morning how do I get into th car?
- anything else I need to consider?

Car did sit around a bit (probably 3 mths) before I picked it up and wasn't on trickle charge. I then used it on weekends only for the 2 mths or so I had it for circa 1k miles. I think the battery is just toast.

Any assistance appreciated. I would search and research moe myself but the hotel literally had no Internet access for the first time ever and am having to type this out across the road...........not my day !!!

mik_ok

1,568 posts

240 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
You need a type 096 battery.

Bosch S5008 is about as powerful as they come and has a 5yr warranty. Exide do one with similar spec.

If the battery is so low that the central locking wont trigger (unlikely) then you could do worse things than inserting your key into the suitably shaped aperture on the drivers door handle and turning it. Old school. cool

Edited by mik_ok on Sunday 14th September 19:18

pah250

3,267 posts

154 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
Might be worth having a look in Engineering mode to get the car to tell you the percent charge is in the battery:

(stole this pic from someone else with a flat battery)



Just hold down the left thumb wheel as you turn the ignition on to get into engineering mode and read the battery charge. Ignore the battery voltage, it can still read 12v to 14v even though there is little or no charge in the battery.

The battery you need (from the wiki page) is:

S5008 096 BOSCH Car Battery 12V 77Ah

pah250

3,267 posts

154 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
As for getting into the car with a dead battery, use the key to open the drivers door. You'll have to turn the key so hard that you'll think you're going to snap the key, but it will turn eventually and open the drivers door only.

Then open the glove box and I think there is a boot release button in there to get at the battery.

Failing that, climb into the back of the car and to the side of one of the rear seat head rests is a button that will allow you to drop the ski hatch opening in the centre of the rear seat to access the boot.

Hope this helps. Not nice when you're on the continent with an issue frown

mik_ok

1,568 posts

240 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
pah250 said:
Failing that, climb into the back of the car and to the side of one of the rear seat head rests is a button that will allow you to drop the ski hatch opening in the centre of the rear seat to access the boot.
The button for this is under the centre headrest (in the back)

You'll find a pull-cord in there if you don't have enough juice to drive the boot release solenoid.

snowwolf

11,503 posts

174 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
Once you get the battery fitted, put a volt meter across the battery terminals on the battery of on the jump start connections under the bonnet, should read 12 volt with engine not running and about 13.8 - 14 volt with engine running, checking the latter will rule out alternator problems.

preciousmetal

3,369 posts

175 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
Andrew. Just got back from KFCSunday. Sorry to hear your woes on first leg. The battery suggested ^ is good advice. Can't imagine it's more than that and yes check on dash battery info. If you get a receipt for battery will sort something out with you when back

hope you get sorted asap. JB


Edited by preciousmetal on Sunday 14th September 21:34

Xpuffin

9,209 posts

204 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all
Just put one of these in the GT2.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-S5-Car-Battery-Typ...
Will fit the turbo too but not sure about the classics, just popped outside and measured the old one.
170x270 180 high with the positive terminal top left.

Which car did you take?


Oops guess you took the 8. Still my link is an 096 and the dimensions are the same.

Edited by Xpuffin on Sunday 14th September 21:15

bigunit00

Original Poster:

890 posts

146 months

Monday 15th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks everyone!!!!! Got breakdown guys coming in an hr so will let you know how I get on

bigunit00

Original Poster:

890 posts

146 months

Monday 15th September 2014
quotequote all
All sorted. ADAC just out and confirmed dead battery. New one in. Off I go again! Will post a thread on the trip when I get back.

preciousmetal

3,369 posts

175 months

Monday 15th September 2014
quotequote all
Andrew

That's service for you, have a good trip, maybe it being sat here not used for 3 months was the start of it going flat. they are battery sensitive. sorry for any inconvenience caused

regards
James

bigunit00

Original Poster:

890 posts

146 months

Monday 15th September 2014
quotequote all
No problem James. Porsche are exactly the same. Lots of experience there with drained batteries!! Just made it to my next stop in Germany and was bailed up by a German bloke asking me what it was and can he take a photo of the engine lol. He drives a Boxster....shame...i told him to hand his man card over immediately smile

preciousmetal

3,369 posts

175 months

Monday 15th September 2014
quotequote all
bigunit00 said:
No problem James. Porsche are exactly the same. Lots of experience there with drained batteries!! Just made it to my next stop in Germany and was bailed up by a German bloke asking me what it was and can he take a photo of the engine lol. He drives a Boxster....shame...i told him to hand his man card over immediately smile
rofl

enjoy driving