Battery ruined my day!

[v8woollie]

Fully charged the V8V a couple of weeks ago just before the snow. Driven three times since the snow cleared including yesterday. Today tthe sole responsibility given to me by my wife was to get our youngest daughter to school. Get in the car, turn on the ignition, all lights OK and then click, click, click............ warnings about this and that, for some reason the rear brake lights stayed on and then everything dies. Battery flat as a pancake as the rear lights gradually fade out.

Don't understand why it went from OK to dead as a dodo overnight. Maybe at six years old it reached its end. Anyway, managed to jump start off my daughter’s car, reset the windows and get the car to Grange for a look over. Still has an alarm warning message up and the mirrors now don't fold when locking. On pre 2010 models I understand that this fold option has to be set by the dealer.

And to cap it all, I'm in the doghouse for not getting my daughter to school on time Happy Wednesday everyone

[Cockernee]

Very surprised Simon, I would have thought that even a flat battery would have turned over a V8

Yep, tis true that the cold weather can really pull down what seems like a perfectly good battery. Happened to my Son last week and he only has 4 cylinders

[brakedwell]

Three short journey would have depleted the battery, then the cold temperature takes it toll and the battery protection system cuts in.

[Little Donkey]

v8woollie said:

Fully charged the V8V a couple of weeks ago just before the snow. Driven three times since the snow cleared including yesterday. Today tthe sole responsibility given to me by my wife was to get our youngest daughter to school. Get in the car, turn on the ignition, all lights OK and then click, click, click............ warnings about this and that, for some reason the rear brake lights stayed on and then everything dies. Battery flat as a pancake as the rear lights gradually fade out.

Don't understand why it went from OK to dead as a dodo overnight. Maybe at six years old it reached its end. Anyway, managed to jump start off my daughter’s car, reset the windows and get the car to Grange for a look over. Still has an alarm warning message up and the mirrors now don't fold when locking. On pre 2010 models I understand that this fold option has to be set by the dealer.

And to cap it all, I'm in the doghouse for not getting my daughter to school on time Happy Wednesday everyone

Sounds like you're in need of a battery conditioner - saw them in car spares in Cheshunt when I was last there. You can get them on line, but just as easy to pick one up. If you're stuck, car spares is only a short detour off my journey to the office, so I could pick one up for you if that helps.

[verminator]

If the car isn't used every day why dont people use acumates? I can leave my cars for
months without starting them and they start first press of the button every time. I can
understand it if you have a remote gararge with no power in it but otherwise use a battery
conditioner.

[v8woollie]

I have a battery conditioner (Ctek MSX 5.0) but I can't get the car in the garage so I plug it in every two weeks and charge for 12-14 hours or until the seven lights are lit showing full charge.

I guess the cold weather and the short trips have done the deed. Just hope the battery is OK and only needs charging back up. Then again, may be worth getting a new one anyway for peace of mind as at six years old the current one probably isn't at optimum any more.

Just seemed odd that when it was started yesterday it was normal and didn't seem sluggish at all.

[snuffy]

v8woollie said:

Don't understand why it went from OK to dead as a dodo overnight.

I do, because it's Barry Tucked.

Car batteries tend to fail suddenly. One minute they are fine, the next they fail and that's the end of them. If you charge it fully and it wont hold its charge (i.e. flat again in a few hours) then its had it. Cold weather also kills them.

Time for a nice new one.

[mikey k]

v8woollie said:

Fully charged the V8V a couple of weeks ago just before the snow. Driven three times since the snow cleared including yesterday.

There's your problem
You need a "conditioner" on it
Though cold batteries with cold starting loads on them don't like it, so get it load checked to confirm it has survived
My S killed a 3 month old battery driving round with the roof down in sub zero temps for a day

[v8woollie]

mikey k said:

There's your problem
You need a "conditioner" on it
Though cold batteries with cold starting loads on them don't like it, so get it load checked to confirm it has survived
My S killed a 3 month old battery driving round with the roof down in sub zero temps for a day

I must admit every other car I have had I just drove, parked and drove again with no thought to battery charging, turning over to get oil flowing around the block etc.

All part of the Aston learning curve I guess

If it needs a new battery I guess I will get a heavy surcharge getting it through the dealer. What type of battery is it in a 2007 V8V and what price should I pay?

[V8 PLL]

v8woollie said:

I have a battery conditioner (Ctek MSX 5.0) but I can't get the car in the garage so I plug it in every two weeks and charge for 12-14 hours or until the seven lights are lit showing full charge.

I guess the cold weather and the short trips have done the deed. Just hope the battery is OK and only needs charging back up. Then again, may be worth getting a new one anyway for peace of mind as at six years old the current one probably isn't at optimum any more.

Just seemed odd that when it was started yesterday it was normal and didn't seem sluggish at all.

As you know I had the same problem just before Xmas, however, my problem was caused by the
AM Battery Conditioner burning out. One point to remember, if it's needs a new battery, AM batteries
apparently only comes with a 1 year warranty!!!!!!!

[yeti]

v8woollie said:

If it needs a new battery I guess I will get a heavy surcharge getting it through the dealer. What type of battery is it in a 2007 V8V and what price should I pay?

About 100-130 quid will get you a nice new shiny Varta one. It really is a pain to change though, save your fingers and back and get half an hour of garage time. Plus then all the warning lights can be properly extinguised.

[brakedwell]

v8woollie said:

If it needs a new battery I guess I will get a heavy surcharge getting it through the dealer. What type of battery is it in a 2007 V8V and what price should I pay?

At a dealer - about £180 fitted.

[v8woollie]

Thanks. I shall add this to my bottomless pit of expenditure

[mikey k]

v8woollie said:

mikey k said:

There's your problem
You need a "conditioner" on it
Though cold batteries with cold starting loads on them don't like it, so get it load checked to confirm it has survived
My S killed a 3 month old battery driving round with the roof down in sub zero temps for a day

I must admit every other car I have had I just drove, parked and drove again with no thought to battery charging, turning over to get oil flowing around the block etc.

The amount and sensitivity of electronics in modern cars mean they need the battery to be good.
A marginal battery will pull the system voltage right down when you crank a cold engine with thick oil, confusing the hell out of all the modules
It's not just an Aston thing (though they do seem more prone )

[v8woollie]

mikey k said:

The amount and sensitivity of electronics in modern cars mean they need the battery to be good.
A marginal battery will pull the system voltage right down when you crank a cold engine with thick oil, confusing the hell out of all the modules
It's not just an Aston thing (though they do seem more prone )

I'm sure that is the case. If I compare my 2007 4.3 V8 Aston to my 2007 4.2 V8 Audi S4 Cab I never once had to charge the S4 battery (which was the original one) and I drove it no more than the Aston nor any differently.

Is it perhaps the Tracker and other things still drawing current that mean if you leave the car for 17-30 days the battery will be flat anyway hence the need for a charger. Seems perhaps that an outdoor life for an Aston that is not used daily and driven for 30ish miles each day is not ideal. Maybe time to clear the garage out.

Edited by v8woollie on Wednesday 30th January 13:30

[mikey k]

v8woollie said:

Is it perhaps the Tracker and other things still drawing current that mean if you leave the car for 17-30 days the battery will be flat anyway hence the need for a charger. Seems perhaps that an outdoor life for an Aston that is not used daily and driven for 30ish miles each day is not ideal. Maybe time to clear the garage out.

Yep - as well as oil pumps priming and windows dropping when you open the doors along with various other modules & systems booting up
VH Astons do seem to drain batteries when they are asleep
Both mine have killed batteries, now I religiously put the conditioner on it every fortnight and leave it in the garage when it's cold or wet (most the time)
Ironically my old S2000's suffered the same fate as does Mrs K's little Shogun - both were fine when left on trickle charge

[v8woollie]

mikey k said:

Yep - as well as oil pumps priming and windows dropping when you open the doors along with various other modules & systems booting up
VH Astons do seem to drain batteries when they are asleep
Both mine have killed batteries, now I religiously put the conditioner on it every fortnight and leave it in the garage when it's cold or wet (most the time)
Ironically my old S2000's suffered the same fate as does Mrs K's little Shogun - both were fine when left on trickle charge

Ah, the quintessentially English motor Learing to live with your Aston is part of the pleasure I suppose.

[mikey k]

"character building"

[F1 NDW]

v8woollie said:

Maybe time to clear the garage out.

Edited by v8woollie on Wednesday 30th January 13:30

Now your talking Simon and the car will love you for it!
I'll bet all the junk you get out doesnt equal the value of the Astons wheels. You are keeping junk warm and dry whilst the PAJ age's outside!

[v8woollie]

F1 NDW said:

Now your talking Simon and the car will love you for it!
I'll bet all the junk you get out doesnt equal the value of the Astons wheels. You are keeping junk warm and dry whilst the PAJ age's outside!

Junk!! My wife swears we will need it all one day I am all for getting a skip and using my normal approach, that being if we haven't touched it in the past year then we probably don't need it. Sadly, SWMBO doesn't adhere to my philosophy