Stop / Start and battery condition

[PHB1969]

Sorry, perhaps I should have added that they charged the battery and had it over 80% and say stop/start works. I’ve told them to go and check the charge of the battery now and understand if the battery is knackered etc. I’m really frustrated as i can see this going on and on......

 

[PHB1969]

Also worried that a low battery charge will cause the alternator to be worked harder than expected - had one burn out on a different car when the battery was knackered.

 

[Motorhead]

Paul,

Clearly your problem is related to low battery voltage. A 40-mile drive should be more than sufficient to charge the battery, provided both it and the charging circuit are up to scratch.

Keep badgering the dealer until you get satisfaction.

Jeff

 

[PHB1969]

They have run further diagnostics and say no fult with either the battery or the charging system.

I'm off to pick the car up and am seeing the service advisor, service manager and service technician and taking the ctek with me. Have asked them to validate that the connections are ok for the ctek - ie not bypassing the battery charge regulation device (which is bypassed if you go straight to negative)

I'm just talking to amazon about a refund / replacement item - once an order is over 2 years old, the auto return function disappears!!

I'm not convinced this will fix the problem - but happy to be wrong.......

 

[PHB1969]

Car picked up.

Their view is the car may not have had a fully charged battery from new. Asked which dealer I got it from and said ahhh yes....them again!

They also still maintain that a ctek will not charge the battery to any extent, just maintain the current charge level - not sure I agree.

They checked my ctek wiring and agreed that it was good and voltage readings matched theirs from the terminals.

Short of swapping the ctek (and amazon are a nightmare - it's a 5 year guarantee that they wont honour and the guarantee says return to the point of purchase!)

So - I'm in suck it and see mode now......not sure if to change the charger or not and would welcome any feedback on what the ctek will or wont do.....if the consensus is it should get to 100% charged and maintain at that then i'm going to do my head in with Amazon again!!)

 

[Motorhead]

They also still maintain that a ctek will not charge the battery to any extent, just maintain the current charge level - not sure I agree.

I’m with you on that Paul. Why don’t you contact CTEK directly and ask the question?

Jeff

 

[AndrewCS]

My ancient CTEK unit will charge an absolutely flat battery back to useable in ~ a week. The batteries have then gone on to function OK

Whilst they showed > 12v I believe that that does not necessarily mean that they are completely charged ?

 

[PHB1969]

They also still maintain that a ctek will not charge the battery to any extent, just maintain the current charge level - not sure I agree.

I’m with you on that Paul. Why don’t you contact CTEK directly and ask the question?

Jeff

Hi Jeff - I’m on it.... .

Have emailed ctek to ask if they could provide a statement of how their charger operates (ie does it charge or does it maintain) so I can share it with Porsche. Have also asked if lights 7 & 8 mean the battery is fully charged (or thereabouts). I have asked about how I return the unit to them for testing/replacement as Amazon are dismally poor!

Just one thought - my connection is under the frunk and I leave it open whilst on charge - I lock the car (otherwise frunk light stays on). I think I’ve answered my own question here - there can’t be a drain on the battery through the drunk being open (but locked) as otherwise the ctek wouldn’t register 8 lights.....

There is definitely something wrong here - technician says battery is under warranty but must do 2500 per year - I had done c 2300 - it’s been lockdown for Christ’s sake!!!

What im struggling with is why my old cayman with the same charger was 100% ok. It used same mounting points, was used less but had the same lights etc and was all ok.....hmmmm

 

[Motorhead]

No need to leave the bonnet/frunk open Paul. Just feed the cable through the gap between the windscreen wiper panel and the bonnet and close the bonnet; the gap’s big enough not to pinch the cable.

I have to say that it sounds as though the dealer’s being particularly obstructive, but with what I assume is a factory warranty maybe their actions are being driven by Stuttgart? And if the battery’s on a conditioner I can’t see how a 2,500 miles a year requirement is relevant. Porsche’s approved conditioner is just a relabelled CTEK too!

It seems as though you’ve got a decent plan in place and I hope you get it sorted.

Jeff

 

[PHB1969]

Cheers Jeff - will look at routing the cable as suggested for charging. Will also contact the dealer today and see if the service advisor is in and ask him to look at the Porsche labelled ctek and explain what I would be buying, just so we are on the same page!

 

[BrianJ]

You could always ask if they would temporarily lend you one of theirs from the stock they use for showroom cars to see if it makes any difference.....

 

[PHB1969]

Will buy a new one on Prime. They are sold by the ctek store so should be ok.... And will sort out of I need to return it or a replacement item they provide when it works itself out.

 

[JohnCRS]

Just a thought. I have put the negative earth to one of the spare bolt holes in the near side turret top (981) Why not try that and see if there is a different result?

 

[PHB1969]

Just gone into the garage to get the wet & dry vac for puppy wee!

The ctek has the red error light on light number 5

Looking at the manual the error is battery cannot keep charge and may need to be replaced

I wonder who I’m calling tomorrow......not happy

 

[PHB1969]

...struggling with images!!!

 

[PHB1969]

Called OPC after ctek error and earliest booking with a car (VW Up!) was today - they had ordered in a battery and were due to undertake further “advanced” diagnostics. Car taken in this morning and received a call this afternoon. The rear hatch is not registering as closed so there is a permanent drain on the battery (no dash warnings, no rattles). New rear latch on order from Germany - expected Tuesday. Hopefully this fixes it....but unsure why this wasn’t established last time it was in.

 

[PHB1969]

Brief update - got a call today - there is an upper latch (on the tailgate) and a bracket (that the latch closes into). The upper latch was ordered, the lower bracket has arrived....so OPC contacting Germany to try to get the right part. Given the last order was done on Thursday (to Tuesday) i’m guessing it’s unlikely that this will be resolved by the weekend.....

 

[PHB1969]

And so it goes on...........today picked the car up after it has been with the OPC for since Thursday 23rd Sept - 1 week 1 day with a VW Up!

The rear hatch latch has been changed now. Went shopping after I picked it up, then home.

Stuck it on the ctek at about 1100.

Went in the garage and 1315 (as commissioning the boiler) and the error lamp and #5 is on the ctek - "Battery can not accept charge and may need replacing"

I am starting to get extremely annoyed - have rung the OPC - Service have gone. Have emailed the Aftersales Manager. My assumption now is that if there has been a constant drain on the battery, it has limited it's ability to hold charge hence it should be changed.

 

[Motorhead]

I‘m inclined to agree with your last statement Paul. Continually draining a battery to a very low state doesn’t do it any good and may have damaged it permanently. I’d insist that the dealer replaces it. You mentioned that they’d ordered a replacement! []

Jeff

 

[PHB1969]

I dropped an email through to the OPC on Saturday. They have been nothing but helpful and are replacing the battery. All booked in for later this month. Also offered an unexpected gesture of goodwill, which was just amazing and very kind.