What to do with main dealer washing their hands

badmemory

I was going to get a hybrid next time.  Whoops not going to be happening now as I can go days without using it.

subjecttocontract

I had a flat battery on an 18 month old Porsche. I called the AA out who turned up with a car transporter, loaded the car on and took it to the main dealer in Stratford. 3 days later the car was returned on a transporter having had a new battery fitted under warranty. No cost to me. It wasn't a hybrid and I hadn't parked it with the lights left on. I suspect the flat battery was caused by my operating the folding roof to many times during a very hot/sunny summer period. Nevertheless a new battery was covered under warranty. 

Marmaduke123

badmemory said:

I was going to get a hybrid next time.  Whoops not going to be happening now as I can go days without using it.

I've got a 4yr old Toyota hybrid. I normally do short journeys, and can easily go a week without using it. No battery problems so far!

victor2

Marmaduke123 said:

badmemory said:

I was going to get a hybrid next time.  Whoops not going to be happening now as I can go days without using it.

I've got a 4yr old Toyota hybrid. I normally do short journeys, and can easily go a week without using it. No battery problems so far!

The irritating thing is you get no hint that the battery is nearing the end of its life - until it won't unlock from the remote because the battery is dead. Unlike a car with a conventional starter motor, you won't hear it struggling to start, either there's sufficient voltage there to power the electronics or there isn't!

Keep_pedalling

badmemory said:

I was going to get a hybrid next time.  Whoops not going to be happening now as I can go days without using it.

Based on what one total stranger on the internet said! If that is how you make a decision on your next car you would be put off every one you were thinking about. 

WellKnownSid

badmemory said:

I was going to get a hybrid next time.  Whoops not going to be happening now as I can go days without using it.

There are 2.3 million hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles on the road in the UK.  They're not all dropping like flies because the owner doesn't use them for a few days.

photome

WellKnownSid said:

For future reference, you don’t need to drive the car to top up the 12v battery, just sit in it and have it turned on (ready green) for 30 minutes. The DC/DC converter will charge the 12v battery from the HV battery and the HV battery will start the engine if that needs topping up.

My son is an apprentice for a main dealer and starting / collecting customers’ cars (often who are ill or elderly) with dead batteries due to car underuse is an every day event.

If the battery is flat the car won’t go in to ready mode 

at least my Corolla wouldn’t a few weeks ago. AA sorted it for me tho

unforeseen

subjecttocontract said:

I had a flat battery on an 18 month old Porsche. I called the AA out who turned up with a car transporter, loaded the car on and took it to the main dealer in Stratford. 3 days later the car was returned on a transporter having had a new battery fitted under warranty. No cost to me. It wasn't a hybrid and I hadn't parked it with the lights left on. I suspect the flat battery was caused by my operating the folding roof to many times during a very hot/sunny summer period. Nevertheless a new battery was covered under warranty. 

Probably because that was covered by the level of cover on the vehicle. In the OP's cousin's case that level of cover wasn't present

WellKnownSid

photome said:

WellKnownSid said:

For future reference, you don’t need to drive the car to top up the 12v battery, just sit in it and have it turned on (ready green) for 30 minutes. The DC/DC converter will charge the 12v battery from the HV battery and the HV battery will start the engine if that needs topping up.

My son is an apprentice for a main dealer and starting / collecting customers’ cars (often who are ill or elderly) with dead batteries due to car underuse is an every day event.

If the battery is flat the car won’t go in to ready mode 

at least my Corolla wouldn’t a few weeks ago. AA sorted it for me tho

As I say, for future reference and to avoid the 12v battery going flat in the first place - the advice was to drive the car around more, but there is no requirement to actually drive the car around to charge it up, all the owner has to do is sit in the car in Ready mode for 30 mins.

The 12v battery only has to power up a few computers and the HV contactor - but if it can't manage that then you need a jump.

Note you can jump start a hybrid or electric vehicle from any car (don't know about Tesla), but you cannot jump start an ICE car from a hybrid or EV, unless you want to shell out for a new 12v battery, DC/DC converter, etc.

Bigwheels1111

My friend 2015 Prius with 190k on the clock and original AGM battery was just left form 23 days without starting.

Got back from holiday and started and drove away in it.