Low mileage battery problems

ripplyuk · 6 December 2019 at 4:04PM

I only do 4000-5000 miles per year. This was never a problem with my previous cars. My old Corsa could sit for a fortnight in mid-winter and still start with no issues. This Volkswagen Up seems to have problems after a day or two.

Yesterday it started ok but I only did a short journey. Today it had problems and took a while to get it started. I drove straight to the garage. They tested the battery and said it’s fine and that I’m just not driving it enough. He suggested leaving it running in the driveway for an hour each day. Besides being worried about theft, I’m not sure this will work. Does the car not need to be moving to charge the battery? Is it bad for the car in other ways to leave it running stationary so long?

I told him that I never had this issue before getting this car. He said they are built differently and that the Up would be ‘more electrical’ than the Corsa. Is this right?

Does anyone know how many miles I need to do to charge up the battery and stop this problem occurring again? Should I get some sort of car electrician to look at it?

alan_d · 6 December 2019 at 4:09PM

The battery may be 'OK' but far from great. The first sign of a battery getting old is that it struggles to start the car after a few days. All modern cars have stuff that constantly draws power (eg alarm, radio, central locking) and the battery needs to power this, and cranking a cold engine in winter with thick oil is difficult. If the battery is more than about 3 years old i'd be suspicious of it's health.
I bet a pint that with a new (decent) battery fitted it'll be OK.

missile · 6 December 2019 at 4:28PM

I would suggest you invest in a battery charger, they are not expensive.
I have recently purchased a Portable jump starter.

Even a good battery may struggle during winter. Leaving it running for an hour each day is crazy. Ignoring the cost of fuel etc, at tick over the engine will not charge the battery sufficiently.

Your idiot mechanic might suggest a brick on the throttle?

iolanthe07 · 6 December 2019 at 4:39PM

Another vote for a portable jump starter. Mine cost around £30 and is about the size of a medium sized hardback book. It doubles as a torch and a phone charger and will start a car several times before it needs recharging from the mains. It fixes on to the battery terminals with crocodile clips; just be sure to connect them up in the right order.

Ebe_Scrooge · 6 December 2019 at 4:42PM

First off, I agree with the previous posters - odds on a new battery is what's needed, they're not massively expensive online.

ripplyuk wrote: »

He suggested leaving it running in the driveway for an hour each day. Besides being worried about theft, I’m not sure this will work. Does the car not need to be moving to charge the battery? Is it bad for the car in other ways to leave it running stationary so long?

Secondly, I'd be looking for a new garage. Leave it running in the driveway for an hour each day ???? When a car is idling it puts very little juice into the battery - a decent 15 minute run down the motorway will be far more effective. Leaving a car idling for long periods - ok, it's not catastrophic, but it doesn't do the engine a huge amount of good. To say nothing of the fuel you'll be burning unnecessarily, and the emissions (though believe me, I'm no tree-hugger!).

So yes, you could try a charger, this may well see you through the winter, but odds on you'll be needing a new battery soon. Winter puts a strain on any battery, and one of the first signs that it's on its last legs is difficulty in holding charge. Lots of cold starts and short runs will just exacerbate the problem.

EdGasketTheSecond · 6 December 2019 at 4:43PM

You might have something draining the battery like a boot light or glovebox light stuck on or some other electronic device draining the battery more than it should.

AdrianC · 6 December 2019 at 5:38PM

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

You might have something draining the battery like a boot light or glovebox light stuck on or some other electronic device draining the battery more than it should.

Or just a hell of a lot more electronics than the old Corsa had, all taking quiescent draw while the car's just sat there.

This is certainly the time of year that an iffy battery is going to start to make its presence felt.

OP - how old is this car?

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

Leave it running in the driveway for an hour each day ???? When a car is idling it puts very little juice into the battery

The 1960s called - they'd like their dynamos back.

missile · 6 December 2019 at 6:15PM

iolanthe07 wrote: »

Another vote for a portable jump starter. Mine cost around £30 and is about the size of a medium sized hardback book. It doubles as a torch and a phone charger and will start a car several times before it needs recharging from the mains. It fixes on to the battery terminals with crocodile clips; just be sure to connect them up in the right order.

Have you tried yours? First one I got did little more than turn the engine over VERY slowly. I sent it back and got a better one.

ripplyuk · 6 December 2019 at 7:09PM

Thanks for the replies. The car is 5yo. I’m not going to buy a portable battery charger or jump starter. I wouldn’t have a clue what I’m doing. I know nothing about electrics or mechanical stuff and I don’t feel at all comfortable messing about with it. To be honest, I don’t want the hassle either. I just want the car to work.

I have a dash cam which caused battery problems last year as the guy had wired it in wrong. That has been fixed (apparently!). It turns off when I take the keys out. The dash cam screen had a warning yesterday that the battery was low but I didn’t know what battery it was talking about so I just ignored it.

I’m happy to buy a new battery. How would I know it’s a brand new one and not something the mechanic has taken from an old car? Do they have a date on them?

daveyjp · 6 December 2019 at 7:17PM

At 5 years old and low mileage it may be failing.

However a proper test should be done, not a simple volt meter across the terminals, it isn't sealed the fluid levels should also be checked.

Our second car does similar mileage, but at least once a month we will use it for a longer journey. Motorway for at least 20 miles.

Idling on the drive is not how you charge a battery.

clarkey1984 · 6 December 2019 at 8:27PM

A battery may well show up as good after a short drive, but I'd bet it'll be a different story on a cold day if it's been sat for any amount of days, plus as already said vehicles these days have so many things constantly drawing power compared to the cars of yesteryear, although despite what others have said, a healthy alternator should put out just over 14v regardless of engine rpm, although leaving a car running unattended is a terrible idea for a number of reasons.

Low mileage battery problems

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