My service engine soon light appears almost every month. My dealer service department says (2 times already) battery low error. They recharge the battery and says the charging system is ok. I have been stuck with a weak battery 3 times, also had to call to get jump starts. The jump start technicians tell me if I don't make long drives, the battery is unable to charge enough. I rarely drive for more than 10 minutes (10 miles) one way. Rarely do freeway driving. ( living on an island that is 106 miles around, long drives are not possible ) LOL

I have read somewhere on this forum, a post about the battery (factory installed) battery is not rated high enough. That by purchasing a higher rated battery will solve this recurring problem. I have found that if I charge my battery at home when this service engine soon light lights, the light will go off after 2 days.

Having to re-charge this battery almost every month is a chore. Also when that DAM service engine soon light, lights, I feel I need to return home to recharge the battery before I get stranded in some parking lot some where, again ! ! ! ! H E L P ! THANKS !

 

So I finally purchased a new battery. higher reserve capacity and 850 CCA. much higher than the factory specs of factory battery and ..................

• The group size 34 battery from DieHard Platinum comes with a 135-hour long reserve capacity for reliable starts during emergencies
• With 850 CCA, 99.99% pure virgin lead plates and tin-coated brass terminals this battery is ideal for North and South temperature zones

I STILL getting the same low battery error code when service engine soon light , lights.
So i am just waiting to get stranded again with a click... click..... dead BATTERY.

 

Have you measured the voltages on the battery when the engine is running? and what the charging current is?. Don't always trust the dealer.

The other thing to check is the current drain when you switch everything off. You'll need to monitor it for about 20 minutes to ensure that all the modules have gone to sleep and it's not something drawing excess power that is draining the battery.

A solar trickle charger fitted to the roof - dont know if they are any use?


Regards
Richard

 

The drain on my battery is about an amp. at all-off.
So a solar cell charger will have to make at least that at around 14volt.

Leedsman.

 

You are drawing far too much current with everything off. Should be less than around 50 milliamps after the van has sat 15 minutes with the meter connected. You have what is called a parasitic drain. Pull fuses till the meter reads in the neighborhood of 30-50 milliamps. Whatever fuse brings it into spec is the problem circuit.

Battery drain – How to test : Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice

 

- these vehicles are still 'working' 16 minutes after you switch them off and walk away
- only then does the BUS go into its normal 'draw' mode
- parasitic test should be performed after 16 minutes have passed
- don't forget windows up / doors closed & tape down the bonnet alarm sensor while testing

I use a cheepo £12 solar trickle charger into the LHS cigarette lighter, never had one problem since. Its a quick, cheap and effective workaround.

 

I've done some work on this problem, and I've found the easiest answer is to keep the battery on "float-charge" of exactly 13.8volt ALL THE TIME the vehicle is not in use. On a fully charged battery the float-charge current demand is only around 100m/A (= .1 amp), so any small regulated power supply such as ones for computers will do. The regulated output voltage is clearly stated on the label. Of course if you live in a block of flats, you're stuffed....

The two reasons for the problem are --
1)The battery is too small for the job, esp. with diesels.
2) The residual current draw for the micros is too high at 50m/A quoted. (I suspect it's more than this). Keeping memories alive shouldn't take anything like as much as that. It's probably very old-fashioned technology in use.
2.5) If the motor isn't used much, it will exacerbate the problem.

Leedsman.

 

Forgot:--
I should have added I keep a fully charged (topped up with a small charge every week) battery in the boot/trunk, plus a couple of good quality german jump leads. So I'm not going to be expensively stranded Mr Chrysler!
The battery cost me £15 from a scrap/junkyard. Of course I tested it with my testlamp before I bought it. My testlamp is an old car headlight with some thick wires soldered to it. Then I charged it up carefully at a trickle charge for a long time to give it the best chance.

Leedsman.