Technical Is this the original battery, should it be replaced? (4x4 0.9 TA)

[daquirm]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a 2019 Panda 4x4 0.9 TA. Two days ago, I had to jump-start it because the battery was flat. The car had been stationary for 10-12 days due to delayed paperwork and the insurance process. I'm unsure if the battery was fully charged before this incident. The 120,000-kilometer service is approaching in about 5,000 kilometers, so there's still some time before many components get replaced. However, following this incident, I'm contemplating whether to replace the battery preemptively.

Charging and inspecting the current battery costs about half of what a new battery for this compact car would cost. I feel it might be dumb to spend that amount, even if the current battery has another year or two of life left (which I believe is highly unlikely). On the other hand, I'd prefer not to contribute to waste, considering the environment and all, and throw out and otherwise usable battery just because of my ignorance. How long do these batteries typically last? What is your experience, how many days can they typically hold their charge in weather between 20-25°C in these cars?

This is the current battery in the car, and I suspect it's the original one that the previous owner hasn't replaced in over four years.

This one seems to be compatible; the specifications and part number check out (at least based on the current battery), and it's designed specifically for Start-Stop cars like ours:

560 500 064 | Varta Automotive

VARTA® Blue Dynamic EFB — the start-stop entry-level product for superior performance needs.

www.varta-automotive.com

What do you think?

(Edit: fixed embedded images)

 

[Greasytrucker]

Personally i'd give it one chance if you don’t really know much about the car. It might be that the battery is fine and it’s just a case it was moved a few times before you bought it not allowing it to put much charge back in. At the end of the day if you take it for a half hour drive with everything turned off to put some charge in and after that if it goes flat again I’d replace. If you’ve got a multimeter it should register well over 13v even if left for a while and should be in the the high 13’s or low 14’s when running. If it is original 4 years is getting close to needing replacement i’d have thought

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi

A common question..

Fiat 500 Stop Start Battery | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi, The stop start function is not working, I have charged the battery and it did work on the day I reconnected it but the following day it was not functioning again . The battery fitted is a Yuasa YBX7027 12 volt 65amp, is this the correct battery for this car, the battery does start the engine...

www.fiatforum.com

My 2012 punto got 10 years.. And sat for Weeks in lockdown

It's either..:

Flat.. Low on charge from being started.. But not driven
Car Sales.. Typically

Or.. You have a drain on the power

Boot light on..? RADIO not shutting down?

Does the mileage/ odometer flash?

 

[The Panda Nut]

If your laying out half the cost of a battery just for a charge I would be tempted to repalce as you are thinking but check teh alternator belt is good and if possible check you are charging propely too before doing this. I get 14,4v at tickover and this does not drop with everything turned on. I have found that just running the radio is enough howeverto knock these new type batteries down in a couple of hours so its not necessarily finished. I have a 2019 4x4 too and hope to get at least another couple of years from the nattery. If the stop start system was working before this happened its a pointer the battery may be OK.

 

[jrkitching]

On a 500. a fully charged battery in new condition will still start the car after standing for a month, but is unlikely to do so after two months.

Leaving a car battery heavily discharged for even a relatively short period of time can permanently ruin it. A used car that's been sitting on the lot for a couple of months is quite likely to need a battery replacement.

I once bought a brand new car that had been sitting for about two months after delivery to the dealership, the battery failed completely when it was 13 months old (and unhelpfully just out of its battery warranty).

On a 4yr old car, I wouldn't spend much time messing about with a dubious battery, I'd just replace it.

Perhaps give it one last chance - a full charge on the bench, and if it fails to work properly again, send it for recycling.

 

[daquirm]

Thanks for the answers. I just noticed the images did not display properly - I fixed them now.

If the stop start system was working before this happened its a pointer the battery may be OK.

I am glad you brought this up. The stop-start system did not work before the incident. I did not think much of it, as I never had a car with this feature before and I haven't fully read the owner's guide to know it activates with each engine start. Now that I put about 80km in the car, and the battery had a chance to charge, start-stop does work. To clarify, it has been working since the initial 15km "charge ride" after the jump start.

The weird thing is that the battery light did not stay on or flashed after the engine start before the incident... I would have noticed that. Originally, I drove the car back from the dealership about 15km before letting it sit for the 10-12 days I mentioned in my OP.

 

[daquirm]

Hi

A common question..

Fiat 500 Stop Start Battery | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi, The stop start function is not working, I have charged the battery and it did work on the day I reconnected it but the following day it was not functioning again . The battery fitted is a Yuasa YBX7027 12 volt 65amp, is this the correct battery for this car, the battery does start the engine...

www.fiatforum.com

Thank you. This was a very informative read for someone new to cars with SS, like myself.

Based on this, the SS system is a good indicator of battery health and I should keep a close eye on it.

 

[daquirm]

Perhaps give it one last chance - a full charge on the bench, and if it fails to work properly again, send it for recycling.

This would probably be the most sensible and least wasteful thing to do, given all the information I received in this thread so far. I will charge the battery and see how many days before the stop-start starts to fail again - if at all.

 

[Panda IIs]

Thank you. This was a very informative read for someone new to cars with SS, like myself.

Based on this, the SS system is a good indicator of battery health and I should keep a close eye on it.

Well just don't change the battery every time the stop-start doesn't work! I would say it is an indicator but not a reliable one! Battery voltage is monitored for stop-start functionality but in my experience it has a very high threashold and therefore will not work unless the battery is right on its game.

There should be a sticker on your existing battery that gives the charge date (to identify if indeed it is the original one)?

 

[Big gerry]

Hi if I was in your boots I’d replace that’s the same battery that’s in my panda it’s not worth messing about with it for heads peace a battery could last you two years or ten it’s hit and miss you need the car to start when you go to it

 

[The Panda Nut]

Thanks for the answers. I just noticed the images did not display properly - I fixed them now.


I am glad you brought this up. The stop-start system did not work before the incident. I did not think much of it, as I never had a car with this feature before and I haven't fully read the owner's guide to know it activates with each engine start. Now that I put about 80km in the car, and the battery had a chance to charge, start-stop does work. To clarify, it has been working since the initial 15km "charge ride" after the jump start.

The weird thing is that the battery light did not stay on or flashed after the engine start before the incident... I would have noticed that. Originally, I drove the car back from the dealership about 15km before letting it sit for the 10-12 days I mentioned in my OP.

I find it works seamlessly in the background and turns the car off if I stop, slip it into neutral and take my foot off the clutch. It is normally quick enough to restart when I set off that I dont notice it. It seems to be the first thing to stop working when the battery is dying.