Car battery suddenly dead without warning

[Shicky]

Hi all,

posted in here a few times with my general lack of clue about anything related to cars. We have a 2013 Hyundai i20 ( yes you can tell we aren't car people .) We do about 6000 miles a year and I try to avoid using it. It has been in great condition, having just been serviced last month and passing MOT a week after that. Unfortunately, out of nowhere it seems the battery has died, nothing was flagged when serviced or at the MOT, I drove it a week before to run a bunch of errands and it was perfectly fine, no sign of any issues i.e. started straight away with no problem, nothing was left on in the car.

I borrowed a 'car battery charger' from a mate and it's showing as 0.2V which it doesn't bother charging as a result.

The first question, is it normal for it to die like this without any warning signs? I don't see any damage to the battery itself.

Second, is there any point in trying to jump it? I assume given the battery reading this thing is dead and even if we got it started, it's unlikely a long drive could recharge the battery or get it back to decent health?

Third, is it much of a job replacing a car battery? I've heard it isn't and wouldn't mind having a crack at it. Anything to be aware of when trying to be a replacement? Always go new? I can find a local replacement for about 40quid, perhaps this is too cheap and there are some other basics to consider?

Thanks for any help you can provide

 

[Conscript]

It's not unheard of for a battery to die quite quickly, though it's usually if they are old, or if the weather is particularly cold. Do you drive the car regularly? What are the symptoms...is the car trying to start at all, or is it completely flat? Is there any power at all...lights on the dash, central locking still working?

Aside from that, you could try jump starting...even if the battery won't hold a charge, it will prove that the battery is at fault if the car starts. Once the car is running you can use a multi meter to check the voltage across the battery terminals.

Changing a battery is very simple. Usually just a case of unbolting the battery terminals and then usually most batteries will sit on a tray with some sort of securing clamp or strap. Easy for anyone to do, just observe general common sense in regards to handling electrical items. Always remove the negative terminal first and then replace it last. Ensure the car is unlocked before you start and be prepared to reset your radio station presets. Hardest bit is lifting the bloody thing, they weigh a ton.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Yup had a battery on a motorcycle go like that, literally working fine as far as a could tell, dead the next day, no charging or anything could bring it back.

Time for a new battery, get a decent one, Yuasa or Bosch or similar branded imo it's worth the bit extra imo.

 

[Finglonga]

My GTI threw up a couple of errors on start up a week or so before turning the key to find absolutely nothing left in the battery. The modern batteries don't last as long as the old lead acid ones but they have much more cranking power than them.

 

[Rroff]

This is something that worries me a little driving a vehicle that can't practically be bump started to and from work at often the dead of night in the middle of nowhere miles from home :s got an emergency jump start kit but not actually tried it to see if it works :|

 

[Shicky]

It's not unheard of for a battery to die quite quickly, though it's usually if they are old, or if the weather is particularly cold. Do you drive the car regularly? What are the symptoms...is the car trying to start at all, or is it completely flat? Is there any power at all...lights on the dash, central locking still working?

Aside from that, you could try jump starting...even if the battery won't hold a charge, it will prove that the battery is at fault if the car starts. Once the car is running you can use a multi meter to check the voltage across the battery terminals.

Changing a battery is very simple. Usually just a case of unbolting the battery terminals and then usually most batteries will sit on a tray with some sort of securing clamp or strap. Easy for anyone to do, just observe general common sense in regards to handling electrical items. Always remove the negative terminal first and then replace it last. Ensure the car is unlocked before you start and be prepared to reset your radio station presets. Hardest bit is lifting the bloody thing, they weigh a ton.

Our first kid was born two weeks ago so it has had especially little use during that period. Normally it'd be a short run every other day. Weather had been cold, to very hot, to cold again recently, though during that hot spell I did do a few short drives. In terms of symptoms, it's completely dead. Key fob unlock results in nothing, need to use key and attempting to start the car results in not even a whimper.

If I do attempt to jump it, is it likely the charge would just disappear overnight or something even if I did go on a long drive?

 

[Shicky]

Yup had a battery on a motorcycle go like that, literally working fine as far as a could tell, dead the next day, no charging or anything could bring it back.

Time for a new battery, get a decent one, Yuasa or Bosch or similar branded imo it's worth the bit extra imo.

Where do you normally buy from?

 

[Rroff]

If I do attempt to jump it, is it likely the charge would just disappear overnight or something even if I did go on a long drive?

Hard to say for sure - but usually when a battery starts behaving like that even if you resurrect it for a bit it will fail again before long. It is also possible something in the car is causing a short of some kind - the weather we've had lately hasn't been the kindest for stuff like this in general with some severe frosts shortly followed by unseasonable daytime sunshine, etc.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Our first kid was born two weeks ago so it has had especially little use during that period. Normally it'd be a short run every other day. Weather had been cold, to very hot, to cold again recently, though during that hot spell I did do a few short drives. In terms of symptoms, it's completely dead. Key fob unlock results in nothing, need to use key and attempting to start the car results in not even a whimper.

If I do attempt to jump it, is it likely the charge would just disappear overnight or something even if I did go on a long drive?

Take the battery out of the vehicle straight away and stick it on charge in the house or garage.

A direct connection is much better than using other terminals if battery is tucked away.

Mine wouldn't charge and I took it out and it started charging straight away took 2 days to charge mind.

 

[Nasher]

Batteries are only expected to last about 5 years. Anything more is a bonus. Once it starts to go you can't really stop it dying.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Where do you normally buy from?

Halfords sell Yuasa, otherwise online, I think the last one came from wemoto (motorcycle battery), even eBay (just be careful of fakes), infact probably cheapest from eBay if it's a reputable seller.

As said above it depends on the quality of the battery of course, but 5 or so years, better quality can go longer, they don't last forever though.

 

[Shicky]

Halfords sell Yuasa, otherwise online, I think the last one came from wemoto (motorcycle battery), even eBay (just be careful of fakes), infact probably cheapest from eBay if it's a reputable seller.

As said above it depends on the quality of the battery of course, but 5 or so years, better quality can go longer, they don't last forever though.

Can you advise at all in terms of getting/having a clue for getting the right battery? There's a site for somewhere local where I fire in my car details and it says they have one available but little to no details on it.

Same with the likes of Halfords where it seems they have one of their 'own brand' ones but I've bugger all clue if it's any use, steep enough at 70gbp!

 

[bledd]

Use this to find the model for your car.

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/

Buy the more expensive model (higher capacity)

 

[Shicky]

Use this to find the model for your car.

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/

Buy the more expensive model (higher capacity)

thank you!

 

[Phemo]

The last couple of times I've needed a new battery I've just picked one up from Euro Car Parts. Have had this myself - wife's car was perfectly fine, no sign of any issues but the next morning it was completely dead to the point the starter motor was barely attempting to kick in and the interior lights were dimming. However the weather had been cold when that happened.

As mentioned before it's usually a straightforward job to change a battery. There are cars where it is a pain though, like my old Mondeo and my wife's S-Max. On both of those I had to take off the air filter lid, disconnect the intake from the air box to the engine, disconnect the electrical connection for the MAF sensor then remove the entire air box just to be able to slide the battery out. More annoying than anything but most cars are straightforward.

 

[agw_01]

Where do you normally buy from?

ECP sell Bosch batteries and can be quite reasonably priced with a discount code.

S4 = 4 year warranty
S5 = 5 year warranty

I've also had a lot of success with Halfords own 'Advanced' batteries too. I have one here that's 12 years old and still works as expected.

 

[BUDFORCE]

ECP sell Bosch batteries and can be quite reasonably priced with a discount code.

S4 = 4 year warranty
S5 = 5 year warranty

I've also had a lot of success with Halfords own 'Advanced' batteries too. I have one here that's 12 years old and still works as expected.

Yea absolutely I've banged on about Yuasa a bit but Bosch are also very good, no doubt Halfords advanced are also good, probably several other very good brands, really you just want to avoid cheap ones.

 

[agw_01]

Yuasa would be my first choice but I bought Bosch because I could buy locally and quickly. +1 to avoiding cheap batteries, just like tyres there are some absolutely god awful brands out there.

 

[bledd]

Also, when I had a parasitic draw on my car, this was a lifesaver!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

Used it about 15 times for mine and other peoples cars. Connect it up, power on, wait 30 seconds, start car.

 

[snapdragon69]

Basically an end plate just disconnects from the bottom of the battery post due to erosion/metal fatigue/vibration.

Don't buy one online that you would need to post back if faulty as they are very heavy and you can't post them without a courier account authorised to send batteries due to them being restricted. Also after you send it back they may say it is OK - send your courier to collect it. Would cost about £30 to make a warranty claim, £60 if rejected - and for all that time you have no battery.