Warranty Woes

[g7tia@btinterne]

I purchased a used Scout TD from Caffyns in Tonbridge - Previous Owner was Skoda HQ. When doing my safety checks I noticed the Battery no-load voltage was 11.9v. The car was due to be serviced. i described the problem asking the service technician what voltage i should expect. He aske "Why what have you got". This irked. When the car was returned, the problem still existed. Following some strenuous discussion involving Skoda's "assistance" line (the Caffyns service receptionist had got to the end of his knowledge) I seem to be left with a problem that could be so easily solved if only the correct approach was taken by the garage.

Can any reader suggest a source of competent, if not expert advice on this sort of thing in the West Kent area?

On further examination, it seemes that the previous owner had not followed their own servicing requirements. (2000 miles and five months late). Can anyone suggest what impact this would have on the warranty?

Edited 17 December, 2009 by g7tia@btinterne

[foo]

For the uninitiated what is battery no-load... and what should it have been?

[Babs]

The battery should read between 12 and 12.5 with the engine off and nothing on. Should be getting on towards 14v with the engine running.

[mannyo]

if the car had been standing on the forcourt for a while, I would expect the battery voltage to have dropped.

[vRSLen]

The battery should recover after a good run. If not, change it ....

[cjb]

Yep, a few good runs should see the battery charged.

[durhamfisher]

Maybe I'm missing the point here, is there an actual fault with the car or is it just that the battery voltage is 0.1v off its optimum level?

On the servicing question, it isn't just that its on variable rather than on fixed? You would have expected Skoda HQ to have serviced it correctly.

[m0bov]

Voltage seems a little low, does it crank ok? Never heard of testing the battery volts during a "safety check".

How old is the car? Fixed or variable? When did you purchase it? Is the battery sealed? Was it cold when you tested it?

[g7tia@btinterne]

Voltage seems a little low, does it crank ok? Never heard of testing the battery volts during a "safety check".

How old is the car? Fixed or variable? When did you purchase it? Is the battery sealed? Was it cold when you tested it?

[g7tia@btinterne]

It cranks ok and seems to start OK.

I check the voltage because having had the battery fuse box almost catch fire due to the inherent design fault on Mk 1 Octavias, the voltage as displayed by my GPS was low <10v - even with the engine running and this useful voltmeter display prevented me losing the car at cost to me. Now i check the voltage often on all my cars. Erwin suggest if the voltage is below 12.5 that the fault should be investigated. Car is 18 months old, purchased 3 months ago, OEM sealed battery, not really cold. Cant understand why i had to resort to a letter to Robert Hazlewood (MD of Skoda UK) but I am assured by Skoda HQ that Caffyns will be performing the investigation i asked them to do when taken for service. After all Skoda manufacture happy drivers.

[Bijorne]

Already tried another multimeter ? How sure are you about your measurement tool ?

[m0bov]

To be honest, if the battery was reading under 12v the car would in no way start, it would be a totally dead battery, even if the engine did crank, there is a min voltage the ECU accept and fire the plugs up. I would really just enjoy the car, if the battery was faulty or the charging system at fault, then you would def know about it by now.

If you are really that unhappy, pop into halfords and fit a new battery for piece of mind. Also, can't see why (dealer) they would not pop out and pop their meter on the battery and again when its running to check charge voltage, maybe a local indy would do this. Again for your piece of mind but I do feel there really is'nt much wrong.

Enjoy.

[Babs]

If the charge is low after jump starting, it'll take a short while before it will show "normal" levels (12v off, 14v on).

Can you check the charge coming off the alternator?

[gadgetman]

When was the car serviced? (months and mileage)

Sounds like it is on variable, and you're assuming fixed?

[durhamfisher]

It cranks ok and seems to start OK.

The true test of a batterys performance is when under load, especially starting on a cold morning followed by immediate drain from the lights, air con, blower fan on 4, rear heater wind screen, radio etc. If its been surviving that, I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy your new car

[Burnsey]

I see a mountain where once there was a mole hill. If you look hard enough you'll find fault. I'd have told you to get a new multi meter, 0.1 V down means its at 99.2% of optimum and if it starts just leave it alone.

[wardth]

but I am assured by Skoda HQ that Caffyns will be performing the investigation i asked them to do when taken for service. After all Skoda manufacture happy drivers.

This and the title of the post leads me to suspect you might be over-egging things somewhat?! Buy a new battery if it worries you that much.

As for Caffyns - If you want real service for your Skoda go to Rivervale in Portslade - they have the Skoda franchise for the South Coast but of course this may be too far for you to travel.

Edited 1 January, 2010 by wardth

[g7tia@btinterne]

Thanks for all the guidance and help from all those who wrote. My experience with Caffyns was not what I had anticipated. The issues are genuine and the instruments used for my test were calibrated and I was aware that the car was QG1...

Portslade is a bit too far but Sidcup isnt so I will continue to use Saunders Abbot in Sidcup for all my future after sales servicing and parts etc, but thanks for the suggestion. For the record, according to ErWin, 11.9v is 4.8% below mininimum voltage (12.5v) when the dealer should investigate and they say, "If the battery is N. O. K., replace the battery". I suspect therefore that this is a warranty issue after all. Thanks again.

[vwcabriolet1971]

Normal heathy battery voltage should be about 12.6V without engine running and at least 1 hour after engine is stopped. It should be about 14V with engine running and all consumers on ( headlights , heated rear screen etc. The true test of a battery however must be under load. Halfords will do a free load test . Why not have it tested ?

[m0bov]

Oppp, bit of an old thread! Think OP got this sorted out a while ago.