Doh! I've flattened the battery

[PowerMalc]

Had my Superb about a week but yesterday was the first day to get to 'play' with all the toys and get everything setup.

Spent about 2 hours sorting the electric memory seats and linking them to the key, sorting the locking functions out and having a good go at the Columbus.

So at 7pm my wife and I were going out for a nice meal in glad rags and finery and car would not start

Got the jump leads out of garage and got wife and daughter to push the Superb to get it to line up with our Focus so we could jump lead it, it fired up at first attempt. Gave it 30 minutes running to charge battery, switched it off and then re-started it and all OK.

In hindsight as I was switching things on and off quite often I had the ignition turned on and lights set to 'auto' so that for most of the time the xenon headlights were on which is what drained the battery. My fault for not realising it It started OK this morning.

FYI Apparently it is not easy to push a Superb in 3" high heel shoes

BTW We had a very nice Italian meal, spaghetti carbonara and veal escalope

[philpix]

Had my Superb about a week but yesterday was the first day to get to 'play' with all the toys and get everything setup.

Spent about 2 hours sorting the electric memory seats and linking them to the key, sorting the locking functions out and having a good go at the Columbus.

So at 7pm my wife and I were going out for a nice meal in glad rags and finery and car would not start

Got the jump leads out of garage and got wife and daughter to push the Superb to get it to line up with our Focus so we could jump lead it, it fired up at first attempt. Gave it 30 minutes running to charge battery, switched it off and then re-started it and all OK.

In hindsight as I was switching things on and off quite often I had the ignition turned on and lights set to 'auto' so that for most of the time the xenon headlights were on which is what drained the battery. My fault for not realising it It started OK this morning.

FYI Apparently it is not easy to push a Superb in 3" high heel shoes

BTW We had a very nice Italian meal, spaghetti carbonara and veal escalope

Flatulence all round then!

[sussexvet]

Had my Superb about a week but yesterday was the first day to get to 'play' with all the toys and get everything setup.

Spent about 2 hours sorting the electric memory seats and linking them to the key, sorting the locking functions out and having a good go at the Columbus.

So at 7pm my wife and I were going out for a nice meal in glad rags and finery and car would not start

Got the jump leads out of garage and got wife and daughter to push the Superb to get it to line up with our Focus so we could jump lead it, it fired up at first attempt. Gave it 30 minutes running to charge battery, switched it off and then re-started it and all OK.

In hindsight as I was switching t,hings on and off quite often I had the ignition turned on and lights set to 'auto' so that for most of the time the xenon headlights were on which is what drained the battery. My fault for not realising it It started OK this morning.

FYI Apparently it is not easy to push a Superb in 3" high heel shoes

BTW We had a very nice Italian meal, spaghetti carbonara and veal escalope

Hi Red Baron,

Another point to make with regard to the battery is that the car user manual states that the battery will go flat after about 3 weeks if the car is not used due to various electronics in use during this period.I

I have had my Superb just 3 weeks and needed to check this out with my dealer as I will be away from the UK in January for nearly 5 weeks. I did ask them if I could keep the battery connected to a charger while away perhaps on a timer so that the battery is kept charged up. They didn't like that idea and suggested that I just disconnected the negative strap. Apparently the only thing I will to need to re-set will be the clock so things like the radio, satnav & MDI will keep my settings.

The only problem I see with this is that I probably cannot keep the car fully secure in my garage unless the key will unlock the car without the battery connected. Perhaps I should go back to my dealer on this point.

[Phil-E]

I see no harm in keeping a low powered trickle charger attached. They are designed to do just that and to keep the battery in good working order.

You can get them that plug into the cigarette lighter that literally just provide a very small current to supplement the power used by the electrics in the car and stop it going flat.

Phil

[sussexvet]

I see no harm in keeping a low powered trickle charger attached. They are designed to do just that and to keep the battery in good working order.

You can get them that plug into the cigarette lighter that literally just provide a very small current to supplement the power used by the electrics in the car and stop it going flat.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll take a look in Halfords and the Internet to see what is available.

[Gizmo]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll take a look in Halfords and the Internet to see what is available.

I bought one of these last year:

4 Watt 12v Solar Panel Trickle Car battery Charger

for my mother (so it probably has not been out of the box! ) but I did test it on a dead battery and 24hrs later the voltage had increased, so I imagine they would work?

[kgreenhough]

Most bikers leave their bikes trickle charging all the time, or at least all the cold months. There are some special chargers recommended for it that are supposed to be safe. One is the Oxford Optimiser (great name I know!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-OF950-Oximiser-600-Battery/dp/B000R5B386/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1324593035&sr=8-3

There is also another make that is supposed to be better, but is pricier. Can't remember what it's called at the moment, but I have no doubt someone will know.

They are for 12v batteries, the only thing I don't know is whether they would be powerful enough to be effective on one as big as we must have in the Superbs.

K.

p.s had a spell commuting to a train station on a Piaggio scooter that hated starting in cold weather (Italian!!) and the Oxford Optimiser was the best money I ever spent!!

[HarryP]

I had battery problems, it's worth having a battery charger, then if it goes flat you can give it a boost. I got a Halfords advanced one that tells you the voltage, it's really good, if a little over priced.

[Guest]

Get one of the CTEK range.

These can be used continuously and will if the permanent fitting is used enable the bonnet to be closed and the vehicle to be locked with full alarm active.

The main problem with the batteries now fitted is that the capacity is too small 12v 70A is about the smallest that can be used for a diesel engine, this and all the electrics which many owners seem to think are needed will not allow even the very high charge rated alternator to keep every thing running and fully charge the battery, the alternator will be working so hard it's life will be shortened considerably, it can also cause the poor quality cabling used these days to overheat and the insulation, and fuse boxes to melt. It was usually considered that an alternator rated at 50A needed the vehicle to be run for 15 mins at 30 mph with no other electrics working to make up for one start.

If you are not keeping the battery charged a long run will completely kill it, I have seen members saying but I have just done a couple of 300 mile trips and the battery went flat overnight, the times I have heard this after 40 years in the trade.

As to a battery going flat over 3 weeks, I had to leave my vehicle for 6 weeks last winter, in my garage, locked and alarm active, it started first touch.

[sussexvet]

Hi everybody,

Thanks to all for the advise which is very helpful. It seems that charging the battery while away for 5 weeks can be done safely and also, on the other hand, a six week period left connected while in a garage in the middle of winter the car started first time.

As a matter of interest, what would be worse ? Letting a battery go flat while connected OR disconnecting the battery !!

Replies welcome.

Regards

[Gizmo]

I would check with your insurance company with regards to disconnecting the battery, as the alarm would not be active would they then still pay out if the car was stolen (unlikely I know but it can happen)

Also make sure if parking in a garage that you can get to and open the drivers door as this is the only lock fitted to a Superb that a key can be used to open the car - one member recently had to smash the window to gain access when the battery went flat as he couldn't get to the drivers door lock.

[sussexvet]

I would check with your insurance company with regards to disconnecting the battery, as the alarm would not be active would they then still pay out if the car was stolen (unlikely I know but it can happen)

Also make sure if parking in a garage that you can get to and open the drivers door as this is the only lock fitted to a Superb that a key can be used to open the car - one member recently had to smash the window to gain access when the battery went flat as he couldn't get to the drivers door lock.

Thanks for the advise on both points which are both very valid. I did see the thread on the guy who couldn't get into his car because the door was too close to the wall. There seemed to be several recommendations ??? but not very practical or likely to succeed.

I might just check up with the insurance company to see if demobilising the car invalidates my insurance.

[davekmoore]

Hi Red Baron,

Another point to make with regard to the battery is that the car user manual states that the battery will go flat after about 3 weeks if the car is not used due to various electronics in use during this period.

So what should I do with a car parked at an airport for 3 weeks?

[Gizmo]

So what should I do with a car parked at an airport for 3 weeks?

See post #11?

Or put some jump leads in the car for when you get back.

[sussexvet]

I would check with your insurance company with regards to disconnecting the battery, as the alarm would not be active would they then still pay out if the car was stolen (unlikely I know but it can happen)

Also make sure if parking in a garage that you can get to and open the drivers door as this is the only lock fitted to a Superb that a key can be used to open the car - one member recently had to smash the window to gain access when the battery went flat as he couldn't get to the drivers door lock.

I have just phoned my insurance company (Hastings Direct) who advise that provided my car is in a locked garage I would not invalidate my car insurance if I was to disconnect the battery which leaves the car insecure so that's good news if I go that way.

I haven't made up my mind which way to proceed with this but I might just do a test of leaving the battery connected while I'm away and just see what happens.

[Gizmo]

I haven't made up my mind which way to proceed with this but I might just do a test of leaving the battery connected while I'm away and just see what happens.

TBH that is probably what I would do as well.... if you don't try then you will never know

Good news on the insurance front as well.

[domhnall]

FYI Apparently it is not easy to push a Superb in 3" high heel shoes

What were you doing in heels anyway??

[stevehg]

Also make sure if parking in a garage that you can get to and open the drivers door as this is the only lock fitted to a Superb that a key can be used to open the car - one member recently had to smash the window to gain access when the battery went flat as he couldn't get to the drivers door lock.

My drivers door doesn't have a key lock. MY11 car, so is this only on some models?

[mannyo]

All Superb 2's have a drivers door lock including MY11 cars applies to every model across the range. The keyhole is covered by a painted cover, and how to access this is in the manual. IIRC the cover simply slides upwards to reveal the keyhole.

[stevehg]

All Superb 2's have a drivers door lock including MY11 cars applies to every model across the range. The keyhole is covered by a painted cover, and how to access this is in the manual. IIRC the cover simply slides upwards to reveal the keyhole.

Ok cheers, I'll pay more attention in future.

[PowerMalc]

What were you doing in heels anyway??

Ha Ha!! I was busy steering and directing 'operations' from the driver's seat

The good thing is that my wife likes our new Superb so all is forgiven

[davekmoore]

See post #11?

Or put some jump leads in the car for when you get back.

Good advice to have jump leads and a tow rope. Nearly always have them - only ever had a flat battery when I've removed them from the car.

The car park is one where you present your credit card at the entrance and at the exit so I guess there's not much chance of the car being stolen even with the battery and therefore the alarm disconnected. I'll just need to make sure there are no valuables left in it. But I wonder if the insurance would pay out if the Columbus went missing while the battery was disconnected?

Plan C might be to lend one of our cars to someone who could use an extra car for three weeks, thus avoiding all the parking fees and hassles and getting chauffeured to and from the airport.

By the way, I'm planning to bring the ECU to the UK on this trip so Shark can fettle it for me. Anyone got any comments about a non-technical person (me) being able to follow Ben's instructions for ECU removal and replacement?

[Gizmo]

Anyone got any comments about a non-technical person (me) being able to follow Ben's instructions for ECU removal and replacement?

There are 4 shear bolts holding the ECU 'cage' on which need to be removed, this has to be done with a Dremel or a grinder, cover the windscreen and engine with an old blanket to protect them from grinding sparks and cut a slot in the head of each of the shear bolts and remove the bolts with a screwdriver, to get to the ECU shear bolts the windscreen scuttle panel needs to removed (at the airport the ECU can be unclipped without removing the scuttle panel - just remove the rubber seal and lift the scuttle panel up enough to get your hands in)

This cage is not actually needed - it is simply there to stop people from tampering with the ECU, so there will be no issues with removing the cage and shear bolts a few days / weeks prior to your trip.

Cage removed showing the cut bolts (top) and new bolts (bottom):

Cage as fitted to the ECU:

[davekmoore]

There are 4 shear bolts holding the ECU 'cage' on which need to be removed, this has to be done with a Dremel or a grinder, cover the windscreen and engine with an old blanket to protect them from grinding sparks and cut a slot in the head of each of the shear bolts and remove the bolts with a screwdriver, to get to the ECU shear bolts the windscreen scuttle panel needs to removed (at the airport the ECU can be unclipped without removing the scuttle panel - just remove the rubber seal and lift the scuttle panel up enough to get your hands in)

This cage is not actually needed - it is simply there to stop people from tampering with the ECU, so there will be no issues with removing the cage and shear bolts a few days / weeks prior to your trip.

Beaut explanation and pics. Thanks so much.

How do I explain the lack of shear bolts etc to my dealer? Or do you reckon they'll not give a damn?

[Gizmo]

The bolts are available from a dealer, so you can replace them with new ones if required.

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