Our latest RA mag, whilst discussing 'Best Battery Care', refers to, in some cars, a need to 'register' the new battery ie to 'tell' the alternator that it is charging a new battery.

The purpose is to ensure the alternator gets the message that it doesn't need to charge as much with the new one.

It goes on to say that the RA person can 'register' it on the spot.

Has anyone heard of this?

Never heard of that. A new battery can be just as discharged as a 5 year old one in good nick.

What's RA?

RA - Royal Auto

They say failure to register (for those affected) has the potential to reduce the life of the battery to just one year.

It seems the old battery would have been charged at a higher rate and that the alternator can't know that the rate needs to be much less.

Strange times.

It is expalined in the link below as far as BMWs are concerned but does not apply as yet to Skodas.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7649980_register-bmw-battery.html

The latest land rovers and Jaguars have to have the battery coded to the car too I believe.

Thanks for the feedback.

Some Audi's have the option, it can be registered using VCDS.

Which raises the question what has happened to make this an "option" ?

Never heard of this before...

Bloody cars are getting far too clever.

Some Audi's have the option, it can be registered using VCDS.

 

Mother in Law's A1 had it - note in the manual about not disconnecting the battery without diagnostic tool plugged in as failure to do so wont allow the car to start, thinking theres no battery clearly attached. I believe some A2's had this as well.

Mother in Law's A1 had it - note in the manual about not disconnecting the battery without diagnostic tool plugged in as failure to do so wont allow the car to start, thinking theres no battery clearly attached. I believe some A2's had this as well.

Oh great!

Something else to make me redundant.

'Allow the mechanic's shop or dealership to replace your battery with an OEM BMW battery. Do not use any other type of battery except those designed to work with BMWs or it can void your car's warranty, short out the electrical system, and may not register with the computer properly.'

 

I think I'm a little too old to do anything other that sit here thinking 'whatever next?'   

 

Only BMW approved flies may splat themselves on your BMW windscreen.  BMW approved screen wash will only remove BMW approved insects.  Hitting non-BMW flies may void your warranty, short out the wiper motor, and overload the computer with an insect generated power spike.  The end is nigh, we're all doomed.

 

Gaz

(coat on, awaiting transport to the asylum)

A mates BMW V8 had a water cooled alternator which of course eventually failed by letting coolant up the instrument power loom to fry his instrument panel.......all to make a quieter alternator.......thousands of £ later....

Don't you just love stories like that.