We all know that the electric power steering on the Rapid draws a lot of juice, and can lead to headlights dimming when you turn the wheel. There's also the recent software update which is supposed to resolve the issue of the power steering being starved of power if the battery is below peak current (and in my experience, the software update doesn't fix this issue).

 

I've been thinking, maybe it wouldn't hurt to swap out the battery (which I'm sure is cheap and low-capacity) that was fitted on the line and replace it with a top of the line Bosch or Varta, one with higher capacity and higher CCA.

 

Does anyone have their car to had (I don't) to see what spec the factory battery is in the car, particularly in the 1.2TSI engine varieties?

 

Thanks

Chris

I could look but mines got stop/start so will be a heavy duty anyway.

Just a white one on my diesel. No name on it etc.

Had a look under the bonnet this morning - annoyingly none of my battery's useful markings are visible - all the useful stuff is on the part of the battery covered by the secondary power feeds. I don't particularly want to remove it unless absolutely necessary.

Stick a diesel battery in. I'm sure the tray is the same size.

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I read somewhere that battery is 42Ah.

Indeed, the lights are dimmed. And sometimes when turning the wheel, a cold engine may stop as well. :|

I've experienced the dimming lights... Is this something that is ok or are there deeper issues?

Mine used to do that.

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The dimming lights is nothing to worry about, it's caused by the electric power steering making a massive power grab when you turn the wheel while stationary or slow moving. The reason the lights dim is that there's not enough current on hand to serve everything, which is why I'm considering an uprated battery.

Stormchaser's comment about fitting a diesel battery is effectively what I'm looking at doing. If the standard battery (apparently a 012 battery according to Euro Car Parts) is 42Ah, that's fairly low a sign of penny-pinching on the production line.

I can get higher capacity 012 batteries (which will fit in the same space and be of the spec the car is designed to take). The highest capacity I have found so far is a 54Ah 012 from Bosch and Varta.

The other option is to go for a physically larger battery and get up into the 70+Ah range, that would be my preference.

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I got a battery for my Mazda a few weeks ago, a Yuasa battery. Halfords do the same make, but ££s more, so I got mine from Buypartsby.

 

They do the 52ah battery and show a 70ah for the stop/start Rapid £42 or £111 respectively.

 

I have the stop/start on mine and as you say for yours, I can't tell what I have fitted as the labelling is obscured. Guessing it will be the around 70ah.

When the car is moving, AFAIK its the alternator that provides the juice not the battery.

 

You should be looking at an alternator upgrade.

Can you still get the discount at Euro Car Parts using the Brisky discount code?

Works out cheap (25% off) [emoji106]

Bosch would be the better preference.

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Agree with the comment about the alternator.

My TDI doesn't have the dim lights "feature" I wonder how Skoda fixed it?

I got a battery for my Mazda a few weeks ago, a Yuasa battery. Halfords do the same make, but ££s more, so I got mine from Buypartsby.

 

They do the 52ah battery and show a 70ah for the stop/start Rapid £42 or £111 respectively.

 

I have the stop/start on mine and as you say for yours, I can't tell what I have fitted as the labelling is obscured. Guessing it will be the around 70ah.

Do your lights dim when you turn the wheel as you have got the bigger battery 

I would say it's a very slight flicker rather than going dim.