Battery registration/coding tool?

[doughobbs]

Hey all,

 

I've just changed the original Moll EFB factory battery on my 2016 Fabia 3 to a Bosch AGM one, then I found out about the coding process then bought a Draper 81282 tool (nothing like learning as you go!) which I found out after buying it that it only does upto 2014/15 models, it can read the battery details but can't re-code it

 

• Has anyone updated their Draper 81282 to work with battery registration on a post 2015 Fabia/Fabia 3
• Has anyone used/got a Ancel VD700  and used this successfully with battery registration on a post 2015 Fabia/Fabia 3
• Does anyone have a recommended tool for a Fabia 3 if the VD700 isn't good enough?

 

 

thanks

[rum4mo]

I don't know the relative costs, but Carista does work for 2015 6C Polo although that function/task is not mentioned (I think) - thought maybe Carista have updated their list of what it can do for each model. 2015 6C Polo electronics package should be the same as that for a 2016 Fabia.

[doughobbs]

Didnt even know these existed! for £25 I'm going to try this for sure!

[Ed-Preston]

Have you seen this: https://blog.caristaapp.com/battery-registration-is-it-just-snake-oil-d04944bb0048?gi=4b790fa4b65b?  Carista’s vehicle checker suggests it should work for your car: https://caristaapp.com/vehicles/skoda/fabia/nj see the ‘Advanced Service’ bit 🙂

[doughobbs]

7 hours ago, Ed-Preston said:

Have you seen this: https://blog.caristaapp.com/battery-registration-is-it-just-snake-oil-d04944bb0048?gi=4b790fa4b65b?  Carista’s vehicle checker suggests it should work for your car: https://caristaapp.com/vehicles/skoda/fabia/nj see the ‘Advanced Service’ bit 🙂

Thanks for that - I ended up getting the Crista tool and it seems to do half a job in that I could enter details and get it to save however the stop-start function still isn't working on the car, I have a feeling its down to the serial  number or the 3 digit manufacturer code being mis-matched.

 

I left it as above as I'd spent more than the same amount as just taking it to a main-stealer and getting them to recode it 😆 Id love to get the stop-start working again but am sort of defeated with it unless I can sort the coding out

 

[nta16]

2 hours ago, doughobbs said:

I have a feeling its down to the serial  number or the 3 digit manufacturer code being mis-matched.

I'm not sure the exact serial number or code matter at all or not much anyway as I don't know the system.

 

I changed from a Moll EFB to Bosch AGM in my wife's 2016 Fabia.

 

I was told my factory battery (Moll EFB) would probably shows as JCB and serial number of 1111111111 (ten ones) and that was as it was, as show in the Carista link, and that changing the serial number (by one digit), the Ah as required and type of battery were the important bits.

 

Moll batterers are no longer made but the computer won't know that so you could try entering the code of your Bosch (which are made by Varta anyway) as JCB and put it's serial number as 1111111112 (nine ones with a two at the end) and see if that saves and gets your start/stop working.

 

Where did you find the Bosch serial number and was it 10 digits as I couldn't find it on the Bosch AGM battery I bought.

 

Some think the car computers might catch on anyway  just by driving your car a bit more, I'm not sure the computers are that clever but I might be wrong.

 

Or third thing, you could try download the latest Draper software for your 81282 here (although you might already have it). - https://www.drapertools.com/product/81282/Battery-Configuration-Tool

 

Are you going to do a lot of batteries, did you pay £300+ for that tool? (don't worry I've made much more expensive mistakes I've had new and "classic" British cars, I'm a serial offender).

 

Edited 5 November, 2021 by nta16
ETA: the word 'exact'

[rum4mo]

The function of changing the serial number when changing a battery is to let the battery management system know that a new battery has been fitted to that car, so it will revert to the base charging parameters and so away from the adapted with time parameters.

 

The 3 letter vendor code, I don't think will do much in that I'd doubt if the battery management system will have different parameter maps/settings for different battery vendors.

 

Have you given it a couple of days or a few journeys to let the car charge that battery up to the required level, or checked the battery rest voltage?

 

Edit:- obviously with the date difference between your postings, you will have had enough time to charge that new battery up, just one thing, did you replace "like" for "like" capacity wise, or even higher?

 

Edit (again):- not trying to be insulting, but is the lead connected into the "lump" on the -VE battery post?

Edited 5 November, 2021 by rum4mo

[nta16]

21 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

The function of changing the serial number when changing a battery is to let the battery management system know that a new battery has been fitted to that car, so it will revert to the base charging parameters and so away from the adapted with time parameters.

Sorry I missed out a word (now added) from what I meant (I often forget to type the word 'not' which really puts things a about face).

 

It was your good self that gave me the info IIRC, thanks.

 

I've left the start/stop battery post plug connected on my wife's car as the previous battery done just about 6 years and recharged well so I suspect we could have got a more out of it so even allowing for car age and wear I expect another 6 years plus more out of the replacement battery.

 

[nta16]

Just remembered I've got stock photos of the connector rum4mo means.

 

Edited 5 November, 2021 by nta16

[rum4mo]

That grey/white locking tang really needs to get pulled out fully, I recently discovered that after pulling it back(but not far enough) then failing to get the plug to come out, luckily, only and only luckily, I stopped using too much force and had another attempt at moving that tang further back - before breaking something!  Along with advancing years, for me anyway, comes less patience!

[nta16]

I always find plastic connectors a right fiddle/difficult/awkward but watch others do it like picking a currant off the top of a bun.  I don't think I had pull the locking piece too far back and I wouldn't go too far or take it out in case it drops into total obscurity or I put it somewhere and forget or loose it.

 

If I remember (always doubtful) I'll check tomorrow and report back.

 

[rum4mo]

It does remain "retained" so it will not normally get separated from that connector, my failure was due to not initially pulling it back far enough, maybe I felt it meeting with some resistance so took that to mean that I had disengaged it correctly.  I did not have that issue any other time years earlier when I was experimenting with running with it fitted/ not fitted.

[nta16]

As I was outside looking up at the clutch pedal I remembered to look at that connector and I think I've found the 'missing' bit.

 

You only need that grey bit that far out  - but then you squeeze and hold it down whilst pulling the whole connector back..

 

I'll redo the photo if I can find the original again.

  

Edited 9 November, 2021 by nta16
hold it down

[doughobbs]

On 05/11/2021 at 20:42, nta16 said:

Are you going to do a lot of batteries, did you pay £300+ for that tool? (don't worry I've made much more expensive mistakes I've had new and "classic" British cars, I'm a serial offender).

 

 

no, only my car and probably other family members as an when the time comes.

 

 

 

 

On 05/11/2021 at 20:52, rum4mo said:

Have you given it a couple of days or a few journeys to let the car charge that battery up to the required level, or checked the battery rest voltage?

 

Edit:- obviously with the date difference between your postings, you will have had enough time to charge that new battery up, just one thing, did you replace "like" for "like" capacity wise, or even higher?

 

Edit (again):- not trying to be insulting, but is the lead connected into the "lump" on the -VE battery post?

 

 

Yeah it was left connected for a goo week or so after I replaced the battery, I read somewhere that disconnecting it prevents/removed the annoying message on the dash/infotainment telling me that electricity usage is high etc. - it made no difference with it off and I;ve not been under the bonnet to reconnect it, that was back in July time😆

 

 

 

[nta16]

I don't know what the Carista (basic?) tool does but I'm pretty sure a successful battery coding would sort your issue.

 

If you're near Northampton my neighbour has (a higher level) scan tool that would code the battery,

 

It sorted our other neighbour's 2005 Merc - but not my mates 2004 German made droptop which was a bit annoying because he paid extra to get the one that covered that car just as a project where three other professional specialist had failed.

 

The Merc had just had a service and MoT at an outfit very local to us and she got told the ECU on her gearbox (CVT) needed sorting as it was slipping, and she said the car didn't seem to want to go, stuck in 2nd gear(?) (in a CVT, but it's a Merc so has 7 "gears"!).  She rang a local g/box place and they said it had to go to Mercs, she booked it in at a £174 diagnosis, which would be put towards the bill if she had the work done.

 

Luckily it was booked in for three days time so next night I got her to do a quick throttle reset (dead easy) that might or might not be appropriate or work.  Next afternoon my neighbour was going to lend me the scan tool but decided to do it himself instead (lack of faith in me?).  Readings, resets, off for a quick drive as I read the TCM readings from the back seat, although we didn't get the gear oil as hot as I'd like all readings were good and no sign of slippage, gears changed as required.  £174 (inc VAT?, exc VAT?) saved and a very happy neighbour.  Obviously it was the throttle reset I advised on wot dun it!  😁

 

Even with all these scan tools and very over-complicated car computer programs (VAG for proven reasons) more often than not it boils down to the simple basics but these tools can help to speed up where to look (if it's not just the car's computers getting their panties in a twist) and if used correctly speed up the diagnostics, if interpreted correctly, but never rely on the raw errors codes or the lack of them.

 

[rum4mo]

On 07/11/2021 at 14:04, nta16 said:

As I was outside looking up at the clutch pedal I remembered to look at that connector and I think I've found the 'missing' bit.

 

You only need that grey bit that far out  - but then you squeeze down on it whilst pulling the whole connector back.

 

I'll redo the photo if I can find the original again.

  

I'll try to remember to give that a go soon!

[rum4mo]

19 hours ago, doughobbs said:

snip                            ----            snip.

Yeah it was left connected for a goo week or so after I replaced the battery, I read somewhere that disconnecting it prevents/removed the annoying message on the dash/infotainment telling me that electricity usage is high etc. - it made no difference with it off and I;ve not been under the bonnet to reconnect it, that was back in July time😆

 

 

 

I'd be very surprised if auto stop/start does not start working if you plug that lead back in, it will never work for as long as it is unplugged in my experience.

[nta16]

10 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I'll try to remember to give that a go soon!

I must admit I didn't actually  take the connector off as I didn't want to upset the computers and them get annoyed, "All hail the computers".

 

And I think I should have put  - You only need that grey bit that far out  - but then you squeeze and hold it down whilst pulling the whole connector back.

[doughobbs]

1 hour ago, rum4mo said:

I'd be very surprised if auto stop/start does not start working if you plug that lead back in, it will never work for as long as it is unplugged in my experience.

 

I remembered on the way home from work this eve why I originally unplugged it, things like Aircon and air blowers wouldn't run more than half speed etc. With it connected.

 

[nta16]

45 minutes ago, doughobbs said:

 

I remembered on the way home from work this eve why I originally unplugged it, things like Aircon and air blowers wouldn't run more than half speed etc. With it connected.

 

That should be sorted by a completed battery coding.

 

[rum4mo]

3 hours ago, doughobbs said:

 

I remembered on the way home from work this eve why I originally unplugged it, things like Aircon and air blowers wouldn't run more than half speed etc. With it connected.

 

 

But, surely that it only does that for the time that the engine has been auto Stopped - that is intentional and is okay for most people.

[rum4mo]

4 hours ago, nta16 said:

I must admit I didn't actually  take the connector off as I didn't want to upset the computers and them get annoyed, "All hail the computers".

 

And I think I should have put  - You only need that grey bit that far out  - but then you squeeze and hold it down whilst pulling the whole connector back.

 

I think that I got enough out of your previous posting on this to get it off, I've just not tried yet.

[nta16]

2 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

 

I think that I got enough out of your previous posting on this to get it off, I've just not tried yet.

Good, I just thought I'd make sure as originally I just pulled that grey tab back and tried pulling and as there was so much resistance I then remembered this was what happened before and perhaps I should try squeezing.

 

I think it was on another car where the connector just needed squeezing with fingertips from both sides but with my stubby digits I struggled to get it right whereas a mate just picked it off with no effort or thought.

 

[nta16]

9 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

 

But, surely that it only does that for the time that the engine has been auto Stopped - that is intentional and is okay for most people.

Isn't it that if the new battery hasn't ben coded the car thinks the old low battery is still there so is saving electric and warning about it.

 

[rum4mo]

I had started to become creative with differing sizes of screwdriver blades, but common sense prevailed before annoyance caused any damage, so probably I ended up flexing/squeezing/pressing it without being aware of doing so.