Battery registration/coding tool?

[rum4mo]

2 minutes ago, nta16 said:

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.

 

 

I'm not sure, but the adaptable charging profile would start changing its adaption slowly and so probably learn what is best for any different battery, especially over the time period given.

[nta16]

These things are obvious and bad enough when the plastic in the engine bay is 6 years old just imagine the fun at 16 years old, duck or electrical tape everywhere.!

 

[nta16]

1 minute ago, rum4mo said:

 

I'm not sure, but the adaptable charging profile would start changing its adaption slowly and so probably learn what is best for any different battery, especially over the time period given.

It's been since June.  It might not be learning (it doesn't really learn, computers are very thick and only do as instructed) because a system might be telling it there a fault or situation elsewhere that requires these actions of reduced power and warnings.

 

Last week I was skim-reading the Driver's Handbook of my neighbour's 2005 Merc A-Class ("watch out for that elk") and every other page it was dash warnings of doom and disaster and get the car to a Merc garage immediately.

 

[rum4mo]

That is the way to do it, keeps the money rolling in.

 

A few years after getting VCDS, a friend at work mentioned that his wife's maybe 2004 VW Golf had throwed out a warning via the MIL, I had heard about a failed brake light bulb being able to do that, so he checked the brake lights, replaced a bulb and then the next day or so I reset the MIL.  VW Group workshops loved that, charge for a diagnostic check and replace a bulb, the bread and butter of VW Group workshops for a while, I don't think that we ever had a brake light failure on my wife's 2002 VW Polo or my 2000 VW Passat, I think at "half life" with us, I checked all the bulbs and replaced any that had started to look blackish - that Polo had what was normal, a faulty brake pedal switch, twice in 13 years, that switched quite a few lights on the dashboard and tended to or should have given any driving a horrible feeling as when that happened the brake lights simply did not ever get switched on, so driving smoothly until the end of that journey was a smart move, and stay lucky so that no emergency braking was needed or you could end up getting rear ended.

[nta16]

Yes it's difficult to convince most that a brake light sensor could have their car in Limp mode or upset the ruling computers and causes them to through other wobbles.  (I still struggle to think what MIL is.)

 

I think the guy at the very local place that does MoTs must have previously worked at a VAG garage.  Although I hinted not to my neighbour booked his car for an MoT with them as he'd used them before and asked me to take it in for him.  I did so but took it for a warm up drive first as the place is so close, that was a waste of time as I arrived 5-10 minutes early but another car was already in the one MoT bay in operation so I waited.  The car being MoT'd had all it's lights on including hazards and at least rear fog, next time I looked a bit later the car was on the lift but still all the lights on.  Had my neighbours car been mine I'd have cancelled the MoT for it on seeing this.  As things were running so late I decided I could nip home and return so I asked the guy doing the MoT not to leave the lights on my neighbours car as I wasn't sure about the battery (which was a lie) and he said not to worry as he left the engine running!

 

Previous year another neighbour, with the Merc A-Class, had the same place fail her car on one front sidelight bulb, now we had visually checked all the lights the day before and they were fine, that's not to say a bulb couldn't have blown in the third of a mile to get there - or whilst being left on during the whole of a MoT, it's the same place that she had service and MoT on the car this year to be told her gearbox needed attention when it didn't really.  These old folk just can't be told, I gave her a card I got off another neighbour for a one-man garage that he said good and trustworthy that his mum uses.

 

[rum4mo]

MIL I believe stands for Malfunction Indicator Lamp/Light.

 

I've had an issue with a garage once concerning a failed number plate bulb, I had handed the car in slightly dirty and there was no evidence of fingers/hands/tools being anywhere near the number plate fitting, plus later when I got home, I could see that the bulb was not new as it had that slightly blackish appearance that comes with age+use.  That left a slightly sour taste in my mouth and I never went back to that place, okay the fitting of the bulb was "free" but the bulb cost quite a bit for a basic wedge style bulb, really no need for that to be happening, just greed from someone.

[nta16]

I must admit I had to look MIL up to remind me, same with a lot of these acronyms as there are so many and can vary slightly.

 

Sorry, a bulb that doesn't fully illuminate, say is black or silver covered on the glass bit can be a fail I think, add in dirt and you're layering your problem especially if it's a single lamp that illuminates the number plate.

 

Remember the person checking is human, the pass or fail is to their professional opinion given at that moment in time, I think for the number plate light it'd only be a visual inspection so no need to touch anything.  Also, and I'm not just putting this I actually do it, whenever my car is going into a garage or for MoT I try to clean it so as to present a car that is looked after to some extent at least.

 

I regularly clean (just) the lights, number plates and exterior mirrors, see and be seen, and it can be so effective that people think I've cleaned the car until I point out the brake dust on the wheels and dirt on the bodywork.  I always at least clean the lights, number plates and on the Fabia before it goes to the Dealership including MoT, I don't clean the rest of the car as they do it (and not very well last time)  if I remember I do clean the door shuts too.

 

For my neighbours car as my wife had borrowed it I cleaned it including door shuts, under wheel arches (inside boot) and a quick polish of under bonnet and engine as I knew the MoT was due and this would impress them on a 15 year-old car with evidence of minor bumps and it did I actually heard one say how clean it was - but it still failed on a ARB droplink boot, but the rest were advisories.

 

I had to take my car back for a retest and as I was talking to the chap that failed it another chap was check for that bit for the retest when a drip of oil landed on him, we laughed, a big mistake as he added that as an advisory, technically he was wrong but I decided not to argue as I might want a bit of leeway elsewhere on the car in future as somethings on a car as old as mine are a judgement call and the younger testers aren't use to the more lax build parameters of the past.

 

[rum4mo]

When said I checked it and it showed slight signs of blackening, I was using that to confirm that the bulb had not been replaced with a new one, its light output was not being impaired in much if any way, the claim being made by the MOT place, was that the light had failed and the bulb had been replaced.

At certain times of year it is impossible to submit a car that is clean, especially the rear end of a hatch back, and this was one of these times, ie winter.

[nta16]

Sorry run4mo I totally misread your post I read the failed bulb as failed MoT, as in they'd failed the car for a blackened number plate bulb.  I would go to Specsaver but I can't see my way through the door.

 

And don't think I'm keen on cleaning cars, now I leave them dirty for a long time but I do clean the lights , number plates and exterior mirrors  before they get too dirty.

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

9 hours ago, rum4mo said:

At certain times of year it is impossible to submit a car that is clean, especially the rear end of a hatchback, and this was one of these times, ie winter.

 

Slightly off-topic, but it sort of makes sense. It's the same for those without a wiper on the back of a hatchback. I'd like to know how they do it because I'd be lost without the wash/wiper on the back of my Fabia...

[nta16]

I suppose it's a matter of what you've got used to, now everything is expected to be done by a push of a button.

 

Manually scrapping the ice off all the windows puts the driver in touch with the outside temperature for driving conditions, using a rubber blade to clear the water off all windows helps with self clean too.

 

Nowadays I use a waterless wash 'n' wax and two microfibre cloths to clean the lights, number plates and exterior mirrors and could also be used on the rear window and wiper if fitted, only takes minutes to do.  Your number plates have to be readable now too.

 

Our cars are outside 365/6 so they soon get dirty even if not used much but I'm certainly the other end of fanatical cleaning.

 

I do get annoyed at car with 4" of snow dropping off them as they go along and only ****holes in the snow for the driver to try to see through or only the wipe of front wipers (and rear if fitted) with the rest of the car and windows thoroughly blanketed.  Again it's no fun getting all the snow off a car but it reminds you of the conditions.  Some modern drivers can be too remote in their cosy cars.

 

Edited 11 November, 2021 by nta16
spelling

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

Your number plates have to be readable now too.

 

I make sure they are. We're not at the point up here in my area where it's getting that bad, yet.

 

1 hour ago, nta16 said:

I do get annoyed at car with 4" of snow dropping off them as they go along and only ****holes in the snow for the driver to try to see through or only the wipe of front wipers (and rear if fitted) with the rest of the car and windows thoroughly blanketed.  Again it's no fun getting all the snow off a car but it reminds you of the conditions.  Some modern drivers can be to remote in their cosy cars.

 

Yep. It's terrifying. I usually clear as much snow off the roof as possible too as I have to stop on a downhill stretch for a T-junction so it would slide all over the windscreen.

[nta16]

Getting snow off the roof is important as heat rises and can melt the blanket of snow from the underside so it has a nice lubricated to slide forward or back  in a nice solid lump,

 

This morning we got the sitting rain water off all the windows and exterior mirrors only took a few minutes.

 

If you want, applying Rain-X or equivalent helps with later clearing and cleaning of the glass areas including exterior mirrors (and headlights for those of us with cars that have glass lenses).

 

As there's so much glass in the Fabia (and possibly getting in with now damp clothing) to help with the condensation inside and to help and speed up the use and lowering (or switching off) of the blower motor and air-con we have a couple of Pingi bags and a synthetic chamois keep in a bag in the glovebox.  These and the rubber blade (or plastic for ice)  scrapper are all used in addition to the car's electric and electronic systems to save the battery and it's ruling invasive computer program.  This off course does take a bit of time instead of starting the car and immediately driving off to use the time perhaps for much more important things like getting a take-away coffee or dealing with messages.  Yes I'm a moaning very old man.  🙂