Is the battery dead?

[Giff]

Hi,

 

My 1.6 TDI Octavia from 2016 does not start anymore, after having been standing still for a couple weeks. It is an automatic with start and stop.

 

I tried charing the battery twice with a slow charger, to no avail. Lights and electronics seem to work, but the engine won't start (some small noises can be heard).

 

Now I found a voltmeter and measured the voltage of the battery: 10.4V

 

Question: is the battery dead? Should I just buy a new one and replace it? I am trying to do as much as possible on my own as having a garage come to take the car and replace the battery would cost a lot more.

 

Thanks for your opinions and let me know if some details are missing to judge.

 

Best,

Giff

[varooom]

Yes dead like a Monty Python parrot.

 

Take a picture of the current battery in full so a replacement part can be sourced.

[Giff]

Here is a pic.

 

[Warrior193]

Even with an identical replacement battery, it is preferable (some say essential) to code the battery monitoring system so that it knows that the battery has been replaced. The original battery is probably EFB type, but will be marked on battery top.

[varooom]

I will double check this, but should be what you need.

 

I am on mobile phone, and not with PC.

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/n70/

 

You can put in your registration on that site and choose EFB battery.

 

You should in theory adapt the battery to your car, so it knows the fact a new one has been fitted.  You can get away without doing if fitting same technology, but will take time for the car to adjust to the new capacity.

 

 

You may need to clean up your terminals, again can recommend in a bit.

[Giff]

16 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

to code the battery monitoring system so that it knows that the battery has been replaced.

 

Is this something I can do? Or do I need special tools?

[varooom]

The existing battery is 70Ah, and the replacement is also 70Ah, so you can just swap over.

Please note that the car dash will light up like an Xmas tree afterwards, so you will need to go full lock left/right and if needs be take it for a drive.

 

If you are going to charge the battery, connect to positive battery pole and connect the negative to the car Earth point, not direct to battery negative.

My Octavia has negative Earth clamp just above battery near windscreen scuttle.

 

 

The cleaning process here for your terminal(s) as they seem crusty.

[Warrior193]

Special tool required to plug into the OBD port - check if there is a member near you who can help, there is a register available somewhere on the forum. The minimum required is to change the logged serial number of the battery (can be a made up number - or as one member posted recently, the date - Eg. 30112022***** for the necessary number of characters.

[varooom]

 

[varooom]

I have just seen you are in Switzerland, the Tanya battery link might not work or sell to you.

However the size is known as 096 EFB and the Varta is the OEM battery of choice fitted, why I chose that one.

 

You probably won't locate anyone for VCDS, but if you stick with EFB and 70Ah, then you should have no actual need to adjust the settings (adapting)

Check dimensions of replacement battery before you purchase, any more questions ask away.

[Giff]

Thanks for the quick and great help!

 

I guess this would do then? https://www.rupteur.ch/de/produkt/autobatterien/universel/84/Autobatterie-Varta-N70-Blue-Dynamic-EFB-70Ah-760A?at_gd=45E46D1A079CCFE1F16194167E4EE6F7A386C287

 

G

[Giff]

Actually that one has a 2 weeks delivery time....

 

I could pick one of these:

 

https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/varta-autobatterien/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/42/varta-e39-silver-dynamic-agm-570-901-076-autobatterie-70ah?c=3 

https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/exide-autobatterien/exide-agm/74/exide-ek700-agm-70ah-autobatterie-570-901-076?c=3

[nta16]

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

43 minutes ago, Giff said:

Thanks for the quick and great help!

 

I guess this would do then? https://www.rupteur.ch/de/produkt/autobatterien/universel/84/Autobatterie-Varta-N70-Blue-Dynamic-EFB-70Ah-760A?at_gd=45E46D1A079CCFE1F16194167E4EE6F7A386C287

 

G

That is the battery varoom linked to, could you buy it from elsewhere and get it delivered sooner.

 

Edited 30 November, 2022 by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

[Giff]

I can get the "Silver Dynamic" version, instead of the "Blue Dynamic", e.g., https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/varta-autobatterien/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/42/varta-e39-silver-dynamic-agm-570-901-076-autobatterie-70ah?c=3

 

Silver sounds actually better than blue, or not?

[nta16]

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

50 minutes ago, Giff said:

I could pick one of these:

 

https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/varta-autobatterien/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/42/varta-e39-silver-dynamic-agm-570-901-076-autobatterie-70ah

 

https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/varta-autobatterien/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/42/varta-e39-silver-dynamic-agm-570-901-076-autobatterie-70ah

 

Generally (subject to quality of manufacture) an AGM battery will be better than a EFB for start/stop particularly but that will need to be 'coded' in, not only the serial number but  EFB changed to Fleece.

 

From Tayna for UK viewers. - https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/e39/

 

Edited 30 November, 2022 by nta16

[Vahids]

Or this from Halfords:

 

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/batteries/car-batteries/halfords--096agm-start%2Fstop-agm-12v-car-battery-5-year-guarantee-548638.html

[nta16]

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

6 minutes ago, Giff said:

I can get the "Silver Dynamic" version, instead of the "Blue Dynamic", e.g., https://swissbatt24.ch/starterbatterien/autobatterien/varta-autobatterien/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/varta-silver-dynamic-agm/42/varta-e39-silver-dynamic-agm-570-901-076-autobatterie-70ah?c=3

 

Silver sounds actually better than blue, or not?

Blue is EFB, silver is AGM.  AGM is better so that would be my choice but it will need 'coding' in whereas you might not need coding for a 'like for like' (EFB, 70ah) battery.

 

[Giff]

15 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Generally (subject to quality of manufacture) an AGM battery will be better than a EFB for start/stop particularly but that will need to be 'coded' in, not only the serial number but  EFB changed to Fleece.

 

Will I be able to drive though after I put it in, assuming it'll take some days to figure out how to "code it in"?

[Vahids]

11 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Blue is EFB, silver is AGM.  AGM is better so that would be my choice but it will need 'coding' in whereas you might not need coding for a 'like for like' (EFB, 70ah) battery.

 

coding is still needed even for the same battery type, but it would be limited to change only the serial number, otherwise car cannot detect the battery has been changed an keep charging with the same ratio as the previous one.

Edited 30 November, 2022 by Vahids

[Giff]

5 minutes ago, Vahids said:

coding is still needed even for the same battery type, but it would be limited to change only the serial number, otherwise car cannot detect the battery has been changed an keep charging with the same ratio as the previous one.

 

and that means that it'll start the car but perhaps damage the battery/something else if not coded ASAP?

 

I need the car serviced anyway, I suppose I can drive it 1Km to the garage and ask them to code the battery in?

[nta16]

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

5 minutes ago, Giff said:

 

Will I be able to drive though after I put it in, assuming it'll take some days to figure out how to "code it in"?

Yes but depending on how long and how much you use the car and its electrics it might have some effect on the overall battery life - we did and the Earth still turned but perhaps our battery's potential lifespan might be shortened however there are other factors like the users use, abuse and care of the battery.

 

When I changed our battery I was told by a BMW technician that they just changed the battery on his brother-in-laws car and never got around  to 'coding' it and many months later all was still fine, I can't remember if it was a car with evil BMW computer programs or evil VW programs though.

 

Even if 'like-for-like' as put earlier definitely preferable to 'code' the battery and some say essential.

 

[varooom]

https://swissbatt24.ch/solar/solarbatterien/1808/varta-led70-professional-dp-efb-70ah-batterie?c=314

 

I don't read your language very well!  But this should be the one you need, it's EFB technology.

And you should not need to adapt/code this in, the car will take a little time but it will adjust to the new battery.

Ideally you should adapt in a perfect World!

 

EFB last 2x longer than an old 'Wet' type battery

AGM last 3x longer than an old 'Wet' type battery, roughly speaking

 

To swap to AGM you MUST adapt the car, as they are charged at different Voltages.

[Vahids]

It only overcharges the battery if not coded. So, yes, it works as soon as you connect the new battery without coding. You can code it later whenever you want.

[Breezy_Pete]

I'd love to see some measured/logged data (not hearsay) on whether EFB and AGM types really do get charged any differently by the alternator. I have doubts.

[varooom]

1 minute ago, Breezy_Pete said:

I'd love to see some measured/logged data (not hearsay) on whether EFB and AGM types really do get charged any differently by the alternator. I have doubts.

Guilty of not being clear in my text for sure. 😬

I mean to suggest that the car will turn off the Alternator differently for AGM/EFB Voltage/State of Charge amounts if that makes sense?