Hi All,

I have a Mk3 Skoda Fabia wagon 1.2TSI with 150,000km on it, its a fabulous vehicle and it runs like a new car :) . I just got the warning message and the dash that stop start was disabled due to to much current draw. having research this great site it suggest that the battery in on the way out

The current battery is a lion brand spec re

model 455TAMG

RC 100

CCA 640

I am looking o replace it with a superstart battery

Model SS55Ti SSB Stop Start VRLA (AGM) Battery

RC 140

CCA 750

Link here

https://superstart.com.au/product/ss55ti/

Do I need to get the car coded if i change the battery with this new one

Thanks in advance

Gaz

Edited 17 May, 20251 yr by gazwagon

The Amp hour capacity is the relevant number in this context. I see the replacement is rated at 60Ah, but can't tell what the current one is from the info given.

If the capacity is the same, or very near, there's less reason to bother coding anything.

Hi breeze Pete existing battery is 60ah

https://www.batteriesonline.com.au/72/battery-details/Lion-455TAGM

So I assume it should be ok to replace without coding?

Thanks

Gaz

Yes, same capacity, same technology (AGM), so least chance of any problems.

Doom-mongers may be along soon to tell you that the battery management system will start damaging it immediately by treating it like the old battery (whatever that means) but I suspect most of that is unfounded in reality.

Thanks breeze Pete 😀

It will save me some money and time which is always a good thing

Gaz

Gaz, hi, welcome.

Sorry, some questions but hopefully save you more money, if it's not too late.

The stop/start, er, stopping is the first warning of a battery in a lower state of charge but not necessarily that the battery needs changing (unless it's been left this way for a long time perhaps).

Is there a reason why you need a "super start" battery?

And is your present battery too bad to be recharged on an appropriate battery charger maintainer following the instruction in the car's 'Owner's Manual' and charger's booklet?

We didn't get AGM batteries from factory here so is your present AGM battery from 2017 or newer, if so when was it fitted?

Also if not factory, was it 'coded in' correctly when it was fitted?

Batteries like about 20c weather for charging and discharging and AGM are fussy about engine bay heat so would have more insulation around them, we get about (usually) -5c to 30c where I am and I fitted an AGM (without full insulation for EFB battery as that was lost before we got the car). Your weather might be warmer than here.

I hope I'm able to help you with getting more reliable useable use (for as long as possible) out of your existing battery as car batteries are probably still one of the most oversold car parts because of premature replacement, a waste of resources and money.

Hi Nat16,

We brought the car 2nd hand about a year ago. we have done 12,000km since then. It already had the AGM battery in it so I suspect the original battery was replaced at some stage.

We live in Canberra so temp range is -8 to 40.

This morning I went for a 10 minute drive to the shops and back and stop start worked fine with no warning message. Car has been sitting for 6 hours since then. I just put the multi meter on the Battery and it was 12.69V. Put the battery charge on (set to AGM setting) and it showed full charged in about 5 minutes. re check the multi meter 10 minutes later and it was at 12.86v.

So at this stag seeing I have road side assistance and a jumper starter in the boot. I will just continue to enjoy driving the Fabia :)

Thanks as always to the great members in this forum.

Gaz

If you are not sure that the original battery was correctly coded from EFB to AGM, then I would get it coded.

The voltages are a bit different and the coding on many cars resets an “aging profile” for how the battery is charged.

@gazwagon I echo Monkhai, no rush just next time the car is in with someone with the appropriate scan tool.

All sounds very good, if that is the battery that came with the car forget about changing it just occasional preventative charges with a battery or hooked up on maintenance if the cars not moving for a week or two.

The stop/start is designed not to operate under some circumstances and lower battery charge is one of them, recharge the battery by driving a reasonable distance without too much electrical load going or using a battery charger will top things up again.

Things like air-con, steering, heated this, that and other, wiper motor(s) are bigger users of electric other than low constant drains that add up over time, at 40c the battery self-discharges twice as much as at 20c, plus the air-con and blower motor will working their socks off gulping the electric. Give that battery some occasional attention and it will give good reliable service for many years (lots more than VW say).

Unless you have something added to your car don't worry about getting more CCA starting power, even when the batteries are too low in state of charge the engine starts, that's the problem this fools many into thinking the battery must be alright and they keep hammering the battery until it's too late.

Over here owners often pay £200+ to £300+ as a 'distress' purchase when many times a proper (slow) recharge of the previous battery could more and more more service life.

Good luck.

Hi all,

Just an update,

I brought this ODB scan tool from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com.au/Veepeak-OBDCheck-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Supports/dp/B076XVQMVS/ref=sr_1_9?sr=8-9

And signed up to carista for a month. Turns out the car was coded to an EFB battery with 55Ah, so i have re coded the car to AGM & 60ah. Haven't had the stop start warning since :)

Also turned on the auto lock above 15km/h and auto lock when leaving the car. So happy days

Gaz