Hi everyone, I’ve just replaced the battery on my Skoda Scala with a Varta Dynamic EFB N50 (50Ah 12V 550A).

The original factory battery lasted me 4,5 years and about 60,000 km. At the end it dropped to 11.5 V and the car wouldn’t start anymore.

After installing the new one I did a quick test with a multimeter: engine running at idle, voltage stays around 12.5 V constant, it doesn’t go higher.

I was expecting the usual 13.8 - 14.5 V that typically means the alternator is charging properly.

At the moment I don’t notice any strange symptoms: no warning lights, no error codes, lights and electronics are fine, car starts without problems.

Do you think this is normal behavior of the Scala’s energy management system (charging in steps), or could it be that the alternator isn’t doing its job?

Has anyone else measured similar values on their Scala?

Thanks!

Edited 18 September, 202518 Sep by cloudres

2 hours ago, cloudres said:

I’ve just replaced the battery on my Skoda Scala with a Varta Dynamic EFB

Have you programmed the car to tell it that a new battery has been installed?

Thanks. AG Falco

5 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

Have you programmed the car to tell it that a new battery has been installed?

Uhmm… actually no. I just installed the same type of battery. By doing so, the seller told me it wasn’t necessary to update the ECU.

Just now, cloudres said:

I just installed the same type of battery. By doing so, the seller told me it wasn’t necessary to update the ECU.

Best practice IS to update the car.

Thanks. AG Falco.

2 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

Best practice IS to update the car.

But what exactly do you tell the ECU? That the brand has changed? The capacity is the same. That now it’s charged, while before it had memorized it was discharged? Could you explain this to me a bit better?

Thanks.

1 minute ago, cloudres said:

Could you explain this to me a bit better?

The battery control module records the power going in to and out of the battery.

It remembers this and will then charge the battery accordingly.

If the car is not programmed when a new battery is fitted it will charge the new battery thinking it is the old battery.

If the old battery was at half the capacity of the new one it will charge the new battery to this ( half ) capacity.

3 hours ago, cloudres said:

voltage stays around 12.5 V constant,

Does the voltage change from when the engine is running compared to when the engine is NOT running.

My Fabia battery is 9 Years old and the car has done 90K miles.

Had the car from new.

Are you anywhere near N Dorset?

Thanks. AG Falco

Turn on the seat heating and rear window heating, then the alternator voltage should reach to 14.6V. This is controlled via the LIN.

Edited 18 September, 202518 Sep by Cairus

1 hour ago, AGFalco said:

If the car is not programmed when a new battery is fitted it will charge the new battery thinking it is the old battery.

If the old battery was at half the capacity of the new one it will charge the new battery to this ( half ) capacity.

I see. Then I guess I really need to go to an auto electrician…

1 hour ago, AGFalco said:

Are you anywhere near N Dorset?

Unfortunately not, I’m writing from Italy!

Try as above, or starting the engine with the headlights on, air-con and blower on and turning the steering wheel fully both ways and check battery voltage again with engine running, if no difference then go for a reasonable length drive and test in the same way again.

If you buy and occasionally use an appropriate battery charger maintainer (cheap ones are fine) in a preventative (not reaction when when battery is very low) you should get much longer out of your new battery than 4.5 years (if you decide to keep a 2020 VW that much loner).

Best practices is to have the battery 'coded' (data entry only really) but many have previously found with use of the car the computers work it out for themselves but it is always best to get the computers' knickers untwisted as soon as possible (in this case by driving the car or getting the battery 'coded').

See below and attached pdf for more info if you want 'coding' but if the car sorts itself there is no rush for it and others haven't bothered. If you are in Rome there might be a member able to help you with 'coding'.

VCDS How to adapt a new battery.pdf

Edited 18 September, 202518 Sep by nta16

ETA: other scan tool than the (to me, horrible presentation) VCDS can be used in simpler ways.

11 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Best practices is to have the battery 'coded' (data entry only really) but many have previously found with use of the car the computers work it out for themselves but it is always best to get the computers' knickers untwisted as soon as possible (in this case by driving the car or getting the battery 'coded').

I’ve read your reply with great interest. Thank you for your very valuable contribution! So do you think that even without doing anything, the ECU would still be able to figure out what happened?

Anyway, just to be sure, I think I’ll drop by an auto electrician tomorrow.

1 minute ago, cloudres said:

So do you think that even without doing anything, the ECU would still be able to figure out what happened?

Yes, but it shortens the life of the battery.

In the UK a shop that fits batteries would be able to code the new battery for you.

Thanks. AG Falco

8 minutes ago, AGFalco said:

In the UK a shop that fits batteries would be able to code the new battery for you.

Here in Rome unfortunately I haven’t been as lucky. Oh well… I just hope it won’t cost me more than 15 euros 😅

Personally I do think the very dumb computers systems will figure things out but best practice is to 'code' the system if practically possible ass soon as you can but it is not urgent. Not doing so in your case might shorten the life of the battery minusculely in the time for either 'coding' or the dumb computers sorting it out, whichever is sooner.

As you can tell I'm neither a computer or VW fan but I've never seen evidence either way and VW are as tight as a duck's bottom with info (10 years since their programming achievement scandal) but given various users reports and what a BMW "technician" has told me I can accept that those who said they never bothered with coding and things were fine after (years later) might not all be mistaken or lying about not bothering with 'like for like' battery swap without 'coding'.

Your battery life will, given you only got 4.5 years out of your last battery, probably be shortened a lot, lot more by not doing when required very occasional preventative battery recharging. The battery itself, er, self discharges at twice the rate at 30C than 20c weather temperate and twice again at 40c so if you are somewhere hot in Italy that might be something you have not previously considered.

If you are in Rome then see if the Briskoda member (see below) can code the battery for you (for €15 or less) and with the likes of a VCDS (and other scan tools) you could see if the car has sorted itself anyway.

BTW - over here it is not unknown for shops, and at least one auto-electrician, to wrongly 'code' the battery (very bad programming on VW's part that at least the auto-electrician's mistake was accepted by the computer program, parameters or lack of them perhaps) and then the new battery has a very short life and car owner gets all sorts of unexpected warnings from the car, error codes and issues but of course they don't expect them to be from the new battery - or rather in reality the incorrect 'coding'. Two sides to every coin. Amateur or paid professional the work has to be done correctly and a good person will double-check his work.

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262215-list-of-vcds-owners-previously-known-as-vag-com-vcp-owners/#comment-3091029

Let us know how you get on, whatever you decide and whatever you do - might take 4.5 years to tell fully though. 😄

Good luck.

Edited 18 September, 202518 Sep by nta16
typos

By the way in the battery 'coding' I had done for me by a Briskoda member with an OBDEleven scan tool system I didn't bother with the three character VW code for battery manufacturer and just had "BOSCH" put in but as the battery has only been in for just over 4 years I can't tell if that has shortened the battery life yet.

Also note the factory couldn't even be bothered to put in the "serial number" instead like many others it is in as ten ones (1111111111) so the number was just changed by one digit to show a new battery installation.

I have done other things with the battery other members have been very upset about me doing like fully charging the battery to 100% before installing it as they say the car's system will take it down to 80% which is correct but totally misses the point of fully charging the battery, they also get upset about me fully recharging the battery rather than only to 80% or leaving it all to the alternator (despite advice in the car's 'Owner's Manual' and more so with newer models, and they get very upset about other battery stuff I put yet my wife's car battery has yet to expire or explode or car's charging system fail (10 years old now, same as VW's programming achievement) nor has the car exploded or fell apart, well from anything to do with the battery or charging systems but as it's a 21st century VW(Škoda) other parts have prematurely failed and clonking and water getting in. 😄

As always each to their own, whatever helps you rest easy, believe as you wish, trust no one on the internet. 😄

Look, the manufacturer tells you to code in the new battery for a reason. As has been mentioned the cars battery management will adapt over time to the old battery and it's reduced capability.

Cut out all the hoping, guessing and faffing about, just go and get the new battery coded to the car. Unless you like buying batteries, in which case do nothing.

On 18/09/2025 at 16:20, cloudres said:

Hi everyone, I’ve just replaced the battery on my Skoda Scala with a Varta Dynamic EFB N50 (50Ah 12V 550A).

The original factory battery lasted me 4,5 years and about 60,000 km. At the end it dropped to 11.5 V and the car wouldn’t start anymore.

After installing the new one I did a quick test with a multimeter: engine running at idle, voltage stays around 12.5 V constant, it doesn’t go higher.

I was expecting the usual 13.8 - 14.5 V that typically means the alternator is charging properly.

At the moment I don’t notice any strange symptoms: no warning lights, no error codes, lights and electronics are fine, car starts without problems.

Do you think this is normal behavior of the Scala’s energy management system (charging in steps), or could it be that the alternator isn’t doing its job?

Has anyone else measured similar values on their Scala?

Thanks!

Even without coding I would be very surprised if the charging voltage ever went below 13.5V or so, the BMS will allways charge at 14.8V/15.0V on the overrun but nearly allways 13.5ish while driving normally, if you turn on all the auxiliaries does the M.meter still show 12.5V while idling or increasing the revs a little, if it does then possibly the lack of coding, if not, possibly a Alternator problem.

So, my opinion on this. I've spent some time looking into the subject of start-stop, battery coding, etc. In my opinion, it really doesn't matter whether it's coded or not. I even drove with a conventional lead battery but an efb was set up, and absolutely nothing happened. I tried various data sets, but it made no difference. The only thing that killed the battery after 2 months was when there was no data set at all on the gateway. Back then, I used it daily, with a minimum of 60km a day.... Regarding voltage, 12.5V when driving is completely normal, that often happens when overrunning and when the SoC is at a good 80-85%.

Are you saying it never went to 14.8V on overrun? My 6.8 year old battery has a 70% SOC but allways goes to 14.8ish on overrun and never below 13.5 when driving normally, I can't see any battery lasting very long if charging for any extended time at 12.5V.

If you monitor the battery terminals with your M.meter and get someone to start the car, then after start up,the voltage will/should rise to almost 15V but only for ~ 15/20 secs.

Edited 19 September, 202519 Sep by Johngerard

6 hours ago, Aldfort said:

Look, the manufacturer tells you to code in the new battery for a reason.

The VW manufacturer tells you many things for many different reasons, most for their benefit rather than yours, the VW manufacturer also tells outright lies (10th anniversary of their programming achievement being officially caught out). They didn't even stick to their own battery 'coding' protocol at their factory as shown in the battery 'coding' of my wife's VW(Škoda) and other Briskoda members cars.

The manufacturer also tells you (in the 'Owner's Manual' for my wife's 2015 Fabia) that "You should replace batteries older than 5 years" and 4 years in later manuals IIRC, John will be in trouble for keeping his 6.8 years!!

On 18/09/2025 at 16:20, cloudres said:

Hi everyone, I’ve just replaced the battery on my Skoda Scala with a Varta Dynamic EFB N50 (50Ah 12V 550A).

The original factory battery lasted me 4,5 years and about 60,000 km. At the end it dropped to 11.5 V and the car wouldn’t start anymore.

After installing the new one I did a quick test with a multimeter: engine running at idle, voltage stays around 12.5 V constant, it doesn’t go higher.

I was expecting the usual 13.8 - 14.5 V that typically means the alternator is charging properly.

At the moment I don’t notice any strange symptoms: no warning lights, no error codes, lights and electronics are fine, car starts without problems.

Do you think this is normal behavior of the Scala’s energy management system (charging in steps), or could it be that the alternator isn’t doing its job?

Has anyone else measured similar values on their Scala?

Thanks!

This can be normal if you have a healthy battery etc... Basically modern charging systems will back off re charging and wait until certain circumstances (eg overrun). All to save a couple of grammes re CO2 readings. I had a voltage sensing split relay on my previous Superb to control the running of a coolbox and it used to turn off at times especially on a long run(battery nearly full). I discovered using a high current device stopped this happening eg headlights.

7 hours ago, Johngerard said:

If you monitor the battery terminals with your M.meter and get someone to start the car, then after start up,the voltage will/should rise to almost 15V but only for ~ 15/20 secs.

Why would that happen? We have four MQB platform vehicles at home, including one without start-stop from Factory. None of the vehicles exceeds 14.6 to 14.8 volts after starting. this is normal.

Or what you mean?

The BMS dont Charge the Batterie every time. The BMS say via LIN when the Batterie is To Charge.

When your Car have every time min 13,X Volt, your Batterie ist EOL

Or you mean the "Fake" rekuperation?

Edited 20 September, 202520 Sep by Cairus

Yes, 14.6/14.9V is quite normal after every start, it might tell the OP something about the state of his Alternator even if it does drop back to 12.5V which IMO will not charge any battery, might give a trickle charge of 0.5/1.0 amp, as you are probably well aware all the older type VAGs charged at a constant 14.2/14.4V to give, in my case, a minimum of 10years battery life and even then I used only change them as a precautionery measure as the car was handed down the line.

It mightn't be bad advise if the OP got the battery coded and also invest a fiver or so in a DVM, (digital volt meter) and he can keep an eye on the charging patterns.

"When your Car have every time min 13,X Volt, your Batterie ist EOL" what is EOL? and ""Fake" rekuperation?", as stated, I've never seen the DVM displayed voltage fall below 13.3/13.5V under any circumstances.

Edited 20 September, 202520 Sep by Johngerard

The first 20-30 seconds have nothing to do with a functional test. The engine is cold, various systems are heating up, etc. the system provides full energy. EOL = End of Life

Edited 20 September, 202520 Sep by Cairus

.

Edited 20 September, 202520 Sep by Breezy_Pete
Too late