Replacement battery advice for 1.0 Bluemotion

[Dad]

Hi all.. first post!

My daughters car has had an issue this week which resulted in it going into limp mode. The fault codes were P0300, 0301, 0302 and 0303 (misfiring cylinders). Plus P0106 MAP sensor.

Whilst investigating this I spotted the battery was almost dead and a Renault/Nissan battery! So I charged the battery up overnight and cleaned up various connections around the MAP sensor plug and hoses. Cleared the fault codes and all seems well again but as this is my daughters car I’m not comfortable I’ve actually resolved the issue for good. Might just have been a poor connection with the MAP sensor as the plug was a bit wobbly.

However the Reno battery is not a stop start battery and I’m thinking it’s probably best just to replace it as it may not be helping. It’s an L2 60/510.

I’ve tried searching online but can’t seem to find the correct battery spec for this car. Even Eurocarparts and Halfords seems to give multiple options for different capacity batteries so it’s not obvious what to buy. I do want a stop start battery I assume?

Thanks

[RUM4MO]

I'd think that a frame size 027 would be what that car now needs, though it would be handy if someone could confirm that - check the length and width of the battery tray that is fitted, also maybe even consider getting an AGM version instead of the EFB that should be in there - if buying via Tayna Batteries the extra cost will be minimal.

I've discovered this problem with what battery suppliers are offering and not only ECP is vague in the extreme.

For what it is worth, the current, and still original battery fitted to my wife's August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS SEL is a 320A (DIN) 59AH 640A (EN) battery frame size 027 and that fits that car's original battery tray fully. If/when I feel the need to change batteries, I'll be replacing that frame size 027 with a frame size 096 which is slightly bigger and obviously has a bigger capacity, so I've bought a new battery tray and heat insulator to cover that event - and I'll be buying an AGM version of that battery.

Now the above is just what I'm planning to get, in your case if I were you, I'd aim to get a frame size 027 in either EFB or AGM version, if changing from an EFB to AGM, it would be best plan to recode the car to know that it is charging an AGM, probably not 100% required but useful, also the serial number of the battery contained within the car's CAN - Gateway also needs altering by one digit so that the battery management system knows that you have fitted a new battery - as it continuously adapts the settings to suit a dying battery.

Edit:-at the very least fit the correct EFB version of battery if that car has Stop/Start and a module on the battery -VE terminal.

Another Edit:- at £137.50 that Exide EFB from ECP looks okay for a quick "today" replacement - Exide is what VW fitted to my wife's Polo at the factory, I'd prefer Bosch Silver or similar quality Varta (who manufacture batteries for Bosch) - but maybe needs must!

[Dad]

Thanks!

Today we went to Halfords and have paid £121 + £25 recode and fit for their own brand AGM 027 with five year warranty.

Immediately the car is feeling much smoother, better idle speed and slightly more power. Could the wrong (and almost dead) battery have been causing the misfires?

Thanks

[iichel]

I'd say it's unlikely, if your alternator is in good condition. But bad batteries are known to cause, at first glance, random and unexplainable problems.

[RUM4MO]

Yes, having smart charging + Stop/Start is not a good idea for a car that ended up getting a normal old type battery fitted to it, what was someone thinking about there!

Tip to anyone else buying a used car with Stop/Start built in, always check the battery, all genuine factory fit batteries will have EFB or AGM printed in white capital letters on the top face of the battery, aftermarket batteries also tend to have EFB or AGM printed onto them but mainly on the front/rear face, not much good if that face is rear facing though! Anyway most batteries have enough manufacturer's information printed onto them for anyone to be able to decode which type it is from online listings, I 'd think that lots of people will be getting caught out with this issue right now.

A friend bought a slightly used Audi A6 from an Audi dealership from "down South" as an Approved Used Audi - well 2 years later it became evident that someone at a VW Group dealership had swopped the factory fitted AGM battery (no option on that age and version of A6 to have an EFB fitted) for a same size EFB and that possibly saved a dealer £25 - it all adds up, but that battery was dead well before that car was 4 years old. It now has an AGM correct size battery in it!

Edit:- mind you, that battery lives in the boot under the carpet, so as far as a dealership is concerned, a swop that most would get away with, out of sight is out of mind?