Low Battery Warning Message

[Briar]

For the past couple of months I've been getting the "low battery warning message- please start vehicle" when I open car if it has been sitting unused for 2-3 days. No message if the car is used everyday.

How critical is this or imperative to replace the battery? Obviously it's not holding a charge as well as initially but could this message persist for ages or is it a sign of imminent battery death? Thanks.

Trevor

[drivesafe]

Hi Trevor and first things first.

Do you have a battery charger, and preferably one around 10 amps?

[Briar]

In the shed I have a basic battery charger. Can't recall how many amps it puts out. Have some multi-stage chargers but they are in the Caravans. Why do you ask?

The vehicle has still started each time (so far), however, if it's a sign that the battery is about to die I'd get it replaced pronto. I was just curious and wondering that the discovery may give this warning but the battery may still be fine for another year with regular use.

I do have the traxide system but my isolator is 9 months old so the connection between the 2 batteries does not work the same as the most recent iteration.

[The Fridster]

If the vehicle is still under warranty I strongly recommend a visit to your local LR Stealer as they will most likely replace it for you. I had a similar problem with mine and had it replaced 1 week before the warranty expired. Like many things in life nothing ventured nothing gained. The worst they can say is no.

[Briar]

If the vehicle is still under warranty I strongly recommend a visit to your local LR Stealer as they will most likely replace it for you. I had a similar problem with mine and had it replaced 1 week before the warranty expired. Like many things in life nothing ventured nothing gained. The worst they can say is no.

Yes, still well in warranty. I didn't assume a battery would be a warranty item but will give the LR dealer a ring to see what they say.

[BMKal]

I had two replaced under warranty. ;)

The first was within three days of me first picking up the car from the dealer (I knew when I picked the car up that the battery was not in good health and told them this, but they thought that they knew better).

The second replacement was a bit over a year later. The vehicle had been doing a lot of stop / start short runs in Perth and had not been out on the highway for a while to give the battery a good charge, and it died on me. Land Rover assist called out, and he discovered that the battery was still under the standard new battery warranty period. He had a new one in the back of his ute and replaced it for me there & then. :D

Since then, I have installed the Traxide system and now have three batteries in the vehicle, and have had no further problems with any of the batteries. The vehicle is not used anywhere near as much these days since my work situation has changed, and spends most of its life in the shed.

I know why Tim has asked you about a battery charger, and I also know what he is going to recommend that you do with your battery/s. Take note of his recommendation - it works well for me and many others. ;)

[LandyAndy]

Briar.
There is a gateway module software upgrade for some 2014 MY vehicles.I was having issues with mine.They don't charge enough.From factory they fully charge on the over-run and downhill to increase economy.No good if you aren't using the thing.They only go to a normal charge if the battery is quite low.
Get a Jaycar or similar ciggy lighter 12V gauge,around $20.It will show you when its actually charging.Mine now charges like a normal vehicle after the software upgrade.I do still get the low battery warning,but more like after 4 or 5 weeks rather than the 2 weeks before.
Andrew

[drivesafe]

Hi Trevor, and I suspect that, as BMKal posted, you too are doing lots of short drives. The all to common Shopping Trolley Syndrome.

If this is the case, then you will need to use your battery charger on a pretty regular basis. Probably every night for a week, and the once a week till you get both your batteries back to a good condition.

Once back into a good condition, even if you continue to do lots of short drives, by keeping your batteries in a good charged state in the first place, the short drives will not be anywhere near as big a problem and you should not get the messages.

BTW, the messages only come into effect when you cranking battery's general state of charge is below 12.2v.

While this is not a good level to leave batteries in, but you can still start your motor with a battery as low as 11.6v

[drivesafe]

Time to eat CROW.


After advising the use of a battery charger to help maintain cranking batteries, both in this thread and in another about L322 Range Rover cranking batteries, I decided it was probably long overdue that I gave my L322 some maintenance charging.


I thought I would first carryout a SOFT discharge first, to see how poor a state my Range Rovers cranking battery was in.


WOW!


I first drove the RR for a few days in a row. It normally sits for weeks at a time.


Then I left it for 12 days while I monitored the rested voltage.


It settled to around 12.1v after 8 days and pretty well sat at that voltage.


So 12 days after the last motor run, I placed a 2 amp load on the battery controlled by a modified ABG-25 ( low voltage cut-out unit ), set to 11.6v.


If the battery had have been in a good condition, theoretically, I should have been able to draw 30 amperes from the battery and the 2 amp load should have taken about 15 hours to discharge the battery down to 20%.


It took lest than 10 MINUTES before the ABG-25 shutdown. Something was VERY wrong with the battery.


I placed a battery charger on the battery and while the charger was set to an AGM setting, this should have still been good enough to give the battery a good bulk charge.


The battery should have taken at least 60 amperes to get it back over a 95% charged state.


It took just 14 amperes.


The next day, I switched the charge to the Calcium setting and charge the battery again, leaving it on for 12 hours and resting it for 12 hours.


After 10 days, I again did a 1 amp soft discharge and I only got a discharge of 13 amperes before the ABG-25 shutdown.


I put a charger on the battery for a few hours and then when for a 40 minute drive. I then parked the RR outside the workshop.


Late the next afternoon, we get a severe weather warning about heat rain and large hail stone.


So I go to start the RR to park it inside the workshop. It unlocked, the dash lights lite up and then as I tried to start it, absolutely nothing.


I used an Optima 55Ah yellow top and jump started.


I have no one but myself to blame for the failed battery. I had not charged that battery for at least 12 months.


Anyway, the old saying that a plumber has the worst pipes in the street some how rings true.

[rocket rod]

Anyway, the old saying that a plumber has the worst pipes in the street some how rings true.

Happens to us all at some stage.

[ATH]

I had this warning recently and spoke to the stealer about it their response was good "bring it in and we'll check". However, after a long run down to the far flung southern burbs to see rellies (they don't want to live near me :)) it's not come up again so I assume it's what others have found and short runs can flatten it resulting in the message coming up.
AlanH.

[Turtle60]

Hi Trevor, and I suspect that, as BMKal posted, you too are doing lots of short drives. The all to common Shopping Trolley Syndrome.

If this is the case, then you will need to use your battery charger on a pretty regular basis. Probably every night for a week, and the once a week till you get both your batteries back to a good condition.

Once back into a good condition, even if you continue to do lots of short drives, by keeping your batteries in a good charged state in the first place, the short drives will not be anywhere near as big a problem and you should not get the messages.

BTW, the messages only come into effect when you cranking battery's general state of charge is below 12.2v.

While this is not a good level to leave batteries in, but you can still start your motor with a battery as low as 11.6v

So just how long a drive might avoid “shopping trolley” sydrome as a matter of interest. I frequently do short drives but don’t get the low battery message very often at all. Surprisingly it’s the original battery 4 1/2 years old touch wood
cheers
Steve

[drivesafe]

Hi Steve and the drive time depends on a few factors but when new, you can do lots of short drives but as the battery ages, and it begins to sulfate, you need longer drives.

Again while it will vary from one vehicle to another, but drives of 20 minutes or more, seem to lessen the effect.

In my case, where I only drove into the post office and back. A 10 minute drive after each start and not driving all that often, I have managed to destroy my battery in just over 2 years.