Replacing battery

[86mud]

Hi all

I am new to this scene. My missus has a 2014 Range Rover Sport Twin Turbo Diesel.

The dash is showing low battery.

The owners hand book is stating that the battery is to be replaced by an authorised Landrover Technician.

So where is the battery hiding in this vehicle? Clearly not under the bonnet. Is there only one battery or two? Where can I source a replacement?

Thanks heaps

[Nessie]

Battery is under the suspension compressor beneath the rear loadspace floor. Burson Auto Spares carry a replacement, and it’s near $600. You can get cheaper, but they are lower capacity. The battery monitoring system should be reset/recalibrated after replacement. Most independents can do this for a small price.
If you don’t do this the start/stop system may not work.

[86mud]

Thanks Nessie.

Good to know Burson's have the battery. It's actually fitting it myself is what I am trying to achieve. There seems to be no info on the internet.


I'm wondering if I hook up a temporary battery in parallel, then remove the starting battery, install new battery then remove temporary battery, this will keep the battery management circuit open.

[Nessie]

Thanks Nessie.

Good to know Burson's have the battery. It's actually fitting it myself is what I am trying to achieve. There seems to be no info on the internet.


I'm wondering if I hook up a temporary battery in parallel, then remove the starting battery, install new battery then remove temporary battery, this will keep the battery management circuit open.

I believe the BMS needs to "see" the new battery right from first install to be able to function correctly. The vehicle start/stop will not operate properly (if at all) if you don't reset the BMS. It may also affect some other non-vital functions like In Car Entertainment etc. Check with a local indy or even a dealer to get it reset. By the way, do NOT rely on the NRMA or similar to supply your new battery. The one they recommend and have access to will NOT support Start/Stop.
Don't ask me how I know all this! Haha!

[Graeme]

The BMS slowly reduces the charge going into the battery as the battery ages based on a formula that is meant to stop the battery from being boiled because generally old batteries can't take as much charge as new batteries. Fitting a new battery without telling the monitor that the battery is new will cause the new battery to not be charged to the extent that it would be if the BMS was told it was a new battery which can lead to the battery prematurely becoming run-down. If you had your own tool you could try resetting the BMS to see if it overcame the low battery condition before resorting to fitting a new battery.

[drivesafe]

Hi Graeme, would a "Hard Reset" fix the problem in the newer Land Rovers like is does in older ones?

[Tombie]

If its Low Battery - I'd suggest starting with a charger! If the vehicle does the domestic triangle day in and day out it likely just needs a damn good charge!

Other than that - do NOT get a lower capacity battery - it needs everything it can have. And you DO need to reset the BMS using a tool (LR or IID)

[Gregz]

I did not realise there is a low battery warning in the dash - is that as a message or as a warning lamp?
Any chance you could share photo?
If it is the red battery warning lamp then that indicates a fault with the battery charging system, which could of course still indicate a low battery but could include things like bad alternator.
Also, does yours have the aux battery inside the RHS rear panel or just the main battery under the compressor?
(If you put your VIN into TOPIX you can see if it mentions Auxiliary Battery in the minor features section.)

[Graeme]

Hi Graeme, would a "Hard Reset" fix the problem in the newer Land Rovers like is does in older ones?
I have never believed that the hard reset procedure achieves anything. I have monitored a removed battery lead for any residual power and have only detected voltage for 1-2 seconds at most before the voltage drops to zero, indicating that the ecus drain their power storage capacitors very quickly. Hence disconnecting the battery for 5 seconds is more than enough time to cause ecus to do a cold start when power is again connected.

[Geedublya]

My L494 does not have start stop but when I replaced the battery last month I couldn't find a BMS reset within the IID Tool menus. It may be available for other L494s though.
The low battery warning is a message not a warning light and is displayed on the touchscreen and instrument panel (from memory).

[Bails]

While we are talking batteries is there a recommendation, brand etc. I am assuming the battery would be a AGM type. $600 seems a high price for a battery, I was buying Yuasa High amp hour for my V10 Touareg for less and that vehicle had an equally complicated EMS.

[Gregz]

From the workshop manual....
If a new battery is fitted to the vehicle, the BMS control module will require re-calibrating using a Land Rover approved diagnostic system.

For our vehicles of this age, they use SDD. I dont think IID tool will do it.

[Tombie]

While we are talking batteries is there a recommendation, brand etc. I am assuming the battery would be a AGM type. $600 seems a high price for a battery, I was buying Yuasa High amp hour for my V10 Touareg for less and that vehicle had an equally complicated EMS.

V10 Touregs had significantly lower power demands.
EMS is but one ECM

[BigJon]

While we are talking batteries is there a recommendation, brand etc. I am assuming the battery would be a AGM type. $600 seems a high price for a battery, I was buying Yuasa High amp hour for my V10 Touareg for less and that vehicle had an equally complicated EMS.

It isn't only an amp/hour thing. Batteries for stop/start vehicles are built differently to allow for high current fast charging. Using a non stop/start battery will result in very short battery life.

[drivesafe]

It isn't only an amp/hour thing. Batteries for stop/start vehicles are built differently to allow for high current fast charging. Using a non stop/start battery will result in very short battery life.
Hi BigJon, and spot on the money.

The development of new STOP/START AGM cranking batteries over the last few years means that these batteries can be charged faster but they will also tolerate many more START/RECHARGE cycles than a conventional cranking battery, so they are the best batteries to use, even in older non STOP/START vehicles.

Slightly off the subject but just in case some one is thinking of it, a word of caution.


DO NOT CONSIDER USING LITHIUM CRANKING BATTERIES.


Most lithiums can be charged directly from an alternator and if it’s the auxiliary battery then it’s not likely to be a problem, even in vehicles with SMART alternators.

How you set up a vehicle to be able to separate the lithium auxiliary battery from any lead acid batteries ( including the cranking battery ) when the motor is not running, that is the only real issue.

But there is a MAJOR potential problem when using a lithium battery as a cranking battery.

Again, while charging the lithium from the alternator is not likely to pose a problem for a lithium cranking battery, but there is a very high possibility of damaging both the alternator and the vehicles electronics.

The the problem is not from overloading the alternator but the exact opposite.

There have been a number of issues where the lithium battery’s BMS has shutdown while the lithium cranking battery is being charged. Be it from over voltage, or the battery reaching a fully charged state, or the lithium battery’s BMS failing.

Regardless of what causes the sudden shutdown, you now have a free-wheeling alternator, and in any situation, an alternator running without a battery connected to it, will allow the alternator to generate very high voltage spikes.

These spikes are being generated by all alternators at all times, but the cranking battery, because of its very size, acts as a massive spike suppressor.

With a lead acid cranking battery, even if it’s stuffed, it will still suppress these high voltage spike, and thus, protect the vehicle’s electronics.

With the lithium cranking battery removed from the alternator, these high voltage spikes will quickly destroy a vehicle electronics, including the alternators voltage regulator.

This is the REAL potential problem of using a lithium battery as a cranking battery and the potential of damage being caused, is even greater in newer vehicle, like Land Rovers, with their huge amount of electronics.

[Graeme]

From the workshop manual....
If a new battery is fitted to the vehicle, the BMS control module will require re-calibrating using a Land Rover approved diagnostic system.

For our vehicles of this age, they use SDD. I dont think IID tool will do it.If you have an IIDtool then you could ask Gap if the tool supports it for your vehicle.

[Bails]

V10 Touregs had significantly lower power demands.
EMS is but one ECM

Touareg Battery Group 49 Battery, 110aH and 520 Amps and 12V 1000 CA, 850 CCA. This looks a higher spec than the Range Rover Sport?

However I looked at my purchases and found I purchased a Varta Battery , Paid $400 back then so perhaps $600 is around the price today?

[Geedublya]

I paid $499 for my Varta G14 AGM. If you search you can find them on fleabay for that price. You can possibly get them cheaper but I was in a hurry.

[Tombie]

I paid $499 for my Varta G14 AGM. If you search you can find them on fleabay for that price. You can possibly get them cheaper but I was in a hurry.

This is the D4 battery. Loads more RC....

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200307/32ab51b5f37d035ba14c5f70c1bb5a41.png

[Bails]

Just a note that stop start isn't new my R50 which is now 12 years old had it. The great thing about VAG vehicles was you could use Ross Tec software to reprogram the stop start , I hate it !