Thread: Recommended Battery 2011 D4

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi PD and I think you were looking at the STOP/START battery, not the cranking battery.

The RRS STOP/START system requires a second smaller battery, to maintain the vehicles electronics while the motor is off during a STOP/START event. This battery is located in behind the side panel in the cargo area.

The RRS has a standard sized cranking battery, located under the spare wheel.

BTW, if your mate wants to bypass the STOP/START function, tell him to remove the NEGATIVE ( - ) lead off the small battery and the STOP/START function will no longer operate.

Hi Tim
i figure you are the right person to ask here, while shopping for the cranking battery I happened to notice in the shop the optima yellow top battery and in passing I made comment to the battery world rep that I was going to go down the second battery path soon (with the help of one of your systems) he said when the time comes he will recommend a different battery saying "you can get a lot more for your buck than the yellow top", I'm inclined to take your opinion over his, is that still the battery you recommend? Why?

Hi Luke, Exide have a similar battery to the Optima Yellowtop, it may even be a rebadged Optima.


Other than the Exide, the best auxiliary battery, for a number of reasons, but excellent performance is the main one, is the Optima D34 Yellowtop.


They have a good lifespan, extra fast recharging, especially when used in a D3 or D4, and even though they are small in size, they have a good CCA rating, making they suitable for jump starting most Land Rovers.


As for a new cranking battery, I personally like the Varta Silver batteries.

Originally Posted by BMKal

The recommended replacement is a Varta G14 - 595901 12V 95Ah 850 CCA AGM battery.

Almost twice the price you are talking about at ~ $500, but they claim three times the life cycle. I have one on order at the moment from Sydney ..................... should have been here Thursday but I'm relying on Australia Post.

The battery currently in mine is a "Supercharge" (can't remember ecactly what model without going out and having a look). Can buy these for about the same dollars you have mentioned. It has lasted about 4 years, which is probably better than I would have expected - but has no doubt been assisted by the fact that I have a Traxide system installed, with three batteries in total in the vehicle.

Another option is the Odyssey PC1350. It is generally about $20 more than the Varta, but is only 770 CCA so I don't see justification for one of these. I actually had one of these on order, but got stuffed around by the bloke selling them on eBay, so have opted for the Varta. In hindsight - probably a better decision.

I can see the advantages of an AGM battery but when I went to my local supplier, he recommended a Delcor calcium 900 CCA, 95 AH battery. He advised that AGM batteries do not live well in the hot environment of an engine bay. That scared me a little so I said I'd be back tomorrow.

What has been your experience?

Hi Pete and the info your local supplier gave you is correct, IN PART.


Most AGMs are standby type batteries and as such can have problems when located in some engine bays.


The AGMs designed to be used as starting batteries are specifically designed to work as well as conventional batteries, in engine bay conditions.


Your local supplier should know the difference!

Over the last few months my 2011 3.0 has indicated voltages of 11.6v[cig plug voltmeter]but has always started ok.I take it due to shared voltage through the Traxide set up.
Varta G14 arrived today,which I am presently topping up with the charger.As the battery it is replacing is a normal wet cell do I have to go into the ccf and change to agm setting
or is the Gap IId tool Battery Replacement, reset monitoring sufficent?

Hi eddy and while I would have thought that the voltage levels should have been reset from a calcium based charge algorithm to an AGM charge algorithm, but quite a few have now replaced their calcium with the Varta AGM and have had no problems at all.


The Varta AGM must be a pretty robust battery!

Originally Posted by eddy

Over the last few months my 2011 3.0 has indicated voltages of 11.6v[cig plug voltmeter]but has always started ok.I take it due to shared voltage through the Traxide set up.
Varta G14 arrived today,which I am presently topping up with the charger.As the battery it is replacing is a normal wet cell do I have to go into the ccf and change to agm setting
or is the Gap IId tool Battery Replacement, reset monitoring sufficent?

Eddie, my car shows the AGM CCF setting (with an AGM installed) so I'd suggest you change it to that with the IIDtool and then do the reset function for a newly installed battery.

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

Eddie, my car shows the AGM CCF setting (with an AGM installed) so I'd suggest you change it to that with the IIDtool and then do the reset function for a newly installed battery.

Which one is the AGM setting? My IID tool shows the car thinks it has the H8HD fitted, which I assumed was OK? The CCA expected by the car is a fair chunk lower than the battery is rated for though... (950cca expected, 850 delivered...)