Morning all,

Getting royally cheesed off with the FL2 now. Had a spate of flat battery incidents a while back, Optimate charger unable to recover battery but she'd jump start fine and then run for days before once again completely dead battery.

Had the battery replaced a few months ago and all has been fine, came back from a weeks holiday and once again the battery is stone dead. Had to get in using the key, fob in the slot did nothing so its not hibernation (or it is and I don't know how to wake it properly?).

Now it may have had a couple of very short (less than 2 miles) runs before we went away, aircon, lights, wipers on etc but surely that's not enough to drop the charge that much?

OH doesn't drive with the radio on so that shouldn't have been in standby. Only thing I can think of is we've had a dodgy drivers door lock recently, sometimes it locks sometimes it doesn't.

So the boot light has stayed on when 'locked' but it still times out after a bit.

When the battery was replaced the garage checked the charging was good and there was no background drain on the battery.

Am at my wits end with it, it just can't be relied on.

Any suggestions other thana trip to the auto electrician?

After reading your previous thread on your problem,
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic40104.html

I can't see you avoiding some hands-on professional help.

If you say that your battery and charging system have been checked and are OK, then I feel you need to check the Battery Monitoring System (including, amongst others Blue Wire), as it must be how the car is controlling the charge levels.

Check out this Thread from Jules with some interesting observations on where the Charging is Monitored.
I think that this may explain why quick checks by garages miss problems.
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic39732.html

Have you a permanent readout of voltage ? (say in a cigar socket)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cigarette-Lighter...B09HX6KXMX FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Last edited by IanMetro on 20th Oct 2024 6:00 pm. Edited 2 times in total

Yeah I think you're right.

I'm clinging to the idea it may be the tailgate lock theory as we've been in and out of the boot a lot recently, or the tow bar electrics as we do get random rear parking sensors sounding constantly.

Or... Or.....

Just so frustrating that after the new battery it was absolutely fine for months and now here we go again.

Good job we're not running our food trailer just now or this would be hitting us really hard in the pocket.

That's 24hrs on the charger. Not a flicker.

Could it be draining as fast as it's charging?

Parked in a really awkward place, I'm going to have to try to push it to somewhere we can get jump leads connected.

And it's tipping down to add to the joy.

Some of us have small portable lithium battery boosters. They don’t give many attempts but are very effective. A bit expensive but good value.

When you said Battery Stone dead after holiday, how dead, as in what voltage was it showing?

24 hours on a charger and not a flicker, what do you mean?
No start? Any ignition lights?
Again, what is battery showing voltage wise?

I've just replaced a AGM stop start battery, and it came showing just over 12.7v
Couple hours later on the charger and it was up at 13.6.
The cars alternator charges it at over 14v

My old battery was knacked, only showing 12.2v but it still started the car.

Stone dead as in not enough to set the alarm off, hold the fob in the slot, show any sign of power anywhere. Lights, radio... Nothing.

I don't have a meter to check, I leave all that stuff to the local garage.

My thinking is the charger doesn't charge at a rate high enough to overcome the drain and it is very old (although it charged the Saab battery just fine). I've borrowed another to see if that makes a difference.

Been here before with the previous battery, soon as that was jump started and run for 10 minutes normal service was resumed.

That's the annoying part.

So, new charger on and it's going through its pulsing cycle. The interesting (?) part of which is I can hear a click coming from the top of the battery - it's still connected - could this suggest there is some 'live circuitry' being triggered with every pulse?

Charger manual says it should decide if the battery is goosed after 30 mins, been on longer than that so fingers x'd.

Will try and borrow a jump battery from the local garage tomorrow if this fails, and leave it there for them to keep checking random combinations of radio, doors, phone, tailgate.....

BossBob wrote:

Some of us have small portable lithium battery boosters. They don’t give many attempts but are very effective. A bit expensive but good value.

Click image to enlarge

and my tell of woe whilst trying not to replace my quite recent battery.

https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic38965.html?highlight=battery (EDIT)

Also note what Jules is saying above, when charging it's best to use Charger Negative to Chassis Earth, and Not directly to the Battery Negative. This allows the BMS to record how much charge the Battery is receiving. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Can you suggest a good earth point? I did try initially connecting to various bits of body/engine parts, including the part I attach the jump leads to, but all showed up as poor connection on the charger.

Would that suggest poor earthing?

I am happy to admit being mechanically/electrically inept so stupid qstns are not deliberate!!

Try this Thread for second Earth Point
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36592.html?highlight=earth

Photo from Jules




You need a Good Battery - Chassis Earth

Try taking of Terminals and Cleaning (Both Ends of Negative) first FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Thanks IanMetro.

Let's see what the next 30 mins of testing the battery brings.

I'm not optimistic, last battery was replaced under warranty I can't imagine they'll agree to do it again without being very convinced it's not the car cooking it.

But I might go down the route of buying a new one just so it's running long enough to trade it in. It's been the 'unluckiest' of all the cars I've ever owned, and yet also has that indescribable feelgood factor to it.

Have you done a leak test

I'm gonna have to leave that to the garage/auto electrician.

Well beyond my ability!

The initial leak test is an easy DIY, Loads of Youtube movies. All you need is a good multimeter