Technical Are these signs of worn battery?

[Mikeldn88]

08 GP 1.4 8v.

I've seen the following over the last few months:
1) Flashing mileage. I always thought this was to indicate a service was require, but it turns a that it may be a signal for low battery aswell.
2) I've had the (words to effect) 'Stop Car. Engine temperature' warning. Car isn't even warm. I turn off the car, wait like 10 secs and restart. Warning disappears.
3) Just started last week, I have the 'No Parking Help' warning with a triangle.

Now these could be a sign the battery may need replacing?
I've owned the car for around 10 years for short journeys. Never changed the battery, but weirdly it has a ECP Lion 075 60ah battery. Either someone nicked my battery during last service or the previous owner put that battery in car.

Took the car for a Free Battery Check at the well known Kwik Fit merchants. They show my a printout that says my 650amp batt only has 224amps. I guess that my 60ah now has 22ah of life remaining? They were mighty Pee'd when I didn't shell-out £145 for their Napa brand battery.


So a question for you guys that have changed many batteries in your life-time. Do you think it's time to change my battery? I have a standing Voltage around 12.58v and was 14.6v with engine running. *I changed my alternator a few years back, so definitely not that.

I've checked my battery leads and no sign of corrosion. Will check earth points, but I doubt its those.

Lastly, when I disconnected my battery for 15-30mins the other day. Waited 30secs with key in ignition (not started) for the ECU to clear. When I restarted, I had the Stop car temp warning and No park help warning. Waited and drove up road. Stop and restarted with everything clear. I think the ECU re-learnt and cleared the code.
...Then like 2 days later, again with the 'No Parking Help warning'.

Tempted to spend £50-60 on a Yusua 012, GSF Drivetech 012 or 075, or just replace with the same Lion 075 from ECP. They're all roughly the same price.

I may change cars later in the year, so don't want to buy a big name £100 batt.


For those that have factory fitted parking sensors on their punto. Do the sensors come out from the front of the bumper, or do I release and push through the back? I may check each piece and use some terminal cleaner spray on the terminals.

Thanks.

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

From the three symptomps I cannot see anything that could point to a worn battery.

Only the fact that you've owned the car for 10 years and have not changed it since.

The electronic battery health test they did shows only it's not charged. Using a load tester will check the state of the battery. No printout is available as far as I know. The load tester looks more or less like that:

Those 'smart' electronic testers mesure the voltage and resistance and calculate the 'health' basing on these.

The lead-acid batteries need higher voltage to be properly charged than a standard alternator can do. Especially when you drive the car on short distances only it definitely needs a proper charge. It should be charged with a good charger (the one that can make the proper density of the electrolyte) twice a year. It takes several hours to properly charge the battery.

standing Voltage around 12.58v and was 14.6v with engine running

Standing voltage and charging voltage seem to be more or less correct.

650amp batt

This is the 'cranking power', which more or less indicates how much power the battery will be able to give away to crank the engine.

60ah battery.

This is the capacity of the battery.



Earth cables and earth points are a very common cause of problem with electric / electronic systems on the car. Those should be definitely checked. FIAT's earth cables tend to rot on the inside.

The blinking mileage means the CAN system cannot recognize one of the connected modules and seem to be related to 'No Parking Help' warning. Probably that's the one who's having / causing problems.

Of course it could be the sensors (usually they have clips on the back), but I'd rather concentrate on the module itself, its power + earth cables.

Proxi alignment is needed to discover the modules, it's quite easy with MultiEcuScan, but should not be performed without basic knowledge how the CAN system works. So I'd suggest to leave it to someone more experienced.

 

[Zardo]

08 GP 1.4 8v.

I've checked my battery leads and no sign of corrosion. Will check earth points, but I doubt its those.

Heretic! You should believe in the corroded earth strap until proven otherwise .

 

[Mikeldn88]

@the green vanper thanks for detailed reply Will check out the thread about Proxy alignment. Hopefully a fiat owner nearby that can assist.
@Zardo thanks will check the earth point

Anyone nearby South London Croydon/Purley/Mitcham that can assist with a proxy alignment? I see someone in redhill and orpington in the following directory. Thanks

MultiECUScan Register

Do you own a copy of MES and want to help out fellow forum members? Add your details here so you can be found :)

www.fiatforum.com

 

[varesecrazy]

@the green vanper thanks for detailed reply Will check out the thread about Proxy alignment. Hopefully a fiat owner nearby that can assist.
@Zardo thanks will check the earth point

Anyone nearby South London Croydon/Purley/Mitcham that can assist with a proxy alignment? I see someone in redhill and orpington in the following directory. Thanks

MultiECUScan Register

Do you own a copy of MES and want to help out fellow forum members? Add your details here so you can be found :)

www.fiatforum.com

Typecastboy..

"love500" on youtube

 

[AnthonyH]

08 GP 1.4 8v.

I've seen the following over the last few months:
1) Flashing mileage. I always thought this was to indicate a service was require, but it turns a that it may be a signal for low battery aswell.
2) I've had the (words to effect) 'Stop Car. Engine temperature' warning. Car isn't even warm. I turn off the car, wait like 10 secs and restart. Warning disappears.
3) Just started last week, I have the 'No Parking Help' warning with a triangle.

Now these could be a sign the battery may need replacing?
I've owned the car for around 10 years for short journeys. Never changed the battery, but weirdly it has a ECP Lion 075 60ah battery. Either someone nicked my battery during last service or the previous owner put that battery in car.

Took the car for a Free Battery Check at the well known Kwik Fit merchants. They show my a printout that says my 650amp batt only has 224amps. I guess that my 60ah now has 22ah of life remaining? They were mighty Pee'd when I didn't shell-out £145 for their Napa brand battery.


So a question for you guys that have changed many batteries in your life-time. Do you think it's time to change my battery? I have a standing Voltage around 12.58v and was 14.6v with engine running. *I changed my alternator a few years back, so definitely not that.

I've checked my battery leads and no sign of corrosion. Will check earth points, but I doubt its those.

Lastly, when I disconnected my battery for 15-30mins the other day. Waited 30secs with key in ignition (not started) for the ECU to clear. When I restarted, I had the Stop car temp warning and No park help warning. Waited and drove up road. Stop and restarted with everything clear. I think the ECU re-learnt and cleared the code.
...Then like 2 days later, again with the 'No Parking Help warning'.

Tempted to spend £50-60 on a Yusua 012, GSF Drivetech 012 or 075, or just replace with the same Lion 075 from ECP. They're all roughly the same price.

I may change cars later in the year, so don't want to buy a big name £100 batt.


For those that have factory fitted parking sensors on their punto. Do the sensors come out from the front of the bumper, or do I release and push through the back? I may check each piece and use some terminal cleaner spray on the terminals.

Thanks.

Some thoughts;

Flashing mileage is often a Blue&Me error
The temperature warning is a faulty sensor
The parking sensors are probably faulty
The battery at 225cca is sufficient to start the car for a good while yet (maybe years), but its going to fail at a bad time, don't they always.

 

[Mikeldn88]

@AnthonyH thanks for reply.

Will try find someone with multiscan computer to check for any error codes.



I've just check the earth points by battery. *haven't check the one under the filter, as there's not much light.
The earth points are intact but a little mucky. I just hit it with WD40.

Restarted car and was still showing no parking help. Gave the sensors a quick WD40 to blast out any moisture.
Resterted car and it beeped the 'Stop heat warning'. Then started and all warnings cleared again.

So either:
1) Earth points were dirty?
2) Parking sensors dirty?
3) B&M fault that is starting to appear? I do observe my 'Outside temp' indicator has always been dodgy. It'll 1 degree on a hot day or ice warning.


Gonna get outside and run my toothbrush over the earth points now.

 

[the green vanper]

WD-40 is crap.

 

[Mikeldn88]

WD-40 is crap.

Will grab a can of contact cleaner soon. Think i'll inspect the wiring and contact points on each reverse sensor.

 

[Mikeldn88]

So spent the morning cleaning the earth contact points.
I dropped a 10mm spanner near the battery, so had to spend extra time removing the battery and tray. Its actually easier to get at the earth points with the battery out and get leverage on the earth point bolts.


Now i always mess things up (zero mechanic skills), and my cleaning of the earth point under the clutch actuator created some drama. I had the car in 1st gear on my drive and moving the actuation likely introduced some air. I've opened the air nipple and some fluid appeared. Pedal still quite soft but can just about drive. I don't have a bleed kit so will meet my mechanic in the morning. who says he'll bleed it for £20.

My rear parking help seems clear at the moment. Praying it was the earth points and this episode will cost me £20.

 

[OldEngineer]

The Earth leads corrode on the inside. Mine just pulled apart with a serious tug. The crimping didn't look great but it was fine until corrosion started.

 

[Bartoosh]

@Mikeldn88 ; To answer your original post a strong, healthy is always recommended as many problems and fault codes can arise from a weak one. There is no need to spend £100 as £50-£60 gets you a very good battery such as a Varta (Blue Dynamic D24 or Silver Dynamic D15), Exide (Excell EB500 or Premium EA640) or Yuasa. I'd avoid GSF or ECP own brand. You can purchase them online on Amazon and eBay and get it delivered into the bargain.

As for your sumptoms, it's difficult to know where to start because you've jumbled a number of problems into one pot. If it were me, I'd begin by seeing if I can borrow a healthy battery from someone for testing, and checking all the fundamentals such as fuses, relays, earth points, earth cables, etc.

Finally, flashing mileage is an indication that the control modules in your car aren't aligned. It'll require someone with MES to run Proxi Alignment.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Flashing milageis a built in warning indicator and does indicate a can bus problem that may, as suggested above, be the blue and me having a fault. You need to plug in (mes if you have it )and do a proxi alignment. Any faulty components modules may not appear in the list of modules and also throw up a fault code. If something is not appearing as you expect then you will have an answer I suspect. If this is blue and me you can disconnect it but the car will need a proxi alignemnt to clear the flashing milage.

 

[Mikeldn88]

Clutch bled.

I did have the No parking help pop up, then dissapeared. Think I will touch base with someone that has a MES to reset fault codes and do a proxy align.

Thanks everyone that chipped in with advise.