Weird traction control light problem

[macdoc]

ok. i guess i'll have to go get a multimeter tomorrow. Also macdoc, when u mention don't disconnect the meter, how long does it have to stay on? after the engine cranks and starts, do i still have to leave the meter connected till i've reviewed the min and max values?

As soon as the engine start procedure has been done, you review the data stored in the meter, then you can disconnect it.

[gerhard]

A 4.5 year old battery is highly likely to be weak and close to dead.

Instead of pi$$ing around with a multimeter, just go to Moorabbin Battery Centre, and the very helpful owner will test your battery with his specialist tools - in about 30 seconds you will know the battery condition and if dead, a suitable new one will be fitted in no time.

His prices are damn good too - I was referred to him by a staffer at Repco, and paid $170 for a battery for the Jackaroo which normally retails for $250+

[Maverick]

A 4.5 year old battery is highly likely to be weak and close to dead.

I wouldn't even bother with the test on a 4.5 year old battery as the battery is on borrowed time and would just get it replaced.

[OilBurna]

true, but the battery in my wife's car is still going strong after 8 years and she does only short trips.

[gerhard]

I wouldn't even bother with the test on a 4.5 year old battery as the battery is on borrowed time and would just get it replaced.

When the Battery shop does it for you, he tests the votage, the voltage under starter load, and the alternator charging voltage, and the remaining ccas in the old unit, so why not?

true, but the battery in my wife's car is still going strong after 8 years and she does only short trips.

The battery in my Wife's Sirion was changed at 9 years old, and still operating properly. Short trip car also. I changed it only because I felt it must surely fail catastrophically any time soon at the most inconvenient time possible.

But Maverick is always right, so these two examples must be in our imaginations. Just wait a minute or two and he'll confirm that for us.

[blink]

When the Battery shop does it for you, he tests the votage, the voltage under starter load, and the alternator charging voltage, and the remaining ccas in the old unit, so why not?



The battery in my Wife's Sirion was changed at 9 years old, and still operating properly. Short trip car also. I changed it only because I felt it must surely fail catastrophically any time soon at the most inconvenient time possible.

But Maverick is always right, so these two examples must be in our imaginations. Just wait a minute or two and he'll confirm that for us.

i guess i will have the car's battery tested and changed if needed to rule out the possibility of a failing battery. I usually use my car for short trips too, ranging from 1.5km to 15km each day. I have read somewhere that short trips were not very healthy for the car's battery. I'm not sure if this could have been the issue here though.

[Maverick]

When the Battery shop does it for you, he tests the votage, the voltage under starter load, and the alternator charging voltage, and the remaining ccas in the old unit, so why not?

In my experience the battery worlds and similar places are often more expensive by a considerable amount than an auto store that sell in bulk (finding a battery to fit a Golf is another challenger however) and 4.5 years from a battery in a car with the electrical load of the Golf is close to the end of it's life.

He's also testing the battery after the engine is warm and at operating temperature and the battery has been charged from a drive, in case you didn't notice the problem occurs on cold mornings at first start so the battery will most likely pass a test.

The battery in my Wife's Sirion was changed at 9 years old, and still operating properly. Short trip car also. I changed it only because I felt it must surely fail catastrophically any time soon at the most inconvenient time possible.

A Sirion is a completely different car to the Golf with completely different electrical loads.

I've never had more than 3 years out of a modern fuel injected car with lots of gizmos and plenty of Golf owners have had theirs fail around this time.

But Maverick is always right, so these two examples must be in our imaginations. Just wait a minute or two and he'll confirm that for us.

I offered my opinion, if you don't like it or agree with it that's fine but no need to resort to personal attacks.

[gerhard]

In my experience the battery worlds and similar places are often more expensive by a considerable amount than an auto store that sell in bulk (finding a battery to fit a Golf is another challenger however) and 4.5 years from a battery in a car with the electrical load of the Golf is close to the end of it's life.

He's also testing the battery after the engine is warm and at operating temperature and the battery has been charged from a drive, in case you didn't notice the problem occurs on cold mornings at first start so the battery will most likely pass a test.



A Sirion is a completely different car to the Golf with completely different electrical loads.

I've never had more than 3 years out of a modern fuel injected car with lots of gizmos and plenty of Golf owners have had theirs fail around this time.

In my experience last month, the Battery place I mentioned was considerably cheaper (I think I mentioned $80 cheaper) than the auto stores that sell in bulk. I guess I'm just super lucky on pricing.

I already said that the Golf battery is very likely near the end of its life, no need to repeat what I said. Yes he tests a warm battery - but if it doesn't pass warm, it will not pass cold. Warming a battery with a 20 minute drive will not miraculously change it from buggered to not buggered, so that point is totally irrelevant.

The Sirion has smaller loads than a Golf, yes, but it also has a much smaller battery, and it is fuel injected. So it's not completely different to the Golf, everything's just smaller in proportion.

I've never had less than 4 years out of a modern fuel injected car battery. Perhaps my GTI will be the first.

[Maverick]

I already said that the Golf battery is very likely near the end of its life, no need to repeat what I said. Yes he tests a warm battery - but if it doesn't pass warm, it will not pass cold. Warming a battery with a 20 minute drive will not miraculously change it from buggered to not buggered, so that point is totally irrelevant.

Starting a cold car is a lot more difficult than starting a warm car. A warm car may well pass the test but the same battery tested when the car and battery are cold will be a different story. Batteries that are cold have a reduced starting capacity and engines that are cold require more energy to start.