The Mk6 Golf Battery Thread

[magellan]

Just my battery replaced under warranty after 2.5 years and 35,000kms Build date June 2011

[Racer88]

Mine lasted 3 years 2 months on the R, no warning just went.

[ximo]

A mate of mine helped me installed a set of Golf R LED taillights recently, when he tapped into VCDS, noticed there's been a bunch of errors related to battery. I bought my car through private sale November last year...build date Sep 2011, now travelled around 42,000 kms. Should I be concerned and have it checked out?

[Ryan_R]

A bunch of voltage errors just means the battery was flat once (i.e. left headlights or something on), and not usually a continuous problem. Car batteries generally last between 3-5 years though.

[nat225]

3kg lighter!

Oem battety is 3 yrs and 4 mths old, on start up the voltage drops to 9.2V

Decided to change it today before the oem one gives up when i need the car urgently

I had a flat battery when i was going to drive to a new job! So it was a lesson learnt.

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[nat225]

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[DonJuan]

Battery World stores do MK6 GTI / R batteries for $179... Just saying

Nat, nice pickup but these AGM's are quite expensive, think from memory they are easily double the price of standard replacement. How does the additional height go due to the fact the optimas don't have recessed terminals?

[tonymy01]

Battery World stores do MK6 GTI / R batteries for $179... Just saying
Nat, nice pickup but these AGM's are quite expensive, think from memory they are easily double the price of standard replacement.

But very different battery technology. A couple of deep cycles on a standard battery will kill it, those are designed for deep cycle. With all the stuff the VW does with the engine off (combined with, say,a traffic/parking camera drawing power 24x7), it doesn't take many days to cycle the battery enough to drop it below cranking level. My R is only 2 years old, and i notice the battery has significantly reduced capacity. I often don't drive the car for between 3 days and two weeks. I typically have to put it on charge for a two week stint without driving.

[Ryan_R]

I've been driving a lot less recently (got myself a motorbike to commute)... might have to turn off the 'Auto-rain closing' feature in VCDS to compensate

[Diesel_vert]

Oem battety is 3 yrs and 4 mths old, on start up the voltage drops to 9.2V

Decided to change it today before the oem one gives up when i need the car urgently

I had a flat battery when i was going to drive to a new job! So it was a lesson learnt.

Looking at the photos:

- Cold cranking amps of the Optima D35 (650 A) is up 35% compared to the OE battery (480 A).

- Capacity of the Optima D35 (48 Ah) is down 20% compared to the OE battery (60 Ah).

3kg lighter!

That probably explains the reduction in capacity.

[nat225]

Battery World stores do MK6 GTI / R batteries for $179... Just saying

Nat, nice pickup but these AGM's are quite expensive, think from memory they are easily double the price of standard replacement. How does the additional height go due to the fact the optimas don't have recessed terminals?

Heightwise, the terminals height is the same.




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[Reedy]

GTI mk6 battery

Not quite gone yet but 3 years and 11 months old and it's been getting harder to start for the past 3 weeks and then today got the ticking noise that comes when it won't turn over. Twice I had the ESP Fault come up on the MDI, which after research appears when the battery is on it's way out. Had the battery tested today after it almost didn't start. 32% of battery life still charges fine and holds 12 volts but rather than 480 of something to start the car it has 260 of something. Off to VW on Saturday for a new Varta at $274. Rear sway bar will have to wait. Bummer.


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[nat225]

Not quite gone yet but 3 years and 11 months old and it's been getting harder to start for the past 3 weeks and then today got the ticking noise that comes when it won't turn over. Twice I had the ESP Fault come up on the MDI, which after research appears when the battery is on it's way out. Had the battery tested today after it almost didn't start. 32% of battery life still charges fine and holds 12 volts but rather than 480 of something to start the car it has 260 of something. Off to VW on Saturday for a new Varta at $274. Rear sway bar will have to wait. Bummer.


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Or u can get what i bought, Optima D35 (gel), for $15.95 more than the OEM Varta (calcium acid).

Seller is in ebay (cluboutdoors), incl free delivery direct from Optima Australia.

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[DonJuan]

But very different battery technology. A couple of deep cycles on a standard battery will kill it, those are designed for deep cycle. With all the stuff the VW does with the engine off (combined with, say,a traffic/parking camera drawing power 24x7), it doesn't take many days to cycle the battery enough to drop it below cranking level. My R is only 2 years old, and i notice the battery has significantly reduced capacity. I often don't drive the car for between 3 days and two weeks. I typically have to put it on charge for a two week stint without driving.

Yes, agree with the deep cycle but it's really only if you have a constant drain do you need the deep cycle. Even start stop technology will help kill a starting battery quicker due to the additional starts and not charging for long continuous periods. If people are adding aftermarket accessories which is going to drain the battery then they should also be looking at how many amps its drawing over x amount of time to correctly size the battery they need. In Nat's case, the amount of time is reduced but it will do less harm to the battery in using it.

I guess it'd be interesting to hook the car up to a meter to see how many amps are constantly flowing through the car with it switched off...

[moda]

So consensus is either go Varta or Optima? Need a new battery in the TDI, have a 10% voucher for Batteryworld so figured i'd just go there. Probably get a Varta, since they seem to last a fair while. Will probably try and get as big a capacity/CCA as possible/that will fit.