i30 Owners Club

Flat battery in my diesel

stevedp · 26 · 10718

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Offline stevedp

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I currently have one of these as a hire car and have a similar problem. There have been several times when I've closed the boot and it appears to close properly but the light stays on. If I slam it stupidly hard then it will go off.

I have never had this problem with any other car I've driven.  This is the second i30 I've had as a hire car and the other one did the same.

Frankly I'm not impressed at all with this car


Offline Phil №❶

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Something's not right here.

Firstly, I'd be really careful about hooking a trickle charger to a modern car unless it was isolated from the car electrics.

Next I believe the diesel engine is fitted with a "calcium technology" battery. They may be quite different from normal lead / acid battery and could fool your charger into thinking the battery  is charged.

About the radio, I doubt that the radio can be the cause, so don't be tricked into purchasing another. The reason is that to discharge a diesel battery enough to flatten it you would have to pull multiple amps over quite some time. Modern radios use very little power, even a battery tranny lasts for days or sometimes months. If there is something eating power somewhere you will  need a multimeter & access to the fuse box to see how much current is passing through each circuit.

A clue is that the problem is in the morning, presumably after overnight standing.

Good luck, I hope this helps  :neutral:
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Offline rustynutz

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I currently have one of these as a hire car and have a similar problem. There have been several times when I've closed the boot and it appears to close properly but the light stays on. If I slam it stupidly hard then it will go off.

I have never had this problem with any other car I've driven.  This is the second i30 I've had as a hire car and the other one did the same.

Frankly I'm not impressed at all with this car

Slamming the hatch has probably caused the problem. Adjusting the catch will probably solve it.... :undecided:


Offline Phil №❶

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 :whsaid:
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Pip
..There have been several times when I've closed the boot and it appears to close properly but the light stays on. If I slam it stupidly hard then it will go off...

..Frankly I'm not impressed at all with this car
Really?

Get real!


Offline stevedp

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I've never had any problem closing the boot or tailgate in any other car I've driven. I've only ever had this a problem with two cars and they have both been Hyundai i30's.

As for comments about the tailgate probably needs adjusting, these have both been brand new cars so as far as I'm concerned this must be a manufacturing defect. It happened again yesterday but I saw the internal light was on. I tried to push the tailgate further in case it hadn't caught but it was fully engaged but the internal light was still on.

I opened the tailgate and slammed it shut - light went off.

Horrible car.


Offline rustynutz

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Offline Paolo5

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My most recent ex-wife was quite keen to buy a new i30 diesel but changed her mind when she heard that mine had a flat battery. She based her entire opinion of the car on the fact that it had a flat battery!!!  I told her that ANY vehicle can be fitted with a defective battery....but her mind was made up. Stevedp....it sounds like your mind has been made up too. You probably need to choose a different vehicle next time that you drive a new car to sidestep this angst.  From my perspective, my i30's hatch shuts properly with barely a gentle nudge....no angst at all.

847563
Quote
Firstly, I'd be really careful about hooking a trickle charger to a modern car unless it was isolated from the car electrics.

Next I believe the diesel engine is fitted with a "calcium technology" battery. They may be quite different from normal lead / acid battery and could fool your charger into thinking the battery  is charged.


As a leftover from when my original (defective) battery was going through its death-rattles, I hard-wired extra wiring with an inline fuse to my battery. It has a connector plug hidden in a grille hole so that I can connect a trickle-charger to my battery without popping the bonnet. This works like a charm and has the endorsement of my auto-electrician....thankfully I don't need to use it now.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2011, 09:12:20 by Paolo5 »


Offline Phil №❶

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I'm glad you don't need to use it any more. My concern is spiking your ECU, they're expensive to replace  :scared:
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Offline Shambles

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As for comments about the tailgate probably needs adjusting, these have both been brand new cars so as far as I'm concerned this must be a manufacturing defect...
I would say a better PDI would have sorted that out, though you would think the standard setup as it left the factory would leave it in near perfect shape.



Horrible car.
I'm starting to dislike you too
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Offline Paolo5

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Hi 847563,

Quote
I'm glad you don't need to use it any more. My concern is spiking your ECU, they're expensive to replace

Can you please explain the physics behind this possibility?


Thanks,
Paolo


Offline Phil №❶

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Well, if a battery is flat and you connect a healthy battery or switch a charger on, the initial flow of current is quite large. This can be enough to damage sensitive circuits, especially as more and more complex functions are being controlled and monitored by the ECU. I'm no expert, if someone with more knowledge is available, please feel free to comment.  :neutral:
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Offline beerman

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G'day

Have you brought this issue up with the dealer? Have you removed the light bulb to ensure that this is in fact the problem?



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Offline Doggie 1

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Horrible car.

Not all cars (even good ones like the i30) are going to be liked by everyone.
Some people just aren't compatible with well-engineered cars and that's fine.
Your mind is already made up so buy something else.
Everyone on this forum would do whatever they can to help you if you have a genuine problem or issue with the car but as you don't appear to be seeking genuine assistance, all I can say is good luck with whatever you do decide to buy.
I'm not sure if there is a Mahindra forum but it might be worth a google by you .....  :lol:

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Offline Phil №❶

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Yes, being let down by a flat battery on multiple occasions must be extremely annoying and inconvenient, however, the simple solution is to have the dealer sort the matter out. Everything in life comes down to percentages, yes you had a fault, it doesn't make it a "Horrible Car" and puts you in a VERY SMALL MINORITY if this forum is anything to go by  :exclaim:
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Offline Doggie 1

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Not to mention the fact that the interior light isn't supposed to go off when you close the tailgate as it is on a time delay  :lol:
So I suppose that if you "slam" it enough times, one of those slams will eventually coincide with the light going out.
It sometimes pays to read the owner's manual if you possess sufficient skills.
My tailgate closes with barely a nudge - always has done. Still does.
But then mine has only done 103,000 kms so maybe it's defective.  :rolleyes:
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Offline Phil №❶

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We've got 2 and no problems at all. Sad to deny the enjoyment of driving these vehicles. So many other people having so much fun.  :D
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Offline asathorny

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We've got 2 and no problems at all. Sad to deny the enjoyment of driving these vehicles. So many other people having so much fun.  :D

My battery went flat once and it was my fault for not checking that all was close up for the night  how do you check.  Well as the good people here educated me 'just watch what your winkers (I said WINKERS) do when you press the fob', then look thru the winder at the console cos if somethings not fully closed there will be a blue picture of a car showing exactly what's not shut.

So to call it a horrible car when clearly it was all your own fault seems a touch......   Well, we'll leave it at that shall we, cos this is a flame free zone.............................. :Shocked: :Shocked: :Shocked: :Shocked:


Offline eye30

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how do you check. 

When I've pressed the lock button I pull on the door handle to make sure it has locked.

Old habit.....
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Pip
how do you check. 

When I've pressed the lock button I pull on the door handle to make sure it has locked.

Old habit.....
But if the hatch is open it will still lock the doors (and leave the light on). :rolleyes:


Online Surferdude

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Sometimes you are just grateful your neighbour or workmate is NOT like someone. Stevedp is that someone.
But perhaps he has other problems.................................
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Offline 2i30s

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 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :goodjob2:
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Offline Phil №❶

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Perhaps it's a 1 oar situation  :rofl:
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Offline 2i30s

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..There have been several times when I've closed the boot and it appears to close properly but the light stays on. If I slam it stupidly hard then it will go off...

..Frankly I'm not impressed at all with this car
Really?

Get real!
you took the words right out of my mouth pip. [aka mate]  :goodjob2: :goodjob:
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Offline rustynutz

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you took the words right out of my mouth pip. [aka mate]  :goodjob2: :goodjob:

That reminds me of Meatloaf" at the footy yesterday.....how bad was that?  :-[


Offline 2i30s

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you took the words right out of my mouth pip. [aka mate]  :goodjob2: :goodjob:

That reminds me of Meatloaf" at the footy yesterday.....how bad was that?  :-[
i think he had a bit too much to drink.  :wacko: :disapp: :winker:
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