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Low battery warning problem, what can I do?
When I collected my new lease car last October the salesman told me not to leave the doors or boot open as it would trigger the low battery warning. I had not noticed this on my test drive and the dealership did not advise me prior to my signing the lease.
After a few says I phoned back to ask how to clean the inside of the car and was told 'leave the engine running!'
I have just returned from a holiday and loading/unloading the car has been extremely frustrating as the low battery warning keeps going off as I didn’t leave the engine running (security risk and fuel cost).
Earlier this month I spoke to the service department but they can’t disable any of the electronics that drain the battery. He said the showroom cars batteries are always going flat due to people opening the doors.
Clearly the battery is not fit for purpose.
What can I do please?
After a few says I phoned back to ask how to clean the inside of the car and was told 'leave the engine running!'
I have just returned from a holiday and loading/unloading the car has been extremely frustrating as the low battery warning keeps going off as I didn’t leave the engine running (security risk and fuel cost).
Earlier this month I spoke to the service department but they can’t disable any of the electronics that drain the battery. He said the showroom cars batteries are always going flat due to people opening the doors.
Clearly the battery is not fit for purpose.
What can I do please?
Asked on 7 July 2022 by CRH
Answered by
Dan Powell
Battery drain, such as this, can be caused by a number of reasons.
The most common are:
-Lack of use (which means the battery doesn't have the opportunity to recharge sufficiently)
-Battery fault (fixed by replacing it)
-Parasitic battery drain (solved by a diagnostics test)
Assuming that you use the car regularly (and don't leave it standing for weeks at a time), I would expect the dealer to replace the battery and perform a parasitic drain test.
If the dealer has replaced the battery and tested the car then your next step will be a formal complaint to the lease company (who is the legal owner of the vehicle). Make it clear you are not happy with the vehicle and the car is not fit for purpose. I would then expect the leasing company to get involved and attempt to fix the car or (if it's unfixable) replace it.
The most common are:
-Lack of use (which means the battery doesn't have the opportunity to recharge sufficiently)
-Battery fault (fixed by replacing it)
-Parasitic battery drain (solved by a diagnostics test)
Assuming that you use the car regularly (and don't leave it standing for weeks at a time), I would expect the dealer to replace the battery and perform a parasitic drain test.
If the dealer has replaced the battery and tested the car then your next step will be a formal complaint to the lease company (who is the legal owner of the vehicle). Make it clear you are not happy with the vehicle and the car is not fit for purpose. I would then expect the leasing company to get involved and attempt to fix the car or (if it's unfixable) replace it.
Tags:
consumer rights
battery drain
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