[jono213]

Hey there!
This is my first post on TeamBhp and would like to be excused if there are any shortcomings in this article, thanks!

So a short little intro, we have 2 cars; A 2017 VX petrol Honda City and a new-gen 2020 EX petrol Creta, the latter of which this article is about.






It all started on the 12th of Jan, when the driver took the car out to pick up a relative, got a call from him saying the car wouldn't start, puzzled, i went down to the garage and attempted to start it myself but all I got were consecutive clicking sounds from the engine. Until now the car had been absolutely blissful, even though it was the starting EX variant, noise levels inside the cabin and general comfort was top class, anyways coming back to the issue, made the decision to phone up hyundai roadside assistance and got connected to one of their reps, explained to him the issue and he assured me that one of their assistant mechanic partners would be at my location in about an hour, which was fine with me.

The mechanic arrived on time an hour later and fiddled around with his battery tester and determined that the battery was out of juice, having made this assumption myself i wasn't really surprised, he then jumpstarted the car and told us to leave it on for about 30 minutes so we could drive it to a battery retail shop to get it replaced, the mechanic was very professional, troubleshooted every possible cause to rule any other issue out, he even recommended to us what battery to buy and having been paid his dues, he left. (couldn't take any photos because making this post hadn't come to mind yet)


Now this is where things start to get a little sticky, dad phoned up the showroom to ask to get the battery replaced since it was still under warranty and their manager told us to get the car to the location, now since i had classes to attend, the driver took the car there. Once all formalities were done, the manager told my dad that instead of replacing the battery, they would recharge it and it would work for a little longer (a detail i hadn't known until the car was back) and my dad agreed to this compromise but i wasn't really sold on this entire compromise and it seemed a little suspicious to me.

so fast-forward to today and the car hadn't been used for the past 5 days since the driver caught covid and since my dad drives the city usually, it was left untouched in the parking (except for the usual start of the engine). I was cleaning the car and just decided to start it up for no reason whatsoever but what i got was a very weak, strangled start of the engine, a little bit alarmed, i tried it again and this time it just went blank.



No response from the engine and my subconscious was laughing at me since I did predict this would happen, I called my dad downstairs, he tried starting the engine but no response whatsoever, he then phoned up the manager again and asked him why this was happening if they had just recharged the battery and had assured him it would last for about 6-7 months.

I'm not going to make any accusations whatsoever about the dealership, neither am I going to reveal which one it is, but this issue just shows how willing reps are to cut costs, since there was still 6 months on the warranty, they would've had to replace the battery in its entirety but they convinced my dad that this was the better option, and what i told him that day came to pass and as expected the car isn't starting up again.

the manager told us that he would duly dispatch their technician again tomorrow morning and assured us that the battery would be changed under warranty this time, so fingers-crossed I guess. I will update this thread tomorrow, along with a little more content and pictures but this will suffice for now.

Thanks for reading!!

(here's her on a trip)

[marsbhp]

Originally Posted by jono213

the manager told us that he would duly dispatch their technician again tomorrow morning and assured us that the battery would be changed under warranty this time, so fingers-crossed I guess. I will update this thread tomorrow, along with a little more content and pictures but this will suffice for now.

Surprising to see the battery fail so early. Did they replace it yet?

[padmrajravi]

I am surprised that Hyundai is even ready to replace the battery under the manufacturer's warranty. Usually the battery is considered consumable and is not covered under manufacturer warranty after the first year. The batteries that come with the car often go bad the moment you pass two years. The after-market ones do last long though.

We even have a thread about Toyota refusing a warranty on a one-year-old battery. It is specifically mentioned in their clause that the battery is not covered .

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ew-cars-2.html (Environmental concern: Should the govt mandate 3 year battery replacement warranty for new cars?)

[Akshay6988]

I'm surprised to see battery failure this earlier on a base variant of Creta. My Creta stays idle for nearly 10 - 15 days at stretch, and I've never faced any starting issue, touchwood. Perhaps is there any after market accessory (dashcam) that is draining the battery when the car is parked ? Make sure you are present when the showroom guys change the battery !

[airbus]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

I am surprised that Hyundai is even ready to replace the battery under the manufacturer's warranty. Usually the battery is considered consumable and is not covered under manufacturer warranty after the first year. The batteries that come with the car often go bad the moment you pass two years. The after-market ones do last long though.

When I had purchased my car in 2015, along with the vehicle documents Mahindra also provided Amaron warranty card for the battery. It states that for vehicular applications, warranty is for a period of 12 months from date of sale or 15 months from date of manufacturing of the battery, whichever is earlier.

I am still using my stock battery, which is little over 6 years old now. In my previous car, I used the stock battery for 6.5 years till I disposed the car.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by jono213

...the car hadn't been used for the past 5 days...
...just decided to start it up for no reason whatsoever but what i got was a very weak, strangled start of the engine, a little bit alarmed, i tried it again and this time it just went blank.

Ask the dealer / RSA mechanic to use a multimeter and check for unusual current discharge or short circuit that is draining the battery. Anything above 300mA in a new car would indicate some current leakage somewhere. He can then isolate the culprit circuit by pulling the fuses one by one, and checking if the current drain stops.

It would be very unusual for a 1-year-old battery to fail and need replacement.

[jono213]

Originally Posted by marsbhp

Surprising to see the battery fail so early. Did they replace it yet?

They have put in a slightly used battery while they ascertain the cause of the battery failure, so still awaiting news

Originally Posted by Akshay6988

I'm surprised to see battery failure this earlier on a base variant of Creta. My Creta stays idle for nearly 10 - 15 days at stretch, and I've never faced any starting issue, touchwood. Perhaps is there any after market accessory (dashcam) that is draining the battery when the car is parked ? Make sure you are present when the showroom guys change the battery !

the installed dashcam turns off as soon as the key is removed plus the only slight aftermarket change were led bulbs but they were from the showroom and it was assured that it wouldn't cause any unnecessary strain on the battery so i'm not sure

[adisan]

Not sure what was communicated, but it seems reasonable to recharge the battery and observe in such a situation.

Besides, the battery has a separate warranty from its manufacturer. For any battery issues, people are usually directed to contact the battery manufacturer.

[Indian2003]

Why did you start the car occasionally when the car was parked for 5 days? It takes some kilometers to put the charge back into the battery every time you start the car. Just starting the car without driving with a weak battery is asking for it to be discharged. I leave my car for weeks sometimes without starting. Last time for 2 weeks at the airport in sub zero temperatures.

From what I read, you need a new battery. I dont think it is a manufacturing fault but rather your driving style and lack of maintanence. A trickle charger is a must when you do only short trips. Get one and use it and your battery problems will go. A car battery is not a fit and forget component.

If a battery is allowed to drop below 50%, it starts to die and if left discharged will never wake up again. You will be able to jump start the car but it will never keep any charge.

Every time I start my car, I drive 20 km to work and once more to get home. A month ago my car was charged to 100% and today it showed 50% and is now connected to a trickle charger.

A charger is so cheap these days and many come with a plug to attach to the starter battery and very easy to connect.

[sierrabravo98]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

From what I read, you need a new battery. I dont think it is a manufacturing fault but rather your driving style and lack of maintanence. A trickle charger is a must when you do only short trips. Get one and use it and your battery problems will go. A car battery is not a fit and forget component.


A charger is so cheap these days and many come with a plug to attach to the starter battery and very easy to connect.

I don't know how it works in Norway but your solution of using trickle chargers is not very feasible in India. Most Indians, especially in the bigger cities, live in apartment complexes with shared/common parking arrangements (accessible to anyone) where installing a trickle charger is not possible. In this case, going by pictures attached, the situation (lack of secure private parking) seems to be applicable here too. Moreover, in modern vehicles (and less than 5 years old at that), surely its not too much of a stretch to expect the vehicles to crank up after 1-2 month of no use.

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by sierrabravo98

I don't know how it works in Norway but your solution of using trickle chargers is not very feasible in India. Most Indians, especially in the bigger cities, live in apartment complexes with shared/common parking arrangements (accessible to anyone) where installing a trickle charger is not possible.

Sorry, I did not think about people living in cities. Common garages have electrical outlets for motor heaters and I got so used to that the past 5 decades and it became the norm for me.

What about solar panels. The kind you place on the dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter? There is more than enough sunshine in India. Do they sell them in India? Output is only 1.5W but still better than nothing. This does not need a controller. Amazon Germany had this a few years ago.



Measures 350x125x25 mm.

They are sold here but useless because there is very little sun here when you need the extra charge in winter. I have never tried this as I have access to electricity.

[Chhanda Das]

Thankfully, the original 45 Ah Exide Matrix battery is still working fine in my 1st generation 2017 1.6 Petrol AT Creta even though I often put extra loads (inverter, freezer, cooker, etc) on it when I go car camping in it. I have gone as long as 1 month and 25 days without starting the car even once during the pandemic-induced lockdowns and the car started with the single press of a button and a single crank without needing the assistance of any trickle charger or jump starter. I would suggest you to get the car checked thoroughly for ghost current draws because batteries usually do not go bad so easily/early.

Also, here are the top 10 reasons why your Creta's battery did not or does not last long :-

1. The electrode plates in the individual cells were damaged due to extreme rash driving on bad roads. The solution is to drive slowly as per road conditions.

2. The electrolyte dries up and its level goes down inside the battery exposing the plates. The solution is to check on a regular basis and increase the level of the electrolyte solution by adding distilled water to each of the individual cells as and when necessary.

3. The individual cells have been overfilled with distilled water leading to swelling of the battery and/or loss of electrolyte from the gas vent/s. Sadly, there is no solution for this and you have to replace the battery in case of swelling or if too much electrolyte has been lost.

4. Non-distilled water or impure distilled water was used to increase the electrolyte level inside the battery. The solution is to use a cheap TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) testing device to test the quality of the distilled water before buying. Ideally, the TDS level should be zero for distilled water.

5. The individual cell covers of the battery had not been tightened properly. The solution is to check whether they are tight or not and take necessary action. A suitably sized coin can be used if no tools are available.

6. You do not clean the corrosion on the battery terminals leading to loss of electrical conductivity and eventual failure of the battery. The solution is to clean the battery terminals with a proper (baking soda + water) mixture. In an emergency, you can also use soft carbonated drinks to clean the battery terminals.

7. The battery terminals are loosely connected resulting in the battery not getting recharged properly. The solution is to tighten the battery terminals.

8. The alternator is not generating enough current to recharge the battery. The solution is to get the alternator checked and replaced if necessary.

9. There is an electrical leakage/draw (ghost current) somewhere within the electrical system leading to the battery getting drained. The solution is to find that electrical leakage and fix it.

10. You are buying batteries that have been manufactured more than 3 months ago. The solution is to buy batteries that have the latest manufacturing dates.

Bonus : You are not using a battery of the suitable range/type. The solution is to get a battery properly matched to the setup of your car.

Note : Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) is mostly a misnomer in case of car batteries. A more accurate term would be Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA). Most SMF/VRLA batteries too need maintenance but less than regular lead-acid ones.

I hope that Hyundai replaces the battery in your Creta soon. Wish you happy and safe driving

[amalji]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

What about solar panels. The kind you place on the dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter? There is more than enough sunshine in India. Do they sell them in India? Output is only 1.5W but still better than nothing. This does not need a controller. Amazon Germany had this a few years ago.

Most High rise apartment parking in metro cities are basement parking with absolutely no sunlight. Generally, these Japanese/Korean cars never face such issues with battery. I have left my car parked for 3-4 weeks multiple times during covid lockdowns. No issues thus far with the battery. For the German luxury cars, they are known to have such issues and trickle charger is a must.

[anumod]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

I am surprised that Hyundai is even ready to replace the battery under the manufacturer's warranty. Usually the battery is considered consumable and is not covered under manufacturer warranty after the first year.

Ford covers battery under warranty for 2 years. https://www.india.ford.com/owner/sim...rranty-policy/

[furyrider]

Originally Posted by jono213

Once all formalities were done, the manager told my dad that instead of replacing the battery, they would recharge it and it would work for a little longer (a detail i hadn't known until the car was back) and my dad agreed to this compromise but i wasn't really sold on this entire compromise and it seemed a little suspicious to me.

the manager told us that he would duly dispatch their technician again tomorrow morning and assured us that the battery would be changed under warranty this time, so fingers-crossed I guess.

I’ve replaced 2 batteries, one each from Exide (car) and Amaron (bike) under manufacturer warranty so far. Based on my experience, I can tell you that this is how exactly battery replacement works.

On both occasions, manufacturers did not offer a replacement straight away just because the battery is dead. They charged the battery overnight, then asked me to use the vehicle normally for the next week or so. On both occasions, the batteries died again in less than a month. This was when they went ahead with the replacement. The Amaron dealer offered a replacement straight away, but the catch was that my warranty would be void to which I did not agree and asked them to follow their testing procedure.

Having dealt with Hyundai for the past 7 years, I am surprised that the dealer has agreed to replace the battery instead of directing to the manufacturer for a warranty claim. There is nothing wrong or suspicious in this entire episode. Batteries sometimes die prematurely and there might be ‘n’ number of reasons why this even happened in the first place. Instead, you should be happy that atleast the dealer has agreed for a replacement instead of making you run from pillar to post to get the replacement done.