2011, 66k miles, flat battery issues

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bbyer

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I do not know if I am going to be much help. The link below has a number of alternator files however they are more for information than a solution to your immediate problem.

A few thoughts however - your Interstate Battery is probably OK. About the only way to know is to disconnect it every night and reconnect in the morning while keeping track of the voltage: a) right after you disconnect, and b) just before you reconnect. Remove the ground only as that is easy and safe. The disconnect voltage will always be higher than the reconnect number but day to day, not much different.

Re the alternator, 14.5 volts is not too much, and what the number is depends upon where you connect a voltmeter.

I have a ScanGauge II plugged into my OBD port. It reads maybe 13.9 on cooler days (+60F) and less, 13.3 VDC, on hot days (+80F). This is the way it should be as charge rate is temperature dependent. That brings up another "reality" - per the files in the link, my view is that most battery charging problems in the 3 and 4 relate not to the battery or the "alternator", but to the regulator built into the alternator. The odds are the people who rebuilt your alternator did not replace the regulator as there is no easy test to determine that it has failed. The old ways do not work on these new "smart" regulators, hence you have have a perfect alternator and appear to have a good internal regulator as well. That is the primary reason LR quit selling rebuilts - even their people did not recognize a good from bad regulator. The real reason LR quit was their rebuilts did not even last a year and hence they were not making money installing rebuilts.

In otherwords, you may still have an "alternator" problem as the smart regulator has default values that will allow the alternator to generate enough amps to run the headlights and most other stuff but not enough voltage to actually charge the battery.

Do not be skeptical of the multi day or for me, multi night charge idea. Even a perfect system on your LR, or your Audi, or your Bentley, or your ..... will not fully charge the battery. That is why Bentley and the other expensive car sellers include a CTEK charger with each new vehicle.

You may have a circuit that is drawing power all the time. Well you do, it is the door lock circuit, but that is normal and takes about two weeks of parking to **** the battery. There is a scenario where the rear hatch door unlock mechanism somehow sticks and continues to draw power all the time and kills the battery. I say that but note that it is near impossible to actually discover.

Do the battery trickle charge for a week thing before you start pulling fuses looking for a constant draw - that is not fun but one of the reasons their are forty plus fuses in your 4.


https://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3801
 

Mozambique

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Just back from a camping trip where I had to jump start it twice!
Bought a new battery on the drive home (5yr warranty) and touch wood, all looks good
 

Bogwhoppit

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I would, like others have mentioned, make sure you have the right sized battery. My 2010 came with an undersized battery which I ended up dying after repeated charges. Since fitting the proper sized Bosch AMG no problem in two years.
 

gsxr

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I can't recall if I've mentioned this in previous battery threads, but I've had surprisingly good success with PulseTech PowerPulse desulfators on many other vehicles. You can read more about the technology on their website (link), but for ~$40 or so, these units have extended life of some of my batteries to 10-12 years or more, on both flooded lead-acid and also AGM batteries. The catch is, the PowerPulse unit consumes some battery power, so if the vehicle will be parked for more than 3-4 weeks, it must have a battery maintainer (trickle charger) connected. I like either the medium/higher-end CTEK, or PulseTech Xtreme Charge (link); but any automatic maintainer is fine.

On a related note, I've had surprisingly poor success with Interstate-brand lead-acid batteries. I've had a total of six different Intestates, almost all failed with a shorted cell... voltage is fine with light load, but with heavy load (i.e., trying to start the engine) voltage drops to zero, then goes back to 12v+ when the load is removed. All the failed Interstates were relatively young and well within warranty period, most died around 2-4 years old.

For the past 5+ years I've been only buying AGM, usually DieHard or Delco, so far with good results and no failures. I have a couple of OE Genuine Mercedes AGM batteries still alive after 13 and 15 years respectively (!!) with PowerPulse units, and battery maintainers applied when vehicle not driven frequently. I expect these are nearing the end of their useful lifespan.

YMMV of course, I have no useful data on the LR4 as we've only owned ours for 18 months. It has an AC Delco flooded Group 94R battery that is 4.5 years old. I have a PowerPulse unit on the shelf that I need to install. I also connect a CTEK charger/desulfator when the LR4 is parked for more than a few weeks. I'm curious how long the Delco will last, and when it dies I'll replace it with AGM of some sort.

:pcguru:
 

Ian Morrison

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So, had my 2011 LR4 for 8 months and have had to jump start it 3 times. First two were from having the radio on for 15 mins with engine off. I assumed the auto radio switch off due to low battery was a sign that battery or alternator were bad. Seems this is normal though.

Yesterday was doing the front brakes. Opened and closed doors several times and battery flat! Got the battery tested and appears fine. Other posts here indicate that battery can still be culprit even if output amps, voltage is within spec?

Batteries only last 4 yrs?????? Might replace anyway. Any definitive tests for diagnosing bad battery or alternator?
I’ve got the Discovery 3 and I was getting loads of warning lights coming on and off while I was driving. Took it too Land Rover and was told that the electronics in the Land Rover 3&4 rely on a good condition Battery for the electronics to work properly. I asked how long should the battery last and was told two to three years for a normal battery and batteries with Four and Five years guarantee should last up to guarantee has expired. I replaced my battery with a five year guarantee one and all the warning lights have ceased coming on. I know this all sounds stupid but since then have driven 30000 miles with no warning lights coming on.
 

equilibrium

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My MY13 is on its 4th battery now. The previous one last 15 months only. Thankfully the dealer replaced it under extended warranty. I believe the hot weather here in Middle East kills the battery sooner than expected.
 

cperez

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New LR owner. This forum is starting to sound like a Saab owners forum...............

I remembered your comment and couldn't resist sharing this when I saw it just now on a FB group of Maryland LR owners I belong to...

PS: ... #timingchainrattle

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TCM75

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Got the battery tested and appears fine.

Do you know if a load test was performed on the battery? That will tell you the battery's effectiveness at handling a load (such as starting an engine). Some people just put a voltmeter on it and call it a day.
 

Robuk

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I know this is an old thread but before you trash the battery always try this if you have a sensor connected to the negative clamp of the starter battery. Recharge the battery then disconnect the sensor and leave it disconnected. The battery on my UK Merc is still A OK and starts car first time, date of manufacture is Sept 2011 that makes the battery 8 years old.

 
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bbyer

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My MY13 is on its 4th battery now. The previous one last 15 months only. Thankfully the dealer replaced it under extended warranty. I believe the hot weather here in Middle East kills the battery sooner than expected.
It might be that my post #21 above where every few months I put my starting battery on a CTEK "trickle" charger might also apply to other than a cold type country.
 

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