12 V battery charge very low. The infotainment system will be switched off

[nomislotsirb]

Has anyone recieved this message please "12 V battery charge very low. The infotainment system will be switched off". Appeared the other day on the head unit after only a couple of days of being parked. I suppose it's possible I left a door ajar and lights were left on.

Any advice on the what the cause of the battery charge being low would be most appreciated. TIA.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Pretty normal tbh. How old is your starter battery?

 

[Dellmassive]

You get that message with a low starter battery voltage.

 

[nomislotsirb]

Pretty normal tbh. How old is your starter battery?

Thanks @Salty Spuds. It's a '68 plate and I suspect original battery. I've had it just over 2 years and haven't seen it pop up before, but then I did wonder last year if the battery was on the way out since the electric folding mirrors would spontaneously unfold whilst parked/locked.

 

[JYPhoto]

I’ve started getting this and my van is only 15 months old. Worried it’s my amateur electrics but can’t see how.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Do you have any aftermarket USB chargers/dashcams plugged into the cig lighter sockets?

 

[TallPaul_S]

Could be something causing a drain on the starter battery, could be an old battery not holding charge.

The interior lights on my 18 plate turn off when locked but if you left a door open that would have done it.

With a good battery it should hold charge for at least 2 weeks before it needs any charging.

 

[cgtmiles]

I don’t get that message and my starter battery is knackered (new one arriving today), it just barely starts or doesn’t start if left for a week or so

 

[Dellmassive]

have a look at adding a battery monitor. . . . so you can see whats going on.

Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --

Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It -- Part #1 Battery monitoring is a very important part of your 12v system . . . . whether its just the vans starter battery or your leisure setup keeping an eye on the power in your battery bank will keep you from breaking down and make sure your weekends...

www.t6forum.com

.

Bm2 & Bm6 are very good.

https://amzn.to/43DYsB5

....

https://amzn.to/4aujwMP

.

 

[cgtmiles]

I added another BM2 to my starter while waiting for the new batt. Result above

 

[cgtmiles]

(Thanks to @Dellmassive advice )
(As always)

 

[TallPaul_S]

I don’t get that message and my starter battery is knackered (new one arriving today), it just barely starts or doesn’t start if left for a week or so

I think you only get the message if you turn on the ignition but don't start the engine, after a while the radio turns off after that message.

 

[cgtmiles]

I think you only get the message if you turn on the ignition but don't start the engine, after a while the radio turns off after that message.

Wouldn’t dare do that at the moment! I turn the key cross everything and have the booster pack on standby. I got a coil error today which I m hoping won’t come back with a new battery.

I know you get a warning on some vehicles that the radio will only stay on for an hour or something but don’t remember seeing his on the van but that could be my memory

 

[TallPaul_S]

I've seen it once, not sure what state my battery was in as I didn't have a BM2 on it.

This thread has reminded me to put mine on charge this morning, it's been sat with just a short couple of trips in the last 2 weeks, it was getting low, 11.97v this morning.


I've got leccy sliding doors so when I'm in and out the van doing stuff that drains it.

 

[cgtmiles]

I never charge mine. I bought a charger but never needed it before, even in lockdown, so sold it to dellmassive

 

[TallPaul_S]

I never charge mine. I bought a charger but never needed it before, even in lockdown, so sold it to dellmassive

Could that be why your battery is buggered?

I find they need a top up if they've been sat and not driven for more than 2 weeks, less than that if it's being locked/unlocked regularly.

 

[cgtmiles]

Could that be why your battery is buggered?

I find they need a top up if they've been sat and not driven for more than 2 weeks, less than that if it's being locked/unlocked regularly.

It’s a few months shy of 5 years old so it hasn’t done bad

 

[roadtripper]

I’ve started getting this and my van is only 15 months old. Worried it’s my amateur electrics but can’t see how.

It's surprising how little a constant parasitic drain needs to be.

A 40ma drain over 24 hours is 1ah of capacity gone.

 

[cgtmiles]

New battery fitted and all appears to be good.

Thanks to @RedUn for the battery upgrade suggestion!

It’s a battery bob
It’s more than that Jim, it’s a battery and a half!

 

[TallPaul_S]

What did you go for? Mine is the factory 75Ah AGM which is 6 years old now so will probably get replaced in the next year.