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Hi my acuraziners,
So I had the battery die on me and the first time my friend helped boost my car.. Today I encountered the same issue! I got roadside assistance to come and they boosted it again. My car has 50,000 kms and I have bought acura plus warranty and apparently the extension does not cover the battery? So I went to the stealership right away, and the service advisor asked if I take short trips and I told him I don't ... Now a days I'm doing errands running around the city.. He also insisted that I use baking soda and water to clean the corroded battery.. My question is should I try and get the battery replaced, or is the dealer trying to make me wait until my warranty runs out so they can sell me a battery?
I did that and hopefully this doesn't happen again in the future....
You should check your owners manual to see what coverage is / is not on the battery then deal with it from that point. I would suggest that once you've cleaned the current battery or installed the new battery that you spray the positive terminal with a product like WD-40 or that you coat the positive terminal with grease or vaseline to keep it from corroding.
I don't know what year your RDX is but your battery is trying to tell you it's giving up. I had one do something similar in another vehicle recently. One morning, the car just wouldn't start. I charged the battery a few hours then drove to the dealership which declared the battery good. A couple of weeks later, same thing and an auto supply store check found the battery testing good but.....it wouldn't hold a charge and it was only three years old (oem battery). In the end I replaced it which is probably what you should do before you find yourself stranded.
BTW, I purchased one of those small jump starter batteries that ride around in the glove box waiting for the day you or someone else needs a jump. I had to use it a couple of times before replacing the car's battery (yes, I waited too long) then used it as a memory saver for the radio and systems when the big battery was removed/replaced. It beats carrying a tangled set of jumper cables.
I've had my OEM 100 month batteries in all three vehicles die between 3-4 years. It is usually a cell going bad causing the issue. If it is a bad cell, you might find it might take a few extra turns of the engine to start the vehicle the colder it gets outside. If it doesn't start the 1st or 2nd time, you might get the click click click for low power and X-mas lights on the dash. Hard to notice this problem in warm weather because it takes a lot less power to start the vehicle in the summer compared to near freezing of winter.
I didn't want to use the 4/50,000 warranty to replace with the same battery. I went ahead and installed Interstate batteries in all three when the OEM batteries started giving me issues. Zero issues with Interstate and I always get the full amount of time advertised for the brand. Pretty much anything other that OEM is better. Folks had equal success with batteries from Costco, Sears, Walmart, Sams, Autozone, etc...
Let me start by saying that if your battery is more than 3 years old, then it is most likely the cause of your problem. The problem is that the dealer will not replace a battery unless it tests 'bad'. becuase there are many other reasons that could cause your sysmptoms.
So the first question is "did the dealer test your battery". If he didn't, you can get it tested yourself at Canadian Tire. It is also something you can do yourself with a multimeter.
Another common cause is that your alternator is not working, or it is working poorly. Once again this is something you can test your self.
Another cause is short trips. Starting the engine takes a lot of energy from your battery in a short period of time. It might take the alternator 15 minutes to repalce that energy back into the battery. If you are making a lot of short 10 minute trips, your battery charge is dropping with each startup.
Another cause is slow, stop & go traffic. At slow engine speeds the alternator puts out less power than it would at higher RPM's. If you are stopped in traffic with your lights on, AC or heater running, radio, seat heater or blower, rear window defogger, radiator fan running, etc., etc., then you may be consuming more power than the alternator can provide at these low speeds. The extra power which is required needs to come from the battery. Eventually the battery gets so run down that it doesn't have enough power to start the engine. The next day your battery may work fine because your driving conditions were different.
Another cause (as thoiboi suggested) is parasitic draw. There may be an electronic device in your RDX that is failing and causing excess current draw. An example of this would be the "hands free" unit from a few years ago. It not only stopped working, but it forced owners to have it repaired even if they didn't use it, because it would run down the battery overnight.
If your dealer won't perform the battery and alternator tests, then do it yourself, or try Canadian Tire,perhaps at a "CTC Part's Source" location were you can drive right up to the door.
You should check your owners manual to see what coverage is / is not on the battery then deal with it from that point. I would suggest that once you've cleaned the current battery or installed the new battery that you spray the positive terminal with a product like WD-40 or that you coat the positive terminal with grease or vaseline to keep it from corroding.
ok, will do. Thanks for advice! Do I do lubricant first and then protectant? I was reading and someone else said that it's better if I used seafoam or moto master lubricant and a red and green terminal washer to go around the terminal?
I don't know what year your RDX is but your battery is trying to tell you it's giving up. I had one do something similar in another vehicle recently. One morning, the car just wouldn't start. I charged the battery a few hours then drove to the dealership which declared the battery good. A couple of weeks later, same thing and an auto supply store check found the battery testing good but.....it wouldn't hold a charge and it was only three years old (oem battery). In the end I replaced it which is probably what you should do before you find yourself stranded.
BTW, I purchased one of those small jump starter batteries that ride around in the glove box waiting for the day you or someone else needs a jump. I had to use it a couple of times before replacing the car's battery (yes, I waited too long) then used it as a memory saver for the radio and systems when the big battery was removed/replaced. It beats carrying a tangled set of jumper cables.
Cheers!
your right! I pray that this doesn't happen again. It's a 2014. I bought acura plus extended for like 5 or 6 years or 90000 kms I believe. I for sure need one of those jump start kits. They come in handy!
I've had my OEM 100 month batteries in all three vehicles die between 3-4 years. It is usually a cell going bad causing the issue. If it is a bad cell, you might find it might take a few extra turns of the engine to start the vehicle the colder it gets outside. If it doesn't start the 1st or 2nd time, you might get the click click click for low power and X-mas lights on the dash. Hard to notice this problem in warm weather because it takes a lot less power to start the vehicle in the summer compared to near freezing of winter.
I didn't want to use the 4/50,000 warranty to replace with the same battery. I went ahead and installed Interstate batteries in all three when the OEM batteries started giving me issues. Zero issues with Interstate and I always get the full amount of time advertised for the brand. Pretty much anything other that OEM is better. Folks had equal success with batteries from Costco, Sears, Walmart, Sams, Autozone, etc...
Ok I will look into that, thank you for the info! I appreciate it. I'm not sure what the best batteries are in Canada I might look into getting a replacement.Not to sure but when I went to the dealership , the service advisor took a reading and he got 14.0 for the battery test , not sure what number is good or bad?
You could have some sort of parasitic draw that's draining your battery every day. Look up how to do a Parasitic draw test
Ok I will try that , thank you! Also does leaving a phone charger or AUX cable even if the car is turned off or if your phone is not connected, still drain the battery?
Let me start by saying that if your battery is more than 3 years old, then it is most likely the cause of your problem. The problem is that the dealer will not replace a battery unless it tests 'bad'. becuase there are many other reasons that could cause your sysmptoms.
So the first question is "did the dealer test your battery". If he didn't, you can get it tested yourself at Canadian Tire. It is also something you can do yourself with a multimeter.
Another common cause is that your alternator is not working, or it is working poorly. Once again this is something you can test your self.
Another cause is short trips. Starting the engine takes a lot of energy from your battery in a short period of time. It might take the alternator 15 minutes to repalce that energy back into the battery. If you are making a lot of short 10 minute trips, your battery charge is dropping with each startup.
Another cause is slow, stop & go traffic. At slow engine speeds the alternator puts out less power than it would at higher RPM's. If you are stopped in traffic with your lights on, AC or heater running, radio, seat heater or blower, rear window defogger, radiator fan running, etc., etc., then you may be consuming more power than the alternator can provide at these low speeds. The extra power which is required needs to come from the battery. Eventually the battery gets so run down that it doesn't have enough power to start the engine. The next day your battery may work fine because your driving conditions were different.
Another cause (as thoiboi suggested) is parasitic draw. There may be an electronic device in your RDX that is failing and causing excess current draw. An example of this would be the "hands free" unit from a few years ago. It not only stopped working, but it forced owners to have it repaired even if they didn't use it, because it would run down the battery overnight.
If your dealer won't perform the battery and alternator tests, then do it yourself, or try Canadian Tire,perhaps at a "CTC Part's Source" location were you can drive right up to the door.
That is true I am back to work almost everyday but they are very short trips! Does driving in S mode help or turning off the rear cargo lights help with the lessen drainage of the battery?
Thanks
That is true I am back to work almost everyday but they are very short trips! Does driving in S mode help or turning off the rear cargo lights help with the lessen drainage of the battery?
Thanks
Driving in S mode will cause the engine to run at a higher RPM, but an alternator reaches maximum output at about 2000 RPM which you will obtain even when in the normal D mode. If you are in stop and go traffic, the transmission mode will not make any difference in RPM when you are stopped.
You cargo lights should already be off when the hatch is closed. If they remain on, then you may have placed the switch in manual mode. (IIRC the RDX has a manual mode)
You may want to purchase a device similar to this one (there are dozens of models) to keep on eye on your battery voltage
if the same battery died twice , it probably had a dead 'cell' , take it to a service station and have them test it and then get a new one (with a warranty) , waiting isn't going to solve anything
Driving in S mode will cause the engine to run at a higher RPM, but an alternator reaches maximum output at about 2000 RPM which you will obtain even when in the normal D mode. If you are in stop and go traffic, the transmission mode will not make any difference in RPM when you are stopped.
You cargo lights should already be off when the hatch is closed. If they remain on, then you may have placed the switch in manual mode. (IIRC the RDX has a manual mode)
You may want to purchase a device similar to this one (there are dozens of models) to keep on eye on your battery voltage
ok and what range is good to look at for the voltage? My memory seats are kind of weird, my son was driving the car and it just reset, no memory seat and then I had to reset both of our seating position for 1 and 2, could this mean something.. I just hold down set and then the number . We only use fob one. Fob 2 stays at home.
if the same battery died twice , it probably had a dead 'cell' , take it to a service station and have them test it and then get a new one (with a warranty) , waiting isn't going to solve anything
ok and what range is good to look at for the voltage? My memory seats are kind of weird, my son was driving the car and it just reset, no memory seat and then I had to reset both of our seating position for 1 and 2, could this mean something.. I just hold down set and then the number . We only use fob one. Fob 2 stays at home.
With the engine running above 2000 RPM the voltmeter should read between 13.8 and 14.2 volts depending on the temperature (colder temps allow higher voltages). If your's is not in this range then your alternator is not working properly.
After driving for at least an hour with a properly working alternator, your battery should be fully charged. Turn off the engine and turn on every electrical load you can think of. Headlights, blower fan, rear window defogger, etc. . The voltage should stay approximately 12.2 Volts for at least 10 minutes. If it drops below 12 volts, then your battery is defective.
An alternate test is to watch the voltage while cranking the engine over. The voltage should stay above 10 volts. If it drops lower than that , then your battery is defective. I'm not sure if the cigarette lighter will be live when cranking the engine, but this test is normally done with a voltmeter connected directly to the battery posts.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say the memory seats reset while your son was driving. Did they start moving on their own to another position? Or did you just find the memory buttons did not work next time you got in the car?. You may have lost your seat memory because the the battery voltage got too low. This happens the same way you would lose your radio's presets when changing a battery.
Batteries last if the battery is of quality and the charging system is operating as it should. The last two batteries in my cars lasted over 15 years each.
1. Load test the fully charged battery.
2. Test the charging system. What is the battery voltage with the engine running?
3. Measure the current drain with engine off, doors locked and alarm set.
With the engine running above 2000 RPM the voltmeter should read between 13.8 and 14.2 volts depending on the temperature (colder temps allow higher voltages). If your's is not in this range then your alternator is not working properly.
After driving for at least an hour with a properly working alternator, your battery should be fully charged. Turn off the engine and turn on every electrical load you can think of. Headlights, blower fan, rear window defogger, etc. . The voltage should stay approximately 12.2 Volts for at least 10 minutes. If it drops below 12 volts, then your battery is defective.
An alternate test is to watch the voltage while cranking the engine over. The voltage should stay above 10 volts. If it drops lower than that , then your battery is defective. I'm not sure if the cigarette lighter will be live when cranking the engine, but this test is normally done with a voltmeter connected directly to the battery posts.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say the memory seats reset while your son was driving. Did they start moving on their own to another position? Or did you just find the memory buttons did not work next time you got in the car?. You may have lost your seat memory because the the battery voltage got too low. This happens the same way you would lose your radio's presets when changing a battery.
haha let's knock on wood this time! Third and hopefully the last time it dies on me ! sigh Luckily I was aggressive on them to make the dealer replace my battery ! I went out and bought some NCP-2 NOCO battery terminal protective spray and some Motomaster terminal protector cover for the negative and positive terminal.
Batteries last if the battery is of quality and the charging system is operating as it should. The last two batteries in my cars lasted over 15 years each.
1. Load test the fully charged battery.
2. Test the charging system. What is the battery voltage with the engine running?
3. Measure the current drain with engine off, doors locked and alarm set.
Yes it died again! I got the battery replaced under warranty! But I'm going to buy a voltmeter and a extra battery pack for a road trip! I had a 98" civic si and the battery never died on me! Technology goes up and reliability is going down, or quality!
I'm going to buy a voltmeter and a extra battery pack for a road trip!
You might want to get a voltmeter that plugs into the cigarette lighter or power outlet. That way you can see what is happening while driving. But compare its reading with the true reading of the battery using a voltmeter. Voltage "in-circuit" is usually a tad less than actual battery voltage.
I have an LCD voltmeter hard wired directly to my battery for a true voltage reading.
I have one of these that I keep in the "kit" in my car. Walmart...under $20 and it has 10A capability.
With the engine running above 2000 RPM the voltmeter should read between 13.8 and 14.2 volts depending on the temperature (colder temps allow higher voltages).
On traditional charging systems, yes. In fact both the 1990 Toyota Tercel and 1999 Honda CR-V showed 14.4V at standard temperature. Its probably why both those batteries lasted 16 and 15 years respectively (actually longer since the vehicles were sold to their second owners at the time).
BUT, Honda has employed a Dual Mode Charging System since the early 90s according to this article. According to it, charging voltage is in the 12s at times when the battery is fully charged and all the alternator is doing is supplying power to systems.
Ok I will try that , thank you! Also does leaving a phone charger or AUX cable even if the car is turned off or if your phone is not connected, still drain the battery?
It very well could.
If you're replacing batteries without looking the root cause, be prepared to just do it again.
At first, I though it was a temperature sensor to control battery charge end voltage because battery charge voltage is temperature dependent.
You are correct. This device is responsible for monitoring the charging current and battery temperature.
If current starts flowing out of the battery when the engine is running, rather than into the battery, this device will trigger on the battery warning light. That would be an indication that your alternator is not working properly, or the electrical load is more than the alternator can provide by itself.
The device also controls the amount of charging current that is allowed to flow into the battery. This is done in order to prevent a battery from overheating from high current flow. This device will control the alternator output based on battery temperature. On a cold winter day, larger currents are allowed into the battery, which indirectly causes a higher battery voltage to be measured on a voltmeter (E=I*R) .
This device will control the alternator output based on battery temperature.
That is one aspect, but Honda came up with it to save fuel by not charging as required.
By the way, traditional regulators in alternators employ a temperature sensor. They come in various -XmV/degree C based on requirements. Although not as good as having a sensor on the battery post itself. Bosch has a list of regulators with various V cut-offs and temperature compensation curves. The V cut-off in my other car is 14.5V, likely because my battery is at the other end of the car and there being voltage drops along the main charge cable. They should "sense" at the battery.
My 2015 RDX battery voltage fluctuates between 12.3 - 14.2, randomly. Original battery, 31,000 miles. Dealer tested, says no problem. I say such fluctuation is bad. Used 2 voltmeters to confirm. HELP!
My 2015 RDX battery voltage fluctuates between 12.3 - 14.2, randomly. Original battery, 31,000 miles. Dealer tested, says no problem. I say such fluctuation is bad. Used 2 voltmeters to confirm. HELP!
Under what conditions?
Under what time frames? From one second to the next?
My 2015 RDX battery voltage fluctuates between 12.3 - 14.2, randomly. Original battery, 31,000 miles. Dealer tested, says no problem. I say such fluctuation is bad. Used 2 voltmeters to confirm. HELP!
Your lower reading is pretty normal for a battery that's been resting awhile. The higher number is in range while the engine is running/charging. Unless a load test (which you can't do with an ordinary voltage (multi) meter says the battery is failing it looks like you're good to go awhile longer. As mentioned earlier in this thread battery life varies widely depending on where you live. Here in the desert southwest summer temps kill batteries very quickly while batteries can last a very long time in more moderate climates.
My 2015 RDX battery voltage fluctuates between 12.3 - 14.2, randomly. Original battery, 31,000 miles. Dealer tested, says no problem. I say such fluctuation is bad. Used 2 voltmeters to confirm. HELP!
Originally Posted by Tech
Under what conditions?
Under what time frames? From one second to the next?
typically this starts about 15 minutes into the drive. Today it took 30 mins, then dropped to 12.8 at cruise power for the last 20 minutes until arriving home. It would return to 14.2 when approaching a stop light and taking my foot off the accelerator, them back to 12.7 when accelerating back to cruise where it remained til home.
typically this starts about 15 minutes into the drive. Today it took 30 mins, then dropped to 12.8 at cruise power for the last 20 minutes until arriving home. It would return to 14.2 when approaching a stop light and taking my foot off the accelerator, them back to 12.7 when accelerating back to cruise where it remained til home.
You might want to read up on "Honda's Dual Mode Charging System".
Thanks! I’ve read it now and assume the 2015 RDX has this dual charging system. If so, then I have no problem. Amazingly, my Acura dealer was unable to or would not take the time to explain it to me, other than “if there’s no warning light, there’s no problem!”
Luckily I was aggressive on them to make the dealer replace my battery ! I went out and bought some NCP-2 NOCO battery terminal protective spray and some Motomaster terminal protector cover for the negative and positive terminal.
