MG4 totally dead after service

[PeteC]

It's rare, and even if you do have it, you have to maintain it in order for it to be of any use in a specific scenario.

True, I check it every 3 months or so and it's holding charge really well. Easy to check as I keep it in the centre armrest.

 

[Tuareg]

It's rare, and even if you do have it, you have to maintain it in order for it to be of any use in a specific scenario.

No they aren't 'rare'. Several of my colleagues have them and they're cheap now anyway. What maintenance exactly apart from an occasional charge? They are lithium battery packs which hold their charge for months, so a simple check once every 3-4 months and a quick top up charge if necessary every 3-4 months for a few mins. I've had one for years, has come in very useful for mine and my neighbours' cars/motorbikes.

 

[Astral]

OK, let me re-phrase, it is rare where I live and also they are more expensive than the 12V battery itself, that is why nobody has them, at least not where I live. You would be amazed how many people would fail to top it up every 3 months.

 

[KH11]

Sure, but who has one? I don't and I don't know anybody who does

There’s quite a few of us that have one on here

 

[Astral]

You are of no use to me, hundreds of miles away

 

[Tuareg]

OK, let me re-phrase, it is rare where I live and also they are more expensive than the 12v battery itself, that is why nobody has them, at least not where I live. You would be amazed how many people would fail to top it up every 3 months.

You can buy them on Amazon.de for the same price as anyone else in the EU, many very good ones for less than €100, quite a lot less than a 12V car battery.

 

[Astral]

The best car battery can be had for 70 euros. Exide or Yuasa for example. Cheaper than a good starter

 

[Rolfe]

But, you're still stranded in the mean time.

My dealer does this window-dressing "health check" on the car whatever it's in for, and sends me a video of it. Tyre tread, that sort of thing. And it includes a check that the 12V terminals are tight. So maybe not as useless as all that.

 

[jackois]

I had similar on my 5LR, whilst in Leeds.

The AA chap who came said the 12v was down to 3.8volts, gave the car a boost to get it going. I gave it a decent run to reset all of the alarms and bought a jump pack to keep in the glove box.

He said he'd be surprised if it didn't happen again and it may need a new battery. 5 months on, it's never happened again, and the jump pack still sits on standby in the glove box...

 

[Tuareg]

The best car battery can be had for 70 euros. Exide or Yuasa for example. Cheaper than a good starter

Yes, so around the same price as a booster pack, so not "more expensive than the 12V battery itself" as you claim.

 

[haloweenhamster]

I had similar on my 5LR, whilst in Leeds.

The AA chap who came said the 12v was down to 3.8volts, gave the car a boost to get it going. I gave it a decent run to reset all of the alarms and bought a jump pack to keep in the glove box.

He said he'd be surprised if it didn't happen again and it may need a new battery. 5 months on, it's never happened again, and the jump pack still sits on standby in the glove box...

Like you wouldn't keep your car fully charged, don't leave a booster fully charged, modern boosters have lithium batteries, especially if it's one that'll fit in a glovebox
I've known people fully charge them & leave them in the car, when kept full & with large temperature swings the battery will fail quickly, I've known them to swell in 6-12 months then they're a timebomb as the swelling is vapour and it's the vapour that ignites

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Old fashioned jump cables and a friendly disposition to your neighbours, passing postman/anyone with a vehicle always used to work .