So it seems that after 18 months and a few weeks of cold weather my battery is on its way out, my Hawk battery was fine after 3 years.

What do you think are the chances of Subaru giving me new one under warrany, surely they should last longer than this?

Arron

 

pretty sure I had a new battery on my P1 many years ago - things may have changed but worth a punt!

 

Unless you've been using the battery without the engine running eg stereo. 18 months is far too short a life for a battery. A few years back a flat battery was a common fault on STi's due to the Trackstar not going into "sleep" mode.
They'll probably load test the battery and if it's a bit 'iffy you should get another one, although they may also check what drain there is, as it sits.

JohnD

 

My battery on my hatch seems ok but when you breifly turn my scanguage unit on the voltage is at a shocking 11.9v but never fails to start

 

Batteries are excluded from the Warranty as I understand it, however = 18 months is pathetic!

Mine lasted 9 years on my Classic - which is what I would expect.

 

Cheers guys, think it may just be a duff battery as only had normal use, every 4/5 starts in the morning have been hearing a strange whirring noise that seems as though its coming from the transmission tunnel, popped upto Halfords today for them to check and came up as 54%, basically knackered.

Car is kept in a garage overnight so not as though its being asked to start in freezing conditions, only thing that would shorten its life is that most of my jouneys are 1-2 miles, saying that though the only one lasted fine with that!

Will give dealer a call now.

 

dealer changed mine no ploblem

 

The battery IS DEFINATELY covered under the 3yr 60k mile warranty. Had my Hawkeye one changed just before my 3rd service!

 

***WRONG*** batteries are under warranty for 3 years

 

Brilliant, cheers all, dealer seems to be closed today so will call them first thing Monday and get a new one sorted.

Thanks
Arron

 

what sort of noise are you hearing abit like the starter motor slipping on the ring gear

 

I had mine swapped twice whilst still under warranty. The usual story a bit of cold weather and it kicks **** out of it. I always ran with side lights on but they still failed.
This one has been on for the last 3 years and the Scanguage reads it as 14.3 Volts but still has trouble turning the engine over on a cold morning

 

Not running 10/60 oil in this cold weather, are you?

JohnD

 

With the ignition switched on, 11.9v is fine

JohnD

 

Don't think so. Whatever weight Motul that Zak @ Mocom put in @ the last service

Mine even did it with the OEM battery @ OEM Oil that the main stealer used

 

thats ignition switched off

 

Just had mine changed today under warranty.

 

I know its a silly question but have you charged the battery up? The reason is (I am an ex autoelectrician) is that a lot of problems used to arrise with people only doing 1 or 2 mile runs with head lights on, heater on, heated rear window on etc. What happens is the alternator stops the power from these devices draining the battery but hasnt got quite enough to top the battery up from the starting because of the short distances. Then after a week or two, its flat or not enough to start it. I used to get people bump start or jump start a car and bring it to us and ask to test the battery. You can only test a battery 100% when its charged.

 

Its quite hard to describe as it does not happen all the time and lasts all of 1 or 2 seconds, next time it does it I'll report back, it does though sound mechanical rather than elctrical as if the battery is struggling to move something, even though the engine turns over easy.

 

If the car is kept in a garage and not used daily, get a battery charger as they maintain the battery as well once the charge is complete. We bikers have been doing this for years

The battery on my 06 hawkeye is on the way out now, but can't complain with nearly 4 years.

 

No did not bother charging it as I thought the battery testers Halfords used could tell if it was buggered if it was charged or not as the damage had already ben done if you know what I mean. Journeys are short but with just radio on, no heaters, screens etc so would hope it could handle that.

Will try to get a new one under warranty though but if that fails will dig out the charger.

Cheers

 

mine has a similar sound i think it will go 5 days in a row perfect then all of a sudden it will start as if the starter motor slips on the ring gear, then come to it at the end of work and its ok again

 

Sounds familiar, I'll listen out for it each morning (has only ever done it on first start up of the day) and it won't do it for a few days, then when I think its gone away it does it again and catches me by surprise!

 

yes exactly the same as mine that, bloody annoying to say the least

 

Ok, heard it once over the weekend, it was like a screech, just like when you have a pair of trainers on and catch/scuff them on a shiney floor if you get my drift!

 

Slipping serpentine belt ???

 

Ok, well got back from Subaru Larkfield this morning and the battery was shot, showing 8v so not completely gone but certainly on the way out, changed under warranty without any questions.

Happy as it would have otherwise cost me £80 probably as soon as the warranty was up, thumbs up to Subaru, 2 small warranty claims and both issues sorted perectly.

Arrron

 

my battery was changed at 5 years under subaru warrenty which i extended no problems at all

 

Rob, don't want to temp fate or anything but I've not heard the noise once since the battery was replaced, maybe worth checking yours.

 

I think my battery has had it too - the alarm has chirped the last couple of mornings and it barely turns the engine over.

It's just two years old (one of the last Hawkeye STI's) so I'll see what the local dealer says about replacing it under warranty....

Dibs