There will come a time when you sit into your car, try to start it and nothing happens. This issue will more than likely be your car battery. Replacing a battery used to be a simple task however with advances in car technology batteries have become more complicated than ever before. Having recently attended a Yuasa car battery conference, we thought it would be of benefit to inform our audience further on the different battery requirements for stop-start cars in particular. Buying the incorrect battery can be extremely damaging for your car, leading to extra repair costs are the last thing anyone wants. By following this article you should be able to figure out which is the right battery for your car.
The Yuasa battery series starts at YBX1000. This series caters for both regular cars and those that have a stop-start system. Stop-start systems have become ever more popular of the past few years due to the fuel efficiency they provide. For those of you who are unaware of what a stop-start is, its basically a system whereby the engine shuts off while the car is stopped at traffic lights, meaning your car isn’t using any of its fuel. (cha-ching). Once you clutch in again the engine re-engages and off you go. Some vehicles have the capability to disable this function, this will not be possible in any newer vehicles from this point due to environmental agency pressure
Below is the range of Yuasa car batteries which are great for conventional vehicles, that don’t have a stop-start system. However, they should not be used in a stop-start vehicle ever!
| YBX1000 Series Batteries | 10K Starts |
| YBX3000 Series Batteries | 30K Starts |
| YBX5000 Series Batteries | 50K Starts |
The following models meet the requirements for a vehicle with a stop-start engine. These can also be used in conventional cars, with their extended battery life it reduces the number of times you’ll need to change it.
Note: Vehicles may need (in some cases) to be programmed to accept a new replacement EFB/AMG battery.
| YBX7000 EFB Series Batteries | 270K Starts |
| YBX9000 AGM series batteries | 360K Starts |
Due to the number of starts that occur when you are driving a car with a stop-start system, these batteries are far more suitable. A difference between a conventional battery and AGM/EFB battery is the fact that the lead batteries don’t have the appropriate recharging capabilities that are needed for a stop/start battery. If you were to instal a conventional battery into a stop/start car the battery would be drained within six weeks. Likewise, when it comes to recharging these batteries you must use an appropriate charger for an AMG battery. If you use a regular charger it can cause the battery to overheat destroying it completely.
Once you have the correct battery for your car, you then have to reset the ECU so it can register that a battery change has occurred. This is done by using the OBD(On Board Diagnostic) located usually by the right side of the steering column. By plugging that in you can reset the car's battery features allowing it to start gathering data immediately.
How to Jump Start Stop-Start Car:
Not only are the batteries different for stop-start cars but the method of jump starting one is different also. Instead of doing the traditional positive to positive and negative to negative, we not must follow a different process. With stop-start cars, there is a minor engine control unit(ECU) on the negative terminal of the battery. This ECU monitors the power transfer for on the battery. This means we have to use an earth which is usually a clean piece of metal at the side of the engine bay. If you were to follow the regular process of jump starting you would cause serious damage to the car, blowing the ECU in the process. So we HIGHLY recommend using an earth to successfully get yourself back on the road. As you can see in the image below the black clamp isn't connected to the secondbattery terminal.
_f843bf.jpg)
With the fluctuating weather conditions of a boiling hot summer and an arctic winter, we suggest getting your battery looked at before the cold snap returns. Having both extremes this past twelve months means battery life expectancy can be significantly affected. We can’t think of anything worse than a dead battery on a cold winter's day. (besides your car getting nicked) You’ve been warned!
So, now you know the ins and out of what batteries are needed for stop-start cars. If you have any doubts about batteries or you are looking for any car parts simply send us an email at info@micksgarage.com and our team will help you to get Car parts for less.
Until next time,
MicksGarage.com the Car Parts Experts.
_a27af1.jpg "Glass Care, Rain X Rain Repellent 200ml, RAIN X")
_8ab749.png "Fault Code Readers, Streetwize OBD II Multilingual OBD II Fault Code Reader With Large Screen, Streetwize")
