SubieN8 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Forgive me, I did not see a thread dedicated to Dead Batteries. If there is one, please direct me. I woke this morning to a dead battery. I have a 2015 Legacy 2.5 with about 800 miles on it (I bought it with 39 miles). Checked Light Switch, and it was set to Auto as normal (30 second delay). Roadside came and jumped it as it sat in the garage. It stayed running for a few minutes with the battery pack removed. I turned the car off, the headlights stayed on as normal and slowly dimmed and then there was a soft clicking sound coming from under the hood as the headlights were dimming. Even the LEDs were barely on and flickering. We jumped it again to get it out onto the street so it could be loaded on the flatbed. I've read that our batteries are weak, from the factory. As well as possible issues with the relays? Whatever it is, I hope that they can replicate and fix the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 You should be fine...the batteries in our cars are not "weak". Just like with anything...a battery can have a bad cell and will be replaced under warranty if that's truly the cause of the issue. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpc166 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Forgive me, I did not see a thread dedicated to Dead Batteries. If there is one, please direct me. I woke this morning to a dead battery. I have a 2015 Legacy 2.5 with about 800 miles on it (I bought it with 39 miles). Checked Light Switch, and it was set to Auto as normal (30 second delay). Roadside came and jumped it as it sat in the garage. It stayed running for a few minutes with the battery pack removed. I turned the car off, the headlights stayed on as normal and slowly dimmed and then there was a soft clicking sound coming from under the hood as the headlights were dimming. Even the LEDs were barely on and flickering. We jumped it again to get it out onto the street so it could be loaded on the flatbed. I've read that our batteries are weak, from the factory. As well as possible issues with the relays? Whatever it is, I hope that they can replicate and fix the issue. My battery died at 841 miles and I couldn't put a load on it to get it to jump. It happened on a Sunday, so the dealer was closed, so I bought a new battery and went to the dealer on Monday to get reimbursed for my cost, but the dealer refused. They tested the battery and even ran a 3hr test and confirmed I was right and it failed the load test. I contacted Subaru of America that day and within 24-hrs they responded that they will send me a check for what I paid. I'll tell you that SoA provides excellent service and my dealer was horrible. Shame for my dealer losing all of my future maintenance costs over a $100 battery. Sorry to hear you had this issue, but I went through the hoops to bring it to the dealer and SoA's attention. My Legacy was built in March 2015 so maybe we got the same batch of batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 ^^^great story dpc. That is exactly what should have happened. I can understand why the dealer would not reimburse you as what you did is atypical and not following the proper channels. Great to know SOA supported your replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Thanks everyone. I will update as soon as I hear something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 I received a phone call early this morning and they said they ran all the normal tests last night and found all to be working as normal. They said they are running all the same tests this morning and if all is a go, then I can pick it up at Noon. I just don't get it. I know the battery will die again... I guess if it happens 3 or more times, I can claim Lemon Law. I LOVE my Legacy and this bums me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Interesting...maybe it is not the battery after all and something else causing the drain:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 What tests did they perform? Did they check the alternator and charging system? It's possible you have a wiring fault? Do you have any aftermarket or additional A/V systems? Added factory amplifier, navigation system, etc.? Is there anything plugged into the DC plugs that may be active (battery charger, 120VAC inverter, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreak Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I was reading on the Subaru subreddit that someone discovered a battery drain issue with the push to start models. Apparently if the key remains within a short distance of the vehicle, the car will never "sleep" and will maintain a high power draw so it is ready to go. The work around is to move your keys further away from the vehicle or to keep your keys in something that can block the signal (maybe an anti-static bag). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 That's why I keep my keys in a lead box adjacent to my kitchen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 They just left me a voice mail and said they checked - the battery, wiring, connections and alternator. Everything tested fine. I do not have the Keyless Start feature. Everything is stock except the headlight bulbs. I changed them to ZXEs, both low/drl and high beams. I changed them on Friday night, drove the car 40 miles on Saturday and parked it in the garage (20 of those miles were night driving). Headlight switch stays in Auto and has always been set to 30 second delay in the infotainment system. No lights were left on, obviously that I know of. No accessories plugged in, other than my iPhone power cable, which isn't used (there for an emergency). Another update: Picked the car up just now and with the car running while in Park, driver's side door open, (interior lights on as normal), each time I flash my Brights, the interior lights dim just a bit. That's never happened before... So I am at a loss as to what the issue is. I know that I will put my factory headlight bulbs back in tonight and then I will update again. I can't imagine it'd be the new headlight bulbs I just put in, putting that much of a load on the electrical system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Is the ZXE just a standard halogen bulb replacement? I'm interested to find out what you learn. Clearly something isn't right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Is the ZXE just a standard halogen bulb replacement? I'm interested to find out what you learn. Clearly something isn't right. Yes, just a halogen bulb you can buy on Amazon or O'Reilly. I replaced them with the stock bulbs, however I can still see that when flashing the high beams that the interior lights dim ever so slightly. I'll update soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammcinnis Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 You can have all but one dead cell and still register proper voltage since they are all ran in parallel. But, as soon as you place a load, that single cell cannot handle and will be consumed by that load. No. The cells are in series (not in parallel). A 12-volt lead-acid automotive battery will consist of six ~2.1 volt (nominal) cells. A "bad cell"will usually fail in one of two ways: shorted or open. With a shorted cell, a battery may exhibit near normal voltage at very low loads (due to the remaining cells overcharging), but under load it will test ~2.1 volts (per bad cell) lower than expected. With an open cell, battery voltage may again appear near normal with no load, but when tested it will fail miserably by exhibiting near zero voltage and current under load. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 If they tested the battery with a multimeter and not a load tester the battery could have a bad cell as per your explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Thanks for the info everyone! I will monitor it, as we are driving it to SLC, UT (8h each way) this weekend. I think I might run it by a different dealer for another test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_m Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Good luck! Just have a pair of jumper cables handy ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpc166 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 ^^^great story dpc. That is exactly what should have happened. I can understand why the dealer would not reimburse you as what you did is atypical and not following the proper channels. Great to know SOA supported your replacement. Yeah, I agree, however if the dealer wants to be great and promote their dealership, they would comp you for the battery to keep your business. They still get reimbursed by SoA either way, so what's the harm? Because of this dealer's lack of action, I will not be returning for future service for both of my vehicles (potentially a few thousand dollars). The service writer was not very knowledgeable about Subarus and had bad experiences already with my wife's car, so I will be going to another dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Completely agree they should have taken care of you...some people just forget or don't understand what "customer service" means and they shoot themselves in the foot over and over again and don't even recognize the money they are losing by not having you return. Unfortunately, in today's world, most people are "order takers" and don't see the bigger picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Had the battery tested by my purchasing dealership and it tested fine. I'm now in SLC, Utah and the 8.5h trip here was flawless, aside from a slight shimmy, so I'll hit the SLC Subaru today for a tire balance and battery test. Really impressed with the ride, quiet and comfortable. Didn't want for more power or better fuel economy. Five-ten MPH over the whole trip (50-85 MPH) and still averaged 36.9mpg with elevation gains 5300ft-10500ft, 2 of us and our gear. Really love my car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Well, I haven't had any further issues... I swapped back to my stock LB and HB bulbs, and will try to return the ZXE bulbs. I can only imagine that the ZXE's were too much of a drain on the system. I will post an update if something changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 You probably left a light on overnight somehow. Maybe the door wasn't shut all the way or the trunk was ajar and the light was on. When batteries get fully drained and then jumped, you should leave the car running for at least 10 minutes to charge the battery enough to restart it, or drive it for a few minutes. Turning it off right away probably didn't give the battery enough time to charge to a point where it would start the car again. The dimming you referred to was probably a symptom of the battery still not being fully charged. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubieN8 Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 You probably left a light on overnight somehow. Maybe the door wasn't shut all the way or the trunk was ajar and the light was on. When batteries get fully drained and then jumped, you should leave the car running for at least 10 minutes to charge the battery enough to restart it, or drive it for a few minutes. Turning it off right away probably didn't give the battery enough time to charge to a point where it would start the car again. The dimming you referred to was probably a symptom of the battery still not being fully charged. I agree with you GT, on all accounts. Here's to a long trouble-free ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 A few days ago I ran across a guy on a FB group for 1st and 2nd Gen Legacys who bought a 150k mile 1995 Legacy wagon that still had the original battery in it. He's been daily driving the car for 3 months now since he bought it without any battery issues. Amazing. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securityguy Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 ^^^how does he know it's the original battery??? Personally, I find that extremely hard to believe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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