Battery failure

adrianr

New Member
Messages
58
Help needed please.

About 2 months ago all the lights on the dash started going mad when I tried to start the car. I called the AA rescue to attend to my 2014 Ghibli. They said it was a battery total discharge. Weren't able to do much in the way of getting it going or any diagnosis, but suggested that I charge it and go from there. It took a long charge and has been OK since. Over Xmas we went on a 2hr trip and then parked it up for a couple of days. Same problem again! All the lights on the dash going mad. Windscreen wipers turning on slowly but nothing responding. Couldn't lock it or start it! Left it alone and used another car for my journey. Now returning to look at the problem and my battery charger says battery is damaged.

So it seems I need a new battery. I have fitted batteries before. Is this a novice DIY exercise? Can I just buy a new battery and fit it myself or does it need programming? Do I need to take it to a Maserati dealer? Any help will be gratefully received, including where to buy a new battery from?
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
Should be an easy DIY job...replaced many my self.

You could always get Holfords to do it for a few £££
 

adrianr

New Member
Messages
58
Thanks. I just thought that I would take a look at the battery and found out that I can't actually access the boot. The electrics are dead.

What is the emergency access procedure to gain entry to the boot?
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
The key in the lock?... or there maybe a string under the rear seat as per the GT.

It should be in the handbook.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
The key in the lock?... or there maybe a string under the rear seat as per the GT.

It should be in the handbook.
 

adrianr

New Member
Messages
58
AA came to the rescue today. Young fella but really good. He felt that there was a problem with the battery management system that was causing problems on long journeys. He didn't want to just replace the battery as he felt this would mask the underlying issue. So it looks like I need to get it to Maserati dealer to investigate?

Battery check showed higher than usual ampage when recharging which I think the AA guy was concerned about?

Any ideas on why after a long journey (2hrs+ motorway), then leaving the car for a couple of days and the battery drains to 5volts? It's OK the next day, but if left for about 3 days after then the issue manifests. Normal journeys are short every day less than 10 miles. Battery seems OK - it takes a charge and holds a charge??
 
Messages
1,117
You have a drain somewhere. It needs a systematic assessment of where the drain is coming from if it flattens the battery in such a short time of standing still. I had similar with my Mercedes. The main dealer traced it to a faulty alarm horn - its backup battery had died and it was draining the main battery. New alarm horn and alarm battery sorted it. These are time-consuming processes that I'd suggest either main dealer or Indy to sort for you. Disconnecting/reconnecting different things is risky and could lead to shorting out things that are working.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,747
Seems to be a real issue with our cars...I can leave the MB for weeks with no issues.

A 2014 car should not have such early faults/failures.
 

adrianr

New Member
Messages
58
Thinking about what the cause of a drain might be. I remember that the car is fitted with a tracker device. I haven't tried to activate it since my ownership - now well over a year, but I remember that these do become issues. Is this the likely culprit. I presume I can ask my local dealer to remove or disconnect it? Do you think I am on the right track here?
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,930
The navtrack system is owned by Vodaphone i think now. You can either subribe and an engineer will come out and fit a new battery to the navtrack unit but the subscription is expensive.

I believe that they will also come out and remove the navtrack for you. Probably a fee involved and i am sure a few on here have had that done and will confirm if there was a fee and how much.

The rechargeable battery on the navtrack fails and then draws power directly from your car battery causing the drain on your car battery.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,113
Best thing you can do for your battery is remove it unless you really want the tracker.
 
Messages
1,117
If you have a tracker fitted this can be a cause of a drain. It is quite common among guys I know. The tracker system us ow ed by Vodafone and a call to them can reveal if you have a tracker fitted.

It ain't cheap to get them to come out and remove it. Off memory, around £150.
A subscription to activate it being considerably more expensive.

You could fiddle around with this and that but in the end, ny experience and that of others is a trip to main dealer oe Indy to identify the source of the drain.

My GS is always on a CTEK charger when its being used and when its in hibernation.