Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - mcb100

I bought the car in August 2018, and noted that it had a new battery fitted in January 2018. It's a Lion battery, not a brand I'd have chosen, but it was on the car. A few electrical gremlins later, I've just put my meter across the battery and read 12.4V (14.65 with the alternator charging). This low voltage is, I suspect, the cause of repeated parking brake failures and the LCD display on the dashboard failing to display.

I have an invoice raised by Eurocarparts (dated January 2018), and made out to a garage in Northampton. As the supplying retailer, I called the garage first and was told that they will only provide warranty cover for the battery to the original buyer. So I called ECP in Northampton, who say they won't honour the warranty as it's a 'trade sale' and the invoice isn't on their headed paper (for whatever reason).

Anyone any suggestions as to where to go now?

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - dan86

How old is the car?

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - mcb100
It’s an 07.
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - badbusdriver

First thing i'd be doing is to take it to an auto electrician. No point in getting a new battery if that is not the underlying problem as it will just happen again. I have also not heard of Lion batteries either, so i'd be forgetting about that altogether unless you paid more for the car just because it had a new battery?. Assuming the auto electrician clears everything else as being the cause of the problem, buy a new battery yourself, a brand you've heard of and trust.

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - elekie&a/c doctor
A charging voltage of 14.65 is perfectly adequate. However, lion brand batteries are ECPs own make and really are the lowest form of battery life . Very likely to be not up to the job. Get a known brand . Bosch , Varta , EXIDE etc .
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - mcb100
Very regularly, when starting up, I get a momentary slow down in cranking speed, followed by a beep and a message saying ‘Parkbrake Inoperable’. And I’ve no parking brake. I know these cars are vulnerable to throwing errors if battery voltage drops, similarly if I’ve been just been doing short runs the LCD display goes blank on the instrument binnacle. It’ll come back on a longer run.
I’m thinking a new battery, especially if it’s a warranty swap is a good place to start.
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - elekie&a/c doctor
Most cars are now super critical with battery voltage under cranking . It’s important to get a quality product with the correct specifications. Getting a replacement lion make is probably not going to do you any favours.
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - nick62

The battery probably has an intermittently faulty cell as a charging voltage of ~14.5 is normal.

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - Lrac

Just buy a new reputable make battery and take it from there. No point wasting your time dealing with people that do not want to help. Hopefully like me others will read this thread and decide there is no way they will be buying a Lion battery in the future so its a bit of an own goal on their part.

Edited by Lrac on 18/09/2019 at 16:45

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - daveyjp

Forget voltage (which looks OK to me), you need to test the CCA level if it isn't starting properly. It will be stamped on the battery, test if it is close to the figure when starting

It's old school to actually check batteries, but if you can access each cell through the top of the battery remove the covers and check the fluid level. It only takes one cell to be down on fluid for the battery to struggle to start a vehicle.

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - mcb100
Slightly frustratingly, my battery has just been tested and returned a status of ‘Good’. CCA is 667 from a specification of 680. It has flagged up that it needs a charge, but a couple of forthcoming long trips should remedy that. So now I guess I’ll be checking the voltage at the starter to try and find a reason for a periodic slow down in cranking speed.
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - elekie&a/c doctor
You haven’t specified what engine this has , but if it’s a diesel, then you need a battery with a Cca of at least 800 .
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - mcb100
Sorry, it’s a 2.7 diesel.
Pretty sure it’s a 017, at least that’s what a piece of paper says under the battery clamp. The battery label itself is hidden until I get it out. Good shout if the battery in under powered for the job in hand.

Edited by mcb100 on 19/09/2019 at 15:58

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - elekie&a/c doctor
Think it needs to be an 019 , but a proper make.
Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - Brit_in_Germany

Could it be the battery charge monitor which is the problem (presume the S Type has one)?

Jaguar S-Type - Consumer Advice Please - Galaxy

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Edited by Galaxy on 19/09/2019 at 17:29