[Etoile]

Good evening

I was wondering if someone could confirm whether a 4 year / 40,000 mile service of a Kia Niro (through an authorised dealer) would include checking / testing the low voltage battery.

I had the service performed on Friday. On Saturday, I drove the car for 10 miles. On return, I tried to start the car, the dashboard shows a message saying check brakes, stop car and then all the electrics stop. I had the car dropped off back to the dealer and they say that the issue was the battery that is dead (and needs replacing) and that this wasn't something that they check as part of the service.

Looking at the check list print out that I received, it clearly says 'check condition of battery using Midtronics tester and record condition' - I'm guessing this must be referring to the low voltage batter (as opposed to the high voltage EV battery) but I'd be grateful if someone could confirm so that I know that (a) I'm not going crazy and (b) I can query with the dealer (with confidence) as to why they fobbed me off.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Ros Bradley]

I am having the same problems and same error response with my Niro

three times in the last year I have had to call the RAC out to start it , first time it locked me inside the car !

I am told it’s not good on short journeys but this is not the case

I have no answer to your query , my car is being checked by KIA this week

 

[jps_74]

I too am having very similar issues. I have just purchased a 2017/67 plate PHEV (21,000 miles) and I am getting 12v battery messages every day at start up. This is a little worrying being I have only had the car a week and the dealership was supposed to have carried out checks being the car has been with them since before Christmas (due to lockdown). The car works fine but it is a worry that it may fail while I am out. After reading the other reports on this forum and online I decided to check my battery last weekend. The voltage reported at 11.98v.

I am lucky (or not) to have a brother who is a mechanic and so I have been able to test the battery and found that it is on its way out and can only hold 50% of its total capacity. The battery was on charge for the past 48 hours with a Ctek MSX5.0 smart charger and tester, but this only ever charges the battery to about 12.2 volts and it starts to drop away soon after use.

I am now asking the dealship for a new battery and if there is a underlying fault here.

 

[Turnup]

All of these reported voltages seem very low. What type of battery is fitted?

 

[jps_74]

This is a factory fitted Kia battery.

 

[Turnup]

Sorry but that does not help. I ask because some vehicles are using Li-on batteries rather than lead acid batteries and for these batteries the charging voltages and discharge profiles are very different. Does your manual not spwecify the type of battery?.

 

[AlunS]

The 12V batter in the PHEV is a pretty standard lead acid battery, not an AGM one anyway. The Li-ion 12V battery is only found in the normal hybrid model. I have the same one as shown in that phot in my PHEV.

 

[Turnup]

OK so a lead acid battery should be 13.2V at rest when fully charged. Below about 12.5 V is pretty bad.

 

[AlunS]

I too am having very similar issues. I have just purchased a 2017/67 plate PHEV (21,000 miles) and I am getting 12v battery messages every day at start up.

What is the exact message you are getting? Is it "12V battery discharging due to additional electrical devices" ?

If so, I've been getting that every day since I got my car at the start of 2020 and it hasn't failed yet.

 

[Gerd_NL]

The 12V battery in my Niro shows 11.2V after some minutes and also days. I have no problems with it. Also parking my car over three hours with parking lights on gives no problems. I have this 11.2 V now over one year usage ...

 

[Ros Bradley]

Thank you for the responses
I find this very frustrating, I am going to the KIA Dealer tomorrow and pleased to know it’s but just my Niro that is experiencing problems .

Finally- take care when charging your phone on the phone charging pad ,it burnt a whole in my I Phone !

 

[Ken Gillam]

My Mercedes that I swapped yesterday is still on it's original battery after 12 years which must be some kind of record. As I understand things the 12V battery gets charged from the Main power battery, when in operation, however if like most folk we are only doing three mile trips to the shops once a week the 12V probably doesn't get the chance to be brought back up to voltage. Popping it on a conventional battery charger every so often is probably the best solution.

 

[Ros Bradley]

Well I do at least 1 40 mile round trip a week and find this just ridiculous.
Any one buying a car for a school run the kids will be late for school as it might not start !

 

[Ken Gillam]

I agree, a 40 mile trip once a week should be sufficient, I'm a newby at this EV game so ignore my comments if you wish.

 

[Ros Bradley]

Thank you for your input

 

[iooi]

Well I do at least 1 40 mile round trip a week and find this just ridiculous.
Any one buying a car for a school run the kids will be late for school as it might not start !

Subject to not having ALL accessories on for that trip.