Battery and Car Workshop

[Change Maker]

I recently had a bad experience with my car battery. On Mon (5 Jul) my car would not start due to battery problem. I contacted the car workshop - VK-1 Auto where I purchased the battery less than a year ago. To solve the problem, the car workshop charged my battery for about 1.5 hour. But the owner of VK-1 Auto Car workshop at SS15/4 refused to claim a new battery for me even though it was under warranty (I still have the receipts). Instead, he told me some long story about how people 'con' him in the past by leaving their car lights on, and pretending the battery has spoilt. So, he only charged my battery (about 1.5 hours) and said the battery is OK.
On Fri (9 Jul) my car would not start again. I contacted the car workshop again and he insisted that it is my car that is causing the battery problem. Again, he did not want to change / claim for me a new battery. He did not even do the necessary check! Plus, he kept trying to make me buy another battery of another brand! He said if I want to claim, I have to leave my car in his workshop for 2 days! huh, what happened to temporary replacement battery? What if something happen to my car in his workshop?
I was so angry I asked him to charge my battery just sufficient for me to drive to Toyota service centre (my Vios is less than 2 years old).
I changed my battery at Toyota and did a service check. Toyota confirmed nothing was wrong with my car and that the battery is defective.
After that I contacted Yokohama Customer Service and told them what happened. I went to their plant in Glenmarie and they confirmed that my battery was spoilt. They gave me a new one as part of the warranty claim.

My point is - the car workshop at SS15/4 is useless. The owner is either plain lazy, plain unhelpful or just **&^. It does not cost him anything at all to claim the battery for me. Instead of helping me, he insinuate that I am trying to bluff him, that I was not careful with my car (ie: leaving lights on the whole night), car got problem, thus draining the battery. Huh? he did not even check the battery condition! Granted, he did not have the equipment to check the inside of the battery. He should then contact Yokohama!

I will never go back to this workshop again and I want to share this incident so that consumers like me are not shortchanged in future.

[VeeJay]

You did the right thing, by checking with the manufacturer. ALso inform, Yokohama, that reseller was not helpful and should blacklist him.

Then talk to the reseller that you are going to file a complaint, see what he has to say?!

You could file a complaint here

[Hiliary]

This reads like you have a less than 2 year old Vios that is now on it's 3rd battery?
A battery went flat between the 5th and the 9th. Do you drive a few hundred meters per day?
Did Toyota check the charging system?
With so many batteries on a relativly new car it sounds like the workshop is right, there is something wrong with the car!
I would ask Toyota to do a specific check on the alternator charging system.

[CS Chua]

I never had a battery that lasted until 5 years, let alone 9 years, if I understand your "5th and the 9th" as years. Once I had a battery that died on the 13th month so no replacement.

In changemaker's case, it could be the Vios' original battery died after the 12th month and the 2nd battery was bought from this SS15 shop. So, the story has credibility.

This is not an uncommon problem. Once a friend's battery died within less than a year so he went back to the shop for a replacement. However, the shop has to send back the battery to the factory for a new replacement, which can take several days. In the meantime, what can my friend do? That shop did not loan any used battery to him. In the end, he has to buy another new battery so that he can use his car. So, when the factory eventually replaced his battery with a new one, he ended up with 2 new batteries.

Battery is a peculiar issue in Malaysia. They do not last as long as those in the States and when they give up during their warranty period, there is nothing written to say that a replacement is given immediately. So, you are always in a bad situation. Maybe buying from AAM is better as they guarantee immediate replacement but I have not tried them out yet.

[Hiliary]

I never had a battery that lasted until 5 years, let alone 9 years, if I understand your "5th and the 9th" as years. Once I had a battery that died on the 13th month so no replacement.

In changemaker's case, it could be the Vios' original battery died after the 12th month and the 2nd battery was bought from this SS15 shop. So, the story has credibility.

This is not an uncommon problem. Once a friend's battery died within less than a year so he went back to the shop for a replacement. However, the shop has to send back the battery to the factory for a new replacement, which can take several days. In the meantime, what can my friend do? That shop did not loan any used battery to him. In the end, he has to buy another new battery so that he can use his car. So, when the factory eventually replaced his battery with a new one, he ended up with 2 new batteries.

Battery is a peculiar issue in Malaysia. They do not last as long as those in the States and when they give up during their warranty period, there is nothing written to say that a replacement is given immediately. So, you are always in a bad situation. Maybe buying from AAM is better as they guarantee immediate replacement but I have not tried them out yet.

5th July - 9th July.

I agree batteries throughout Asia do not last as long as in Europe or the USA. But then again i do not see many people doing their own weekly maintenance on their cars as is done in the UK or USA.

I have 2 cars with batteries at least 5 years old and i expect 5 years minimum.
My last Perdana went over 100K on one battery, but that was with 95% highway driving.

I guess you guys are doing many short runs of 15 minutes or less with the aircon on so your alternator has no chance to recharge the battery properly?
I doubt you put vaseline or similar on the battery terminals?
Do you check the belt tension is correct and the terminals are tight?
Sit with the car idling and air con on?
You are killing your batteries

[cskok8]

Most batteries last 2 years on average. I do not know where you get the 5 years from. The longest my battery has lasted was just over 3 years (MF).

[Hiliary]

Most batteries last 2 years on average. I do not know where you get the 5 years from. The longest my battery has lasted was just over 3 years (MF).

Do you maintain the battery or just wait for it to die?

Maybe modern cars drain batteries faster than older cars?
None of my personal cars have electronics, are not driven every day (so not getting a regular charge and do sometimes need a recharge).
I'll check the brand and see if there is a date on any of mine, all i know is they are UK batteries not local.

[cskok8]

Yes I just use it till it die (MF). For those with filler caps, I check and refill every 2-4 weeks. BTW pray tell how to maintain a maintenance-free battery??

[macgyver_usj]

Maybe buying from AAM is better as they guarantee immediate replacement but I have not tried them out yet.

I bought all my car batteries from AAM. Have to pay more for the batteries. They come to your car and replace the battery. You can pay by credit card with no extra charge.
Once my battery died on the 10th month, they came checked the battery and replaced it immediately.
The warranty for the replacement battery will be the continuation of the first battery, that is 2 months (since the first battery is already 10 months old).

[currymee]

I bought all my car batteries from AAM. Have to pay more for the batteries. They come to your car and replace the battery. You can pay by credit card with no extra charge.
Once my battery died on the 10th month, they came checked the battery and replaced it immediately.
The warranty for the replacement battery will be the continuation of the first battery, that is 2 months (since the first battery is already 10 months old).

You have to an AAM member first right ? BTW, how much for the normal MF NS60 (if I remember correctly)

[Hiliary]

Yes I just use it till it die (MF). For those with filler caps, I check and refill every 2-4 weeks. BTW pray tell how to maintain a maintenance-free battery??

If you only do short runs, take a long drive every week.
Put vaseline or similar on the battery terminals.
Check the belt tension is correct and the terminals are tight.
Insulate, if the battery was insulated on a new car dont throw the insulation away.
Make sure the ground is good.

and for all the kids taking their girlfriends home who take an hour to say goodnight, stop idling the car outside peoples houses, you annoy the residents and are killing your fathers battery.

[BMW9700]

the workshop guy must be low on the intelligence side...if people can con him about batteries then he does not know anything about cars..

AAm is the best when it comes to batteries..it is worth joining them as they attend to breakdowns and also fit the battery on site...

[fRaNkY]

I am a member of AAM since my first car. Many times they came to my aid including 3 battery related problems and a tyre puncture case. (Jump on it also cannot open, they came with a hammer)

[CS Chua]

I am an AAM member too. Last year, my fuel pump died suddenly and they came to tow my car to my friend's workshop. I guess my RM70.00 paid off.