XJ XJ6 / XJ8 / XJR ( X350 & X358 ) 2003 - 2009

Need New Battery

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  #1  
Old 08-17-2018, 09:04 PM
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Default Need New Battery

I brought my car in for new rear brakes and had my indy mechanic check the warning light "Cruise Control not Available".

He checked everything and re-booted the system but the light is still on. He hooked it up to a battery charger and started it up and it did not go on. He assumes that the battery might e going bad and suggested replacing it.

I did a search and found that a Yuasa Silver is a calcium plate battery that works well in EU cars but I'm in the US and haven't seen them in the US.

What battery do you suggest I use that is available in the US?
 
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Old 08-17-2018, 09:24 PM
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There are a lot of posts regarding batteries here and many of them suggest Exide batteries (I bought mine at Home Depot). They have a good warranty and fit perfectly. I also seem to recall that their tech is similar to OEM. Did your mechanic tell you any codes or even do a load test? He doesn't happen to have a friend who sellsl batteries does he ?? Seriously these cars are very sensitive to low voltage but depending on your vehicle's condition, and that of its electrical system, many things can cause the battery voltage to be low. I would want it load tested before replacing it. Also I do believe it is possible to get a Yuasa battery here, I have that brand on my motorcycle at least..
 
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Old 08-18-2018, 06:53 AM
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Deka makes many brands, then sticks their name on them. They are higher amperage than what the dealer ones were, for less money with my discount. Only thing was they take your old one, where the dealer does not reuse the lead in the old ones. Deka is one of the biggest mfg's of battery's in the world, located in Pa.
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 11:41 AM
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I would get the car on some diagnostic equipment if I were you. The cruise issue could be an actual fault not the battery. If you have ACC on your car then the radar unit can fail causing this problem.
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 12:20 PM
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If you need a battery - Home Depot, Global Extreme H5/Group 49 - proper calcium plate battery for the X350 series and direct fit.

$119.00

I just purchased one Friday and swapping it in today if the rain stops.
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 03:40 PM
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Thanks for all the input. Let me ask a few more questions. I went onto Exide's site and they say they don't have a battery for Jaguar XJ's. Besides that, I went to Home Depot and they have an Exide Extreme L5/49 battery (Group Size BCI = L5/49/H8). The picture does not look like the one in the car but the actual item my not be what is shown online

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exide-Ex...-49X/204852602

Is this the battery you got abonano?

He did check for codes and didn't find any. The car is now 10 years old and has a Jaguar battery in it. If it was replaced every 5 years and done last at a dealer, that would make the current battery 5 years old, which is about the normal life of a battery. He did a test first starting it and the warning light came on, then hooked up a charger and it didn't come on. The warning light comes on most of the time, but not all of the time so it might be a voltage sensitivity issue.

And, no Rancheroguy, he doesn't have a friend in the battery business. I'm surprised he doesn't have a recommended battery to use since he is really good with everything else. He'll tell me when to use aftermarket parts vs. OEM parts.
 

Last edited by Dr John; 08-19-2018 at 03:57 PM. Reason: Additions
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Old 08-19-2018, 05:11 PM
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I was kidding about the selling battery thing. Probably from reading the "Rant" post. When I went to Home Depot I just measured my battery and picked it up from that. I know they don't relate it to a Jaguar but the old battery I gave them as a core was not from a Jaguar. Mine cost $119.00 also,about 4 months ago. I think it is the Group 49/L5/H8. I know they have an AGM battery now they might try to sell you but my understanding is generally most do not put the AGM in our cars. The vent tube is moveable from one side to the other in case that concerns you. If you car has the original battery it is time to replace it no matter what. Then you can sort out any problems with that crossed of the "possible cause" list
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 06:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr John
Thanks for all the input. Let me ask a few more questions. I went onto Exide's site and they say they don't have a battery for Jaguar XJ's. Besides that, I went to Home Depot and they have an Exide Extreme L5/49 battery (Group Size BCI = L5/49/H8). The picture does not look like the one in the car but the actual item my not be what is shown online

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exide-Ex...-49X/204852602

Is this the battery you got abonano?
The picture is generic. Yes, this is the battery I purchased. I installed and fit like a glove.

What a difference in performance right out of the gate.

I had an AGM L5/49 battery installed. The higher charging voltages put a strain on that battery.
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 06:53 PM
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Thanks abonano. They have 2 in stock at the Home Depot in Mahwah. I'll pick one up this week.
 
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Old 08-19-2018, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr John
Thanks abonano. They have 2 in stock at the Home Depot in Mahwah. I'll pick one up this week.
I had to go to Edison to get mine.

Standing voltage on the new battery was near 13.0V after my drive today vs. 12.4V on my AGM battery that is less than 2 years old.
 
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Old 08-20-2018, 01:41 AM
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Whilst Calcium Plate is the recommended battery for this car, I don't think it's a big deal after I measured the charging voltages.
It charges at 14.8v (recommended for Calcium) but after 5 mins drops back to 13.5v (suitable for all types of battery for long-term charging).

As I want to trickle-charge my battery (it may only be used weekly or so), I have been testing this charger which proves to have similar voltage/phases:
https://us.banggood.com/Wholesale-Wa...?rmmds=myorder

My tests are on X358.
 
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Old 08-22-2018, 05:52 PM
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I got the new battery and it's in the garage on a trickle charger before I install it. Is there anything special that needs to be done before or after I change the battery? I'm sure there are electrical things that need to be reset and am even more sure that there are "mystical and magical" ways of doing them.

Does anyone have a list of resets that need to be done?
 
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Dr John
I got the new battery and it's in the garage on a trickle charger before I install it. Is there anything special that needs to be done before or after I change the battery? I'm sure there are electrical things that need to be reset and am even more sure that there are "mystical and magical" ways of doing them.

Does anyone have a list of resets that need to be done?
I put mine on a trickle charger also before installing. Nothing special. Clean battery cable connectors, reset parking brake and windows. Also have FOB handy sometimes the alarm will go off when reconnecting the battery.
 
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Old 08-22-2018, 07:11 PM
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Okay, I looked up how to re set the Electronic Parking Brake but what is the re set for the windows?

This is a bit off topic but is there a re set for the radio? Last week when the mechanic replaced the brakes he disconnected the battery and did a re set of everything to see if that would fix the cruise control warning light. I noticed all of my pre-set stations that I had set on the radio had the radio station numbers set instead of the names of the radio shows. Of course they went back to the non-descriptive gobbly-goop when I set a new station. Anyone know how to turn off the "feature"?
 
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Old 08-23-2018, 08:40 PM
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I installed the new battery today and reset the brakes. Just did a search and found out how to reset the windows.

It may be my imagination but the car drives differently...for the better. the suspension is smoother and the minor vibration in the steering wheel is less. Am I nuts or do you think the new battery could affect the suspension?
 

Last edited by Dr John; 08-23-2018 at 08:52 PM.
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Old 08-24-2018, 11:59 AM
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A bad battery can cause misfires and other issues. Maybe they're now absent.
 
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Old 08-24-2018, 11:46 PM
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Unless the battery was so stuffed as to not act as a battery (i.e. a smoothing of the alternator output much like a large capacitor when the engine is running), then I congratulate you on your imagination. :-)
Less steering vibration is an especially good one :-) but hey I just change a battery the moment it gives trouble. Not the most expensive repair amongst repairs.

(I'm a retired electronics technician, which means I know just enough to be dangerous!)
 

Last edited by ChrisMills; 08-25-2018 at 12:10 AM.
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Old 08-25-2018, 12:34 AM
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Sure you do!

But not enough about misfires on a car.
 
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Old 08-25-2018, 12:47 AM
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Quite right. Do you have an explanation, anything either theoretical or practical, as to how a bad battery can cause what you say?

So long as the engine is running already, you could get away with a piddly little battery like in my Honda Insight or even a motorcycle.

I am a lighthouse. Your turn. :-)
 

Last edited by ChrisMills; 08-25-2018 at 12:59 AM.
  #20  
Old 08-25-2018, 08:06 AM
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I can see how changing the battery should not change anything other than the car cranks faster when I start it...but I have to take all of last comments about how it shouldn't affect anything and call it FAKE NEWS!

Everything that makes sense may be fact in in GB and NZ but in the good ol' US of A (please hum the Stars and Stripes when you say that) it's different. We don't need to follow the rules of physics or science because we have a supreme leader who says "it ain't so." So, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

If I say it drives better and can't substantiate it with any facts to support it, you have to take it as fact. Do I have to Tweet it to make you understand?

PS Sarcasm is a trait I learned being born in Brooklyn, New York and honed to perfection when I moved to New Jersey.
 

Last edited by Dr John; 08-25-2018 at 08:16 AM.


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