hi guys,

Seem to have another intermittant issue with chrysler grand voyager 2.8 55 plated limted xs

when i turn the key and the electrics come on a strange this happens where the dashboard lights do not come on but the speedometer and revs go to full then slowly come down to 0 then after that the dashboard lights come on, any ideas what would cause this

Regards

John

 

It couild be that disconnecting the battery -ve lead for a few minutes and then re-connecting may clear the symptom by hard re-setting all the micro processors. Just in case, have the radio-code ready as you may lose it. This is easy and costs nothing.

Leedsman.

 

There is no radio code, the radio settings are however lost so just re-scan. Along with the radio the personalised his/hers seat settings and overhead miles/kilometres settings will need to be re-set - takes about 30 seconds. Battery condition is always a suspect.

 

The dials doing their sweep is caused by low voltage or a disconnected battery.

Regards
Richard

 

thanks for the replies guys i would think that the suspect battery could also be linked to the intertimmant starting issue

I am based in the UK so suggestions on a replacement battery would be great as i have read on here that the ones supplied are not ideal

Regards

John

 

Battery choice, like choosing a wife, provokes different opinions on what is beautiful. The issue[s] however are simple. You should be looking for about 800CCA over 80aH, this is a physical size that will not fit the CRD battery tray, so get a big one and modify the tray, or get a smaller one and take your UK winter chances. There is a~n~other UK issue of lifestyle, its a use it or lose it condition. If like me you do 2000 miles per annum with two 15 minutes trips once a week you will regardless of battery size / cost never keep that battery charged, the BUS [over 7 or so days] at resting will use more than the 30 minutes alternator was able to replace.

Different people have success with different batteries, I'm sure the UK users will come to your aid with their suggestions, particularly the Scottish contingent who have an even colder climate than I. For myself I originally had a Banner Uni Bull 690 over 70 and my replacement was a at 800 over 80. Best of luck.

Lifestyle : Two 15 minutes trips once a week.

The higher the voltage applied, the faster the battery will charge, charging at too high a voltage WILL damage your battery. A simple 100Ah open lead acid battery and a 180A charger connected to the battery discharged to 50% :

- @ 50% full @ 13.2V current was 35A
- @ 50% full @ 14,8V current was 160A [improvement of 457%]
- @ 75% full @ 13.2V current was 1A
- @ 75% full @ 14.8V current was 60A [improvement of 6000%]

The above goes some way to explain why the Leedsman experiment works and the risks of applying it to any other than an open lead acid type battery.

- my two 15 minute periods @ 13.2V is 2 x 15 minute @ 21Ah, compared to ;
- my two 15 minute periods @ 14.4V is 2 x 15 minute @ 60Ah, is an improvement of about 300%

The temperature sensor under the battery will drop [ temperature compensators on modern alternators will compensate] the voltage output from about 14.0V to about 13.2V. The problem I have with this is the engine compartment soon reaches temp and the battery assumes its fully charged.

- 13.20 volts is about what you would expect from [split diode - does not apply to Voyagers, and] this vehicle with a temp sensor & alternator compensator
- 14.00 volts is about what you would expect from any typical alternator without a vehicle temp sensor & alternator compensator
- 14.40 volts is what you would expect from a sealed lead acid to prevent [they tend to gas @ 50ºC] excessive gassing
- 14.80 volts is what you can risk pushing it to with an open lead acid to prevent damage to other equipment connected to the battery at the same time

 

I've just replaced the Bosch S5 with an Optima Red Top and it really has made a big difference in cranking speed.

Optima Red Top RTS 4.2 (8002-250) (BCI 34) RTS4.2 AGM - Optima Batteries - Optima Red Top Batteries

Regards
Richard

 

As suggested by Qinteq, only light (say once a week) use of the vehicle may, nay will, get your battery crystal-sulphated* as time wears on. We're looking at two years or so for large areas of the plates to become spoiled this way. I determined a 70 amp-hour battery of mine had sunk to 20 amp-hour due to crystal sulphation.
However, all is not lost with the sulphated battery. The secret, the trick is to hold your battery on float charge all the time, 24/7, if at all possible. Doing this will make the battery last longer than the car. You don't need anything fancy or expensive to do this, just a regulated small power supply, like the 13A plug-top type. Anywhere between 13.5volt and 13.8volt is ok, and the switch-mode type (much lighter) is more economical, running cooler. Look for 1 to 2 amp. capability. Plug the 13.8volt output of the power unit into the left-hand cigar lighter socket
After a couple/three months of this, the battery will be back to it's usual self, desulphated and ready for business.

*Crystal-sulphation.
When the lead-acid is new and fully charged, there is only lead dioxide on the positive plate, the one with the paste.
Discharging the battery with the load turns the lead dioxide to lead sulphate on BOTH plates. This is powdery/amorphous lead sulphate. If the lead-acid is immediately re-charged, the sulphate returns to dioxide -- no prob.
If the lead-acid is NOT soon recharged, some of the soft powdery lead sulphate becomes hard-crystal lead sulphate which is almost an INSULATOR, and appears in spots which get bigger and bigger all over the plates.
Lead-acids discharge themselves gradually, and modern vehicles have the "parasitic load" of microprocessor boards, clocks, security systems, key-fob entry, etc. etc., which drain the battery 24/7.
All you need to fix a sulphated battery is time, and a fixed voltage regulated power supply of 13.5 to 13.8volt. Fancy and expensive de-sulphating pulse-chargers are not needed.
It's nice to get in a Grand Voyager, turn the key and have the engine cranked smartly to start it.

Leedsman.

 

thanks for all the suggestions guys as its under warranty i have requested the battery is replaced