I know it's been such a long time since I've posted here

My 2005 FEH has been doing pretty well, but showed some signs of its age - almost 7yrs - I had to have the water pump replaced, & some other smaller issues. But repairs are still cheaper than car payments

Yesterday AM I wanted to drive to work, but when I used the remote to unlock the car, the usual sound of the system getting itself to go didn't go through the full cycle. Instead it sounded like the cycle kept stopping & starting; I also noticed that the dome-light was going on & off. When I got in & put the key in the ignition, turning it to Accessory only got me the airbag & seatbelt lights, they flickered & went out. When I tried to start the engine, nothing happened - there was no sound whatsoever

So, I assume this means my 12v battery is dead When I called the dealer to see if he had a replacement I could pick up, he said that I was the first FEH owner he'd heard of with a 12v battery that had died. My theory is that since I've been driving to work only 1 day/week for the last couple of years (& when I do that, I do my best to use EV to keep my mpg's down), & make maybe 1 or 2 highway trips in a month at most, I've gradually been draining the 12v battery. That combined with the fact that it is almost 7yrs old, & it is winter in WI = dead battery.

He did have 2 FEH 12v batteries (BXT-96R-500) & the cost would be $110. But when I told him that I'd be coming on the bus to pick one up, he said I probably wouldn't want to do that because the battery was so heavy.

So I need the benefit of your collective experience & your opinions:
- is my theory reasonable, or should I be looking for some other problem?
- should I just go ahead & replace the battery (or is there any point in re-charging
a 7yr-old battery)?
- I didn't think car-batteries were that heavy - would it really be too much for me to
handle on the bus?
- I found instructions to change out the 12v battery here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5980571_repl...pe-hybrid.html
& I think I can do this (& save myself the $$ for having it towed) - any advice from
the shade-tree (or other) mechanics out there? (My husband is a handyman, but
*not* a mechanic )

Thanks in advance

P.S. I'm still lovin' my FEH

 

So you are the other one I've been seeing drive around town. LOL. Just kidding. I'm from Madison.

I drive a 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid and replacing the battery was one of the first repairs I did (I believe the very first was the HV battery blend door actuator).

I replaced mine with a Optima Yellow Top Battery. I'm pretty sure lots of people will agree that it is overkill since it doesn't use the battery to start it the engine (it just to power the electronics in order to start the vehicle). My justification is that depending on driving habits, the FEH will use the battery in more of a deep cycle fashion rather than a battery used for starting current. Deep cycling a high current battery will kill it quick. An Optima Yellow Top battery is a AGM battery with both the cranking power of a starting battery with the deep cycle tollerance of a deep cycle battery. And it is maintenance free.

But, it is roughly twice the amount of the OEM battery. With the driving characteristics you described, I am surprised that it lasted as long as it did. The other reason I went with the Optima Yellow Top battery is because once the battery builds sulfate deposits, its capacity weakens and it frequently draws power from the inverter to charge itself, putting stress on it. This stresses the internal plates, causing them to warp and short together which drops the voltage. The charging system of the vehicle tries to charge the battery to its proper charge voltage but the battery has lost a cell and therefore it can only charge to 10 volts rather than 12. Once the battery reaches its max voltage, the rest of the energy is converted to heat. This will completely destroy the inverter in the FEH (to my understanding, it isn't cheep).

Optima Yellow Top batteries have a different design to keep this from happening. The do not have plates suspended in acid. They are sprial wrapped, like standard AA, C, or D batteries, and the cells are completely isolated from each other which keeps this from happening (protecting the inverter).

The decision between the batteries is completely up to you. I would not jump it and try to get it going because the battery is still dead and this will cause lots of stress on your inverter (although it is cold out so it should help keep the inverter cool). Buy the battery and a charger and charge it up all the way. I use a Battery Tender, 1.25 amp 3-stage charger which can be purchased from Batteries Plus and sometimes at departments stores like Walmart. They are under $50. Also buy a wire brush to clean up the terminals, the connectors on the car, not on the battery (they make sprays to help clean it to which is a good idea because it keeps the dust from becoming airborn while you are cleaning).

With the battery charged, unscrew the battery terminals from the old battery (remove the negative terminal first, then the positive), remove the old battery, clean the terminal connectors, insert the new battery (paying close attention to the positive and negative connectors on the battery (match red with red and black with black), connect the positive connector, double check that you just connected the positive connector to the positive side of the battery, connect the negative connector and you are set.

Final note, your vehicle will have to relearn the idle characteristics. There is a section in the manual that explains the steps you need to take in order to make this happen. Skipping this will cause your vehicle to idle oddly.

The above is the way I replaced mine. You could also just buy the battery, remove the old one, put in the new one and you are set. No charging or cleaning, but that is your call. Still, pay close attention to the positive and negative terminals. A handyman can change it.

Yes, they are heavy and can be dangerious to take on a bus (if they allow you to). The stock battery has liquid acid in it. The Optima Yellow Top is a non-spillable AGM battery and is safer, but still heavy and packs a lot of power.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Debbie

I'd recommend the OEM battery and replace your old one. You got more than your money's worth for 7 years. If you have or can borrow one of those small dollies, it would make your trip much easier. I got my MAGNA CART at Sams Club for about $24 and use it all the time for small things like a battery. It folds up real small, light weight, and carries up to 150 pounds.

• Folds down to only 2 in. wide and 25 in. tall
• Lightweight aluminum construction - just 7 lbs.
• 5-in. wheels for easy movement
• 150-lb. load capacity
• Extended dimensions: 16.5W x 15.75D x 39H in.
• http://www.amazon.com/Magna-Cart-Per...7706794&sr=8-1

Your mileage will improve with a new OEM battery also. It bolts in like it should for safety in an accident and the warranty is much better than the one that came with your '05 FEH.

Gary

 

Heck if theres an auto zone nearby have someone jump you, theyll install it when you get there, call first.

 

"..dome light was going on and off.."

SOP for marginal 12 volt battery connections.

You probably have "corrosive" build up between the battery posts and the battery post connectors. Remove the connections and clean/burnish the posts and inside of the connectors. The 12 volt battery is normally kept charged using a DC-to-DC downconverter for the HV battery, so a failed downcoverter might also be a problem.

I wouldn't hesitate installing a new OEM equivalent battery but if it should not remain charged than look into the downconverter.