12 volt battery

[Rob83]

@EEEE Cheers, I just ordered it!

[Verone]

So I suspect that my initial problems are related to the original factory fit, and perhaps the length of time my car took to be transported from Japan, and then sat idle in the UK docks for ages.

I'm going to guess that bad handling on arrival in the UK is what's causing this issue for a lot of UK buyers.

It took me three months from when the dealer told me that it had shipped from Japan for my car to turn up in Iceland and I've had absolutely zero issues with my 12v battery so far since picking the car up in May. We've had some pretty low temperatures the last month so it would make sense that this would cause it if anything. I even left the car parked for 17 days while I went on vacation and still had no issues with the 12v battery. I don't think it's the transport as such, but probably the port handling on arrival in the UK.

I worked in the auto industry for best part of a decade, and it's common practice when cars go onto a vessel for a long journey to disconnect both cables from the battery, cap the terminals and wrap the cable ends to prevent moisture ingress. It reduces the risk of shorting and fire, and generally prevents them from ending up with parasitic drain from lights being left on or whatever. They're then reconnected when they arrive if they need to be driven.

I'm guessing that maybe on arrival in the UK, cars are having their batteries reconnected, then they're being left standing for multiple months at ports or in dealers yards, given the fact that there's not a lot of demand for buying the cars, and the result is the batteries running flat. They're probably then being put on a battery charger or booster pack to get them to dealers or for sale, then the issue is rearing its head for customers if they're leaving the car standing for a few days without driving it.

Touch wood I haven't seen any issues with the stock black and white Panasonic battery that came with the car, but I have already bought a Yuasa replacement, and it's in storage just in case the OEM battery shits itself.