Returned from a short holiday and upon returning to the car park near the airport, I could not start the car. At the second or third attempt, the dash flickered crazily and I got a fault “Active seatbelt not available” on the instrument panel. The car park had a jump starter, using which the car started instantly and we were on our way without being delayed too much.

The car was left there for 4 days only and I don’t think it has been particularly cold here while we were away. On Thursday morning I had disconnected my CTEK just before setting off for the airport so the battery was fully charged at that point. 45 minute journey to the car park, then they would have moved the car from the drop off area to the parking lot later that day. I had been checking on the InControl Remote app and it always showed as “locked and alarmed” so they obviously double locked it. I have set mine to lower the suspension automatically when the door is opened. So no constant auto-adjustment of suspension possible while parked. I have a dashcam but it is hardwired through a power saving device which I have set to cut out at 12v and this feature is working as expected. All this means there shouldn’t really have been anything draining the battery like this from fully charged to unable to start in just 4 days. I’ve never had a flat battery in this or previous 2 Sports and I have left them for much longer in the middle of winter, even before I had a CTEK.

Interestingly, I switched on remote heating 15 minutes before reaching the car and it was running when we got to it. So if the battery was really in such a bad state, why did battery management/monitoring allow operation of remote climate? Nevertheless, a single use of remote climate has never killed the battery before. Even if the voltage is on the low side, remote climate just logs a fault and doesn’t operate or stops mid operation if voltage hits whatever the threshold is, in my experience.

Anyway the seatbelt related amber warning light stayed there throughout the 45 minute journey back. My IIDTool showed a number of new faults too. I plugged in my CTEK as soon as we got home. An hour later the battery still appeared in a bad state and the low battery warning appeared as soon as the door was opened. Tailgate wasn’t opening either. I called LRA and they sent the AA man fairly quickly. He ran a test on the battery and it showed all ok. Btw so awkward if you want to get directly to the battery under the suspension compressor and spare wheel instead of using the terminals under the bonnet! He reckoned one of the cable connected to the battery needed cleaning & tightening and battery monitoring module needed a reset. He did those things and low battery warnings didn’t re-appear after that. Seatbelt warning also disappeared.

Before the AA visit, I started the car and checked voltage at the engine compartment terminals and it was showing 14.52 volts which I understand to be within the healthy range. Doesn’t look like an alternator problem if I have understood things correctly.

I am going to leave the car on CTEK tonight to ensure it is fully charged and will then leave it without charger to monitor its behaviour for a day or so.

Even if the problem doesn’t come back, I am very disappointed that my regular use of a decent trickle charger and following the correct procedures (access mode parking, double locking etc.) couldn’t save me from a “flat battery”. Anybody got an explanation? Don’t know if I’m missing anything other than the fact that this is a JLR product so inherently unpredictable and capable of causing trouble, no matter how careful and considerate the owner is.

PS: A few months ago, stop/start annoyingly decided not to kick in ever, despite battery being fully charged and car being sufficiently warm. That time as well, the dealer found the battery in good health and fixed the issue by resetting the battery monitor, I was told. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Here is your solution http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic49141.html
Do you have a dash cam that might be causing drain?
Here is the solar panel charger I use but in the last 2 weeks the price has leapt from £10.99 or £15..........
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-1...rger-l58bf 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

12 volts is getting on the low side?

 2023 P440e SE Dynamic on order -cancelled

2022 HSE Dynamic P400e

2017 Discovery 3.0 HSE Silicon Silver Nimbus interior and a few extra toys SOLD

2013 HSE Black, Orkney Grey, Ebony Seats and Ivory Interior SOLD

2006 HSE

Plus a few other cars inbetween!

Tim in Scotland wrote:

Here is your solution http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic49141.html
Do you have a dash cam that might be causing drain?
Here is the solar panel charger I use but in the last 2 weeks the price has leapt from £10.99 or £15..........
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-1...rger-l58bf

jimbg wrote:

12 volts is getting on the low side?

From your comment from the AA person, couldn't it just have been a problem with the lead over time getting to a point where it needed sorting as had come to that "loose" point where problems occur? Or just needed a reset, as these cars have loads of inherent one off type issues which can return but the reason never being found out. Like disconnecting your battery and waiting, or shorting leads together, then this action clears the fault.
JLR always fun cars for electronic gremlins.  John

RRS MY12 SDV6 HSE. Sumatra Black/Ebony & Walnut + Dynamic Pack, + Cold Climate Pack + Memory Pack, Digital TV/DVD, Premium Leather, Cornering Lights, Cooler/Fridge Box, & most Options.

You’re probably right Johnski. I am just not sure whether there really was a loose/dirty connection or the AA guy just said so because it has been a problem in other cases. I guess if it doesn’t reoccur after I disconnect the CTEK, I can put it down to the connection or monitor reset (or both) and move on. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Without any doubt your"always on" dashcam is the issue. I have seen this many times.

12V is effectively deep discharged for a car battery. Set the battery saver to a higher voltage or connect through an ignition controlled power source. MY2016 HSE D SDV6 - gone due to fuel dilution problems.

By the age of 50 you have the face you deserve - George Orwell.

OK. I will increase the voltage on it and see how it behaves. Just seems strange I never had any issues in the last 4 and a half years, including the time when it was set to 11.8v. Like I said, I have left the car unused for much longer periods than 4 days and in colder weather too. Most working weeks, the car isn't used for 4-5 days until the weekend so should be easy for me to try leaving it without charging at current and higher voltage settings and see what the difference is (if any). Thanks all for the comments/suggestions  Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

I've had dashcams set to lowest voltage using parking mode on RRS, DS, Mitsubishi phev and Lexus - I've also fitted them in my kids punto and never had flat battery issues

I used ctek on RRS when parked long periods mainly for peace of mind and on DS because auto stop/start didn't work otherwise

LR batteries are hopeless which is why you can't park and watch tv/listen to music with park heater on for more than a few minutes  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Hi,
Another vote for the dashcam,
I would have gone for a duff cell in the battery but if the AA man checked this it should be ruled out

It may be a pain to get to but I would get the battery checked again, our 2010 RRS started the FBH by remote fine then 20 min later car nice and warm but it would not start, battery flat
One duff cell found and so a new AGM fitted

 Porsche Cayenne 2022
gone Porsche Cayenne 2020
gone Corris Grey HSE Dynamic 2016
gone Ipanema HSE lux 2010
gone Rimini HSE 2005
!!

Update: I left the car without charging for 3 and a half days. During this period it only did one very short trip to the supermarket one evening. So a journey that would have drained it more than would have charged it. No low battery warning and the dashcam is still on at the same setting as before i.e. voltage hasn’t dropped below 12v during this time. I am not so sure now it was the dash cam that drained the battery flat in 4 days while we were away. It hasn’t done anything nearly as drastic as that in the last few days (consistent with my experience of this dash cam and battery saver for few years). Don’t know what the reason was last time. Will monitor it for even more days next week before I change voltage setting up. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

My money is on something in the vehicle system not shutting down when you left  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!