Car was first purchased in Sept 2009. I had to replace the battery shortly after I bought it in Feb 2011 (I figured battery wasn't serviced properly when sitting on the lot before I bought it), and then again this week (I didn't notice it, but when it was in for service they detetected it was dying). So that makes (at a minimum) the third battery for this car. The service advisor said that they are seeing a lot of battery replacements. Obviously all these have been under warranty, but this doesn't bode well for the future.

 

its the second for me too.

 

If you only use the car for very short trips, or there are regular intervals over a week when the car is not used, then a battery tender is advisable. If a battery tender is not practical, consider switching to an AGM battery.

Also make sure you lock the car and the key is not is close proximity to it when the car is not driven.

 

I would say an AGM battery is *necessary* for these cars...

The electronics put too much of a load and the battery is cycled to much for a regular lead acid battery to handle...

 

If you think the XK(R) us heavy on the battery, try the XJL. Nearly all XJLs on the dealerl show-room floors have to be constantly charged due to customers opening to doors. An open door pulls 18 Amps from the battery, I know, I checked that.

I just drove mine home last Friday, a 150 miles trip. Should be more than enough to fully charge the battery. I locked the doors on exit, as usual, to shut all power accessories off.

Yesterday I drove the car out of the garage to wash it and shut it down again. This morning as I was ready to drive it, a "Low Battery Warning - Start the Engine".

The engine started just fine but, the point is that there is no way there should be a low batt. warning after such recent use. Next time I see that warning I will take an actual battery voltage read to see if it really is the battery or is the warning coming at a voltage that is really normal.

Albert

 

Understood, but mine is my daily driver, over 12,000 miles a year. there should be no need for a battery tender. Car is locked and key is over 200ft away when car is parked.

 

If your car is still under warranty have it specifically checked for excessive quiescent current problems. If no problem is found, then I suggest to bite the bullet and get an AGM battery to avoid further hassle.

 

I totally agree as I'm on my third battery in just over a year. I took the advice given here, spent the extra $$ on an AGM battery and the electrical gremlins have gone into hiding. Thanks Rodney et al.

 

The current draw given the virtual display being on when the car isn't running is probably enough in itself to draw the battery down in a few hours. Last Thursday I took my wife's XJL to get the windows tinted and they had the doors open for about three hours...got the low battery warning.

I will definitely be putting an AGM battery in her car (if it doesn't already have one...still has original Jag battery) when it needs one. I guess I nee to check and see what kind of battery it has now...

 

Interesting!

I bought my 2011 XKR select edition with around 12,000 miles on the clock. When I picked it up, service indicated that they had to replace the battery to bring it up to select edition spec. Despite having a new battery, in the last two months of ownership I received two low battery warnings.

Both times the engine started, but the information screen indicated low battery status and that I should run the engine to fully recharge the battery, etc. hasnt happened in the last month.

Is this something I should be concerned enough about to take in and harass them for a new battery? Or does it warn low battery status sufficiently early that, as long as the engine starts, I should feel safe that I won't get stranded? Car is driven often, keys far away from parked car.

Any advice?

Skeeter

 

Dang ! I feel so lucky.
MY 07 XK has 43,000 miles and the original batt still going strong. Not a daily driver, no Winters here in Fla and garage kept.

 

Not sure what they did on the 11XKR as opposed to my '08XK which did not have the battery monitor installed on the battery post. On my 2012 XJL there is a device on the batt. post that registers and keeps track of all incoming charging currents, as well as outgoing usage currents. When the calculation falls into a certain (unknown by me) negative discharge range, it issues a low battery warning in time when you still have enough to start the engine.

I love my XJL but, I think that Jaguar made a mistake with the battery usage. No way in hell should a car draw 18 amps with doors open and the ignition off. I think when I had the disc player on as well, it was drawing closer to 26 Amps!!!! Basically if you were listening to music when you arrived to a location and shut the engine off, you better to turn the music off too, get out of the car quickly and lock it to shut down the computers inside. You are not allowed to spend hardly any time in the car with the accessories-ON before getting the warning. There is a long thread in the British XJ forum on battery related issues that are not normal but, what Jaguar "calls normal".

Albert

 

I used to have the low battery signal before to change the battery after 3mn using stuff with the car not running, and since i changed it under warranty, it does not happenned anymore.

 

I'm also starting to see "Low Battery" warnings on the screen when I start the car. My key fob is 30ft away. I think I'll start putting the fob in a Faraday cage (Altoids tin?) so the XKR doesn't see it.

Mike

 

Which actual AGM battery would you recommend?

My indy Jag mechanic was unfamiliar with them. Well, I was trying to describe them and did not know the acronym.

 

There was just a post on the XK8 forum about a great price on these at Sears: DieHard Gold Size 49 Car Batteries: Enjoy Value and Durability - Sears

At this price, I would not even consider conventional battery anymore.

 

Thde battery issue has been covered a lot. It seems the "fix" and i hope it is a fix. Is to fit a AGM battery. I had issues when my xkr arrived from the uk. The lead acid battery, which was a Jaguar stamped battery failed. I fitted a new Jaguar lead acid battery and it too failed after just 3 mths. I use it every day etc.
So i bought a AGM battery and so far so good.
I would be interested to know if anyone with a AGM battery has had issues.
At the moment the general concensus is AGM.

 

How long ago did you buy your AGM battery? I just installed one this month and I haven't had any problems yet.

 

^+1

After reading so many issues related to batteries, I certainly hope this is a long term fix as well.
If it is not a full fix (only time will tell), then the two key attributes of an AGM battery (Minimal "internal" power drain when unattended, and a very rapid (x5) recharge rate) are certain to tip the scales in our favor.

Vince