[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Great! Suggest that you anyway try and copy the entire card to a backup device, just to see if there is any native DRM installed. Let us know!

Maps copied on another SD card won't work. Only the original SD card required. I already had tried it on my Superb.

[FlyinDoc]

Hi

Has anyone installed a Rear View camera on a MY15 Octavia Elegance? If HU needs to be upgraded, which one to get and from where? Is there an OEM HU that supports Android Auto on the pre facelift Octavia?

Thanks.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by joethomasv

Mine is on the 4th battery now, all 3 of them gave up without any warning. First one was Varta, rest all Exide India. But I never got the message that you mentioned.

Did you mention it to Tafe?

So my TSI battery gave up the ghost today luckily while comfortably parked in our garage, and not in at some highway stop in 45 C temperature!

Which one do I go for? Exide suggesting: http://batteryboss.in/product/exide-mreddin60/

[joethomasv]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Which one do I go for? Exide suggesting: http://batteryboss.in/product/exide-mreddin60/

The 60 AH one should do just fine since your's is the TSI. I tried a higher capacity one from Exide but it didn't last any longer. The black battery cover didn't fit either since it was slightly bigger.

[sharktale]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

So my TSI battery gave up the ghost today luckily while comfortably parked in our garage, and not in at some highway stop in 45 C temperature!

Which one do I go for? Exide suggesting: http://batteryboss.in/product/exide-mreddin60/

The 60AH replacement shall do fine for the TSI Variant! Diesel requires a higher rated capacity.

I'd prefer Amaron over Exide, due to more positive feedback.

However, the advantage of Exide is that your some SAs try to disclaim warranty over non-OEM batteries, which is totally unjustified. Buying Exide will only prevent that conversation from happening, no other advantage.

[itwasntme]

Thank you both! Spoke to a local Exide dealer and struck a deal for 6.2K (exchange price) for an Exide MRREDIN60. Will come over shortly to fit it.

Price very reasonable in my opinion. A neighbor with a Merc was weeping over his 20K AGM battery cost!

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Thank you both! Spoke to a local Exide dealer and struck a deal for 6.2K (exchange price) for an Exide MRREDIN60. Will come over shortly to fit it.

Ughhh not an Exide please! That won't last you long either. Get an Amaron if you can.

[itwasntme]

Replaced battery with an Exide MLDIN60 manufactured in January 2019. New battery voltage is ~13.70. Started up and a bunch of errors popped up with ESC & TPMS errors. Restarted and drove for 200 metres and the errors started disappearing.

Relieved at the smoothness of the exercise.

[adi_petrolhead]

My 5th battery failed yesterday. Similar case as yours and I went immediately to the shop where I'd bought it from. They did a quick voltage check, and gravity check to find one cell was completely out of juice. Pro-rata warranty applies because it's been 3 years since I got the Exide battery. Although just a year ago, it was replaced under warranty by Exide.

This time I got an Exide MRed DIN65, it's slightly bigger but the clamp fits in a farther slot dedicated for a larger battery, factory fit! The felt cover has to be adjusted and re-attached with double sided velcro, which I'll do in a few days. Cost was around 6K. Only went for Exide again because of the warranty. Else I'd have had to cough up around 9k for a new one from Amaron.

[Lambydude]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

My 5th battery failed yesterday. Similar case as yours and I went immediately to the shop where I'd bought it from. They did a quick voltage check, and gravity check to find one cell was completely out of juice. Pro-rata warranty applies because it's been 3 years since I got the Exide battery. Although just a year ago, it was replaced under warranty by Exide.

This time I got an Exide MRed DIN65, it's slightly bigger but the clamp fits in a farther slot dedicated for a larger battery, factory fit! The felt cover has to be adjusted and re-attached with double sided velcro, which I'll do in a few days. Cost was around 6K. Only went for Exide again because of the warranty. Else I'd have had to cough up around 9k for a new one from Amaron.

I read a lot about issues with Octavia battery.
Can you advice me on the do's and don'ts of this.
1. Is this battery issue unique to Octavia TSI?
2. If yes, what are the precautions one should take during a long outstation drive?
3. What's the usual warranty of the stock battery?
4. If the battery fails during warranty period, is it replaced free of cost?
5. If battery fails, can we replace it ourselves or do we have to take the car to Skoda service centre. Concern is about Skoda warranty being affected.

Thanks

[Waspune]

Does the battery in Octavia die all of the sudden? Aren't there any symptoms?
For a car that comes with a plethora of electronics this is a bummer!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Lambydude

1. Is this battery issue unique to Octavia TSI?
2. If yes, what are the precautions one should take during a long outstation drive?
3. What's the usual warranty of the stock battery?
4. If the battery fails during warranty period, is it replaced free of cost?
5. If battery fails, can we replace it ourselves or do we have to take the car to Skoda service centre. Concern is about Skoda warranty being affected.

My responses are based on experience with Jetta and Polo.

1. No. Even Jetta and Polo have this issue. In general, the OE battery used by VAG cars in India have a high rate of failure. In the Jetta, two batteries failed each within 1.5 years, and in the Polo, the OE battery died within 2 years.
2. Carry a jump start cable. That way even if the car fails to start, you can get it jump started with the help of a Samaritan.
3 & 4. I think it is 2 years. When the first battery failed in my Jetta in 1.5 years, it was replaced free of cost. But the warranty does not extend 2 years further, but stops at 2 years from the purchase of the car. But the dealer may try to avoid free of cost replacement. In that case, you will have to be firm.
5. If the battery fails under 2 years and you need a warranty replacement, then you have to get it replaced by the dealer. But you can get it replaced outside as well. Though the dealers will try to discourage you by saying warranty will be void, it is not the case. If you replace with a battery with the same specifications, there will be no issues with warranty.

Originally Posted by Waspune

Does the battery in Octavia die all of the sudden? Aren't there any symptoms?
For a car that comes with a plethora of electronics this is a bummer!

From my experience with the Jetta and Polo:
Yes, it can die all of a sudden with no symptoms. This can happen if there is a cell failure. This happend in my Jetta. Everything was fine in the evening, and the next day morning everything was dead. If it is general degradation, you may see some symptoms like lights flickering when starting the engine. This happened in my Polo. I started seeing cabin lights flickering when engine was cranked and when I measured the voltage, I saw the voltage was dropping very low while cranking. I replaced it without waiting for full failure.

[itwasntme]

My responses in italics below:

Originally Posted by graaja

2. Carry a jump start cable. That way even if the car fails to start, you can get it jump started with the help of a Samaritan.

Can you recommend a trustworthy cable please? Amazon has a bewildering selection!

5. If the battery fails under 2 years and you need a warranty replacement, then you have to get it replaced by the dealer. But you can get it replaced outside as well. Though the dealers will try to discourage you by saying warranty will be void, it is not the case. If you replace with a battery with the same specifications, there will be no issues with warranty.

Less than 2 years should be no-quibble immediate replacement as per the Exide T&C. Between 2 & 4 years, it's a proportionate warranty and should result in a substantial discount on the replacement battery.

Yes, it can die all of a sudden with no symptoms.

I sensed only a mild hesitation on the first start-up, plus a few fleeting errors which would pop up and vanish almost immediately. Not making the same mistake next time especially before any driving holidays.

Further, is it worth buying a battery voltage tester unit and keep at home? Know I'm showing my OCD now but just thinking aloud.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Can you recommend a trustworthy cable please? Amazon has a bewildering selection!

Further, is it worth buying a battery voltage tester unit and keep at home? Know I'm showing my OCD now but just thinking aloud.

Jump start cable: Though I said you need to keep a jump start cable in the car, I have not got one yet. That response for myself as well. So I have no clue about a good jump start cable

Battery tester: Depends on the cost. If it costs less than 2K, then I would definitely get one. Otherwise, it may be an overkill. I have a Fluke digital multimeter that does max and min measurements. So, when I crank, it records the minimum voltage recorded at the battery voltage and I use that as an indicator to a failing battery.

Found the below cable in Amazon. This has good reviews and also the specifications look good.

Jump start cable

There are three variants. The one with 4 gauge wire is the best, but 8 gauge should be good enough too for an Octavia. I am thinking of getting the 4 gauge one.

EDIT: Just ordered the 4 gauge one.

[vibhu_f430]

The Octavia definitely has battery issues. I bought by 4th battery in 5 years last week!
Mine is a 2014 Tdi Elegance run about 45k.
- OEM battery lasted about 2.3 years and died with no warning in Kodaikanal. I couldn't find any replacement there so i had to drive back to Trichy and bought an Exide Din 65.
- That Exide died within 11 months and I got a replacement battery under warranty.
- Last week the replacement battery died again in just 13 months and this time I couldn't even claim warranty because apparently you can claim only once.
- The last Battery I bought is a Din 74 Amaron which cost me around 9k. I hope this one lasts longer.

I wonder why Skoda downsized the battery. The Laura Tdi's all had Din 74 but all Octavias came with Din 65.