Moll Battery flounders...

[Stay Frosty]

Right second attempt at this thread...

Let down really badly by Agnes this morning when she wouldn't start, all loaded up for a cycle ride and... nothing followed by random end of the world messages from the dash display.

Thing is we were camping in her last weekend and will be off again in a couple of weeks and don't know if I can trust her to get us there let alone back.

Anyway this is probably the problem...


Van is a 67 plate camper conversion from a reasonably local garage and we have a VW commercial dealer about a mile away here in Northampton... I'm thinking though if getting a warranty replacement is going to be a ball ache and the replacement is going to be crap OEM like this one is it easier to go without some more chrome stripes for a month or two and buy a proper manly Exide Maxxima or similar butch deep cycle battery more fit for purpose?

I'm talking like this as I'm still a bit angry, I do have limited resources but what a crock, fair enough about the headlights and suspension but you would have thought they could have put a decent battery onboard?

 

[$immo]

Right second attempt at this thread...

Let down really badly by Agnes this morning when she wouldn't start, all loaded up for a cycle ride and... nothing followed by random end of the world messages from the dash display.

Thing is we were camping in her last weekend and will be off again in a couple of weeks and don't know if I can trust her to get us there let alone back.

Anyway this is probably the problem...

View attachment 43303
Van is a 67 plate camper conversion from a reasonably local garage and we have a VW commercial dealer about a mile away here in Northampton... I'm thinking though if getting a warranty replacement is going to be a ball ache and the replacement is going to be crap OEM like this one is it easier to go without some more chrome stripes for a month or two and buy a proper manly Exide Maxxima or similar butch deep cycle battery more fit for purpose?

I'm talking like this as I'm still a bit angry, I do have limited resources but what a crock, fair enough about the headlights and suspension but you would have thought they could have put a decent battery onboard?

There is a recall and free battery swap on faulty MOLL batteries. Search the forums for all the previous experiences and then go to your dealer forarmed to get a free replacement. All the best.

 

[True Romance]

There is a recall and free battery swap on faulty MOLL batteries. Search the forums for all the previous experiences and then go to your dealer forarmed to get a free replacement. All the best.

yes but reading the hassle and time of getting it replaced sounds a royal pita. Got to be tested, booked in for a day, wait replacement that seems permanently on back order, book in again, etc... How much would a new battery be??

 

[Pauly]

They won’t replace it with a Moll you will get a better one
It’s a pita having to deal with them but if it’s not your daily just drop it to a dealer and leave it a few days and they will sort it or failing that you could try VW assist first as they sometimes change them at the roadside as long as you get roadside assist and not an standard AA patrol

 

[Stay Frosty]

Just ordered an Exide AGM battery from Europarts to collect tomorrow, £207 with promo code applied, done this as I really can't stand the thought of having to deal with main dealer toss pots giving me the run around, it was the same when I had my BMW, the more expensive the vehicle the more slimey and evasive they get... I know it's racist but as a race I can't stand salesmen.

Next question is it wise to disconnect the old battery jump leaded to the new one so I don't lose needle sweep and regain stop/start or am I safe to disconnect, replace and reconnect the new battery like in Victorian times.

 

[Peatey]

I rang vw assist they came out and changed mine no problem, he did a check there and then all in all it took 40 mins and that included all coding, result new Varta battery

 

[Stigofthedub]

Took mine back to jct600 hull, they took one look at the battery, tried the key (dead) then said they would have a new Varta for me in a few days. Would I like to borrow a van sir. Yes please said I. 2 days later job done. Couldn't fault the service.

 

[Skyliner33]

Just ordered an Exide AGM battery from Europarts to collect tomorrow, £207 with promo code applied, done this as I really can't stand the thought of having to deal with main dealer toss pots giving me the run around, it was the same when I had my BMW, the more expensive the vehicle the more slimey and evasive they get... I know it's racist but as a race I can't stand salesmen.

Next question is it wise to disconnect the old battery jump leaded to the new one so I don't lose needle sweep and regain stop/start or am I safe to disconnect, replace and reconnect the new battery like in Victorian times.

I've disconnected my battery a couple of times whilst working on the electrics. Hasn't affected the needle sweep, or any other such mods.

 

[Brom]

The new Varta w(replaced my defunct Moll battery under warranty) had a list price of £453 according to the receipt - ouch!

 

[Stay Frosty]

Cheers for that Skyliner33 as after reading some of the threads online about smart charging I was half expecting the van to explode just lifting the bonnet so obviously disconnecting the battery would/could be much worse.

Her in drawers is going to ring up VW assist tomorrow after digging out the van paperwork as she is more patient/organised/less emotional than myself and likes a good fight but either way I've already ordered an Exide EK800 AGM stop (and hopefully) start battery to pick up tomorrow after work, would have prefered a Mr Fusion flux capacitor or briefly this morning, when it wouldn't start, a flame thrower.

 

[Peatey]

Cheers for that Skyliner33 as after reading some of the threads online about smart charging I was half expecting the van to explode just lifting the bonnet so obviously disconnecting the battery would/could be much worse.

Her in drawers is going to ring up VW assist tomorrow after digging out the van paperwork as she is more patient/organised/less emotional than myself and likes a good fight but either way I've already ordered an Exide EK800 AGM stop (and hopefully) start battery to pick up tomorrow after work, would have prefered a Mr Fusion flux capacitor or briefly this morning, when it wouldn't start, a flame thrower.

When you speak to VW assist ask for a vw tech to come, not the RAC, because i was told by VW, that only the VW assist techs carry batteries

 

[Sabre]

Is this a general recall on moll batteries or just a replacement when they fail?

 

[Spaghetti]

Hi @Sabre , they have to be faulty. I had a dodgy Moll, and VW assist tested it while he was replacing my slider lock under warranty and it failed the test, so he replaced that too. Top bloke!

 

[Sabre]

Thanks @Spaghettiboy78 won't call and bug them then, just yet.

 

[Stay Frosty]

I think you have to wait until it fails Sabre and then put the sad eyes on rather than get lucky like Spaghettiboy78 did... thing is, when will it croak... I was probably actually lucky as it didn't fail when I was on a campsite in Dorset last weekend but here on the drive.

Anyway happy ending time and if you want a job doing properly get the wife to sort it out, VW assist called out this morning and a new Farta battery fitted by lunchtime.

The engineer did say that many dealers can't be bothered to sort out warranty replacements and will fob you off, the VW assist is the way to go although again the battery does have to be forked to have it replaced, actually he did also say that if like mine the stop/start didn't work that this was down to the ECU figuring out that the failing battery didn't have enough life in it to perform this task so overriding the function... sounds like I'm going to be stop/start now

Photographic evidence if this helps any other owners with 18 month old batteries...





Apparently retail is £185 from VW on the Varta if your Moll isn't dead enough to qualify for replacement.

 

[Bryn23]

My Moll battery hasn't been holding a charge for a while now, and died this morning, winter is just about to officially start in a few days

I didn't even look to see if it could be replaced under warranty

I ended up getting a larger Varta Silver Dynamic AGM Stop start Battery 80 ah and 800 A cca

Model 580 901 080

Its got a 4 year warranty here and has 3 x better cycling than the Standard model, so that i'll help with the wheelchair lift load on the battery.

This model is about 40mm longer than the standard, and it looks like the next size up would just fit if you need extra capacity.