Battery issues!

[Buckman]

If it weren't so frustrating, it would be funny. Battery in the Jeep needs replacing so ordered from Halfords and paid for it to be replaced. Appointment made for this afternoon, but I had to go to National tyres who are now part of Halfords. On arrival they check the battery and confirm that it needs to be replaced and that was when the fun started.

Despite using my registration number when ordering they tell me that it is the wrong battery for the car! Secondly they state that as it is a Jeep they need to remove the driver's seat to access the battery and they cannot do this and that a jeep dealer is the only one that can change the battery. Strange as in 2022 when I had the battery changed by Halford themselves at a different location there was no issue and the current Jeep is the same model as the previous Jeep except a lot newer. I suspect that they did not want the job as I had things under the driver's seat which they never even moved!

Anyway took the Jeep to ETB around the corner and again in the fun zone! Again the battery is checked and confirmed that it needs replacing. The young man starts phoning around and over hearing his conversation I mention that it is an AGM battery as he is trying to order a LA battery. He then asks if the vehicle has Stop Start and I reply in the affirmative. He also asks if it is automatic and again I give him an affirmative reply. He then states that autos don't have Stop Start and again states that it is a LA battery as that is what the system is telling him.

We go to vehicle again for another look and this time he confirms that it is Stop Start and AGM. He then phones around and suggests a Bosch battery at over £250. Online the average price for the battery before delivery is about £150! I stated that I would phone later to confirm. Got a headache now! LOL!

 

[otherclive]

If it weren't so frustrating, it would be funny. Battery in the Jeep needs replacing so ordered from Halfords and paid for it to be replaced. Appointment made for this afternoon, but I had to go to National tyres who are now part of Halfords. On arrival they check the battery and confirm that it needs to be replaced and that was when the fun started.

Despite using my registration number when ordering they tell me that it is the wrong battery for the car! Secondly they state that as it is a Jeep they need to remove the driver's seat to access the battery and they cannot do this and that a jeep dealer is the only one that can change the battery. Strange as in 2022 when I had the battery changed by Halford themselves at a different location there was no issue and the current Jeep is the same model as the previous Jeep except a lot newer. I suspect that they did not want the job as I had things under the driver's seat which they never even moved!

Anyway took the Jeep to ETB around the corner and again in the fun zone! Again the battery is checked and confirmed that it needs replacing. The young man starts phoning around and over hearing his conversation I mention that it is an AGM battery as he is trying to order a LA battery. He then asks if the vehicle has Stop Start and I reply in the affirmative. He also asks if it is automatic and again I give him an affirmative reply. He then states that autos don't have Stop Start and again states that it is a LA battery as that is what the system is telling him.

We go to vehicle again for another look and this time he confirms that it is Stop Start and AGM. He then phones around and suggests a Bosch battery at over £250. Online the average price for the battery before delivery is about £150! I stated that I would phone later to confirm. Got a headache now! LOL!

Presumably the £250 included fitting new battery? Can you buy online and pay an independent to fit?
When I had a replacement battery from Halfords for my Subaru it was a YUASA like the OEM battery but physically larger so the plastic cover that shrouded the OEM one wouldn’t fit, and the base clamps were at their limit. Then next day the car didn’t burst into life so I checked the battery and a terminal was loose, but couldn’t be tightened any further, so I took it back to be remedied. Yet the online battery selection tool for the car knew exactly what vehicle it was. Finished up with Varta that did fit properly.

 

[Buckman]

Presumably the £250 included fitting new battery? Can you buy online and pay an independent to fit?
When I had a replacement battery from Halfords for my Subaru it was a YUASA like the OEM battery but physically larger so the plastic cover that shrouded the OEM one wouldn’t fit, and the base clamps were at their limit. Then next day the car didn’t burst into life so I checked the battery and a terminal was loose, but couldn’t be tightened any further, so I took it back to be remedied. Yet the online battery selection tool for the car knew exactly what vehicle it was. Finished up with Varta that did fit properly.

Halfords charge £27 to fit the battery so in this case it could have been £100 or at a minimum £50!
On my previous Jeep they initially fitted the wrong battery as it was for Stop Start although it did not have that facility, but changed it no issue plus refunded me the difference. Again it was what the system was telling them what should be fitted. Even the Yuasa website got it wrong.

 

[RogerL]

Your Jeep Grand Cherokee isn't unique - I've had much the same experience with my VW Touareg, not helped in either case by the battery being inside the passenger compartment under a seat.

Both the RAC and Halfords offered a choice of battery but left it to me to determine which was needed - other websites gave conflicting information based on the registration number - but even when I'd determined it was the larger AGM I needed, neither RAC or Halfords would accept a booking despite quoting a price.

I ended up buying the battery from Tayna, delivered direct to my local trusted indy workshop who fitted and recoded it and charged an hours labour - I suspect that RAC and Halfords would do that amount of work for their fixed fitting fee - this was though a lot cheaper than using a VW dealer or indpendent VW specialist.

 

[Buckman]

Your Jeep Grand Cherokee isn't unique - I've had much the same experience with my VW Touareg, not helped in either case by the battery being inside the passenger compartment under a seat.

Both the RAC and Halfords offered a choice of battery but left it to me to determine which was needed - other websites gave conflicting information based on the registration number - but even when I'd determined it was the larger AGM I needed, neither RAC or Halfords would accept a booking despite quoting a price.

I ended up buying the battery from Tayna, delivered direct to my local trusted indy workshop who fitted and recoded it and charged an hours labour - I suspect that RAC and Halfords would do that amount of work for their fixed fitting fee - this was though a lot cheaper than using a VW dealer or indpendent VW specialist.

It was a bit frightening at the other national battery fitting place when the "technician" that automatics did not have Stop Start, that the battery inside the cab was LA and did not know where to test the battery. He found the positive connection, but could not find the negative pole. Probably because he sat his meter on it!

I will need to shop around today for a place that can do the job. Tayna have no stock of batteries suitable for my vehicle.

 

[Dustydog]

It was a bit frightening at the other national battery fitting place when the "technician" that automatics did not have Stop Start, that the battery inside the cab was LA and did not know where to test the battery. He found the positive connection, but could not find the negative pole. Probably because he sat his meter on it!

I will need to shop around today for a place that can do the job. Tayna have no stock of batteries suitable for my vehicle.

A long shot. How much at the Jeep Dealer🤔

 

[Buckman]

A long shot. How much at the Jeep Dealer🤔

Before fitting nearly £500 and it is probably re-badged Bosch! Hourly rate is about +£120 so not cheap. I am going by a quote in 2022 I had for the previous 2012 Jeep. Same model.