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Dead battery.

213K views 533 replies 187 participants last post by  Danver 
#1 ·
I was out of town for 9 days, and when i returned my 2015 outback limited was dead. A quick jump from roadside service got it started. Has anyone else hade this issue with your outback. I love the car but need to address this issue.


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#3 ·
I'd check to see if anything was left on or plugged in. Give the battery a good charge and have it tested. Check battery connections and make sure they're not corroded.

I'm not familiar with the Gen 5's but I think just about everything in my Gen 3 gets turned off by the computer except the parking lights and the dome lights if you switch it to manual.
 
#6 ·
I am not sure if this applies to Subaru.... a friend has a BMW with the push-button start and I recall that he has complained about it at times. Apparently, based on weather his foot in on the brake or not when turning off the vehicle changes the 'type' of shutdown which occurs.

1) In one case, it is a total shutdown of the system
2) In another case, the *engine* turns off but the rest of the electronics is in 'accessory mode'. (can still run the radio, wipers, windows.... etc)


Is it possible the vehicle was left in 'accessory mode'?
 
#8 ·
We bought 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited on Dec 23, 2014. It COMPLETELY DIED ELECTRICALLY TWICE, first after two weeks , about 400 mile and second time last week after two months with only about 700 miles.

I know we did not leave lights on both times.

I hope this is not the reflection of the quality!!!
 
#15 ·
Interesting purchase date and very similar problem... We bought a 2015 Outback Limited 2.5 w/NAV on Dec 23, 2014 (the exact same day mentioned above). My vehicle cannot sit for more than 3 days without the battery going completely dead - Yes, everything is off. I have had to jump start the vehicle twice (both times at the airport). I am hoping to have Subaru analyze the problem today. I will keep you posted...
 
#10 ·
New cars can have bad batteries from being left sitting with no charge for extended periods of time prior to being delivered. Old school Lead Acid batteries are pretty tolerant of this sort of abuse but they also can be damaged an won't fully recover from a dead status if left for a long time especially in cold temps. Typically this all happens before the car is sold or delivered due to having sat in a parking lot for a long period of time with no charge on the battery.

Dealers should be replacing the battery if it becomes obvious that the battery is not healthy. One event and a battery test showing its OK is not grounds to flip out or replace the battery.

I had three dead batteries in two different cars two weeks ago a day appart! First one was grandpa's SLK 350 he bumped the head light switch and left the park lights on all night. Had to charge it up then disconnect the battery and reconnect it to reset the windows so they would roll down and up correctly. Common known issue with the SLK after a dead battery.

My Subaru had two dead batteries thanks to my dog hitting his head on the rear light switch and me not seeing that the light was on.
 
#14 ·
The old dog punched his ticket 2yrs ago 16yrs old wind pipe was collapsing. Sucky way to go when the rest of him was sharp as tacks.

The newbie will be 2 in June he's slowly learning manners but the short trip to the park in the morning all manners fly out the window often arriving with a dog howling and shaking like hes about to explode. HA HA I get him out make him sit the second that leash clip is off he's flat out across the park. Doberman's are cousins to Grey Hounds and when they run they are insanely FAST! All the regulars call him MAC the Missile. HA HA Kinda looks like a missile launch when we arrive too. HA HA
 
#13 ·
yep, mine started ok, this morning (15 below zero), but after i dropped the kids off at school and went to start it again,,,,completely dead. I had to jump it. It's a 2015 with 1700 miles. If the battery was dead to begin with, I wonder how it could have started the first time......
 
#21 ·
That will be interesting, what they will say and/or offer....in pursuit of cutting down on weight of vehicles, all manufacturers are chasing this issue/dream with great efforts...no spare tire (or spare tire as an option) is one example....
I think Scion is a good example: you can add lot of stuff on those vehicles yourself, or, you can leave it "as is" and get a better MPG...LOL
 
#23 ·
Could it be that there are so many " electronic gadgets" running still after you turn the ignition off?
If you cannot get into 7-series Bimmer (due to loss of power or other lock malfunction), you have to have it towed to the dealer. No way AAA or any road assistance can get inside the car....just happened to my neighbor the other day....
 
#27 ·
I have the larger size model since most of those have air compressor built in so you can have 2-in-1 device... Those jump starters stay charged for months, depending on model and price paid. Many (if not all better ones) have a gauge that shows you how much "juice" is still available. Mine lasts for about 6 months (or more) with occasional usage of air pressure pump to inflate tires....

Here is a good one (light weight):

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/roadside-safety/wagan-jump-starter-with-inflator.cfm
 
#28 ·
I have the larger size model since most of those have air compressor built in so you can have 2-in-1 device... Those jump starters stay charged for months, depending on model and price paid. Many (if not all better ones) have a gauge that shows you how much "juice" is still available. Mine lasts for about 6 months (or more) with occasional usage of air pressure pump to inflate tires....

Here is a good one (light weight):

Wagan Jump Starter with Inflator - AutoSport Catalog
Thanks. I think I will definitely invest in one of these. Might try to get one that has an AC outlet as well for those 'emergencies' when the kids laptops run out of juice..... :)
 
#29 ·
Maybe the first 6 months, but 3 years in it will likely be soft after 6 weeks.

Great tools in general but they do require regular maintenance in terms of charging and cyclical battery replacement. Not all have replaceable batteries- I suggest using that as shopping criteria.

Mine came with a charger rated for continuous use so it will always be full. Also a small inverter for home blackouts. It needs a $30 battery every 4 years or so.
 
#30 ·
What I do (and recommend) is once every 4 months (or so) completely discharge the jumper (plugging in and running portable vac. cleaner for example - caution: do not run the inflator/compressor to discharge it since it will overheat!) that will completely discharge the jumper and then re-charge it full again.
That will typically help the jumper keep the charge for the longest periods....mine has close to full charge (always) through 6 months or more.
I have mine for over 10 years and I have also replaced the inside battery once... most of them (if not all) have replaceable batteries inside that you can easily access and replace.
 
#35 ·
Well, another new(-ish) 2015 Outback Limited (purchased 11/10/14), with only 2300 miles - and yesterday, a dead battery. This one is a bit odd though. I'd just done my first oil change on it (which I'll start or add to another thread to get some sage input from other members), and once finished, pulled it out of the garage to in front of the house. Left it there, key in the ignition, but everything (I think) off. I was doing some things in the garage for ~1-1.5 hours, and once finished, went to pull the OB back into the garage. Dead. I was stumped. Once jumped and driven for about 25 minutes, all seems to be okay again. The car gets driven typically 5 to 6 days a week, and really has not sat for an extended number of days. AND, this has been an unusually warm winter in Southern California (yeah, like we ever get cold winters).

What I'm concerned about is that this is my wife's daily driver, so I do not want her getting stranded, and having to deal with roadside service. In an odd way, I'm just glad to hear I'm not alone. Love the car, but a battery dying this soon is a real concern. We'll be taking this to trailheads and leaving it for a week on backpacking trips, etc., so coming back to a car that won't start - far off the beaten track... Yikes.

I'm very eager to hear any updates from others who've experienced this. PLEASE let me know what you find out, and what the resolution is/was.

Thank you!

Bob
 
#37 ·
My battery crapped out on me today for the second time. This time I was at an event where I would drive a quarter mile and then sit for a couple of hours and move again. So this cycle happened about four times. The last time I needed to find a jump. I've changed my interior lighting completely over to LEDs, so even leaving the door open shouldn't have drained the battery, so urban legend says.
Is there a way to check or reset the time criteria for when the system shuts everything off? Like leaving the door open and walking off, or the dog turns the light on, etc.?
 
#38 ·
Really? You think this is unusual? Lets think about it a moment....

Generally, starting the engine sucks enough power out of the battery to require AT LEAST 20 minutes of driving to top it back off. I assume you took less than 20 minutes to drive each half-mile interval. Hence, each time you started, the battery-charge dipped deeper and deeper into a low-charge condition.

The alternator (charging system) is not even designed nor intended to recharge a battery which has dropped this low. A quality battery-charger may take over 3 hours to equalize the six battery-cells to a respectable level.

If a battery is treated poorly (not fully equalized on a regular basis), it may not last more than a couple years.

For me, I usually get AT LEAST 6 years out of a automobile battery... and this includes 6 Vermont winters. A quality battery-charger will pay for itself within 3 years.... after that, it is paying you (by not having to purchase batteries very often.)

To more-specifically answer your question: If you desire to 'protect' your battery from inadvertant loads (lights left on...etc) Consider something like a "battery buddy" which is intended to protect the battery from deep-discharging.

BEWARE: A "battery buddy" device will disconnect the ENTIRE vehicle from the battery when it kicks-in... hence, when reconnected, any 'memory' which is battery-sustained will be lost.
 
#42 ·
I have used either a Battery Minder or a Battery Tender on all my batteries, (car, truck, tractor and generator) for years if the battery is not going to be used for over a week or two. I have never had any problems. I belong to AAA and carry jumpers as well just in case. Not an endorsement, but that is what I do.
 
#43 ·
+1 I learned about battery tender years ago on an Acura NSX forum, where they discussed keeping the battery up when storing the car over the winter. I like the waterproof one. If it's good enough for them....

Also looks like the lithium ion pack is replacing jumper cables and something like this will be a discretionary purchase for me soon
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Bolt-Power-K3-Portable-Starter/dp/B00N58M6CO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1427722234&sr=8-3&keywords=emergency+car+battery+jump+starter[/ame]
 
#44 · (Edited)
I just put that battery pack on my Amazon Wish List!:wink2: I got this one [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-022-0165-DL-WH-12-Volt-Management/dp/B000NCOKV0/ref=sr_1_5_m?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1427723599&sr=1-5&keywords=battery+tender[/ame] because I can use the same unit on both cars when we are on away on a trip in the RV. I did get the 25' extensions so I could mount the charger to the garage wall near an outlet and reach both cars.
 
#45 ·
A new car should not be leaving the battery dead after a few short trips.

You have a drain while the car is sitting with key out.

1) find the quiescent drain spec for your car (someone on here should know that)
2) Put a current meter on the battery
3) If current draw is higher than quiescent spec, start pulling fuses until it drops. Start with the cabin lights you just replaced. I'm suspecting one of them has a short to ground and is always drawing some current.
 
#46 ·
A LOT of these incidents smell greatly of the "RELAY ISSUE" that is known by Subaru. Some obviously may not be...but some are classic examples of what is written up in the TSB on the RELAY issue.


Taken from another thread where this has been discussed:


Service Bulletin # 07-89-15
Bulletin Description: If you receive a customer concern of a no crank / no start condition during very cold temperatures, the IG1, IG2, ACC1, and/or ACC2 relay(s) may be the root cause and require replacement. It is generally reported that the car starts normally after an overnight soak. After the initial start, the customer drives a short distance then shuts the car off (example: at a gas pump or coffee shop). After the time that it takes to pump their gas or get their coffee, they return to the car and it will not start. The customer may also notice the instrument cluster and/or interior lights are not illuminating along with the HVAC being inoperative. The source of this condition has been identified as condensation flash-freezing inside the relays. This bulletin provides a service procedure for replacement of the 4 relays, all of which are located together in the vehicle’s interior fuse box (F/B).

If your OB has a VIN with the last six digits lower than 296775 (the VIN where the "new" relays started being installed at the factory) you likely have "bad" relays.


While not all of these situations in this thread are likely attributed to the relays...many probably are.

Also...our OB exhibited this scenario when outside temps were in the 40's...so while the TSB claims "very cold temps"...ours happened with very moderate temperatures!


Also...if leaving a car for 9 days will result in a dead battery...man that is an issue...@OP...sorry for your issue...I wouldn't have expected that. We've taken 3 week trips for years and have had 3 cars...typically one of those cars were with us on our travels...guess what...the other 2 ALWAYS started upon return...and I would expect the OB to as well...
 
#50 ·
Any idea how fast the welcome lighting would drain the battery? By default the lights (including headlights) say on for 30 seconds after turning the car off. They also will be on up to 30 seconds each time you unlock the car.

I also wonder if keeping the power liftgate open causes some draw besides the interior/dome lights. I believe these time out relatively quickly and aren't a huge draw, but I might be wrong because some people attributed their dog hitting the dome light switch to draining the battery.

I ask because I left my liftgate open once for just under 24 hours and it seemed to completely kill the battery. I'd left it open overnight (12+ hours) a few times before that without issue. I had been trying to air out the new car smell.
 
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