Giulietta stop/start battery

Started by ARG, December 10, 2018, 01:11:52 AM

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ARG

Hi I do hope someone would be kind enough to tell me what battery would be fitted to a new 2013-2014 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Distinctive Sportivo. 
I bought the Giulietta new and love the car having no issues except the stop/start failed to work from early on the dealer telling us we didn't drive it enough to keep the battery charged to activate it. Recently I got it serviced from a local mechanic Alfa expert and he informed me it had the wrong battery and that it should have been supplied with a stop start battery not the Super Charge MF55 battery supplied.
Since then I have contacted the dealer who tells me stop start batteries where not available then which doesn't make sense to me as the MF55 would fail to operate the stop start.
Has anyone got information that I can use to substantiate my claim and have the dealer fix the problem?

Citroënbender

#1
Are you saying that you purchased the car new - not ex demonstration - in 2014 and from then it has carried the same battery, this being an Australian made Century MF55?

Edit to add: According to Century the correct battery is DIN53LHAGM

https://www.centurybatteries.com.au/resources/battery-finder/product/din53lh%20agm/

And the correct factory part number is 71752830, although I don't know what it may have looked like in 2014 - current stock appears to have a Mopar logo on it! I remain utterly sceptical that Century supplied (the incorrect!) MF55 batteries to FCA for installation at the factory in these cars. My suspicion is - this being the second one now mentioned on the forum with a "non genuine" battery from date of new sale - that somewhere up the delivery chain, their OEM batteries were being sequestered, whether for warranty replacement on already sold Alfas, or possibly even another make/model...

Edit 2: I should stop squinting/guessing at a phone screen, and misreading as a result!  I see now the supplier was SuperCharge (so, a Filipino made battery), they offer the correct spec as MF55H which has a 40 month warranty from new. That said, I'd be awfully surprised if it was genuine OEM fitment. 

ARG

The Giulietta was bought new, was not a demo and this is the battery that came with it.

Citroënbender

I've amended my reply, noting my inability to observe salient detail.  ???

That said, it's clearly an Aussie-supplied battery so not the one which the car left the factory with. Nor is it the one recommended by Super Charge themselves.

Aside from that, I believe most modern "sealed, maintenance free, lead-calcium grid) batteries are good for about 3½ years at close to rated CCA, some a little more.  Regular testing thereafter on a load tester is a good gauge of how its ongoing prospects should be regarded.

ARG

Thanks for your help I have to think what I'll do now because the stop start now doesn't work due to not being used thats what the dealer told me.

bazzbazz

NO! The Stop Start is not working because it has the WRONG battery fitted!

It requires the correct AGM style battery to be fitted.

Fit a fully charged battery of the correct type and the Stop-Start should start working again.
On The Spot Alfa
Mobile Alfa Romeo Diagnostic/Repair/Maintenance/Service
Brisbane/Gold Coast
0405721613
onthespotalfa@iinet.net.au