Did the RAC condemn a serviceable battery

ADRIANC

MEMBER
2008 TOYOTA PICKUP
3.0L
4 CYL
TURBO
4WD
MANUAL
95,000 MILES

8:00 am, cold morning I started my Hilux as normal, drove twenty miles to a meeting but left my headlights lights on at 8:25 am. Doh.

11:00 am coffee - realized and found lights very dim. There was power but not enough to turn the engine.

Called the RAC. They arrived, collected my keys from Reception, set to work. My meeting ended, I went to the Hilux to be met by the RAC Engineer who said "All sorted, we have replaced the battery, nothing to pay".

I spent the next week telling people what a wonderful RAC scheme I was on. Then the bill arrived - £183 for a battery routinely sold for £100.

I naively thought our (expensive) business scheme had cover for some parts.

But was my old battery really actually un-serviceable?

It had started okay that morning and for two years since we bought the vehicle. No sign of a problem. I had simply expected a jump start.

Is there a battery expert out there who can interpret these RAC results bearing in mind it was a flat battery when they attended.

Thanks

Adrian

Battery Test Results
Battery Test
Battery Manufacturer: OTHER
Rating of battery tested: 770CCA
Chemistry of battery tested: FLOODED
Rated Ah of battery tested: 90
Smart charge: No
Battery Test Results
Time: 23/11/2017 11:58
Temperature: 9.4°C
Measured voltage: 11.01Volts
Measured rating: 0CCA
Reserve capacity: Poor Reserve
State of health: 40%
State of charge: 0%
Test Result: Replace battery
System Test
Jump pack used:Yes
Starter Avg voltage: 9.15Volts
Starter Avg current: 26.8Amps
Starter result decision: Charge Battery
Alternator voltage (unloaded): 0Volts
Alternator voltage (loaded): 13.41Volts
Alternator current (unloaded): 0Amps
Alternator current (loaded): 22.6Amps
Diode decision: Normal
Alternator test decision: Normal
First drain test voltage: 11.01Volts
First drain test current: 0.1Amps
Second drain test voltage: 12.45Volts
Second drain test current: 0.1Amps

1 Reply

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

When the service people arrived, the battery was weak and conditions indicates a replacement is necessary. Your battery could have been serviceable with a charge but the RAC people worked on the situation and data available. If they had jump started the vehicle and after making sure that the vehicle could be started, they take their leave and two hours later you called up again to say they did not do a good job because you are not able to start the vehicle again, that would reflect badly on them.

They would not want to take the above risk, which takes time and is going to cost you additional, and recommending a replacement is their guarantee of a job well done.

Data from reports are never conclusive and we have cases of battery condition being reported as good when vehicles are sent in for routine maintenance service. Next day we get called to attend to the vehicle non starting due to a bad battery.

Prices of goods varies according to conditions and service quality and good service quality do not come cheap.
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