Got the car and was told everything had been checked. First day engine management light came on and it wouldn’t start without a lot of shuddering. Rang Ferrari and was told it just needed running as it had been sat for 6 months with minimum use. 3 days later I got a “full power not a available” light come on AFTER it had started perfectly that morning (it was on the trickle charge all night but didn’t get past stage 3). I turned the car off, waited 5 mins and it was fine. I then charged the car for 48 hours until the charger showed level 6, which means fully charged. I was hoping that now I had had the car a week, run her in and seen level 6 on the charger, that all would be ok. Every time the car starts in the morning after being on charge for 12 + hours, it starts a bit funny. Idles funny. Little misfiring. But drives perfectly. Today my Dad came and I wanted to show him the engine noise. It’s wet her atm and I didn’t have time for a drive. So I started the car. Again, it spluttered when starting. I let it warm for a full 5 mins and went to Rev it. this happened This is my foot to the ground fully. Upon checking the battery, as soon as you unplug the charger, and plug it back in, it’s down to 3 on the status. Ferrari say they need the car to Check it. Absolute ball ache as I’ve got my exhaust fitting this Friday and PPF the week after. So I’m going to have to wait. does this sound like a shot battery at the end of its life? It’s 7 years old, done 6500 miles, full Fer history and original battery. would the engine behave this way (my video) from a better problem? I’m about to take it out for a gentle run to see if the car will Rev normally once the car has charged the battery some more. very frustrating.
You definitely could have a bad battery, but I wanted to address the above statement. People use different tenders, but they are generally a version from CTEK. The CTEK tenders typically go through seven stages (RECOND is a special case) and stage 3 is BULK charging up to 80%. The tenders run through all the stages each time so having your tender at stage 3 after any amount of time unplugged sounds pretty normal and matches what I see on all the cars I keep on CTEK 7002 tenders. How long the tender sits in each stage can give you a better idea if the battery is bad. When I've had batteries fail they always fail the Analyze stage which tells me the battery can no longer hold a charge: STEP 1 DESULPHATION Detects sulphated batteries. Pulsing current and voltage, removes sulphate from the lead plates of the battery restoring the battery capacity. STEP 2 SOFT START Tests if the battery can accept charge. This step prevents that charging proceeds with a defect battery. STEP 3 BULK Charging with maximum current until approximately 80% battery capacity. STEP 4 ABSORPTION Charging with declining current to maximize up to 100% battery capacity. STEP 5 ANALYSE Tests if the battery can hold charge. Batteries that can not hold charge may need to be replaced. STEP 6 RECOND Choose the Recond program to add the Recond step to the charging process. During the Recond step voltage increases to create controlled gassing in the battery. Gasing mixes the battery acid and gives back energy to the battery. STEP 7 FLOAT Maintaining the battery voltage at maximum level by providing a constant voltage charge. STEP 8 PULSE Maintaining the battery at 95–100% capacity. The charger monitors the battery voltage and gives a pulse when necessary to keep the battery fully charged https://www.ctek.com/storage/28170E5A4DF8DDE255F2544A55F5C421179A3398C557729443D3E9C908F0382E/d4c71f1fcf354b37bdfb3841d00adafd/pdf/media/01d8e64db81c4259bda89213323dad93/MXS_5.0-manual-low-UK-EN.pdf
Thanks. I got to stage 6 and assumed all would be ok. But this is happened even when the cars been on charge. I’ve got the OEM Ferrari conditioner. I took the car for a run and it revs fine now. Il ring Ferrari
I am not an expert by any means, but I do not think the battery is the main problem. My charger always starts at 3 even after driving it for a long drive or a short one. Once the car is started, the alternator should be providing all of the electrical power needed and the battery should be essentially out of the picture. I am not saying that at 7 years the battery is not at its end of life, but I think that there is something else going on here.
7 years is pushing it for a normal car battery. I wouldn't pay much attention to what the tender is telling you. Get yourself a digital voltage meter and see what the voltage actually is. Costco sells a nice battery that fits the 458. It's just a group 48 size. Relatively easy to install if you have some mechanical ability. My vote is upgrade to the Braille i48CS - that's far and away the best upgrade you can do to the 458. No more need for a battery tender and the car's electronics function much better at the slightly higher voltage levels of the Lithium Ion cells. Ray
They’re too expensive man. Anti Gravity should be ok right? im getting Ferrari to replace the OEM battery so I can have it as a backup. Fuming they sold me a car with this condition battery
100% its the battery. I had a bad battery a few months ago, screwed with so much stuff. Get a new one. keep it on a tender when not in use. Its the only way
I only use Braille myself. It's hard to put a value on the single most important electrical component in your car. Even my daily driven 1990 Toyota pickup has a Braille battery Ray Image Unavailable, Please Login
Because there is a history of (more?) limited life with 458 batteries I suggest you install a monitor with the change. I installed an Ancel; easy and not much money and your phone tells all.
Ferrari batteries are notoriously awful, and I don’t trust the chargers worth a damn. Here in FL, it’s 3 and out for a battery, just like the N.Y. Giants offense. Charger or no charger. But stumble on cold start could be more than a battery. Mine needed plugs, and after replacing all is well.
I have an AntiGravity in my M3. After installing an aftermarket sound system/subwoofer I was having battery issues because the system was putting a drain on the battery. The AG battery is working great. Can't speak to if Braille is any better but I'm very happy with my AG.
That sounds more like an alternator issue - as in it doesn't output enough amps relative to what is being drawn by the system. Ray
If you want an AGM battery, get a Braille B7548. Absolute best AGM in the business and very affordable. Want lithium? Get the AntiGravity H6 60Ah. Still affordable, light and very nice quality. Sent from my SM-G930F using FerrariChat.com mobile app
I recently replaced a dealer installed Interstate with an antigravity h6/group-48 60 amp hour in a 488 and scooped up a lithium ctek. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Had it back to Ferrari. It was the battery. Now I am in a dispute with them trying to get them to replace it. They refused on the basis that I truthfully told them it wasn’t on charge for 3 weeks when I had some interior work done. They have said that the battery was fine when It left and as such, won’t replace. But now it’s ****ed after only 3 weeks not on charge. Clearly the battery was of poor health and on its last legs. Based on the fact I’ve just spent a LOT of money with them and the fact they included a faulty key, which needs sorting, I’ve asked for them to get this sorted or I’m opening an official complaint. Technically they are right and don’t legally owe me a battery, but the fact they sold me a battery in such poor quality, in my mind, means they should step in and sort this. It’s not a big deal to keep their new, first time buyer happy. I’m hoping a battery replacement for less than £350 their end will be less hassle than a formal complaint about their lack of customer service and selling cars with batteries on their last legs. Very frustrating.
Nonsense Almost every post both relating to your purchase and on this site and the UK one you use relating to modern Ferraris emphasises the need to maintain charge and quite simply three weeks is too long whatever the age of the battery
Ferrari Leeds told me only a battery on its last legs would act this way. They said this issue is down to each dealers discretion and if it was bought from them, they would have replaced it. They are fixing a roof stone chip and replacing my two key fob batteries for free, so no reason to not believe this claim. A sound battery shouldn’t die after 3 weeks not on charge. The battery is the original and 7 years old. I guess you know it all though hey
Incorrect. Even a brand new battery can drain to the point of not starting the car in as little as 4 days on a modern Ferrari. This is why the include a tender. Even with the Braille i48CS, 3 weeks is pushing it. However, you are correct that they are remiss to sell any car with a battery of that age. If they knew the age was over 5-6 years, it should have been replaced realistically. Ray
Sorry to burst your bubble (s), but you are both wrong! The car was not charged for 3 weeks and the battery is fine. So it proves my theory that a good battery, will last 3 + week without being on the conditioner or being driven once in that time period. This is a SEVEN-year-old battery too! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Nevertheless, 3 weeks off the tender is pushing it. The 458 doesn't drain as quickly, but the 488 can go belly up within as soon as 4-7 days, even with a brand new battery. Ray
