F12 Battery Replacement

I think those individuals who have done it on the forum mentioned writing down or making note of everything when taking things apart, and that will be helpful when putting everything back together. One individual suggested use a few bungee cords to keep the wiring out of the way during installation if you are doing it along. Regardless of what you do, just make sure you don't hurt your back. It's definitely not worth saving a few hundred bucks and end up with back pain for the rest of your life.

 

It is no fun replacing the battery in an F12. It is a tight squeeze and the battery is very heavy. You don't have to drain or top up any fluids when you replace the battery, but low battery voltage will set numerous fault codes in the multitude of electronic control units that are in the car. You need a diagnostic computer to clear all of those codes. After battery replacement you need to leave the key on for a minute before starting the car, then after starting it, do not touch the throttle for five minutes. Just let it idle and learn the idle parameters. You also need to lock and unlock the doors with the key remote in order to initialize the door locks/rear hatch/fuel door system. You will need to reset the date and time and recalibrate the TPMS system, but you can drive it with all of the low voltage fault codes to get it to a shop in order to clear them.

 

Motob - Your Ferrari experience leaves me envious and grateful! Your posts are always factual and insightful. Glad you are on this board.

 

Battery issue just hit my 2017. In the past I've let it sit for 3-4 weeks with no issue.
As I rarely drive it during the summer (stored at my winter place) I decided it probably wise to put the conditioner on as it sat for 6 weeks. Seems to have been a mistake. Completely dead. (Have only driven it about 1000 miles over past 6 months so it doesn't get the full charge that often).

Tried to jump it and while full power seemed to go thru the electrical system (full blower speed, etc.) during the jump attempt, all I could get were clicks out of the starter...no turning at all.

So, do any of you with battery experience have any advice/thoughts? Why would power move thru the system so effectively, but not result in engine turning over? All thoughts appreciated.

Feeling like I'm likely getting it towed to nearest exotic car expert (Ferrari dealer over 100 miles away...so that's not happening) and having a Sears DieHard installed (after reading an FF thread).

 

Try leaving it on the tender overnight. That should get you going unless the battery is damaged.

 

I'm concerned that it is somehow damaged. I just don't understand why a jump start from another car wouldn't turn the engine over, but would turn all the electrics on. Never experienced a jump not working.

I did get a recommendation from a knowledgable garage to put a 4.3 amp charger on it for a day or two to see what happens. I'll probably give that a go next weekend.

 

Hope it works out with the 4.3A charger. Or throw in the DieHard battery and see. Let us know how it turns out.

 

Update.

Finally got back to the car...another couple of weeks sitting there dead could not have helped the situation. Hooked up the 4.3 charger, went back 15 hours later and the charger was only indicating a 3 on the 8 point scale (instructions indicate you need at least a 4 for a start)....turned the key, hit the button, and voila it started!

Gotta say this was a good surprise...I was pretty much convinced this step was just part of the process of confirming the battery was kaput before calling the tow truck. Happy days.

 

I think I will let the dealer install a new battery when necessary. I say that knowing how quirky Ferrari electrical systems can be...

 

Just make sure to bring in a good aftermarket battery for the dealer to install instead of using another oem battery.

 

So did you have an aftermarket battery installed?

 

+1

OEM battery is garbage.

 

I just ordered the Varta Silver in the spec reported above which is the exact same one that appeared for the car when input F12 in Varta and Eurocar parts. Fingers crossed it's a fit indeed and I can strop stressing if the car is not on trickle charger for more than 2 days.

 

.......its easy to get to the stage of getting ready to remove battery..very hard to do this bit though...."Remove the battery from the battery mount, tipping to facilitate the operation "......i even made a special metal grab tool that grabs the battery up by hooking in under the edge, but the stupid FIAMM battery is huge, i cant wrestle it out yet, has anyone successfully wrestled it out ? any tips ? maybe tear off the heat shielding around battery to free it up more ? on LHD cars, the power steering reservoir is on the other side of the car, and so does not have to be removed....

 

Which battery for the GTC4Lusso V12?

 

successfully removed mine. definitely a nightmare of a job.

 

12v 95ah L5 AGM 850a EN---->>Lusso V12 battery

 

having hundreds of vehicles in our company fleet, the lusso is the most difficult battery change ived ever had, took 3 people to lift it up

 

Great news. Hernias all around

 

The 95 Ahr 850 cca Fiamm AGM battery that came out weighs 23 kg and you have to wriggle it out bent over with the bonnet totally on the way... I made a special tool out of a bit of metal 8 inch long, so I could lift it out standing straight, on my own, by hooking it into the upper body, that way you avoid a guaranteed Hernia...

 

Putting in a Bosch S5 95 Ahr 850 CCA AGM.. it's the same as the Varta Silver. My stock FIAMM battery did last 6 yrs I noted.

 

Could you post a photo of your custom tool as a reference. Joe

 

6 years?!...That has to be a record for the oem battery. I have read that F12 is even worse than FF/GTC4. For FF, taking it out is still not too bad. Putting it in wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the heatshield plus that drainage button at the bottom. Of course, the entire ordeal would have been a non-issue if that plastic cave around it can be easily removed. Next time, will likely pay the dealer to do it. It makes no financial sense for me to spend 4+ hours plus the risk of hernia and injury to tackle that again...not to mention the sore upper body for nearly a week afterward.

Yes, definitely would love to see what that custom tool looks like.

 

I changed mine at around the six year mark. Removing the plastic bits was simple. Getting it past the vapor breather tube flange as you point out and replacing the breather tube that connects to it and extends out the bottom of the car took over a month for the part.

 

A pic after battery out. Loosen air insert box over battery, allows battery removal
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