Problems with the battery/ISG

Biscuitmonster · **August 18, 2014, 12:45:36**

Hi all,
I am new to this forum - so hello! I have an i30 that is about 18 months old

Anyway, I am having problems with the stop-start despite doing everything suggested on various internetposts. We bought the car mid January, and in these 7 months the stop-start has worked twice, with the message "autostop deactivated" appearing the rest of the time.

The car does a lot of mileage, so it is not just a short run car - it does at least two 30 mile trips a day, some days this will be two 60 mile trips - and some weekends it will be two 200 mile trips. It gets filled with diesel whenever it runs low, has been serviced, and is run with or without the air conditioning depending on the weather.

I thought that there may be a problem with the battery and took it to the garage earlier this week, and they called to say the reason it was not working was because it had dropped below 95% battery charge, and would therefore need charging overnight with the doors unlocked.

I asked repeatedly why the battery evidently is never getting above this 95% charge threshold, but didn't get anywhere; when I went to collect the car the following day I asked again and was told that the battery does not continually charge when the engine is running as traditional batteries do and that to charge the battery I would have to drive with the air conditioning or the headlights on etc. and that without this, even a 400 mile trip to France wouldn't charge it. I stated that we often drive with air conditioning on - but this still has never made the stop-start work but didn't get an answer to why. I suggested that maybe the battery was not charging as it should - but this was dismissed and honestly, whilst being an engineer, I do not work with batteries, so I am not familiar with the modern ones (although I have read that Blue Drive batteries charge only when going downhill and when the engine was producing surplus power).

Anyway, I drove away from the garage in my freshly charged car, and it still did not work!

I just wondered if anyone had any opinions as to what was going on here. The garage told me that there was nothing I could do to make sure the battery stayed charged...but I find this hard to believe - how would anyone ever be able to use the technology? And anyway, it still wouldn't work after an overnight charge.

Sorry for such a long post - I am just frustrated as the garage haven't answered any of my questions or concerns (or solved the problem!)

Thank you in advance

eye30 · **Reply #1: August 18, 2014, 15:50:30**

Hi and welcome.

I don't have blue drive but several do and this has been discussed on here.

Have you tried the search function?

Is there another hy dealers/authorised service centre you could try as it has been found that knowledge/experience between garages can differ.

Biscuitmonster · **Reply #2: August 18, 2014, 16:11:34**

Hi there,

Thank you for the reply

I have searched through this and other forums, and I am finding that typically those who either drive in low temperatures, do small mileage or never go downhill (!) cannot get on with the ISG; and that others with problems can typically link this back to the battery not holding charge - which does seem to be an issue with the Blue Drive.

However, the garage claim that they have tested the battery and that it is fine, although they did say when I took it to the garage that it was not charged, and after a full nights charge the ISG still wouldn't work - if this was because of the battery not having enough charge then I am beginning to assume that the battery is not holding its charge as it should.

I think I will take it to a more local garage - we took it to one we bought the car from, which is further away, but I am not sure I will be going back...even if they have sold a car with a faulty battery! It should still be under warranty, I need to check how long the warranty on the batteries lasts for. Anyway, I was just hoping for some opinions, so I have a bit more information before approaching a garage again!

asathorny · **Reply #3: August 18, 2014, 16:11:47**

I would say that there is defo something wrong !!!!!!!

Although long distance diagnosis is not possible.

eye30 · **Reply #4: August 18, 2014, 16:39:47**

The service book details warranty periods but if you have reported it then it is from the first report you stop time especially if it is still ongoing

Shambles · **Reply #5: August 18, 2014, 17:35:17**

Although it doesn't help, nor is it any comfort, but I wish I could turn off my ISG permanently. It's a right royal pain in the ass, to me, remembering to hit the "off" button when I've started the engine.

AlanHo · **Reply #6: August 18, 2014, 20:30:13**

Where are you located - if in Europe your car will have a DPF. Failure of this to regenerate will stop the ISG from operating and you get the ISG deactivated warning.

However - if you are in Australia - you will not have a DPF and must look elsewhere.

At 18 months old, your car is still under warranty and your Hyundai dealer has an obligation to fix the problem - if this fails - contact your Hyundai head office customer services and complain.

Biscuitmonster · **Reply #7: August 18, 2014, 21:11:56**

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all the replies

I had wondered about the DPF (my brother just had his changed and it got me thinking!) - I am in the Uk by the way (it should show on my profile now!)

The battery still has 6 months left on it's warranty, so I think I'll take it to a different garage to be checked and replaced if needed. I'll get the DPF looked at too! No warning lights have come up to suggest it is by regenerating; but I'm not sure if they would do unless it was really full?

Thank you again - I'll keep you posted

AlanHo · **Reply #8: August 18, 2014, 22:22:58**

I think you might be the first person on this forum to report a DPF change - was it on a Hyundai car - if so what model, what age, what mileage.

Was the work done under warranty - if not at what cost.

Biscuitmonster · **Reply #9: August 18, 2014, 22:32:25**

It was a Ford Kuga - not sure how old though, but it was about £800...just finding out age and mileage!

AlanHo · **Reply #10: August 18, 2014, 22:50:04**

Ford use a different type of DPF - it requires a fluid additive which is mixed with the fuel. This type of DPF is cheaper but is prone to deteriorate. Ford usually specify that the DPF must be replaced at 75,000 mile intervals. Hyundai specify no limit.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #11: August 18, 2014, 22:56:18**

Firstly, the place where you bought the car will ALWAYS tell you the battery is fine.

According to Alan the DPF regenerates every 200 miles as it sees fit and according to a given set of parameters. The only way to tell is an increase in instantaneous fuel consumption for the DPF cleaning period, then a return to "normal". Have you noticed this happening.

I don't own ISG, but doubt there are any battery issues with your vehicle. I assume you are in neutral when stopped and that the other requirements for ISG to operate have been met and ISG is turned on.

Dazzler · **Reply #12: August 18, 2014, 23:05:10**

biscuitmonster I wouldn't be too stressed about stop start not functioning. I know you paid for this function, but apparently it doesn't make a very big difference to economy in the i30 diesel. As you say, there are an awful lot of conditions in which it doesn't work.

I like the function in my Toyota Hybrid, but it works seamlessly and at almost every stop... (different system and parameters)

AlanHo · **Reply #13: August 19, 2014, 10:50:37**

I wonder whether one of the sensors for determining when the DPF needs regenerating is faulty, and the car is stuck in constant regen mode. This would stop the ISG from working and show up as poor fuel economy.

tohis · **Reply #14: August 19, 2014, 19:04:19**

In Finnish forums I have read about a case where the ISG in someone's Kia Cee'd didn't work, and they finally fixed it by replacing the battery temperature/voltage sensor. He was told that it was showing temperatures like -40, so no wonder it wasn't working.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #15: August 19, 2014, 23:34:08**

The only fix is to have the ISG / DPF systems fully checked, to see if any sensors are faulty.

Andyc1609 · **Reply #16: August 24, 2014, 09:39:24**

Hi, I has exactly the same problem when we bought my wife's i30 2012 in the UK. The ISG would never work, I contacted Hyundai and they gave me all sorts of rubbish about different conditions needed for it to operate.
I knew this wasn't the case as I had one of these cars myself and ISG was working fine.
Hyundai did tests on car including charging battery over night but to no avail. The battery was found to be weak and not capable of holding enough charge to work ISG. Battery was changed under warranty and all has been fine ever since. It's nothing to do with your DPF as other people suggest, you just need a new battery, also be aware a new batt needs sync to the car which takes approx 4 hrs. Don't be fobbed off by the dealer !!

Phil №❶ · **Reply #17: August 24, 2014, 09:49:04**

@Andy1609, Whilst that may have been the solution to your particular problem, it would be inadvisable to assume that is always the problem. The conditions in which ISG operates are not "rubbish" they are a set of pre determined requirements that MUST be met before ISG will operate, including DPF status. All this needs proper testing at a Hy dealership.

Andyc1609 · **Reply #18: August 24, 2014, 16:47:34**

I realise the requirements for the ISG to operate - but if your not careful the dealer will fob you off saying the car isn't reaching those requirements - that's what happened in my case, I knew that wasn't the issue as we have two of these cars and the other one was working fine, as soon as I forced the dealer to take my car, they found a problem with my battery, replaced it and all was sorted. What I was referring to is Don't be fobbed off by dealers talking rubbish, if it's under warranty then make them sort it.

Mike SX · **Reply #19: August 24, 2014, 19:00:53**

A simple check would have been to swap the batteries - assuming they were identical vehicles, and being used in an identical manner

If so, no need for discussions over detailed ISG operational requirements, the dealer should sort it, not the customer

Phil №❶ · **Reply #20: August 24, 2014, 22:22:30**

Doesn't say much for ISG & battery compatibility, long term, does it. If ISG stops, you go to HY & get a free battery replacement every 2 years.

Dazzler · **Reply #21: August 24, 2014, 22:22:56**

Quote from: Andyc1609 on August 24, 2014, 16:47:34

I realise the requirements for the ISG to operate - but if your not careful the dealer will fob you off saying the car isn't reaching those requirements - that's what happened in my case, I knew that wasn't the issue as we have two of these cars and the other one was working fine, as soon as I forced the dealer to take my car, they found a problem with my battery, replaced it and all was sorted. What I was referring to is Don't be fobbed off by dealers talking rubbish, if it's under warranty then make them sort it.

Fair call, my pet hate is being fobbed off!

Andyc1609 · **Reply #22: August 24, 2014, 22:50:36**

Quote from: Mike SX on August 24, 2014, 19:00:53

A simple check would have been to swap the batteries - assuming they were identical vehicles, and being used in an identical manner
If so, no need for discussions over detailed ISG operational requirements, the dealer should sort it, not the customer

Not so simple just to swap batteries, on cars with ISG the batteries are Glass Mat Tech type which means they need to be sync to the car using software which takes 4 hrs

Andyc1609 · **Reply #23: August 24, 2014, 22:56:13**

Quote from: Phil №❶ on August 24, 2014, 22:22:30

Doesn't say much for ISG & battery compatibility, long term, does it. If ISG stops, you go to HY & get a free battery replacement every 2 years.

I totally agree, my wife's car was less than 1 yr old when battery needed replacing, with 6000 on the clock. The battery actually started and ran the car fine, no indications it was week except for the ISG not working, so yes I'm am slightly worried about it happening again when out if warranty !