Check out this AAA scamming attempt

[SC Maintenance]

For some perspective the larger AGM batteries new cost around $250+ alone, unless buying from Walmart, Costco or Sams. I always keep my battery on a trickle charger while parked in the garage for a week or longer. Seems all newer cars have a parasitic draw that will eventually deplete the battery. (They should be able to go into sleep mode automatically or manually; perhaps on some vehicles they do?) No idea how long they can last without the trickle charger but the AGM H8 49 in my 2016 Beemer still has the original Varta AGM battery but is starting to show signs it's getting tired with the first start of the day on cold mornings.

I see no discharging of the smaller AGM on my older Triumph motorcycle comfortably sitting for my wake-up call in the Spring.

I was doing a lengthy parasitic draw test our 2019 Rav4. It would go to sleep at about 15mA after about 30 minutes, however I happened to look at it and it was up to 200mA momentarily?? I reset the peak memory and left - came back - same thing. Turns out about every 10 minutes the current ramps to about 150-200mA for maybe 7 or 8 seconds, then immediately drops. I presume its the DCM pinging home. I may unplug the DCM completely - not sure why I still have it actaully.

 

[Bailey28]

We have had decent luck with AAA over many years. Their rates used to be comparable to just going to the store and installing the battery yourself so we did use them a few times to do the replacement for us. No problems. I can diagnose the issues well enough to know if I need a new battery or if the alternator is not charging.

The battery in our vehicle is a Group H7 850 CCA and is expensive to replace.
Expensive compared to the Group 75 side terminal battery in my El Camino which I got at Rural King for $59.

I know I left the lights on overnight. I found the switch turned to the parking light position AND told the AAA driver this. He knew from the start of this contact he was there only for a jump start.

Perhaps as stated above he was going to take our one year old battery and barter it or sell it to someone else after slapping a AAA sticker on it. I wouldn't put it past these folks.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

There is a big difference between an attempted upsell, and someone trying to scam you.

Yes about 2 microns!

 

[loneryder]

"Scam" worked with my Wife.

I opened her RDX hood to check the oil and a visual inspection after returning from working OCONUS. Saw a AAA labeled battery, instead of the Acura OEM battery I had installed prior to leaving OCONUS. Wife said AAA guy told her she needed a new battery. I suspect he resold her nearly brand new OEM Acura battery after.

My GF got a new AAA battery also but I couldn't argue because it was about 3 yrs old.

 

[HowAboutThis]

This isn't the worst scam out there, usually after a car battery is drained that much it never comes back. A lot of people would be fine having the battery replaced so they don't get stuck again or have to deal with going to a shop.

And to echo the above, what kind of a car doesn't cut battery power if something is left on? GM has had this feature for 30 years.

They lose capacity over time, especially after full drains, as I've understood it. AGM and deep cycle types are more resistant, but I believe it still negatively affects them. I think many new vehicles with stop start and all that use AGM's, but all that stuff is a battery killer. Fill up with gas, check the oil, and test the battery monthly is how I feel on my wife's car.

 

[LDB]

I was doing a lengthy parasitic draw test our 2019 Rav4. It would go to sleep at about 15mA after about 30 minutes, however I happened to look at it and it was up to 200mA momentarily?? I reset the peak memory and left - came back - same thing. Turns out about every 10 minutes the current ramps to about 150-200mA for maybe 7 or 8 seconds, then immediately drops. I presume its the DCM pinging home. I may unplug the DCM completely - not sure why I still have it actaully.

I'm either very non-mechanical, which I am, or still very asleep. What's a DCM?

 

[SC Maintenance]

I'm either very non-mechanical, which I am, or still very asleep. What's a DCM?

Sorry - Digital Communication Module. Its the stupid thing that connects to Toyota and tells them all about my driving - so they can sell it to whomever. They also want me to pay $9.99 a month so my app can connect to it and tell me when my tire is low.

Like I said I have no idea why I haven't cut its power cord yet.

 

[PhilloBeddow]

I had a battery die on my in a supermarket parking lot with absolutely no warning. Called AAA and their guy showed up in under an hour.

He tested the battery, declared it dead and replaced it there and then in the parking lot.

I mention it because he also told me AAA warranty their batteries for 5 years - free replacement or full refund (don’t remember which) in year 1, pro-rated refund years 2-5.

 

[John105]

I tend to agree with not a scam. The driver could have been a little more courteous, and stayed with OP 2-3 more days to make sure the old battery was fine, before the upsell I suppose.

Just joking but many of us have had inexplicable no start scenarios. But battery tested ok.

 

[Leo99]

I notice when my cars Auto STOP/START doesn't stop the engine, it's time to connect the smart battery charger.

I rarely drive my wife's car. When I drove it a few months ago, I asked her when did the stop/start stop working. She didn't even notice it not working. Put in a new Walmart battery and all is good again. Wife was a bit perturbed that if the car is smart enough to realize the battery is too weak for stop/start, why didn't it send a weak battery message

 

[SC Maintenance]

I notice when my cars Auto STOP/START doesn't stop the engine, it's time to connect the smart battery charger.

I had a 1996 oldsmobile that was hard on alternators. Just before the battery was completely dead the ABS light went off - I guess the ABS controller needed a certain amount of volts. There was no other warning. I carried a spare alternator in the trunk.

I guess Oldsmobile was ahead of its time.

 

[JHZR2]

I haven’t been the biggest fan of AAA in that their tow services timing is never right, by many, many hours. Only once did we need a jump and that was quicker. At the time they didn’t come around with/sell batteries. I kind of wish they had, as my car had a shorted cell so bad that the tow truck couldn’t provide the current to start it with the key, and needed to short the starter direct!

Having a battery could have helped diagnose and fixed the issue on the spot.

OP may have a one year old car, but most folks don’t. So most folks will have questionable batteries… changing it out is a good business opportunity, even if $$$.

The 180A comment is a little shady, in that you can’t really test a battery properly unless it is at full SOC, and obviously a just jumped battery isn’t. A lead acid battery spending much time below 100% is abusive - it induces sulfation. So it is going to be lower than nameplate. Question is how much lower.

 

[Hall]

Why would they think you would buy a battery for a one year old car. You could have simply gone to any dealer and got it replaced under warranty.

Could have been a Saturday morning and the nearest dealer wasn't open until Monday. They were traveling out of town so I doubt they wanted to sit at a dealer for hours on a Monday morning.

 

[LDB]

A one year old car may not be a one year old car. Or battery. I just bought a new to me Honda Ridgeline on Friday. It is a 2024 model. It was new, 31 miles on it. It is a 2 day old truck to me. It is a one year old truck based on model year. Built on 9/7/23 it is a one and a half year old truck. Getting a battery installed that was made prior to my truck my one year old truck may easily have a two year old battery.

So yes, it could definitely be scamming. And it could just as easily be Karening.

 

[tbm3fan]

I used AAA to tow me three times in 2024. Cougar with dead coil, 626 with slashed gas tank, and AMC that blew off the lower radiator hose. All three guys between 30-55 were very professional.

 

[i6pwr]

So you left your lights on draining the battery, he verified that you only have 180 amps capacity as a result, then he asked if you wanted a new battery & you thought it was a scam? I understand what you're saying but that's not a scam. Perhaps an opportunity for them to sell you a battery. It would've been a scam if you never drained your battery & there was nothing for them to see about the battery drainage. All that being said it would be a good idea to see what the meter shows but I don't doubt it simply due to your draining the battery the night before.

Wouldn't it be a possible outcome if a dead battery was just started and didn't have the capacity to flow high current immediately after startup?

I would think so.

How do you check the battery current by itself anyway with the alternator connected?