Ever Disconnect Your Battery as Maintenance
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
Nope. If anything I'd be worried that it might lose something it learned, if they didn't get pushed to non-volatile memory (didn't want to wear out EEPROM cells with excessive writing). Not that it shouldn't handle this, but why have the car relearn?
I could see how this might work for certain models, but as a rule, I don't see how it'd be wise. But I don't see how it'd be "bad" either. Just not worth the effort.
I could see how this might work for certain models, but as a rule, I don't see how it'd be wise. But I don't see how it'd be "bad" either. Just not worth the effort.
Oh no, never! If I do that there is a long procedure to get a lot of things up and running eg memory seats and mirrors, anti pinch, clock, radio code and settings, single or dual zone, locking sequence, speed radio volume, etc.
I do just the opposite I use a memory saver when changing the battery. The only thing you are doing is forcing the ecm, tcm and other modules to relearn which they update anyway as the car is driven. It is really waste of time to do this for no reason.
I do just the opposite I use a memory saver when changing the battery. The only thing you are doing is forcing the ecm, tcm and other modules to relearn which they update anyway as the car is driven. It is really waste of time to do this for no reason.
This. ☝
Hint don't do this on a BMW.
Only time the battery gets disconnect is when it's changed out or every year or do to clean the tray, terminals and the battery itself.
On old "dumb" cars I usually disconnect in anticipation of a long time of sitting, but it's probably irrelevant since there's nothing there to draw power anyway.
I've swallowed my pride with the last few new car swaps I've done(save for a sort of emergency on my MKZ where I didn't have time to do anything else) and had it done at places that use one of the memory maintainers just since I don't want to deal with the headache of relearning idle, resetting everything, and whatever else. From what I've seen, most American and Japanese cars don't get too out of whack from losing power(other than, again, having to set up everything from scratch), but as mentioned above you're probably in for a bad time and a dealer trip to get a lot of German cars to behave after killing power.
I've swallowed my pride with the last few new car swaps I've done(save for a sort of emergency on my MKZ where I didn't have time to do anything else) and had it done at places that use one of the memory maintainers just since I don't want to deal with the headache of relearning idle, resetting everything, and whatever else. From what I've seen, most American and Japanese cars don't get too out of whack from losing power(other than, again, having to set up everything from scratch), but as mentioned above you're probably in for a bad time and a dealer trip to get a lot of German cars to behave after killing power.
I do this about once a year. When I had my Ford Ranger, there was an improvement after enough time had elapsed. On my current truck, a s10, it dosen't seem to make any difference.
Terrible idea on some cars. Creates all sorts of problems.
E.G. have to reset: windows, sun roof, steering angle sensor, and other systems on my W220 Mercedes. Two pages of the owners manual is dedicated to reset procedures following a dead battery. The dealership hooks up a battery maintainer to change a battery to prevent all these problems.
The car remembers all the stored adaptations, so you’ve “cleared” nothing....but you’ve managed to make a mess.
E.G. have to reset: windows, sun roof, steering angle sensor, and other systems on my W220 Mercedes. Two pages of the owners manual is dedicated to reset procedures following a dead battery. The dealership hooks up a battery maintainer to change a battery to prevent all these problems.
The car remembers all the stored adaptations, so you’ve “cleared” nothing....but you’ve managed to make a mess.
I need to leave my BMW X1 for a few months so I disconnect. Since I bought it with no add ones except M Sport, all I have to reset is clock....no big deal. Battery still works after over 7 years. I caught on early that battery can barely be charged when I put on ScangaugeII, aNd it was always charging at 14.5 or so. Also, I just discovered that Scangauge connected will run battery down quicker, so I started disconnecting, and can leave for maybe a week or so. I have a CTEK MXS 5.0 and BMK 2A 4A 8A smart charger....both are good for the AGM battery. I don't even have power so use friends electricity when I visit. When I leave disconnected for 3 or 4 months battery is still perfectly charged. I found some codes with my Foxwell NE510 (highly recommended) from disconnecting, but they don't hurt the computer.
Only when I need a new battery which is about 3 or 4 years.
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- Dec 28, 2014
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I wouldn’t do this unless I had to, even then I’d throw a memory saver on the data link connector.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to cal the dealer for a radio code on a Honda, or had a Volvo‘s entire dash go blank. Then the transmission has to “relearn” it’s shift points based on wear and driving tendencies. I just don’t see any benefit at all on a car that was built 2010 or newer.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to cal the dealer for a radio code on a Honda, or had a Volvo‘s entire dash go blank. Then the transmission has to “relearn” it’s shift points based on wear and driving tendencies. I just don’t see any benefit at all on a car that was built 2010 or newer.
I had a 1992 Mitsubishi that got a new battery. The transmission and some other functions had to be reset and learned again.
None of them have auto-up/down windows ? Seat memory positions ? Radio station memory ?
Not really...
Though I do like to pull my battery out and bring it inside to charge it every 3-4 months. I don't have a garage and I don't have a extension cord. Only way to do it. But I don't mind it either. The alternator on my car like many does not recharge the battery like it should. Always having security running and other ECM functions running does slowly draw down battery charge status over time. I do take rather long 2-4 hour drives weekly and that does not do but so much good.
I have never done that. I put my truck that is rarely driven on a trickle charger every weekend to keep it fully charged.
