Does anyone know if the Durametric unit is capable of registering a new AGM battery in a Macan?

 

Answering my own question by sharing this feedback from tech supporter Owen at Durametric: "The Durametric tool will clear the service reminders of the car (including oil service, among other capabilities), but does not support the battery registration. The battery registration function may be added to the tool in a future release of the software, but no dates have been set."

Good to know that the Durametric product is evolving to meet the needs of Macan owners. :laugh:

 

My two cents worth:

I have a 2015 Macan S, I live in Canada, so I get some pretty cold soak days (it lives outside). Battery was fine, until I had a Blackvue DR-750S dashcam system installed (by my Porsche dealer!) - shortly after, I noticed small electrical problems, and the 4-year old battery would never reach full charge. After investigation, and many trips to the dealer, the BV had killed off the battery, which ended up in me getting a free replacement (105 AH), as the dealer was responsible. Turns out, the BV, even with the power management module, will drain the battery if used in park mode. That is probably why Porsche does not endorse any dashcams. After removing the dashcam, my battery has shown no issues, even after a cold soak at -27 degrees C.

Larry

 

My two cents worth:

I have a 2015 Macan S, I live in Canada, so I get some pretty cold soak days (it lives outside). Battery was fine, until I had a Blackvue DR-750S dashcam system installed (by my Porsche dealer!) - shortly after, I noticed small electrical problems, and the 4-year old battery would never reach full charge. After investigation, and many trips to the dealer, the BV had killed off the battery, which ended up in me getting a free replacement (105 AH), as the dealer was responsible. Turns out, the BV, even with the power management module, will drain the battery if used in park mode. That is probably why Porsche does not endorse any dashcams. After removing the dashcam, my battery has shown no issues, even after a cold soak at -27 degrees C.
Larry

Interesting that this happened, is it a 'problem' with the BV itself?

I use the Thinkware and initially set the unit to shut off based on the voltage and didn't have a battery drain to dead problem. Regardless, I was still worried that this might happen, so I installed BlackVue Battery Pack. Works great.

 

FWIW:
- I DO HAVE to get my teeth cleaned every 6 months! Decades of experience. Chemical makeup of saliva is genetic.

- I DON'T change my oil every 3,000 miles, on any vehicle I've ever owned... but "YMMV"
- I DON'T buy a new battery every 3 years, I buy when it's dead (or near-death). Not a good plan unless one is in a multi-car family. 0

 

Not at all difficult to find an H8 AGM battery as stated above. I would guess that Autozone and Advanced Auto simply don’t list the Macan yet as very few Macans have needed new batteries to date, and most of those have been covered under warranty. It’s easy to verify that the H8 is correct by comparing specs including capacity, dimensions and terminal position.

For any DIY’ers the video above shows just how easy the job is. When I changed the battery in my ex’s Cayenne it was straightforward as can be. If I had known at the time the tools to register a new battery were so cheap I would have bought one. Had a local indy register it for me. Took him 10 minutes and he charged $50. He did not even need to pull the Cayenne into the shop.

It is imperative to register a new battery on the Macan, the same as newer Porsches, Audi’s and BMW’s. The vehicles employ different charging strategies depending on the capacity, type and age of the battery.

I don’t see the logic of paying a dealer $600 or $700 when the equivalent battery can be purchased for under $200 and the installation is so easy. And the batteries available at Pep Boys, Autozone and Advanced Auto have better warranties versus the one your dealer will sell you.

Last but not least you might be very surprised how few wet cell battery manufacuring plants there are remaining in North America, especially due to the EPA issues. You might be surprised how many different brands are made at the same plants.

 

I've always bought batteries elsewhere.

I about fell out when I called Porsche about replacing my Cayman battery the first time. The SA told me there was a battery carried at Walmart of all places that was nearly identical, minus the logo. I didn't care to go all the way over to Walmart, so I shopped around and found one at Autozone down the street with actually more cranking power and a warranty.

 

Larry, I’m curious about your decision to move from an S to a Turbo. One of my friends has an S, but she wants more power and additional options that are missing on her car. She is between a GTS and a Turbo and I have been helping her shop. Curious why you decided on a Turbo being in a similar situation.

 

Back to the subject at hand. Say you're in East Awfulgosh, Nowhere. Can a battery of the proper size and type be successfully installed and the vehicle made operable but registered at a later time?

 

I plan on preserving my battery....
I leave the car for 3-4 months at a time

I use a tender.
There is no easy way to hard wire it - it seems.

The Macan battery is in the rear, under the spare.

Dealer suggested that $550 would be the install... 2 hrs
My local Indy did it in an hour for $130.

If you think the Porsche batteries are troublesome - try the FM Club.
The dealer claims many arrive dead flat off the boat.

 

I plan on preserving my battery....
I leave the car for 3-4 months at a time

I use a tender.
There is no easy way to hard wire it - it seems.

The Macan battery is in the rear, under the spare.

Buy something like this and attach it to the positive and negative posts that are under the hood. Works fine for me.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/dbt081=0069=6

 

Thanks
I have those but I wanted a permanent installation

I use a solar panel trickle charger so really want the hookup for inside the car.

I have it now in the back area with enough cord to put outside if I need it.
Otherwise, my cover has been configured with a clear panel on the windshield for the solar panel

All self enclosed.

 

Can someone explain what the current load is on a battery while the car is parked. Also how long can a Macan be parked without a tender and maintain a sufficient charge to start the car?

 

I'll take a stab, although this is a sort of open-ended essay question (as they used to say in high school).

- A parked car may draw current for a clock (up to a point on the Macan analog ones), radio pre-sets, alarm functions, and suchlike -- devices that preserve state or are actually running when the engine's off. To eliminate all of that, you could disconnect the cables from the battery posts (and auto-parts stores sell special post connectors with a big switch built in, to accomplish just that without the need for a wrench).

- "... sufficient to start ..." would depend on the health, age, and charge of the battery beforehand, on the battery side. On the car side, the state of tune of the engine, the oil viscosity, and the ambient temp when it's about to be started come to mind as factors affecting this. With a good battery and nothing wrong with the car and nice warm weather, you could probably go for months and be able to start it, not using a smart charger.

Out Macan is a daily driver, so beyond leaving it for a week or so several times while on vacation I have no practical experience with respect to your question. But I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who do have such long-term, long-idle, experience.

 

I am wondering if anyone on this forum has actually replaced their Macan's original battery other than at a Porsche dealership. The OE Porsche battery is a Varta AGM 12V 92Ah 520A DIN. I have seen what I think are exorbitant charges for replacement at Porsche dealerships. Contrary to what some are saying, I believe that AGM batteries, being completely sealed and presenting little or no hazard of acid spills, may be shipped. Sunset Porsche seems to have about the lowest price I have seen at $331.

Varta does not seem to sell batteries in North America other than through dealerships. So, following a little research, I think I found another possible source for our batteries. Interstate sells an MTX-49H8 that is AGM and seems to be a direct replacement for our Varta batteries except that it is rated at 95Ah instead of the Varta's 92Ah, a minor difference. The case dimensions are identical. The price at my local Interstate shop is $203, a substantially less amount than the dealership prices. They have them in stock.

So, here is a potential problem: viewing YouTube videos of Varta installations, the hangup may be in "registering" a non-Varta battery. The registration appears to be done using the Porsche PIWIS unit and requires inputing a serial number from the new battery to complete the process.

Anyone have any experience or learned advice about this?

 

...Interstate sells an MTX-49H8 that is AGM and seems to be a direct replacement for our Varta batteries except that it is rated at 95Ah instead of the Varta's 92Ah, a minor difference. The case dimensions are identical. The price at my local Interstate shop is $203, a substantially less amount than the dealership prices. They have them in stock.

So, here is a potential problem: viewing YouTube videos of Varta installations, the hangup may be in "registering" a non-Varta battery. The registration appears to be done using the Porsche PIWIS unit and requires inputing a serial number from the new battery to complete the process.

Anyone have any experience or learned advice about this?

I have this same question. Interstate is an excellent brand of car battery. 95Ah is better than 92 Ah.
It would almost certainly be a good fit, even if the Bottom of the battery case lacked the same lip as on the OEM Varta to secure it, I'm fairly certain the top strap or metal bar would suffice.

The big question remains, how do you register it?

I've asked the following question in several threads w/o a reply:

If you hook up a CTEK battery maintainer, b4 you swap battery, the car will not be w/o power.
So, maybe you can "fool" the computer & it will not "know" that the battery has been changed & there will be no reason to register?

But maybe the computer will not properly charge or maintain the new battery since it thinks it is a 4-5 year old Varta 92Ah while it really is a brand new Interstate 95Ah?

Does the computer really adjust charging voltage or anything else based on age of the battery or Ah?

I recall seeing a 105Ah replacement for the Macan which might be nice if you can be assured there is no issue.

 

1. I don't use engine start/stop feature so that's better for the battery and driving. LOL
BTW, my 4-year old OEM battery is like new at 14.7v.

2. If you don't register the new battery, it probably won't harm the new battery except for maybe undercharging. That's ok with me if I can change it at a fraction of the cost dealer charges.

 

Registering The Battery

There are some things to do yourself - other things need a specialist.
Any good Porsche mechanic (Indy) will answer the registration question.
May not need a dealer

Never be afraid to ask -- and defer to a higher power

 

No, battery registration does not need to be done by a dealer. But it does require a proper scanner. Same for BMWs.

 

Macan GTS 2017 model 72,500km in 3 years and I haven’t had any battery issue yet, knock on the wood but I’ll get it checked next time I go to the dealer and I’ll keep you guys posted.

 

Well.... as a follow up to my earlier posts....

The results... a failure - was my experiment

-------------------------------------------------------------

Soooo
as I posted earlier, I bought a 2016 'S' in February...

Car had just 4,300 miles and was an early 2016.... off lease late 2018 after 3 yrs

I only drove it a week... then parked it w/ a solar charger until yesterday.... 2 mos +/- and a bit

DEAD BATTERY!!!!

The Roadside boys were there in 1/2 hour , jumped the car and I went to the dealer.
Excellent service

VERDICT
battery cannot be revived.
after almost 4 yrs in service and so few miles it has not had an easy life (dealer talking)

1/ not enough miles driven to keep battery up to snuff
2/ straight old age factor
3/ solar trickle charger not providing enough juice in cold weather - just barely keeping
not really charging - during my storage period

My Maserati had electrical issues which translate to battery issues.... big time
Some Ferrari and Maserati batteries are DOA arriving in the USA... F-M dealer told me

Porsche Tech also said there is a HUGE difference between a locked & unlocked car in battery draw....
Lock it every time !! Severe reduction... never zero (as we all know)

Sooo- again.
New AGM battery $500 + about $300 for all the diagnostics

They will also upgrade my radio software.

Luckily for me- the dealer is right around the corner
I am a big fan of Indy's... but realize a dealer can be a necessity

I'm thinking I should have stuck with my bulletproof Grand Cherokee
Big Hemi (indestructible)...bigger Lithium battery under the passenger seat

I trickled it for 4-5-6 mos and it fired every time for 6 yrs... same trickler

Always lock, always trickle
Tech said 2 weeks might be the tops... he couldn't really say

I might be a seller.....

Like women- if they're too fussy.... move on - move out
no matter how pretty they are
hahaha

 

...
Porsche Tech also said there is a HUGE difference between a locked & unlocked car in battery draw....
Lock it every time !! Severe reduction... never zero (as we all know)
...

First of all, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.

Second, maybe I missed this along the way: are you (and possibly others) saying that the car draws less juice when it's locked (as opposed to being left unlocked)? If so, I had no idea this was the case.

When my wife and I fly someplace for a week or so, we leave the Macan UNlocked in the (locked) garage, take the Camry to the cheap terminal-shuttle lot, and leave that car locked in the lot for a week. Are you saying that it would be less taxing on the Macan's battery if we were to lock it during those weeks (not that we've ever had a problem when we came back)? Should we lock the car overnight, while it's in the garage, to be kind to the battery?

 

maybe I missed this along the way: are you (and possibly others) saying that the car draws less juice when it's locked (as opposed to being left unlocked)? If so, I had no idea this was the case.

Always lock the car. That way, it goes to sleep after a certain time. If not locked, it doesn't sleep.

 

Always lock the car. That way, it goes to sleep after a certain time. If not locked, it doesn't sleep.

Hmm, I had not thought of that scenario, but I have a question about what is "active" when the car (any car) is locked? The little LEDs that blink, I guess, and the alarm being "armed"? Might help if 360 cameras were on some kind of a motion sensor.
Again, just wondering what is drawing current

 

Yes.... per grim.... always lock... i never do in my driveway.
But today's advice was - lock to save / shut down the draw.

 

Yes... I too - stood to attention when I heard that today - an AHA moment

I knew when I bought this low miles car that there would be some problems
I didn't anticipate the battery - but was prepared for something.

Low miles/no use for 3 yrs creates issues too...
Medium is better perhaps
but we all sucker for the 'cream puff'

Not really a problem... I'm not in deep here....
Traded right - bought right

I expect I could out almost even.....
and I might look for the exit

First, I'll look to rent a garage !!!!

 

Just lock the car. I lock my Macan in my own garage as soon as I get home and I don’t have any fancy electronic stuff like the Entry & Go, etc.

So far 4 years and 35k miles later the OEM battery is still going strong.

 

Much as I appreciate reading your posts on the forum: nope, not doing it, until and unless someone provides evidence that raises this above urban-legend status.

My wife and I leave our fobs in the designated basket in the kitchen, and it's just too handy to leave the car unlocked in the garage. Maybe we're returning some canvas grocery bags to the back of the car when we're about to do something else in the garage, or messing with the hatch area for other reasons, or need to get or put something in the back seat, etc.

 

I always lock mine too, including garage, 4 1/2 years and 62k miles on the original battery.

 

The only upside to my battery failure is that I now know how to use the emergency key to enter the car.

Driver's door..... hold latch open and fumble underneath to find the keyhole

Remove the plastic plug - insert emergency key (from your fob) and twist forward.

 

1. Why won’t a new battery register/code to the ECU?
a). It meets all requirements, e.g., AGM, AH, CCA, size, etc.
b.) It does not generate any battery faults, warnings or messages
c.) It starts, drives & all electrical options work normally
d.) It eliminated original battery issues

2. How is the ECU affected by a new battery not registered/coded to ECU?

The aftermarket battery was installed because I was far away from a dealership & it was necessary to return home.

 

The aftermarket battery was installed because I was far away from a dealership & it was necessary to return home.

@notmac1 The battery has to talk to PIWIS. It needs to know who made it, serial number, capacity, etc to change its maps so it charges correctly.

 

My understanding is part of registration of the battery sets the way the system charges. By registering the battery it will last longer due to proper charging. This is most important on AGM batteries.

In your case all may be well but the life expectancy of the battery may be diminished. You do need to go to the dealer to register the battery I don’t believe any auto parts stores would have the proper tool to do this.

 

OP, I think this will interest you.

The need to "register" or "code" a new battery is not unique to Porsche. Had to do it on my 9 year old X5 when replacing the battery.

As you can see in the video, you do not have to go to the dealer for this, but unfortunately the Autel unit shown in the video costs about $1000. I would think any indy European specialist would have the tool needed, and I would expect them to do it for something like $50 given that it takes about 10 minutes.

Also, if I recall correctly another forum member posted that some of the much less expensive Autel models have the capability.

There has been considerable discussion on this in the past that you should be able to find using the Search feature.

 

I would still like to know if anyone "fooled" the Macan computer when DIY swapping battery so they did not need to program the new battery into the system.

If you hook up a CTEK battery charger/maintainer to the A/C power outlet (Or to the under hood jump start terminals) & then disconnect the old battery, The system should still have 12V power, right? All computer systems will not be w/o power.
Then you hook up the new battery & then disconnect the CTEK.

So the Macan computer will never "know" that the battery had been changed.

Can anyone suggest a problem with this idea?

Ideally you'd swap the same spec battery but that may not be possible in the U.S.
So, if the old 92Ah battery suddenly is only 90Ah or 105Ah, will this really matter?

 

You DO want the car to know it has a new battery as it varies the charging strategy based on the age of the battery as well as the capacity of the battery. I've never heard anyone say if you don't do this it will hurt the car, but that it will merely shorten the life of the new battery as it will not be optimally charged.

I guess someone might argue it would be easier to just have to replace your battery more often versus being bothered with this, and I don't know the answer. Perhaps if it only reduces battery life by 10%, it might make sense? But if it reduces battery life by 50%, obviously not something you want to do.

I've never seen anything stating how much battery life might be reduced, but personally I'm not interested in experimenting as I don't have a thorough enough understanding. Not sure if there are risks to chronically overcharging the battery, and I assume that chronically undercharging a battery could leave you with a battery not having enough power to start the car on the coldest mornings of the year.

 

BTW, Sonnen Porsche now shows both Macan batteries "not for sale"
WTF does That imply?

https://www.sonnenporscheoemparts.com/v-2018-porsche-macan--gts--3-0l-v6-gas/electrical--battery

 

Might it merely mean they will not ship them?

 

May need a "BEM code"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=IJAScg6JrYI

Also:

https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-macan/1129861-macan-s-battery-replacement.html

I think you DO use the CTEK anyway, when disconnecting the old battery but that does NOT eliminate the need to register the new battery... using some equipment!