Jumped in my car today to blast down the highway to work. Turned the key and was greeted by the usual full complement of warning lights before cranking. Unsuspectingly I twitched the key, expecting the reassuring bark of 6 cylinders into life ready for my bidding.
But my widening eyes and disbelieving ears heard a chatter of failing relays and rapidly fading dash lights as my 4 year old battery decided enough and one or more cells parted company with the others.
Bugger.

Got a new one at $175 (non Mitsu), expensive but I was in a hurry.

However, I ran out of time and took the wife's car to work.

When I fit the new one tomorrow morning do I need to do the transmission learning procedure?

Jumped in my car today to blast down the highway to work. Turned the key and was greeted by the usual full complement of warning lights before cranking. Unsuspectingly I twitched the key, expecting the reassuring bark of 6 cylinders into life ready for my bidding.
But my widening eyes and disbelieving ears heard a chatter of failing relays and rapidly fading dash lights as my 4 year old battery decided enough and one or more cells parted company with the others.
Bugger.

Got a new one at $175 (non Mitsu), expensive but I was in a hurry.

However, I ran out of time and took the wife's car to work.

When I fit the new one tomorrow morning do I need to do the transmission learning procedure?

Shouldn't need to Richard. You can if you want to ease your mind, but just take it easy for a few days as the 2nd -> 3rd gearchange will likely flare for a while.

Edit: $175 for a battery, wowee! Is it gold plated? lol j/k mate. Batteries are funny things. We had a battery last 8 years in my fiances old Lancer.

You dont have to do the learning procedure, but it is recommended.

Disconnecting the battery does NOT effect transmission electronics!

No learning procedure necessary.

Cheers

OK, thanks for the replies.

Car is a bit harder to start, i.e. doesn't fire even tho cranking well, but hopefully that'll settle down.

Disconnecting the battery does NOT effect transmission electronics!

No learning procedure necessary.

Cheers

It must do something, because there are numerous reports of people that have tried this procedure to fix rough changes etc.

I tried it once because my car was shifting roughly from 3rd to 4th, after disconecting the battery and follwing the reset procedure, gear changes were noticeably smoother. No more rough changing from 3rd to 4th.

I agree that it wont reset the engine ECU, but from my experience it does something to the transmission ECU.

Out of interest, what makes you so certain that it does nothing?

Disconnecting the battery does NOT effect transmission electronics!

Read section 23A-17 of the workshop manual

"The use of EEPROM has enabled the A/T learned value to be retained even after the battery terminals are disconnected."

Also confirmed by the foreman at my local Mitsi dealership.

Cheers

haha I had a dead battery a few months ago and paid around the same amount for a battery.. it supposedly because they are the larger heavy duty ones. its odd how it starts fine one day and than poop that voltage is dipping below 10V. not sure about the transmission learning.. although mine is running pretty much the same.

No worries, that is the info I was after :happy:

I just get annoyed when people say it cant be done without providing any proof.

I was under the impression that a portion of the "learned driving style" was stored in the main ECU as well.

It definitely drove differently when I changed my battery.

Read section 23A-17 of the workshop manual

"The use of EEPROM has enabled the A/T learned value to be retained even after the battery terminals are disconnected."

Also confirmed by the foreman at my local Mitsi dealership.

Cheers

EEPROM
Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory

It is impossible for the learned value to be entered into the EEPROM because it is ROM (Read only Memory). The learned value must be entered into another form of memory as it is impossible for it to be entered into the EEPROM.

I assume the EEPROM retains information like default shift patterns etc, but the learned data will probably be entered into DRAM/SRAM. Meaning when the power is removed, the ECU will retain the default shift patterns, but your learned driving style will be erased.

The ECU will then have to re-learn your driving style and re-enter it into SRAM/DRAM.

So you are saying the workshop manual written by Mitsubishi is incorrect??

So you are saying the workshop manual written by Mitsubishi is incorrect??

In a way, yes. No data can be entered into the EEPROM because it is read only. Like I said, the EEPROM probably retains default values, but not your learned driving style.

For e.g. On your PC, the BIOS is stored in a EEPROM. You can configure your BIOS and save specific changes, but soon as the motherboard battery goes flat or is removed, the BIOS will return to default values.

Anyway, since driving yesterday, mostly highway, I haven't found any radical changes to shifting.

So others can be reassured, as Disciple said, no special procedures required after you change the battery. the only other thing of note was the car didn't reliably start until 3-4 starts so not sure what that was about. Maybe the ECU needed to adjust spark/timing from scratch for the engine which has now done over 100K.

Had a dead battery about six months ago. $110. so yep the $180 is high. Stuck it in and drove off . There was no noticable differance at all with the auto.
We pulled up at inlaws house and when we went to leave it was dead.

Seems that it will be something to look out for

I stopped today at a bookstore after a long Hwy run Nothing doing
Got back to the car and nothing no start no lights
tried again got lights so off went all electrical (ac, cd, charger)
Fired up but was really hessitant

was really strange has not done it again but I know the basttery is on the way out

Just have to wait for SCA to have another sale to replace it

does anyone have the battery size number etc

Seems that it will be something to look out for

I stopped today at a bookstore after a long Hwy run Nothing doing
Got back to the car and nothing no start no lights
tried again got lights so off went all electrical (ac, cd, charger)
Fired up but was really hessitant

was really strange has not done it again but I know the basttery is on the way out

Just have to wait for SCA to have another sale to replace it

does anyone have the battery size number etc

Best way is to take your old battery into a proper battery shop that know what they're doing. They'll get you a new one exactly the same as the old one. They'll dispose of the old one for you too for free.

Best way is to take your old battery into a proper battery shop that know what they're doing. They'll get you a new one exactly the same as the old one. They'll dispose of the old one for you too for free.


Sweet I forgot I have one just down the road and I can get one of those Dry cell units

Thanks Disciple

Sweet I forgot I have one just down the road and I can get one of those Dry cell units

Thanks Disciple

No probs. I have one just in town too.

Are you guys charging your batteries? Or are you saying the batteries die even with the routine charges.
I put mine on charge maybe twice a year and its still going fine so far. Original battery, about 3.5 years old.

Mines 3 years & 5 months old now so will probably die in the near future since 3 years seems about average.

Are you guys charging your batteries? Or are you saying the batteries die even with the routine charges.
I put mine on charge maybe twice a year and its still going fine so far. Original battery, about 3.5 years old.

The issue is the internal construction where due heat/cold cycling one or more cells inside the battery breaks a spot weld or becomes separated and the battery becomes an open circuit.

Mine literally broke down as I watched and went from full charge to 3 volts (it was checked later).

The issue is the internal construction where due heat/cold cycling one or more cells inside the battery breaks a spot weld or becomes separated and the battery becomes an open circuit.

Mine literally broke down as I watched and went from full charge to 3 volts (it was checked later).

Is this normal, or a quirk/fault of 380 OEM batteries?

In my experience batteries tend to last about four years before they need replacing, and even then they usually deteriorate slowly rather than going from perfectly OK to dead in a few hours.

KJ.

Yeah, I'd have thought 3-4 years was a tad short for a battery life span. I've had some that were 5 years before dieing. Depends on the car, driving habits, and other weather patterns I guess.

Batteries only have to last as long as they are warranted for by the battery manufacturer

I have seen VE batteries last 6 months OEM

3-4 years is a good run for a battery

obviously the more extreme variance in the climate the shorter the life span (hot cold cycle)

the average lifespan of a battery is 2-3 years. anything more and your doing well.

These guys do a reasonable price for a 610CCA battery with an option of free pick up if nearby in Sydney or Melbourne (Braeside)http://www.yhipower.com.au/2009/products/supreme.html

Cheers

Just returned from 4 weeks in UK (freezing) and expected to have probs with battery as it is the original one (5yrs)
Started first time

Is this normal, or a quirk/fault of 380 OEM batteries?

In my experience batteries tend to last about four years before they need replacing, and even then they usually deteriorate slowly rather than going from perfectly OK to dead in a few hours.

KJ.

My OEM one for the KW Verada lasted 2.5 years. It just up and died. That is, Went to city to pick up wife, droped by in-laws to pick up child. Five minutes later, car won't start. See here (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56786&highlight=battery).

Hmmm, Had my 380 serviced by Zupps in brisbane. They rang and said that my battery had failed its test and needed replacing. for $300. I said NO. Got a replacment from Autobarn for $150, which is still sitting in my garage as the old one hasnt died yet. 2 Months and counting.

My original 5 1/2 year old battery died this morning. It had been taking longer to turn over recently, so it was on the cards. With new battery, car kicks over perfectly again. Also... I recall someone else commenting that their 380 felt different (better) with a new battery. Mine feels a little more responsive now. It could be my imagination, but I thought it felt a little soft lately with the dieing battery.

A lot of ppl have said the same. Don't forget the fly by wire throttle as well as everthing else (computers, coil packs) is affected by the low charge. Also puts a lot of work on your alternator if the battery is not holding charge.

Yep car felt better after new battery

Mine has started being a pain again but I did only get the bare minimum 440CCA not the 660CCA

All good though its just the cold

Am a bit cynical about batteries after 3 years in UAE with summer temps 45 - 50 C. They only last a year there and die on the spot. Drove to work one day, then tried to re-sart about 11 am to got to a meeting and nothing! (And that was an Aus built LHD Camry one year old from new)

In the "good/bad old days" we used to get dry charged batteries and instructions to dilute etc the supplied acid - stronger for cold, weaker for hot climates, but modern presealed don't give those options, so climate conditions are going to be a big factor in batteryb life - ie very hot or very cold expect a short life!

Yep car felt better after new battery

Mine has started being a pain again but I did only get the bare minimum 440CCA not the 660CCA

All good though its just the cold

What rating is the original then? My new one is 550CCA which the NRMA guy choose (I had a lack of purchasing options with a dead car).

What rating is the original then? My new one is 550CCA which the NRMA guy choose (I had a lack of purchasing options with a dead car).

600CCA according to the Series 3 brochure.