2021 HR-V - Dead 12V Battery

[Jday]

We have had a new HR-V for about 2 months. The other day we went away for a week and when we got back the 12V battery was dead. Prior to going away we had done a 150 mile trip, so not like we hadn’t been using it. Got the AA round to jump it and they confirmed no interior lights had been left on to cause it. So took it to our Honda dealer, before they even looked at it they said it was normal for the 12V battery to only last 7 days with no usage… they said nothing is wrong and it is intended behaviour (they did one of the automated tests which showed all the electrical systems were OK and battery health was good.)

 

is this really true? I don’t know how anyone who owns a HR-V would be able to go on holiday if after a week the 12V battery would die.

 

Not sure what I should do next. Don’t really want a car which is going to die alter 7 days as it will be a pain every time we go away, and one of our reason for getting a new car is to make sure it is reliable and there when we need it. Should I try and contact Honda UK about it or will they always send me back to the dealer?

[Trevor]

This sounds like it is in need of a software update to rectify an issue they may not be aware of.

Definitely take it up with Honda UK as the system knows the electronics 'go to sleep' if no systems are being used.
If the vehicle is interfered with then the car 'wakes up' but otherwise the electrical discharge is so minimal that the battery should not drain during this short period

[Bonz]

We went away for two and a half weeks and left our 2 month old 2022 HR-V in the airport car park. Like yours the 12v battery was dead on return and had to be charged up by the AA. 

My dealer checked it out overnight and found no issues, nobody said anything about it only lasting 7 days, if they had done they could’ve taken it back from me there and then. 
Since then we’ve been away for a week with no problem on return, and had no other issues at all. 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Bonz

[Trevor]

On 8/15/2022 at 3:42 PM, Bonz said:

We went away for two and a half weeks and left our 2 month old 2022 HR-V in the airport car park. Like yours the 12v battery was dead on return and had to be charged up by the AA. 

My dealer checked it out overnight and found no issues, nobody said anything about it only lasting 7 days, if they had done they could’ve taken it back from me there and then. 
Since then we’ve been away for a week with no problem on return, and had no other issues at all. 

 

I would definitely take it up with the dealer as this should not be occurring after just 1 week of not using it

[Shep]

Hi

i bought a new E HRV in March left it for a week last month whilst on holiday came back to flat batter only registered 1.8 v on the AA man’s test rig.

took it to dealer no fault found!
Do I cancel my next holiday or keep my battery booster in the car?
anyone else had this problem. Battery is about the size of a big motorbike one.

 Colin

[honda2022]

New hybrid 2022 H-RV bought in April.  Left in airport car park for two weeks (after a 200 mile drive on motorways to the airport) with everything turned off, and came back to a completely dead car - due to dead 12V battery.  Surely this can't be "normal".

[Trevor]

I would consult your dealership as the battery may have been sulphated due to sitting around during extended shipping delays, etc
Check the date on the battery and insist they rectify any excessive electrical discharge that may be occurring (software updates, etc)

[jmanel]

There is a software uptade, released by Honda one week ago , to solve this problem of the BCU (body control unit).

It seems that the BCU in some situations does not entered into the standby mode when that car is parked. This was the origin of these problesms of battery drain. 

The Honda official service has applied this update in the 1st year maintenance of my eHEV HRV

 

 

 

[Steve.m]

We had a software update for the flat battery issues carried out last Friday. On Monday, I had to call out Honda Assistance again to start it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cliveuk]

And there was me thinking my Toyota was not good for doing this as was considering in changing it to the HRV but would seem it is a general thing with the Hybrid set up have a non hybrid Jazz 2019 starts every time and also been left weeks at a time and starts ok so seems the best thing is go back in and get a none hybrid hopefully problem solved but we shall see

[Jday]

Happened to me again this weekend. Had to get the AA out to jump the car in the airport car park. It’s going in for its 1 year service next week so will see what they say. At this rate I’m thinking of getting a jumper battery and storing it in the car all the time… wish I could send the bill to Honda.

[Geoff H]

On 4/14/2023 at 2:43 PM, Jday said:

Happened to me again this weekend. Had to get the AA out to jump the car in the airport car park. It’s going in for its 1 year service next week so will see what they say. At this rate I’m thinking of getting a jumper battery and storing it in the car all the time… wish I could send the bill to Honda.

I've had the same issue with a 2021 hybrid crv.  Left sitting for  5 days, required a jump start. 2nd occasion it had been left for 3 days same issue, battery dead. I've invested in a jumper pack to leave in the car. Its annoying when there is enough power to unlock the doors, interior lights and headlights power up but car refuses to even try to start.

[b4u2]

My civic battery seems to be going dead pretty often so assume it needs replacing but because it's currently on sorn I don't see any point in wasting money. Missing it though although not much space compared to stream. 

[mcddung]

From reading the posts this seems to be the same issue as the Toyota Yaris - the 12v battery must be used to start the power train, but the designers assumed it'll be used often (read very often, like an Uber car) that they can fit a tiny 50Ah battery in it.

If the 12v battery is dead you're not going to go anywhere at all. Period.

it's a design fault in my opinion.

I don't hear the problem mentioned so much for Hondas  .. is it because there are less of them around than Toyotas? I read in the Toyota forum you need to drive 7k+ miles for the car to be suitable. If you use it as a city car (which they're marketed for ironically) then you'll get this battery issue.

[jimbojim]

buy a solar charger panel - or Don`t buy a new Electric or Hybrid car, having said that - nobody will have a choice soon due to politicians of all colours !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trinith0425]

I don't know where to turn. Everywhere I see, "I let my car sit ..." but mine has happened ever since they did an update on my display. It was some sort of recall with the software & they seemingly had to update it. 

 

It's the only change I can think of. 

 

But my car sporadically die. I could drive it all day without a problem & sometimes I can't go to the store without coming out to have to jump out off; it happens frequent enough I've bought a jump box but infrequent enough that the dealership claims there is nothing wrong with the battery. 

 

The only thing I can hope to do is the next time I bring it in for service it dies on them. 

[jimbojim]

Hi, its difficult, trying to get the dealership to admit they could be at fault ! My local Honda dealer buggered my auto gearbox up, and charged me over £500 to boot !!!!!!! cost me over £2000 to supply and fit a fully recon box from a specialist gearbox company, they were great  (Tameside Transmissions) but that does not help you, when it happens have you had a breakdown service out the AA/RAC etc., ? as they could do you a report to prove your point and present it to the dealership - I presume it was a Honda dealer ?

Have you asked the dealership if they could "remove/uninstall" the update ? if that is possible ! which could maybe prove the problem ! 

Also you do not say what car you have or what area you live in - not that it will be of importance, but may help ! Do a search on Youtube for "parasitic drain" The only other thing I could suggest is fitting a solar panel, hope this helps.  

[hamlin1956]

I have a 2024 HR-V, just 2 months old. I have had a dead battery a couple of times.

The first time was when I was washing the car and left it unlocked (not sure if it was in accessory mode). The next day I tried to start it and the battery was dead. The recovery man jump started it easily and advised leaving it on the driveway in ready mode for a couple of hours. The engine starts occasionally to keep the HV battery charged but the HV battery slow charges the 12V battery while in ready mode. This worked.

The dealer looked into it but said the battery tested OK.

A couple of weeks later I went on holiday and left the car standing for 9 days only to come back to a flat battery again.

They're going to replace the battery to see if it is faulty.

 

Why can't it use the HV battery to keep the 12V battery topped up and run the electronics when the car is idle? Seems like a bad design.