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Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:08 pm
by epicurus
Hi Everyone. First-time post here.

I have spent some time looking into an issue I have with my 67 Plate Qashqai but struggling to find an answer. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge than me on the Qashqai can offer some advice.

about once a week I find I have to charge my battery. During the week I start to notice the light on the dash which come on before I start the car as expected but flicker briefly when the car starts (after a charge they say on when I start the car and then go off)

By the end of the week, the car struggles to turn over and if I don't change my battery at the point the following day my car won't start. What happens is there is a rapid clicking, lights on the dashboard flicker and I have to turn off. I might get it to start if I am lucky but 9/10 times I have to charge my battery or jump-start my car. Other errors that come up are "no key detected" or Start/Stop Fault" After a charge, I am good for about a week again.

I have read that this could be a Starter fault or alternator fault, but also read this is unlikely as they are very reliable. I have also read that it could be where the cable from the alternator connects to the battery which has started to corrode. I am struggling to see where this cable attaches to the battery so cannot check. Lastly, I have read here that it could be that I am not driving for long enough to keep the battery charged up.

I have 2 questions if someone wouldn't mind helping with.

1. Where does the charging cable from the alternator attach to the battery and what am I looking for to make sure it's not corroded.
2. most of the week I am doing small trips in the car (taking dogs to the park for a walk etc) Could this be the cause and I just need to do 2-3 30min+ drives a week to keep the battery in good condition.

Many thanks in advance for any help and suggestion.

Overall I have been very pleased with my Qashqai.

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 7:28 am
by lewisbryant
Do you have a ffiamm battery

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 10:04 am
by DaveBerlin
Firstly welcome to the QQ Forum ! With reference to Lewis’s comment the FIAMM Battery if you have one was a real Pain for QQ Owners. Nissan replaced our 2014 QQ’s Battery with a Varta and the problems just went away. We also have this as Std in our newer J11B.
Attached is just a short post on the subject, if you need to dig in just enter in “Search” - “Varta Battery” and you find a lot to read - Dave 😉

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11335

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:49 am
by dadio
Hiya, am new to the forums but your post jumped out at me as mine went through the same problem. I was told by two sources one at Nissan and one independent that the batteries fitted couldn't handle the stop/start and that Nissan would like to keep that quiet so they can sell you a new battery! Thankfully, I complained and told that them at the time the car must still be under warranty ... which soon shut them up and got me a replacement free of charge!

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:38 pm
by fbgqashqai
FIAMM battery issue is widely known and no real secret across Nissan dealers although dealerships vary in quality. I my battery changed out at the second years service because the dealership found that one of the cells was faulty (no issues with the car in any way) so I don't think people are being fobbed off my Nissan. Also there are many threads of RAC callouts where Nissan have agreed with the RAC that they just change the battery at no cost to the customer where the vehicle is still in warranty.

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:06 pm
by epicurus
Hi All.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. Does look like I have a ffiamm battery. Please see attached picture. Odd thing is that its been fine for well over a year now, maybe a little longer. Or is that the issue that they can start to play up any time ?

Will have a read of the post you linked Dave, Thanks Guess I am going to need a replacement battery?

Thanks, everyone for the replies.

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:34 pm
by Sandgrounder
Yes, you’ve definitely got a FIAMM ‘EFB’ battery. I had the same one fitted to my previous 2017 ‘67’ plate Qashqai which failed when it was only 2 year’s old. From what I remember, they had faulty cells which could never be recharged properly.

Nissan Breakdown/RAC replaced it free of charge, under warranty, with an ‘AGM’ Varta battery.

43AFE2A4-DE63-47A0-BBDE-8723B8018379.jpeg


Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:22 pm
by Exskoda
Sandgrounder wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:34 pm Yes, you’ve definitely got a FIAMM ‘EFB’ battery. I had the same one fitted to my previous 2017 ‘67’ plate Qashqai which failed when it was only 2 year’s old. From what I remember, they had faulty cells which could never be recharged properly.

Nissan Breakdown/RAC replaced it free of charge, under warranty, with an ‘AGM’ Varta battery.

43AFE2A4-DE63-47A0-BBDE-8723B8018379.jpeg
I take it they aren't fitting them in the j12s as my neighbor had a problem relating to a battery recently in his j12

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:30 pm
by Sandgrounder
Nissan parted ways with FIAMM (court case involved?). They now use the Varta brand, from what I’ve learned?

I have a Varta EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) fitted to my J12 Qashqai. An EFB is a minimum spec battery required for today’s modern cars with Stop-Start technology. Cost approx. £100-£140?

The AGM batteries (Absorbent Glass Mat) are top-of-the-range and typically cost over £200. The one fitted by the RAC (Varta again) to my previous Qashqai retailed at approximately £245.

It would appear you should only change like-for-like (i.e. EFB for EFB) unless fitted by a specialist and re-programming maybe required - not really sure?
On average, EFB batteries provide up to 85,000 engine starts while standard wet-flooded batteries have a max of 30,000 engine starts. By approximation, EFB batteries provide up to 50,000 more engine starts than the standard flooded batteries.

Hence when using a start-stop system, it is evident that an EFB will have a far better duration than standard wet-flooded battery technology.

Re: Click when trying to start car

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:12 am
by epicurus
morning all. Thanks again for your comments.

So looking at a new battery I can see some around the £140 fitted.

Just so that I understand the issue with the FIAMM battery and the cells becoming damaged. If I charge at home for a few hours I am good for about a week. Yesterday I took the dogs for a walk so I went a little further than normal and drove for about 20 mins there and same back home. The car this morning won't start :( Almost ended in the scene from Faulty Towers where Basil Attacks His Car.. anyway..

Why is the home charger charging the battery and 2 x 20 mins drive not having an effect?

thanks again for your help and advice

John