07 Battery Testing - The Importance Of Using The Right Standard (SUSTIPS 0412-08)

07 BATTERY TESTING - THE IMPORTANCE OF USING THE RIGHT STANDARD

TECHNICAL INFORMATION TECH TIPS

SERVICE INFORMATION

A review of some collected Warranty battery samples and inspection of submitted battery codes on claims has shown that there may be some confusion regarding the correct use of the Midtronics battery test equipment. In order for the equipment to provide a true reading on the state of health of the battery, it is critical the testing equipment have the correct battery rating entered at the start of testing. Entering values in excess of or below the battery's rated value will result in incorrect test results being generated. In some cases, this may lead to the condemnation of a good battery or may cause a failed battery to be put back into service only to experience a secondary failure later. Either of these situations generally results in customer dissatisfaction and could result in a claim debit. To avoid these situations, never assume the value of the battery in the vehicle. Always confirm the value based upon the battery's printed label or the embossing on the case. SOA and FHI highly recommend the following battery testing strategy. The JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) value should be used for OE batteries on imported vehicles such as Forester, Impreza, BRZ, and XV Crosstrek. CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) should be used for the OE batteries on SIA produced vehicles such as Legacy, Outback, and Tribeca. When testing a Genuine Subaru Replacement battery, the SOA part number should be used or the CCA value listed on the battery label if the SOA part number is not available. Using the correct rating during battery testing will provide you and your customer with the most accurate test results. Providing the customer with accurate test results is a key step to building and maintaining Customer Satisfaction.