Replace 12v battery - with any normal car battery?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Soona
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 37
  • Views Views 24K
S

Soona

Member
After my Kona EV "died" I started reading threads here about problems with the aux 12v battery. I jumped it and will take it to the shop tomorrow to do a load test and see if the battery needs replacing.

So I'd like to know in advance - can any standard car battery be installed? The one that came with the Kona is a smaller shape than I normally see, so I don't know if that's an issue.
 
I took mine to Mavis and AutoZone (chain auto shops) and they wouldn't touch it, said it's nonstandard and doesn't show up on their systems. What for it's worth, others in this space have reported experiences with DIY replacement. Hope you can find them.

It'll be hard to pass a load test and convince the dealer to initiate a warranty replacement until yours has damage that reflects dying many times. I finally got mine replaced under warranty after probably 20 to 30 jumps and the battery basically couldn't hold 12V for more than half a day, sometimes less.

Another note: as of last week the stock battery shows on backorder with no ETA at both dealer parts department and online OEM vendors. When mine failed its load test last week, a battery replacement magically became available. I can only surmise Hyundai is well aware of folks like us and have hoarded warranty replacement stock. Best of luck getting yours done.



Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
 
When choosing a battery, pay attention to such details as the shape and arrangement of the clamps, capacity, and the fitting of the foot to the base and the method of mounting the battery. The seller should have a catalog that will make it easier to match the battery to the car model.

EDIT: Well, I've checked Google and surprise -- there is round zero sellers on the Internet offering 12V batteries for Hyundai Kona electric. More - I found just one that offered a battery for any Kona model! What the hell?!
 
Last edited:
You don't need some "specific" Hyundai Kona 12v battery :)
Verify that it has the same dimensions and +- arrangement (right+ or left+ matters).
The battery can be a little bit bigger. It must fit the original place under the hood and the wires must be connected to + and - without tension.
 
I had the same issue a month ago.
My car wouldn’t unlock/start anymore and actually left me stranded twice. Thankfully I had a battery booster device on me at all times and learned to stop locking my doors when going into shops etc. so I could get it.

I searched high and low for an appropriate battery and couldn’t find one. It’s an odd size and there’s zero wiggle room in the battery compartment for any deviation.

Ended up going to Hyundai, they ordered one for me and in 2 days it was in. In all honesty - it wasn’t any more expensive than an automotive store battery. I think I paid $170 CAD incl. $20 core exchange. I changed it in the dealer parking lot and returned the old battery immediately for the core exchange fee back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Tomek said:
EDIT: Well, I've checked Google and surprise -- there is round zero sellers on the Internet offering 12V batteries for Hyundai Kona electric. More - I found just one that offered a battery for any Kona model! What the hell?!
Click to expand...
That's probably for the petrol/gas version,and they don't know the difference between the petrol and EV
 
I recently replaced the 12V battery on my 2019, was too lazy to goto the dealer and try to warranty it.

An H4, 140R, or LN1 are a direct fit for the stock battery. Many places carry this size:
https://www.rockauto.com/?mfr=ACDELCO&partnum=LN1AGM
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...emium-battery-group-size-140r-h4/ssbi/140rprm
https://www.autozone.com/batteries-...ttery-h4-dlg-group-size-h4-480-cca/478446_0_0

I read somewhere the stock battery is lead calcium and requires a higher charge voltage, but seeing that it only lasted 2 years, I figured I'd go with an ordinary battery to see if I had better luck.
 
sr20de said:
I recently replaced the 12V battery on my 2019, was too lazy to goto the dealer and try to warranty it.

An H4, 140R, or LN1 are a direct fit for the stock battery. Many places carry this size:
https://www.rockauto.com/?mfr=ACDELCO&partnum=LN1AGM
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...emium-battery-group-size-140r-h4/ssbi/140rprm
https://www.autozone.com/batteries-...ttery-h4-dlg-group-size-h4-480-cca/478446_0_0

I read somewhere the stock battery is lead calcium and requires a higher charge voltage, but seeing that it only lasted 2 years, I figured I'd go with an ordinary battery to see if I had better luck.
Click to expand...
After 35k kilometres and 39 months (so out of warranty :( ) three times in the last month the car has needed a boost of the 12 volt battery to get started. So I took it to the Dealer on Tuesday afternoon and got it back the next day with a new battery fitted. The explanation was that the battery had failed, as shown below on the invoice. The battery part number is also listed. Actually I was surprised how little it cost - NZ$148 and the total bill was NZ$245.20 including labour. Now I just hope it was the battery and not some of the other issues that have been covered in these forums :)IMG_3681.webp
 
Last edited:
Interesting... my Kona is just few months newer and I'm just out of warranty. I've always been certain it would be far more likely to be discharged during servicing and updates than in my own care as I'm always aware of the potential for permanent damage while I'm not as confident that they are.

So far it's been fine but when it does fail I'll certainly try to obtain a new one from the dealer because I like things factory original, including having the negative terminal cover fit. I've already searched out alternatives and there some, if it got down to that. Certainly it has to be a calcium type to match the 14.6 V charge regime.
 
When my OEM calcium agm battery finally died at the ripe old age of 6 months the dealer replaced under warranty(after some considerable inconvenience to me) with a lead acid battery, I think they crossed referenced it with an gas accent or elantra , not sure. Its taller but other dimension are similar. Despite it likely getting a slightly higher AGM charge voltage it seems to be doing absolutely fine. I suppose a guy could pry up the "sealed" cell covers and periodically check if it needs more distilled water but at this point the lead acid battery has outlived my calcium agm by a factor of 3 so whatever, it seems to be clearly the better choice at least in my climate.
 
Slightly off topic: Can the OEM 12V battery be used to boost an ICE vehicle? Looking at the specs (CCA, etc), it would seem so.
 
12 V Battery in Kona EV is a standard battery found in many European Hyundai and Kia fossil burner models, so I would say yes regarding boosting ICE. Other might comment regarding possible issues with DC-DC converter when doing such operation. Some advise against doing such things.
On other side I used to boost a Mercedez Benz diesel van from my Toyota Prius which has similiar 12 V arrangement with similiar sized lead acid battery and DC-DC converter for charging it.


When talking about battery replacement generally, my opinion is that original problem is, that Hyundai is using standard starting lead-acid battery technology where it should actually use cycle optimized lead-acid battery, or ideally in future transition to LiXX based chemistry as Tesla is doing with new Model S.

12V Battery in Kona EV seems to go through at least 6 small charge-discharge cycles per day, that brings figure to 2190 small charge-discharge cyles per year or to cumulative sum of 4380 small charge-discharge cyles per standard 2 year warranty period. And I do not belive standard calcium lead acid starter battery was designed for such purpose.
 
apu said:
When my OEM calcium agm battery finally died at the ripe old age of 6 months the dealer replaced under warranty(after some considerable inconvenience to me) with a lead acid battery, I think they crossed referenced it with an gas accent or elantra , not sure. Its taller but other dimension are similar. Despite it likely getting a slightly higher AGM charge voltage it seems to be doing absolutely fine. I suppose a guy could pry up the "sealed" cell covers and periodically check if it needs more distilled water but at this point the lead acid battery has outlived my calcium agm by a factor of 3 so whatever, it seems to be clearly the better choice at least in my climate.
Click to expand...
I don't think the original battery is AMG, Absorbent Glass Mat, and if the new battery is maintenance free than it's surely the calcium type, that being the advantage of that technology.
 
  • Like
Reactions: apu
KiwiME said:
I don't think the original battery is AMG, Absorbent Glass Mat, and if the new battery is maintenance free than it's surely the calcium type, that being the advantage of that technology.
Click to expand...
Found this from the Kia Niro specs. Doesn't indicate AGM, but also not Calcium. Sounds like an ordinary closed maintenance free battery (CMF).

upload_2021-11-10_12-54-44.webp
 
KiwiME said:
I don't think the original battery is AMG, Absorbent Glass Mat, and if the new battery is maintenance free than it's surely the calcium type, that being the advantage of that technology.
Click to expand...
Here's a picture of the top of the new battery that was installed by the Hyundai dealership in Wellington this week. Perhaps someone can decode the numbers and determine what it is?
12V Battery.webp
 
KiwiME said:
I don't think the original battery is AMG, Absorbent Glass Mat, and if the new battery is maintenance free than it's surely the calcium type, that being the advantage of that technology.
Click to expand...
Yeah your probably right , I thought I read it somewhere but probably just my dementia :)
 
John Lumsden said:
Here's a picture of the top of the new battery that was installed by the Hyundai dealership in Wellington this week. Perhaps someone can decode the numbers and determine what it is?
Click to expand...
Searching for the original CMF45L-DIN results in nothing useful while your DIN44MF seems common.
I have yet to work up the energy to wander out and measure up the OEM battery but your replacement is 208 x 175 x 175. The fact that it allows the negative terminal cover to be retained is a big plus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top