How to retro-fit a bigger capacity battery to a Mk7 Golf

[ReadTheBook]

I'm surprised my wife's early build 2015 Golf battery is still going and no signs of failure. It'll be in our possession 5 years on 11/23/19.

Then again, our 1990 Cabby has a VW original battery in it that is from 2006 and it's still somehow fine.

 

[jimlloyd40]

I'm surprised my wife's early build 2015 Golf battery is still going and no signs of failure. It'll be in our possession 5 years on 11/23/19.

Then again, our 1990 Cabby has a VW original battery in it that is from 2006 and it's still somehow fine.

That must be some kind of record.

 

[golfdave]

I'm surprised my wife's early build 2015 Golf battery is still going and no signs of failure. It'll be in our possession 5 years on 11/23/19.

Then again, our 1990 Cabby has a VW original battery in it that is from 2006 and it's still somehow fine.

Unicorn battery...

 

[Elwood]

The dealer put a smaller battery in our Tiquan about three years ago. It just failed. Needless to say, there's a Group 48 battery in there now.

 

[JeffsSportWagen]

Just wanted to say thanks for this great write up. I found this thread not long after buying my "fixed" DG buyback GSW TDI about 2 years ago. Last month my GSW had a few slow starts (the morning before Dorian was supposed to hit) so I went right out and got an H-6 to replace the tiny batty I got it with. Did the same to both my son's and my mom's 2014 Jettas early in the year.

 

[golfdave]

Just wanted to say thanks for this great write up. I found this thread not long after buying my "fixed" DG buyback GSW TDI about 2 years ago. Last month my GSW had a few slow starts (the morning before Dorian was supposed to hit) so I went right out and got an H-6 to replace the tiny batty I got it with. Did the same to both my son's and my mom's 2014 Jettas early in the year.

Glad it worked out for you.....

 

[seanmcd1]

My stock battery is H5, labeled as only 480 cca. Costco has the H5 Interstate AGM rated at 650 CCA (750 cranking amps). Do I really really need to go bigger with that kind of improvement?? The H6 isn't that much more money, but then I have to buy a new blanket too (plus they are heavier).? Battery is "sounding" pitiful when starting the car in the "cold" here (not super cold). Been waiting three years to follow this guide lol now I'm wondering if I really need the H6 if I go AGM.

 

[ReadTheBook]

Been waiting three years to follow this guide lol

tell me about it. My wife’s ‘15 Golf SE is still on it’s original tiny battery. Over 5 years old and still holding a fine charge.
My ‘17 GTI is still fine too. I thought sure they’d have gone given how many people have had “early” failures.

Then again the 2005 date coded VW branded VARTA battery in our 1990 Cabriolet is still somehow fine...

 

[golfdave]

My stock battery is H5, labeled as only 480 cca. Costco has the H5 Interstate AGM rated at 650 CCA (750 cranking amps). Do I really really need to go bigger with that kind of improvement?? The H6 isn't that much more money, but then I have to buy a new blanket too (plus they are heavier).? Battery is "sounding" pitiful when starting the car in the "cold" here (not super cold). Been waiting three years to follow this guide lol now I'm wondering if I really need the H6 if I go AGM.

What is the Ah rating of the battery??...not the cold crank...

 

[seanmcd1]

60?
Linky

 

[golfdave]

60?
Linky

Yeah 60Ah

I stated this in the first post:-
Varta specifications:- sizes are industry norms, capacities are standard.
Battery case size 027:- 242mm long, 175mm wide, 190mm high
Black Dynamic (Standard type) = 56Ah, 480A (EN/SAE)
Blue Dynamic EFB (E.F.B. type) = 60Ah, 560A (EN/SAE)
Silver Dynamic AGM (A.G.M. type) = 60Ah, 680A (EN/SAE)

Battery case size 096:- 278mm long, 175mm wide, 190mm high
Black Dynamic (Standard type) = 70Ah, 640A (EN/SAE)
Blue Dynamic EFB (E.F.B. type) = 70Ah, 650A (EN/SAE)
Silver Dynamic AGM (A.G.M. type) = 70Ah, 760A (EN/SAE)

So looks like you had a standard "027" case size.....& now fiting an AGM type of the same size so better......

You will need to alter the serial number one digit, AH rating & battery type in the BCM ...

 

[hooville]

I just replaced the battery in our 2015 TDI Sportwagen today: Costco/Interstate H6 AGM 70Ah. Atlanta weather, so as soon as temps dropped crank times jumped big time. We bought her "new" in April 2017 post DG and were supposed to get a new battery per the settlement, but the stamp on the one i just removed was 2415... Jim Ellis service FTMFW!

VCDS coding was not so straightforward in this case: battery type has about a dozen options! I chose "Binary - AGM", but any feedback would be appreciated since AGM batteries get maintained differently than "Wet" ones! Did I choose wisely?

Kudos to golfdave for the write-up: coming from the MK4 TDI world I almost died laughing when we bought our new baby and saw she had the same itty bitty battery as my MK7 GTI!

 

[golfdave]

VCDS coding was not so straightforward in this case: battery type has about a dozen options! I chose "Binary - AGM", but any feedback would be appreciated since AGM batteries get maintained differently than "Wet" ones! Did I choose wisely?

Binary AGM is what I chose for mine...& its fine almost 5yrs on...

 

[seanmcd1]

Yeah 60Ah

I stated this in the first post:-
Varta specifications:- sizes are industry norms, capacities are standard.
Battery case size 027:- 242mm long, 175mm wide, 190mm high
Black Dynamic (Standard type) = 56Ah, 480A (EN/SAE)
Blue Dynamic EFB (E.F.B. type) = 60Ah, 560A (EN/SAE)
Silver Dynamic AGM (A.G.M. type) = 60Ah, 680A (EN/SAE)

Battery case size 096:- 278mm long, 175mm wide, 190mm high
Black Dynamic (Standard type) = 70Ah, 640A (EN/SAE)
Blue Dynamic EFB (E.F.B. type) = 70Ah, 650A (EN/SAE)
Silver Dynamic AGM (A.G.M. type) = 70Ah, 760A (EN/SAE)

So looks like you had a standard "027" case size.....& now fiting an AGM type of the same size so better......

You will need to alter the serial number one digit, AH rating & battery type in the BCM ...

Got that all down pat - I'm just riding the fence on whether or not I need to mess with buying the H6 over an AGM H5.

 

[golfdave]

Got that all down pat - I'm just riding the fence on whether or not I need to mess with buying the H6 over an AGM H5.

What electrics do you have??..heated seats, heated front windscreen, dynaudio, sat nav, dual zone air con?...