Info on non-AMG battery in a start/stop system
 

I found this interesting and it made me mad at the same time, so I thought it might be interesting to somebody else...

I got a new-to-me 2016 XC60 after my last one got totalled and I noticed that start-stop was more "unavailable" than not. As the winter rolled in, it got even more apparent. I noticed it didn't work when SOC was under 72% but I also noticed I couldn't charge the battery over 80%, not even via smart charger when charging overnight. So I though, strange for a 2 year old battery, but since the car was bought in another country and there were no papers present from the battery, I couldn't even think about warranty.

Last month the battery would charge to 76% but S/S still wouldn't come on. Batter voltage would drop to 12.3-12.4 overnight, and when cranking it would be in low 10's. Charged it while driving for almost 1000 km in 2 days, all highway driving, but that didn't help. Time for a new one.

Got Varta sylver dynamic (AGM), went to change it myself, and in there was Varta Black dynamic, a basic battery (not AGM). Obviously someone decided to go cheap (over here the price of the Black is 1/4 of the Sylver one, with all other data being the same - AH, CCA, etc).

So there you go, the "normal" battery can work in start/stop system, but 2.5 years will definately kill it, and in those 2.5 years the S/S will work poorly to say the least, will be more off than on, will be more in "charging" state than working. Not worth it, except - obviously - if you're selling the car and the battery is gone so you HAVE to put something in.

If buying used, do check the battery, not just cockpit that says it's ok but also what battery is inthere, 200€ is not to be thrown away...

Indeed.... Get an old fashioned battery charger, leave it on for 48 hours, that's the only way to properly saturate a battery. Smart chargers are not the be all and end all of charging.... You need something like this : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352383299084

I read that and it’s actually tempted me to consider buying the black battery, as I won’t have to turn s/s off at the start of every journey…. If four batteries last me 10 years at the cost of one AGM battery, then all good too!

Exactly this. The perfect solution to the stupidity called stop start. Thanks for the tip.