So I go out to start my 2011 Turbo S and the battery is dead. Should have kept the battery tender on it, but the car has never had problems with the battery and infrequent driving (my C2S did, however). So its my fault.


Anyway, now the battery is six years old. I generally think that's about all you get from a battery, so I think its time for a new one. Don't want to be stranded somewhere when the battery craps out for good.


What kind of battery life is everyone else experiencing?

 

Yours was pretty normal. 6 years is pretty good. Time to go to:

Sears
WalMart
Autozone
Pep Boys
Costco (Interstate)

Take your pick.

Don't reverse polarity, take a photo. Connect vent tube.

 

I'd replace it with an AGM type.

 

Get the Audi battery, EXACTLY the same OEM, fit, and at fraction of Porsche cost!

 

I put an Optima yellow top (deep cycle and starting) in. lots of good choices already mentioned.

 

What he said.

I wouldn't bother with any alternatives. Get the cheapest battery with the longest warranty and you'll be fine.

 

My 2010's first battery died two years ago. It spends 3 months or so in the garage during the winter and I never use a tender. I perhaps accelerated the flatline by starting her up in the garage once or twice over the winter without driving her at all (younger relatives over for the holidays wanted to hear the engine). Your battery life sounds about right.

I took her to a cookie cutter battery/tire place down the street and lucked out that they had a battery in stock with the right power and fit (I think it's also used in the BMW 7-series). Forget how much I paid but it was probably too much given the circumstances (I needed that car the same day). That said, no problems with it at all a couple of years later.

 

Any of the above...and they all have better warranties than OEM. OEM size is H7/94R which uses the standard hold down hole. An H8 is an inch longer will fit too but you may have to modify the hold down clamp to use the non-threaded 3rd hole. I have a Bosch AGM H7 sourced from Pep Boys. You can usually find an on-line coupon, order on-line, then pick up at the store.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. Are there any issues with completely disconnecting the battery and replacing in terms of needing to re-set PCM etc?

 

You'll likely set off an airbag code.

You will see a PSM warning but just drive it 20-40 feet and will recalibrate and clear itself.

 

Shouldn't get airbag code...but you will get the PSM warning as described above and you may have to re-index the windows - remove/install procedures described in owner's manual (with pictures).

 

My airbag light went on and others have too. I should have said "might".

 

Not sure why - did you have to get dealer to reset that light? I've been changing batteries in 997's for 10 years - always got the PSM warning but never an airbag light. Here's what the owner's manual says:

After the battery is connected or after an exhaustively
discharged battery is charged, the multifunctional
PSM light lights up on the instrument
panel and a message appears on the on-board
computer to indicate a fault.
This fault can be remedied with a few simple
steps:
1. Start the engine.
2. With the vehicle stationary, perform a few
steering movements to the left and right and
then drive a short distance in a straight line
until the multifunctinal PSM light goes out and
the message on the on-board computer
disappears.
3. If the warnings do not disappear, then:
Drive carefully to the nearest authorized
Porsche dealer.
Have the fault remedied.
4. After the warnings disappear:
Stop the vehicle in a suitable place.
f Perform adaptation of the power windows:
Please see the chapter “STORING END
POSITION OF THE WINDOWS” on Page 26.

 

+1

I replaced my OEM battery a week ago with the Bosch AGM H7 battery from Pep Boys. Purchased online using the coupon on their website and picked it up at the store. It cost me $177 after I returned the OEM battery to them.

Install took me about 15 minutes. PSM warning came on for a couple of minutes and I had to reset the clock. That's it.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the Bosch AGM H7 is an exact fit as the OEM battery including the vent.

 

All useful stuff for those of us facing this in the next year or so - thanks. Any suggestions on maintaining radio station presets and other PCM preferences?