Battery Degradation vs Battery Limited Warranty

[alanlcit]

So here I am getting close to the end of my Battery Warranty (July 13th) on my Spark 2014.

It is said to have a 21kWh battery, but an unknown Usable capacity value.

I started with 16.1 kWh usable at 52,000 miles in Jan 2017, and after a steady decline over the years, I am now at 12.8 kWh at 76,000 miles
• If the Nominal Usable capacity is 18.5kWh, I have lost 31%
• If the Nominal Usable capacity is 20kWh, I have lost 36%

If I don’t cross the 35% using the 18.5kWh usable assumption, I wonder if it would be worth paying for an evaluation at the dealer.

Has anyone asked their dealership too verify the usable battery capacity of their spark against the warranty threshold?
If so what did they charge for it, and what kind of reported data did they provide?

Thanks

Details on my vehicle:

https://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4464&p=28298#p28298

I have the same questions as above for my 2016 with 22.5k miles.

Guess-O-Meter typically shows about 55 miles at 100%, when I haven't been using the heat or AC much. 11.4kWh calculated thus far.

Currently running the battery down to near zero see if I get any recovery; hopefully I'll make it home. It has sat at 100% basically continuously for 14 months.

 

[alanlcit]

Successfully ran down the battery and got stuck a half mile from my house. Had my friend tow me home with a tow rope. 11.3kWh.

The GOM ended up with a higher value this morning, so perhaps the recharge will end up with slightly more energy but I have my doubts. It's a GOM after all. And obviously I was being super gentle in my attempts to get home without running out of energy.

 

[scrambler]

at 11.3 kWh you are definitely over 35% wear, you should apply for a warranty claim

 

[alanlcit]

at 11.3 kWh you are definitely over 35% wear, you should apply for a warranty claim

My understanding is the 2016 was a 40% capacity loss warranty? I guess I have to review the documents. If it's 35%, yes, it's a slam dunk at this point.

 

[scrambler]

Sorry I was thinking 2014, you may be right

 

[MrDRMorgan]

2014 Spark EV Limited Warranty, page 14 states, "Depending on use, the battery may degrade "as little as 10% to as much as 35% of capacity over the warranty period. A dealer service technician will determine if the battery energy capacity (kWh storage) is within the proper limit given the age and mileage of the vehicle... If warranty repair requires replacement, the high voltage battery may be replaced with either a new or factory reconditioned high voltage battery with an energy capacity (kWh storage) level at or within approximately 10% of that of the original battery at the time of warranty repair.

Your Electric Propulsion battery warranty replacement may not return your vehicle to an "as new" condition, but it will make your Spark EV fully operational appropriate to its age and mileage.

-----------------------------------------------
2016 Spark EV Limited Warranty, page 14 states, "Depending on use, the battery may degrade "as little as 10% to as much as 40% of capacity over the warranty period. If there are questions pertaining to battery capacity, a dealer service technician could determine if the vehicle is within parameters. If warranty repair requires replacement, the high voltage battery may be replaced with either a new or factory reconditioned high voltage battery with an energy capacity (kWh storage) level at or within approximately 10% of that of the original battery at the time of warranty repair.

Your Electric Propulsion battery warranty replacement may not return your vehicle to an "as new" condition, but it will make your Spark EV fully operational appropriate to its age and mileage.

SO...... what can you expect to get from the dealer if it is determined that your battery has degraded more than the % limit? Me thinks you will not get a brand new, full-capacity battery.

 

[Middayautumn]

Hi everyone. I’m new here. Just got a used 2014 Chevy Spark for pretty much a steal at 3500$ out the door. I bought the spark from a used car dealer in Anaheim but with 96,000 miles. The battery was telling me that it was at 45 miles on the guessometer unfortunately I did not have it read with an obd2 meter as I don’t own one.

Currently my spark is at the Chevy dealer being serviced since last Tuesday. They accepted the car as qualifying for a replacement. Here is the transcript of the messages.

Dealer:
Hello so the tech put a call to GM technical support, To let them know what the readings are for the battery system. So we should have an answer by tomorrow.

Me:
Thank you so much for your help.

Dealer:
Hi Skylar so we are going to order a hybrid battery for your vehicle, They have an upgrade battery which is better than the older battery. That is covered by warranty along with some accessories that are needed for the new battery. The tech did states that you need all 3 engine mounts are broken and it would cost $1500.00 replace all. That included parts, labor and tax. The battery is supposed to be here next week hopefully.

Me:
I asked a mechanic how much they could replace my engine mounts for and they said they could do all 3 of them for 500$ with tax. Can the battery be replaced without them being replaced right now?

The dealer says yes and we move on. Then he says that the battery will take 4-5 days to deliver as it comes directly from GM instead of “parts”

So for now, this is where I’m at. Sucks because my birthday is on Saturday and I don’t have a car but also is awesome because it sounds like I’m getting a brand new battery.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Hi everyone. I’m new here. Just got a used 2014 Chevy Spark for pretty much a steal at 3500$ out the door. I bought the spark from a used car dealer in Anaheim but with 96,000 miles. The battery was telling me that it was at 45 miles on the guessometer unfortunately I did not have it read with an obd2 meter as I don’t own one.

Currently my spark is at the Chevy dealer being serviced since last Tuesday. They accepted the car as qualifying for a replacement. Here is the transcript of the messages.

Dealer:
Hello so the tech put a call to GM technical support, To let them know what the readings are for the battery system. So we should have an answer by tomorrow.

Me:
Thank you so much for your help.

Dealer:
Hi Skylar so we are going to order a hybrid battery for your vehicle, They have an upgrade battery which is better than the older battery. That is covered by warranty along with some accessories that are needed for the new battery. The tech did states that you need all 3 engine mounts are broken and it would cost $1500.00 replace all. That included parts, labor and tax. The battery is supposed to be here next week hopefully.

Me:
I asked a mechanic how much they could replace my engine mounts for and they said they could do all 3 of them for 500$ with tax. Can the battery be replaced without them being replaced right now?

The dealer says yes and we move on. Then he says that the battery will take 4-5 days to deliver as it comes directly from GM instead of “parts”

So for now, this is where I’m at. Sucks because my birthday is on Saturday and I don’t have a car but also is awesome because it sounds like I’m getting a brand new battery.

Fantastic! Let us know how this turns out and what the capacity of the replacement battery is. It sounds like Chevy is replacing the original A123 battery in your car with the one used in the 2015 and 2016 Spark EVs.

 

[Middayautumn]

So, the battery is at the dealer now. But they have to wait for the accessories that convert the 2014 car to the newer battery.

What’s the difference between them btw?

 

[MrDRMorgan]

So, the battery is at the dealer now. But they have to wait for the accessories that convert the 2014 car to the newer battery.

What’s the difference between them btw?

The HV battery in the 2014 Spark EV was manufactured by A123 which is no longer in business. The HV battery in the 2015 and 2016 Spark EVs is manufactured by LG.

 

[Middayautumn]

Yes but the difference is… I know they weigh less and are about 1kw smaller but still rated at the same range. Anything else?

 

[NORTON]

. The HV battery in the 2015 and 2016 Spark EVs is manufactured by LG.

And I believe the same cells and Thermal Management System as the Volt of those years.
There were coolant plates between the cells.
With the '14 Spark EV and the Bolt the cells sit on a large coolant plates.

As we all know the A123 was a vastly superior battery pack.
At least mine is behaving well at 92k miles!