Ferrari California Battery Issues

Driven 1000 miles a year (lack of use) and probably not kept on a charger. That kills batteries (and a lot of other components in the car).

 

Modern cars have a lot of computer modules, ECU's, electronics, etc. All those draw current and zap the battery reserves when the car sits around. Search Ferrarichat for "Braille i48CS" and you'll find plenty of discussions regarding it. Very common with modern cars, especially Ferraris.

Ray

 

You're most welcome. Never used a trickle charger on any of the Ferraris I've owned. I circumvented that entire problem by going with a Lithium Ion battery. Life is too short to be tethered to a battery tender.

Ray

 

Car should come with charger (& indoor cover)

 

Are you new to Ferrari? If so, I suggest you get a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) on the car if you are serious about purchasing it. It may run $700 to $1000 but would uncover issues that are not immediately apparent.

 

Also check the tire age. You may have to replace them.

 

The factory (Ferrari branded) batteries are subpar and don't last, especially on a car that sits ... there are better choices out there. I have 20k+ miles and four years on an Interstate and it's been just fine on the tender.

 

We use Interstate batteries, too. In fact, our dealer carries them.

 

I've been using the Battery Tender brand for 35 yrs with good results. The new one is a bit more powerful at 3A for only a $10 price difference. A tender is NOT a trickle charger, which will keep charging regardless of the charge on the battery and might damage the battery eventually, although people might use the terms interchangeably.
https://www.amazon.com/Deltran-Battery-Tender-Power-Plus/dp/B016S7NHWQ/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=YQ9ZADMRX215&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tohd_wsTe3UCweIZjfaSs4EUbwEBlCJy1OkVMNMqdGoEcVHg-CLZ6wOMD4IdpyBjMcukyVajFe4S6wfHaMxPaFtDlZ4CQP-BNcPBCS2Aj8P_yMgAvri4Yyf9pqckQ7LOg6p4JQQB5Z1ExjGuRILb5uiG-kq_SZ6HvzwY2BVXw1sCDKHpkSUbO8pUS-DUU3Tin8BIHaHCCGKYauBacEuHsdbLv9Odi1R7JI3ygDWaVi--SDnP_xfJEUQ6yiF-MEMZPXR5t9vFjwsPZdn6VLMtx61BhJ74ltIQGwgtRSLnrfs.sDzNCm_xsSJ5BIWXjP9drsc4UjKH65hNUOEC1gDyyzI&dib_tag=se&keywords=battery+tender+plus+12v+battery+charger+and+maintainer&qid=1711935745&sprefix=battery+tender%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

The battery is not just for starting the car. A weak battery can lead to all kinds of issues and error codes, some of which will put the car into limp mode until you restart. These cars are very sensitive to voltage and the alternators can’t always keep up.

If you forget to use the tender for a few weeks, the battery will likely be dead and damaged.