I just charged the battery on my 2003 Range Rover, and it was much simpler than I thought it would be. I left the light switch on all night - (all my other cars turn off their lights automatically - why had Range Rover (BMW) not figured this out by 2003. I can forgive them for not putting real cup holders in the RR, because I need a cooler anyway, but automatic lights? Come on guys. But I digress. I went to AutoZone and bought a charger (12 volt and 6 or 2 amp charging rates). I then read the RR owners manual and the manuel that came with the charger and both gave me nothing but warnings about charging the battery. I called up the local Land Rover dealer, but they were not much help - you can guess what they suggested I do. I ran into this forum while searching on line for some advice on charging the battery, preferably without having to detach the battery. Mine has an explosive charge (really) on the positive pole - I suppose to make sure you die in a head on collision - so much more humane than leaving you there crying to On-Star or worse yet - trying to get reception on your iphone. Reading the on-line posts scared me away from disconnecting the battery - since this could lead to that Mayan calendar Armageddon thing, or even worse - locking my wife out of the car for good. Anyway, I could not get the assistance I was looking for so I just figured that if you can jump the car using the positive pole that is displaced from the battery, then why can't you charge it the same way. Equivocating somewhat, I decided to hook the negative wire to the negative poll, and the Positive wire to the Positive Pole (not on but close to the battery) and it worked fine - - no lock out, no alarms, no Armageddon. I also noticed that the battery charged much quicker than the book that came with the charger said it would - so be careful here - I watched it closely and it took about one third of the time it was supposed to when charging at 6 amps.

 

I don't mean to be a jerk... but I know we are all thinking this.... REALLY!? lol A RR is just a car. It uses all the conventional ways of operation in terms of battery, tires, brakes, etc. They have to! Idk what the dealership told you, but charging a battery is very simple. The explosive charge on there is only to shut the vehicle completely off during an accident to keep you safe. It will only deploy when the vehicle knows it was in one, i.e. when the airbags deploy, not when you connect the battery charger to it.

If you had to disconnect the battery, the worst thing that might have happened is your key fobs will lose their sync and heaven forbid you will need to use the physical key to open the door lol. Oh don't forget the radio and clock might forget their settings...

Automatic lights, yeah well go buy another car if you are going to complain.... None of mine have auto lights and the cars that have them I hate. Being a pilot, I like to control everything on my "vessel" I don't like it when computers do stuff for me . Not only that, most cars with auto lights seem to turn them on at the worst possible time. Like when the battery is almost dead and you are trying to start the car but it won't cause the damn lights are ON!!!!

 

I hate auto headlights too. I have a GMC with them. What a stupid concept. I kind of thought he was talking about the interior lights. I (actually kids) have left a map light on in the Range Rover only to return to a dead battery. I always wondered why that circuit wasn't energized with the key or had some type of timer on it. Oh well, maybe I will re-wire it one of these days to be key-controlled.

 

Call me old fashioned, but I like to control the lights myself. I also like to drive without being on the phone. I must be just plain old.

In another old fashioned vein, I prefer to disconnect the battery leads from the battery when charging, and sometimes even take the battery out of the car.

If the method you described works for you, great, glad you found a means to an end.

 

Hi guys. Can anyone recomend a good quality battery charger please. Cuz I am going to leave the car in the garage for half a year. I don't want to replace the battery when I come back since they are very expensive. Thanks ahead.

 

You need what is called a battery tender. You just hook it up and it delivers a very small charge.

 

They are also called a trickle charger or float charger. They charge at 2amp or less. Make sure you get an automatic one that monitors your battery and only charges when it senses that it is low.

 

disconnect the battery and fill up gas completely and make sure all fluids are topped off. Disconnect it completely, but to remember to open the hood and keep it open along with the doors. wait five minutes after shutting all the doors and pull up the hood sensor to keep it armed. afterwards the vehicle will power down after two minutes then you disconnect the battery to prevent damage to the nav unit. if you want to make sure the nav unit goes out then take off the cover in the rear for the nav unit and make sure it goes out after two minutes. but if you do that, then push the latch in on the upper cargo door to make sure it thinks it locked.

 

Why do you need to fill the gas up completely. I can understand the need to do the rest of the other steps, but why gas and fluids?

You also said to "disconnect the battery" twice. Are there two batteries?

 

sorry, disconnect the battery only after making sure the nav unit light has gone out. But the gas should be filled so it won't have crappy gas in it when it starts. You should add fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank like you would a lawn mower.