Depleted Honda Fit battery -- how long to recharge, how to re-enable radio?
 

I left the interior map lights (driver & passenger side lights) on for about 30 hours, depleting the batter in my Honda Fit. I could barely see the lights on. Fortunately, at least one towing service had a service vehicle that could get into the underground where it was parked. After getting boosted, I drove it around with high RPMs, mostly on the highway, for about an hour, interspersed with normal city RPMs for errands (though I tried to keep the RPMs high even then).

(1) How long does it take for a typical OEM sub-compact battery to be charged? There is a color indicator that shows when the batter is in good shape, when it needs fluid, and when it needs charging. After the total of about 1 hour of high RPMs, the color indicator still says the battery needs charging. A Stack Exchange post http://mechanics.stackexchange.com/q...arge-a-battery mentions 2 to 5 hours, wondering if this ballpark range can be narrowed for a Honda Fit.

(2) The combined audio/clock system got reset, as evidenced by the nonsensical time on the clock. When I turned on the radio, it asked to enter a code. A quick browse through the audio and battery changing sections of the manual reveals nothing about a code. What is this code?

As long as it starts, I would just drive it around normally. If you have access to a battery tender, I would plug your battery into that for a few hours to get it topped up.

As far as the radio code, plug in your info on this site and it'll give you the code: https://radio-navicode.honda.com/

I have a trickle charger and that is what I use when I have depleted a battery, but I have not done that with my Fit (2017). A trickle charger is easier on the battery. Charging slower is better. However, if it charges too fast or doesn't want to accept a charge, that is usually time to replace a battery. If the battery doesn't accept a charge, it can take an alternator with it. So if something doesn't look right it is best to get it checked. From you language, I am not sure that you are in the US. In the US, just about anyplace that sells batteries can check them. I am not sure how it is in other countries. Regardless, slow charge the battery and go by the meter on the charger, than have the battery and alternator checked. It is a simple procedure. At places like Sears and Track Auto, it is free.

Code readers are cheap and will also give you the information you need. I wouldn't be without one.

Dave

Recharging battery
 

The length of time is dependent on how low, and good the battery is. Most OM batteries are good for about 3-4 years. Of an overnight trikle doesn't help, replace the battery. The OM battery is a group 151R, available only through Honda. But a 51R will fit (no pun) and give you more juice. Radio code should be in front of owners manual, or on inside panel of glove box (it is a sticker about 1/4"x3/8",4-5 digests long).

@2Rismo2: I drove it around for about 1.5 hours today. The indicator still indicates that charging is needed. I'll give it until the end of the week, and if it doesn't change, I will have it looked at. As for the radio code, I found a tag in my "car" file folder with the code. Thanks.

@Crazy Dave: Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I live in a pretty small place, and owning stuff is something that I have limited freedom to do. So no trickle charger for me. It does mean that I end up depreciating the alternator or paying for a new battery, for lack of good battery revival options, but that's just the situation that I'm in. I did google chargers, in case they were tiny enough for me to get. However, I recalled that my highrise underground doesn't have outlets. As I said to 2Rismo2, if the indicator still indicates that charging is needed by the end of the week, I will get it checked out. I can then ask the service folks how big and expensive a coder reader is. Oops, I originally thought that you meant a reader that interrogates the battery for its health, but now I think you mean the radio code. Fortunatley, I found the slips of paper containging the code. Thanks.

@redracer: The battery was so low that there was no hint of engine cranking, and the interior lights were barely noticable (they certainly didn't provide any noticable illumination). I'm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. But as I said above, if the indicator still shows that the battery needs charging by the end of the week, I will bring it in to Honda to diagnose, and to replace if necessary. As I said above, luckily, I found the radio code. Thanks.

This is what I mean by a code reader;


it is similar to what I have. If you want ABS codes they cost a lot more, but that info is useless if you don't know how to work on ABS systems, so stick with the cheaper code readers.

I'm going to have to be upfront and say that it's beyond what I was planning to do to sort out the battery. I'm not one who putters with the car, though at one time, i had an interest. These days, in the highrise underground, there's not even appropriate lighting to do the most routine inspections. I appreciate the pointer, but I'll bring it in to Honda if the indicators still shows that the battery needs charging at the end of the week. Thanks.

That, more likely depends on your area as I got my 151R battery from an Advanced Auto shop, not the dealership. It could be that your local auto store doesn't carry the size simply because they don't feel like it would be worthwhile for them to do so.

I bought the 10 year warranty, so Honda will be doing most of my work. I used to work on cars very seriously, but I lost my space to do it. However, I like having a code reader to keep the mechanics honest.

Dave

151R Battery
 

Nice to see another manufacturer is stepping up. I got my info from a battery cross reference web page, May have been an older post.

Walmart carries the stock Fit 151r battery also.

Deleted battery, radio code
 

I'll have to take another look at my manual. Thanks.