I was recently on a short road trip in my girlfriend’s 2005 Jetta when her battery died. As it turns out, the Jetta requires a very specialized (and expensive) battery to go with its ridiculous mount/housing. Needless to say, the battery was a special order and we were forced to buy a similarly-sized (and cheaper) battery to get on with the trip. I wasn’t able to bolt it into the mount, but it seems fairly secure within the housing. Is there any danger in continuing to use this battery, or do I need to replace it with the right one?
as long as it is the correct cold cranking amps and isnt going to fly around, should be fine.
I haven’t seen the mount on a Jetta, but a universal mount may work or a rubber tarp strap like they sell at truck stops should work.
Somehow, you need to secure the battery so it can not bounce around…“Contained” is not enough. It needs to be “secured” in place. You can be creative in doing this…If the battery is free to bounce around, it won’t last very long…
As long as the specs are all ok (esp. the CCA) I’d just keep the one you bought and rig a way to secure it completely - there have to be 101 ways to do that.
Vehicle batteries, meaning cars, trucks, motorcycles or similar don’t like shock and vibration. That is what is meant by “flying or bouncing around”. Tie it down.
Do not underestimate how that battery can get thrown around in the engine compartment, and the damage that can cause. Secure it well.
Agreed. In addition, it wouldn’t be good if the positive terminal made contact with the car body. When it comes to cargo and batteries, you need to be prepared for what can happen if the car is overturned. Securing cargo and securing the battery can be the difference between surviving in an overturned car, and, well, not surviving.
I have both seen and made many “home grown” battery hold-down housings over the years. It can be done, but make sure it’s done correctly. All the cautions echoed in the previous replies should be taken seriously.
The battery is probably fine for starting and running the car. 12 volts is 12 volts and the cranking amps etc. are going to be ok in a new battery.
The issue is securing the battery so it will stay in place during a big event, like a very sharp turn, heavy emergency braking, or even a collision. At least get a rubber stretch strap around it until you can rig up a decent way to hold it in place. A trip to a hardware store maybe in order to fashion a secure holding set up.
If you use a rubber strap, check it periodically. Rubber has a tendency to harden and get brittle over time.