Audi A6 4F 3.0 tdi Battery Monitor

[singhl]

I have a 2004 3.0tdi A6 4F, there is a problem with the battery going flat, what follows is a summary of my problems:

I have the above car and it occasionally drains the battery and the car will not start. It has happened twice in the 3 months I have had it.
On the first occasion the battery level in the tv display showed 20% charge, but the car carried on working and starting (although interior lights stopped working and keyless entry also stopped), but would not show any extra charge. I then charged the battery with an external charger until it showed full on the charger, but the tv still showed only 20%.

I then dug around on some forums and found out about the battery management unit in the boot next to the battery earth terminal (Part No 4F0-910-181-A). The battery has been tested and is fine.

I unplugged it, made sure contacts were clean, and re-plugged it in and then I had 70% charge in battery.
That seemed to cure it for a while, since then I have had to jump start it twice because the battery has been flat, even though I do 150+ motorway miles most weekdays.

I have a third party (not VAG Com) diagnostic kit, which will not even find the unit, the J644 - Battery Regulation (#61). It sees all the other items in the car, and will read and reset fault codes.
I have rang local Audi dealer – and there is a newer part 4F0-910-181-B, with newer software in it. Looking on forums it seems to be problematic in Audi A6, A8 and VW phaetons, and a change of controller fixes it.

I think to controller also needs to be coded to the battery if it is replaced.

Audi are quoting £208.72 for the new part.

Does anyone have any info regarding this, or a CAN vagcom local to Birmingham that can see if it is my diag gizzmo that is faulty or the battery management unit?

[Sebastian]

Without a full/proper diagnostic protocol I wouldn't even bother looking to buy that new module. Besides a trillion other problems that the vehicle in question is known for, those modules usually allow flashing and can be updated.

Additionally I find it rather amusing that the dealer told you 4F0-910-181-B is the current part/software, it definitely is not. 4F0-910-181-E is current.

[singhl]

I think the B suffix is the part number and the F suffix is for the software, I am going to Midland VW tomorrow to get a full dealer VAG Com scan done, I will post the results hopefully tomorrow.

Out of interest how easy/difficult is it to flas hthes units and where or who would do that?

[Sebastian]

Well, you stated 4F0-910-181-B as latest part. That is a software part number and it is not the latest (see my above statement for details). Latest hardware part number would be 4F0-915-181-B. Reflashing can be done by every Audi dealer or others who have access to a factory scan tool (VAS 505x) as well as access to the update/flash cds or an online connection. But then again, I am not exactly certain that this will fix your problem as we know at least a hand full of other things which could cause the same problems. Still waiting for a full scan...

[singhl]

No probs sebastian - will get the scan tomorrow and post it up, many thanks for the help so far. Hopefully can get this sorted.

[singhl]

Got a vag com scan today and the following showed up for the battery monitor:
Address 61: Battery Regul.
control Module part Number: 4FO 910 181 E
Component and/or version: ENERGIEMANAGER H11 0370
software coding:
work Shop code: wsc 00482
Additional Info: 4F0915105E von VAO 0404210082
Additional Info: Geraet 13101
5 Faults Found:
02272 - Quiescent current stage 1
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 3
Mileage: 108442 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2004.06.10
Time: 21:23:25

02256 - Quiescent Current
001 - upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100001
Fault priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 3
Reset counter: 117
Mileage: 110123 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2009:01.06
Time: 23:33:14

02277 - Quiescent 000 *Freeze Current Stage 6
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 110123 km
Time Indication: 0 Date: 2009.01.06
Time: 21:32:15
00532 - supply voltage B+
002 - Lower Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100010
Fault priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 111
Mileage: 108442 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2004.06.11
Time: 02:39:05
00456 - Control Module for Access and Start control (J518)
004 - NO signal/Communication - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100100
Fault priority: 5
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 102
Mileage: 109387 km
Time Indication: 0


The interesting thing was that the battery part number was set up as 4F0915105E int the battery monitor when it showed 4F0915105D on the battery itself.

The 2 part numbers are differ in capacity of the battery, the E is 100Ah and the D is 110Ah, so obviously the monitor thought I had a smaller capacity battery fitted?

Don't know if this inportant, it has now been corrected and the faults cleared.

Any help appreciated.

[Sebastian]

Its possible that the incorrect battery coding is responsible, but first of all this is not the full scan I had in mind when I asked. As said there are a bunch of more possible causes and without a proper/full scan from the vehicle its pointless to even start looking for them. For whats its worth though, this modules software version is still outdated, 4F0-910-181-E @ 0490 is current.

[singhl]

Will get, a full vag-com scan done later this week, we agreed that I woul drive for a week and go back and get re-scanned.

ANy ideas where I would be able to get the s/w updated for the battery controller ion the birmingham / west midlands area?

[Sebastian]

Sorry, I'm not from the UK so I cannot give any advice on where to find a local/suitable dealer for this purpose. Theoretically all of them are able to perform these updates.

[singhl]

Had the battery monitor update to latest from stoke Audi, also came across the following service bulletin from the USA - http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/...b.91-07-13.pdf, which required an MMI update, did all the updates required, my car was at a very old version (sorry cannot remember what version), I have now updated to the latest, left the car for over 3 weeks at an airport whilst on holiday, and it started first time when I got back.

Thanks to everyone for all their help - so if you suffer with this problem I think the MMI update is the fix and the battery monitor will also be good.