4 months with no battery?

[Splab333]

I'm off travelling for 4 months and need to make a decision.....


So..... My S3 battery is on it's last legs, I was away working for 2 years and the battery was left to drain a few times which has caused an untimely demise! If I left the car a week, it would struggle to start, the battery is dead, I know that much but as I am away, i'm not sure whether I should:

A: Get a new battery and have my sister start / run the car once a week to keep it from dying again or...

B: Just put it into storage and let the power drain then just get a new battery when I return?

I guess the real question is.... will my car throw a hissy fit if it has no power for this long, will the ECU still remember how to behave and will my stereo need it's code? A trickle charger isn't an option at this point and I don't have the radio code, can I use VCDS to get my radio code?

Thanks, James

 

[Benjiman46]

The correct answer is secret answer C: Remove the battery completely and leave the car with no battery for 4 months... Then stick a new one on it when you get home.

I did it when I went to the glorious country of Afghanistan for 4 months on her majesty's orders -.- Got back, charged the battery up out of the car, and plonked it in the next morning and it started... Not technically first time... But it started after a couple of goes lol the fuel had gone all mongy according to my dad, because it was summer fuel (no anti freezing agents or waxes for winter use), and I got back in winter and it was ****** cold, so you should be fine.

Ben

 

[<tuffty/>]

Mines been a month or so with the battery off... no drama...

the radio code is remembered on later cars (mines an AMK and it did) so removing the power should cause no issues there... the code should be in the handbook or the radio handbook assuming you have them... VCDS will not read the code... you will need to go to a dealer if you have lost it and you get SAFE on the screen

The car on initial start up may cough and splutter a bit but will quickly sort itself out... its advisable to disconnect the injectors and turn the engine over a few times to get oil circulating before initial start up... just remove the top cover and the injector connectors unplug easily... you will need to clear the faults after though as there will be a low battery related one for the ECU and one (or more) for the injectors you unplugged

<tuffty/>

 

[Benjiman46]

Also, You will need your radio code when you change your battery anyway.. It doesn't have a battery backup, your battery could only be removed or flat for a millisecond, once it's gone that's it. Saying that though, my S3 didn't need the radio code putting back in after I had it off for 4 months... Freaky *** car though, mine lol

 

[Danman1]

I'd put a good coat of wax on her aswell!

 

[<tuffty/>]

Also, You will need your radio code when you change your battery anyway.. It doesn't have a battery backup, your battery could only be removed or flat for a millisecond, once it's gone that's it. Saying that though, my S3 didn't need the radio code putting back in after I had it off for 4 months... Freaky *** car though, mine lol

CANBUS controlled radios on later S3's don't need the code when they lose power... AMK's with something like a symphony2/concert2 should be fine... you can take the headunit out for the whole 4 months and it will still work

Only need the code if you fit it to another car...

<tuffty/>

 

[Danman1]

CANBUS controlled radios on later S3's don't need the code when they lose power... AMK's with something like a symphony2/concert2 should be fine... you can take the headunit out for the whole 4 months and it will still work

Only need the code if you fit it to another car...

<tuffty/>

I can confirm this, bought a new Chorus II head unit off ebay with a code, when I first fitted it, it wanted the code, ever since then, I've had the battery out several times and removed the head unit and it's never asked for the code again.

Dan

 

[Splab333]

Cool, mines AMK too ('51 plate), got wax etc sorted, and hopefully a garage, was just worried about the battery part, so will audi give me the code for free as I don't have the book?

 

[Splab333]

Excellent, thanks guys, this forum is awesome, This is why i've always been VAG

 

[S3 TAM]

I've got a car in cyprus and only use it for 2 weeks of the year (when on hols) the rest of the time it sit's in the garage with the battery unplugged. Been doing this for 4-5 years now still going strong.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Cleaned up the thread

<tuffty/>