Struggling to crank over were my early symptoms until it just refused to start the engine.
I’d suggest you take the car to your nearest audi garage and get it checked.
New battery needed?
- Thread starter M5 Andy
- Start date
I’d suggest you take the car to your nearest audi garage and get it checked.
Definitely a “Trend” here on the forum for the 3.0 as we don’t have the data to say it’s a common issue given the number out in the wild.
Seems so, I haven't used my car since last Friday, started up and all ok on this frosty morning. prolly tempting fate now.
The thing is with diesels, and this colder weather, they will be using their glow plugs a lot this time of year and, I guess, the more you have the more of a load on that battery..
The thing is with diesels, and this colder weather, they will be using their glow plugs a lot this time of year and, I guess, the more you have the more of a load on that battery..
(RobbieWebs - similar symptoms as mine - see my posts)
So the outcome for my car was the battery replaced under warranty (also the door rattle fixed under warranty, but I did pay for the inspection service and the replacement car for one day - despite the circumstances, I suppose I can’t really complain about that. I am still waiting for Audi Germany to come back to me on my complaint of poor service). The engine management was also updated, but they couldn’t say why (TSB identified and applied)!
It would be good to know if the failure is coming from the battery itself or if it is the car somehow causing the battery life to be reduced (something possibly specific to the 3.0 TDI). The latter suggests that I may have the same problem in a couple of years time by which time the car will be out of warranty and the replacement battery’s guarantee expired also. If it was the former then I can only hope that the replacement battery is a good one.
So the outcome for my car was the battery replaced under warranty (also the door rattle fixed under warranty, but I did pay for the inspection service and the replacement car for one day - despite the circumstances, I suppose I can’t really complain about that. I am still waiting for Audi Germany to come back to me on my complaint of poor service). The engine management was also updated, but they couldn’t say why (TSB identified and applied)!
It would be good to know if the failure is coming from the battery itself or if it is the car somehow causing the battery life to be reduced (something possibly specific to the 3.0 TDI). The latter suggests that I may have the same problem in a couple of years time by which time the car will be out of warranty and the replacement battery’s guarantee expired also. If it was the former then I can only hope that the replacement battery is a good one.
hence for larger engines manufacturers install large and powerful enough batteries to ensure they don't fail during regular use. I'm sure they test them under conditions that are much harsher than what we experience in normal use. At least, one would expect they do so!
As soon as the roadside assistance chap that attended my call saw my battery he said that these ones have been failing in troves, and the fact that a replacement wasn't easily available and had to be put in a back order tells me that there's something wrong with these specific batteries and we're only seeing part of the picture here in our forum community.
Most certainly they do test them down to temperatures we ordinary humble people will probably never experience. But with weakened batteries it's more than likely they'll be issues this time of year..
absolutely. mine started playing up relatively recently too, I think late-December or so and the cold weather is definitelt a factor here
RobbieWebs
Registered User
Car booked in on Thursday mate, thanks
Hopefully Aberdeen Audi are as good
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RobbieWebs
Registered User
Sorry to hear the hassle you are having.
Hopefully they find the fault and change the battery on mine.
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RobbieWebs
Registered User
One thing to all that got the battery change,did Audi find the fault when they scanned it?
Or just tested the battery?
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Or just tested the battery?
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I've just had my battery replaced under warranty, 2016 3.0 tdi avant, 24k. "Aparently" there is a bad batch of batteries fitted to some cars which causes slow starting of engines. Usually after the first start of the day the problem goes away but failure can occur. I understand that the problem battery was made by "Moll".
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Apart from what I have already posted, I don't think that there's a lot more to say. Happy to oblige, just give me some direction
Just had the battery replaced under warranty on my 3.0Tdi. It was turning over very slowly and then coming up with a parking brake fault like others have experienced. Went completely flat outside Tesco's and had to call Audi Assist. They are also installing a software update for the engine and MMI.
RobbieWebs
Registered User
got mine changed today 3.0tdi 272
Aberdeen Audi plus camera and another update. Fine service with a courtesy car
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Aberdeen Audi plus camera and another update. Fine service with a courtesy car
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I picked up my new A4 3.0 2016 272 TDI quattro yesterday from an independent garage and when I got home I had the exact same problems as others have reported. I rang the garage after seeing this thread and offered to take the car to Audi Leicester this morning as the Audi garage is closer to me than they are.
Now for the bad news, Audi Leicester have just sent me a txt with a weblink to say the following:
Other - battery condition
Battery found to be defective from vehicle standing and negative charge cycle drives. Requires new battery fitting and coding to vehicle .
£574.51 INC. VAT
I just spoke to them and they are saying that Audi have looked at the battery readings and have said that the battery is not covered by the warranty.
I have made my feelings clear and mentioned this thread, they are now going to call me back.....fingers crossed!!
Now for the bad news, Audi Leicester have just sent me a txt with a weblink to say the following:
Other - battery condition
Battery found to be defective from vehicle standing and negative charge cycle drives. Requires new battery fitting and coding to vehicle .
£574.51 INC. VAT
I just spoke to them and they are saying that Audi have looked at the battery readings and have said that the battery is not covered by the warranty.
I have made my feelings clear and mentioned this thread, they are now going to call me back.....fingers crossed!!
Update from Audi Leicester, they are standing by what they have said and the battery is not covered under warranty. I have asked them to evidence how they can tell that the car has been standing and they cannot do that apparently.
They now will not release the car till I pay them a £198 diagnostics fee!!
I can honestly say I feel robbed!
I am tempted to risk getting a second opinion from a different Audi garage but don't want to pay another £200!
They now will not release the car till I pay them a £198 diagnostics fee!!
I can honestly say I feel robbed!
I am tempted to risk getting a second opinion from a different Audi garage but don't want to pay another £200!
Sorry but their must be a warranty with the independent company that supplied the car as faulty. I would be saying to them either they cover all the costs or the car will be rejected under the trading standards law..
I would agree with cuke here. Go back to the original supplier of the car. You mentioned you were offered to go to Audi as they were closer. Did you do it or did the original supplier of the car offer it.
Thread bump here.
My battery has died. I suspected it about 3 weeks ago, the car being 2 years 1 month old then. I had left it 3 days and it only just started. Yesterday, having left it 6 days, although all the lights/toys in & out worked OK, it wouldn’t turn over. I jump started it ok and it’s now on charge so I can use it but quite obvious what’s wrong. I will see what Five Oaks Audi say this morning.
3.0 tdi 218.
My battery has died. I suspected it about 3 weeks ago, the car being 2 years 1 month old then. I had left it 3 days and it only just started. Yesterday, having left it 6 days, although all the lights/toys in & out worked OK, it wouldn’t turn over. I jump started it ok and it’s now on charge so I can use it but quite obvious what’s wrong. I will see what Five Oaks Audi say this morning.
3.0 tdi 218.
I've just had audi assist out to mine, wouldn't start. Battery tested ok and is charging. Its going into Wearside Audi next week for a full bench test. Mines just over 3 years old, 3.0 tdi 272.
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I meant to give an update to my post above a while ago but seeing the latest activity reminded me.....
I took my car into Tamworth Audi for the first MOT the other week and dropped it off the night before, the following morning when they started it up to move it into the workshop it struggled to start. They promptly replaced the battery under warranty without any fuss whatsoever. I told them about my experience with Audi Leicester and they were very shocked. Apparently it was known within the Audi garage network as the "Mole battery issue" as that is the brand of battery fitted which had the problems.
I have just had an email from Tamworth to say that there is now a software update they need to do on the car and I am fairly sure he said in the voicemail that it was battery charging related, so I need to bring it back in for a 15 minute update.
The lesson learnt from this is to not give up with Audi and to go to a decent garage like Tamworth Audi!
I took my car into Tamworth Audi for the first MOT the other week and dropped it off the night before, the following morning when they started it up to move it into the workshop it struggled to start. They promptly replaced the battery under warranty without any fuss whatsoever. I told them about my experience with Audi Leicester and they were very shocked. Apparently it was known within the Audi garage network as the "Mole battery issue" as that is the brand of battery fitted which had the problems.
I have just had an email from Tamworth to say that there is now a software update they need to do on the car and I am fairly sure he said in the voicemail that it was battery charging related, so I need to bring it back in for a 15 minute update.
The lesson learnt from this is to not give up with Audi and to go to a decent garage like Tamworth Audi!
Update.
Five Oaks Audi have returned my car to me with no fault found. When asked why it has failed to start twice their exact answer was "we just don't know".
It arrived at their workshop having been charged overnight in my garage and after a 12 mile journey in daylight and the charge level was 70%. They think that is good enough. I asked why it wasn't fully charged, they couldn't answer.
The reasons a battery will not have the grunt to turn over the engine are not that technical. 1) dead battery. 2) excessive current draw when parked.
So now I have a car which I can't rely on. It's failed twice, the indications of a bad battery are quite obvious. But Five Oaks Audi say I have to "see how it goes". I have Audi Assist on speed dial and am waiting for the next time it's left for 3+ days and I'm in some distant car park in the pouring rain in mid winter.
Unhappy.
Five Oaks Audi have returned my car to me with no fault found. When asked why it has failed to start twice their exact answer was "we just don't know".
It arrived at their workshop having been charged overnight in my garage and after a 12 mile journey in daylight and the charge level was 70%. They think that is good enough. I asked why it wasn't fully charged, they couldn't answer.
The reasons a battery will not have the grunt to turn over the engine are not that technical. 1) dead battery. 2) excessive current draw when parked.
So now I have a car which I can't rely on. It's failed twice, the indications of a bad battery are quite obvious. But Five Oaks Audi say I have to "see how it goes". I have Audi Assist on speed dial and am waiting for the next time it's left for 3+ days and I'm in some distant car park in the pouring rain in mid winter.
Unhappy.
I would dump the car on their forecourt and demand it be fixed. However, next time it happens call out Audi assist, refuse to drive the car tell them you want courtesy car and yours returned to you probably fixed in a manner you are satisfied with. No way should the dealership be telling you this, you are their customer and thus should be treated with the correct respect...
Ha ha, spot on there Cuke.
I asked the service seretary/cashier/invoice handler what the next step was and was told I could leave it with them for a week. No replacement vehicle was offered despite me renting it from Audi Finance. So I couldn't do that. The pleasant secretary said it was very difficult to check current drain on the battery. I pointed out an ammeter across the terminals was not "very difficult" and was reminded that they weren't a technican (no sh1t Sherlock, you're a cashier!) but they had been told that isn't possible any more. Probably because they no longer possess an ammeter! USB/OBD plug button monkeys? Five Oaks Audi have not met my fairly modest expectations. When it next dies I will call Audi Assist and demand a hire car. No ifs or buts, just a letter to Milton Keynes/Sheffield experessing my dissatisfaction in Five Oaks Audi of West Sussex.
Update
After a 3 hour drive on Thursday but parked all day Friday, it struggled to start yesterday morning but did go. We did 2 x 1 hour drives mainly A27 dual carriageway, then today it first struggled as I moved it to get another car out, then just wouldn't start at all. Loads of random fault messages, as before, and the MMI shut down. Even the Mother-in-Law diagnosed a dead battery
True to my word I called Audi assist and they arrived at 4:50pm today. Unlike Four Oaks Audi, the chap said it's probably the battery as there is a Tech Service Bulletin about the Moll batteries made beween mid 2016-early 2018. They will not charge properly and the car throws up random faults. Exactly as I told the Three Oaks Cashier. The Assist Chap checked the label and confirmed mine was part of the bad batch. He put his tester on which displayed "BATTERY DEFECT". I asked if he had a battery in his van and he said he had 3 due to the Service Bulletin!! It's sorted at last.
are Two Oaks farting about at missing a TSB?
Now what to do about One Oak(s)? Do I just leave it or should I make a complaint to the MD or Guy Harwood? Their incompetence and ignorance has cost me time, frustration and now money as Mrs Aldi has taken the train up north today because she correctly didn't trust the car.
For a premium brand I am sorely disappointed in the service I've received from No Oak(s). It's not exactly "Premium" to miss a TSB and say "if it happens again let us know". At only £120+ an hour am I expecting too much?
Audi Assist on the other hand, faultless, polite and knowlegeable.
After a 3 hour drive on Thursday but parked all day Friday, it struggled to start yesterday morning but did go. We did 2 x 1 hour drives mainly A27 dual carriageway, then today it first struggled as I moved it to get another car out, then just wouldn't start at all. Loads of random fault messages, as before, and the MMI shut down. Even the Mother-in-Law diagnosed a dead battery
True to my word I called Audi assist and they arrived at 4:50pm today. Unlike Four Oaks Audi, the chap said it's probably the battery as there is a Tech Service Bulletin about the Moll batteries made beween mid 2016-early 2018. They will not charge properly and the car throws up random faults. Exactly as I told the Three Oaks Cashier. The Assist Chap checked the label and confirmed mine was part of the bad batch. He put his tester on which displayed "BATTERY DEFECT". I asked if he had a battery in his van and he said he had 3 due to the Service Bulletin!! It's sorted at last.
are Two Oaks farting about at missing a TSB? Now what to do about One Oak(s)? Do I just leave it or should I make a complaint to the MD or Guy Harwood? Their incompetence and ignorance has cost me time, frustration and now money as Mrs Aldi has taken the train up north today because she correctly didn't trust the car.
For a premium brand I am sorely disappointed in the service I've received from No Oak(s). It's not exactly "Premium" to miss a TSB and say "if it happens again let us know". At only £120+ an hour am I expecting too much?
Audi Assist on the other hand, faultless, polite and knowlegeable.
I would complain as it isn't the kind of service I'd expect from any dealership...
I did, one short email.
Result:
Five Oaks have unreservedly apologised. They missed the Service Bulletin completely. The after-sales manager said their action 2 weeks ago was "indefensible".
We have come to a mutually acceptable agreement re my inconvenience/despair.
Hi mate I’m just after advice myself,majority
of time I start mine up I get low battery will charge whilst driving sign, then the odd alternator fault I’ve had them both checked and came back fine I’m not too sure what it could be any ideas?? Thanks I’ advance
Maybe it is part of smart charging circuit, but not the alternator. Has the car been checked for any fault codes? Mine seems to be getting through another winter again ok, probably tempting fate by stating that though..
If you have a multimeter you can easily check the battery DC voltage yourself, should be at least 12.4V which equates to about 75% charged. Fully charged is 12.6 or more. If its less than 12.2V you've got a problem with the battery, or it just need charging, the terminals for this on the A4 are under the bonnet drivers side.
You can also check the alternator is working by running the car, switching on things like heaters, lights, etc and then the voltage should be more like 13.8-14.5 showing that the alternator is charging the battery.
As my car often stands for 4 -5 days without being used I sometimes give the battery a charge up, especially during the winter so it keeps it healthy.
If you've already had it checked and it was all ok probably needs a good a few hours on charge. Average life of a battery should be about 5-6 years if maintained correctly.
You can also check the alternator is working by running the car, switching on things like heaters, lights, etc and then the voltage should be more like 13.8-14.5 showing that the alternator is charging the battery.
As my car often stands for 4 -5 days without being used I sometimes give the battery a charge up, especially during the winter so it keeps it healthy.
If you've already had it checked and it was all ok probably needs a good a few hours on charge. Average life of a battery should be about 5-6 years if maintained correctly.
Just out of warranty and my car seems to be having the same battery issues of being slow to turn over on first start if the day, and parking brake fault flashing up. (Admittedly, the first thing I noticed was a one off, I’d way through a journey when I had a start stop malfunction flash up, and then the entire MMI and virtual cockpit switching off completely and then restarting).
Just wondering if there is coding required when changing battery,or if I can just do it myself?
Just wondering if there is coding required when changing battery,or if I can just do it myself?
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You should be able to recode a new battery via CAN Gateway - in Adaptions you will find a list including battery capacity, manufacturer and serial number, typically only the last digit of the serial number needs changing.
Just make sure that you buy an AGM battery as it seems like naughty Audi has been sending too many cars out with just EFB batteries!
Tayna sells Bosch and Varta - and others, so it should not cost much more than £180 for the correct frame size AGM battery for your car.
A friend with an A6 2.0TDI first reg'd in December 2016 had this issue last week, his factory fitted battery was just an EFB, he replaced that with an AGM, or at least his "all marques" garage did.
My daughter has an end of April reg'd SEAT Leon Cupra and it has an EFB battery and I tested it last week and it is dying quickly.
My wife has an August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and it has an EFB battery and when I tested it, it has suddenly dropped off very badly - no indications that it is faulty yet, but now that I know that it is well past its best, I should really buy a new AGM battery and avoid any inconvenience.
This was thought/said to only be a Moll brand EFB battery issue, but maybe there are more duff batteries being supplied than we think, not good when it happens to you!
Edit:- it is only right to add in here that my 2011 Audi S4 with its factory fitted AGM battery, still seems to be okay, it does not get used much and while not being used is always connected to a CTEK charger/maintainer/tester - so I'd think that that helps a lot to extend its useful life. Its original battery is a Varta brand though listed on the BEM label as JCB - which normally means a Johnsons Control made battery.
Just make sure that you buy an AGM battery as it seems like naughty Audi has been sending too many cars out with just EFB batteries!
Tayna sells Bosch and Varta - and others, so it should not cost much more than £180 for the correct frame size AGM battery for your car.
A friend with an A6 2.0TDI first reg'd in December 2016 had this issue last week, his factory fitted battery was just an EFB, he replaced that with an AGM, or at least his "all marques" garage did.
My daughter has an end of April reg'd SEAT Leon Cupra and it has an EFB battery and I tested it last week and it is dying quickly.
My wife has an August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and it has an EFB battery and when I tested it, it has suddenly dropped off very badly - no indications that it is faulty yet, but now that I know that it is well past its best, I should really buy a new AGM battery and avoid any inconvenience.
This was thought/said to only be a Moll brand EFB battery issue, but maybe there are more duff batteries being supplied than we think, not good when it happens to you!
Edit:- it is only right to add in here that my 2011 Audi S4 with its factory fitted AGM battery, still seems to be okay, it does not get used much and while not being used is always connected to a CTEK charger/maintainer/tester - so I'd think that that helps a lot to extend its useful life. Its original battery is a Varta brand though listed on the BEM label as JCB - which normally means a Johnsons Control made battery.
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It may be factory fitted but does that 2011 car have a stop start system. I find it amazing how fast diesel cars start up again with this system. I’ve had a few issue in the morning and I’ll keep a eye on this.
