Fault finding.

[dodonald]

Hi all, I have been having problems with my car recently. The car is Audi A6 3.2 fsi. I have plugged in the VCDS, and following fault code has come up.


-----------------------
Address 61: Battery Regul. Labels: 4F0-910-181.lbl
Part No SW: 4F0 910 181 E HW: 4F0 915 181 A
Component: ENERGIEMANAGER H11 0490
Revision: 00000000 Serial number: 00000000033165
Shop #: WSC 00861 210 82411
VCID: 2310E74787D551BF668-8076


Subsystem 1 - Part No: 4F0 915 105 C
Component: von VA0 1406240126
Coding: 344630393135313035432056413031343036323430313236
Shop #: WSC 00000 640 00290


4 Faults Found:
02273 - Quiescent Current Stage 2
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 9
Reset counter: 255
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2017.10.14
Time: 16:47:53


02276 - Quiescent Current Stage 5
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 6
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 113581 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2017.10.17
Time: 15:45:13


02274 - Quiescent Current Stage 3
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 5
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 113581 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2017.10.17
Time: 15:45:23


02277 - Quiescent Current Stage 6
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 5
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 113581 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2017.10.17
Time: 15:45:33


Has anybody any idea whether I need to change the battery or the regulator?


Thanks.

[niall campbell]

run the car or 20 minutes on a drive, then feel the jump start terminals under the bonnet and are they warm ? This is a resistance if warm and may put your car on fire, stopping battery getting charged, starter motor getting full power etc

this will then throw up battery faults

Also,in frosty weather this kills old or new batterys with a dud cell (s) , this check is free from Halfords any garage etc, google for a free check in your area


Also if battery ok & jump start terminal, then check alternator output under full load, full beam on, heater on full blast etc


if alternator is gone, buy a like for like alternator in the name, any other and the car will not talk to the alternator to start charging. The alternator has a clutch system so it only charges when the car tells it to charge, slightly different to older alternators in how they work

[dodonald]

Thanks for the reply. Could you tell me where the jump start terminals are, my battery is in the boot, not under the bonnet. Thanks.

[dodonald]

Right, when I started the car this morning to charge the battery, (as the battery indicator was showing 50%) I went off to do other things and the battery I thought would charge up, came back half an hour later, the car had stopped running, and the battery indicator was still 50%, so I shut the car off. Two hours later I went back to the car checked the battery level , it was still 50%, so I went for a run, 15 mins later when I drove home, battery still 50%. Got out the multimeter and tested the battery with car turned off and the reading was 12.24, tested the battery with the car running, read 13.85. Would these reading be right, thanks.

[Alan02]

12.24 is too low. A fully charged battery would read 12.5v. Get your battery tested as your alternator will not charge a faulty battery.

[dodonald]

12.24 is too low. A fully charged battery would read 12.5v. Get your battery tested as your alternator will not charge a faulty battery.

Okay Alan, if I take it to halfords they will test it for me.

[niall campbell]

The jump start terminal


Lift the bonnet, look on left hand side of car , above the wheel arch. You are looking for a red plastic cover with a + on it


With car running you get 14.5 volts roughly at alternator & around 14.3 v at battery. You will always get a small drop in voltage, just not more than 0.5 volts from alternator to battery; which would be seen as a high drop.

When testing the voltage, just run the car with everything switched off & test. Then put alternator under full load, switch on AC & lights on full beam, rear demister on and test

You want to see the alternator step up and deliver more oomph to charge the battery

You really need to feel the jump start terminal for heat, lift the cover if cool and look inside the red cover. Can you see any silver in the red plastic ?

imagesCQQ54BKZ.jpg

[dodonald]

Hi niall, there is no red plastic cover under the bonnet,
and Alan2 the battery tested okay, thanks.

[niall campbell]

time to test the alternator

[B5NUT]

Right, when I started the car this morning to charge the battery, (as the battery indicator was showing 50%) I went off to do other things and the battery I thought would charge up, came back half an hour later, the car had stopped running, and the battery indicator was still 50%, so I shut the car off. Two hours later I went back to the car checked the battery level , it was still 50%, so I went for a run, 15 mins later when I drove home, battery still 50%. Got out the multimeter and tested the battery with car turned off and the reading was 12.24, tested the battery with the car running, read 13.85. Would these reading be right, thanks.

That is nowhere near enough time to charge a battery, from just about flat it can take around 18 hours to fully charge a battery, so if your battery is around 50% (I would not trust the battery monitor on the MMI it's rubbish) your looking around 9 hours to charge up. Best get yourself a decent battery charger and use the terminals under the bonnet.