Notices
 
 

  

User Tag List

Thread: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 33
  1. Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    11 Post(s)
    Hi all. I’ve had a search through the forum which has given me some good pointers as to what to check. I’m hoping someone might be able to give me some easy things to try before taking my car to a garage.

    I took delivery a few weeks ago of a 55 plate S-Line 3.0 TDi Quattro Avant, with 149k on the clock. I know the previous owner and he has treated it well.

    However, a few times this week, it has said battery low before starting. I’ve put a simple voltmeter into the cigarette lighter socket to see what it’s been reading.

    The car reads about 11.5v and drops to 10.5 as I start it. Once the engine is running it reads 13.5v. I can drive a fairly short distance and then turn engine off and it will then read 12.5 ish, but will fairly quickly drop back down bit by bit.

    I have checked the positive charge terminal under the bonnet and that is hot to the touch.

    I checked with the previous owner and he said he had this issue two years ago. The AA then replaced the battery with a heavy duty Bosch battery in November 2015 and the problem went away.

    Where do I go from here?
     
    0 0 0
     

  2. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lisburn
    Posts
    734
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    15 Post(s)
    Winter is coming, sniffs out weak batteries, surprised a 2 year old bosch can be weak but. Can depend on history before fitting. Aa coukd have used it for a few jump starts, car batteties dont do flat and recharge thats what leisure batteties are for. Different make up.
     
    0 0 0
     

  3. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    manchester,uk
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    14 Post(s)
    Battery not holding charge.
    Check to see if there is water in the battery,may be dry also check if both terminals are tight.
     
    0 0 0
     

  4. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    11 Post(s)
    If the battery is failing, would that cause the charge terminal in the front to be hot? Or is that likely to be something else?
     
    0 0 0
     

  5. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Carlisle Cumbria
    Posts
    148
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    9 Post(s)
    A failing battery does not cause the charge terminal to be hot. The heat in the charge terminal indicates that there is a resistance there - either the connecting surfaces or the lead itself - and that lowers the amount of charge that can go into the battery from the alternator. So if the battery is never properly charged, voltage readings will be low.

    Voltage readings anywhere in the car are only a poor substitute for a proper discharge test of the battery, which may also have issues of its own. Unlikely for a Bosch which is only 2 years old but as swwalker says, it may have had a hard life. Start with the cables to the charge point / the charge point itself.
     
    0 0 0
     

  6. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    manchester,uk
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    14 Post(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by prophet View Post
    If the battery is failing, would that cause the charge terminal in the front to be hot? Or is that likely to be something else?
    It may be battery cell or cells are shorting out thus making terminal go hot.As I mentioned before check battery water.
     
    0 0 0
     

  7. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    11 Post(s)
    Thanks for all your advice people. I have had a look at the battery and it is a Bosch S5 015. It is completely sealed so I can’t check the water levels.

    I left the car connected to a genus charger for 24 hours. The charger said it was at 25 percent when it started charging.

    After 24 hours it said it was full and I took the charger off and did a couple of measurements with a multimeter. With everything off apart from the interior light in the boot, and the lights on the inside of the tailgate, I got 12.45v at both the charge terminals in the engine bay, and directly on the battery itself. However when I started the engine running and had all the lights on, I got 14.15v in the engine bay, and 13.77v on the battery itself.
     
    0 0 0
     

  8. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    manchester,uk
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    14 Post(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by prophet View Post
    Thanks for all your advice people. I have had a look at the battery and it is a Bosch S5 015. It is completely sealed so I can’t check the water levels.

    I left the car connected to a genus charger for 24 hours. The charger said it was at 25 percent when it started charging.

    After 24 hours it said it was full and I took the charger off and did a couple of measurements with a multimeter. With everything off apart from the interior light in the boot, and the lights on the inside of the tailgate, I got 12.45v at both the charge terminals in the engine bay, and directly on the battery itself. However when I started the engine running and had all the lights on, I got 14.15v in the engine bay, and 13.77v on the battery itself.
    thats great,it means you will be staying out of trouble.
     
    0 0 0
     

  9. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    451
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    40 Post(s)
    12.45 isnt much cop, leave it standing for 24 hours them measure it again.
    After standing for 24 hrs 12.7/8 is where you want to be, doesnt seem like much difference but 12.45 is approx 77 percent
     
    0 0 0
     

  10. Re: Battery low on 3.0 Tdi 
    #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    manchester,uk
    Posts
    89
    Post Thanks / Like
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quoted
    14 Post(s)
    Happy motoring.
     
    0 0 0
     

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Question Battery charger characteristics for battery voltage maintenance
    By Novica in forum Audi A6 - C6 Forum - 2005 - 2010
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 23-01-2016, 01:46 PM
  2. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 23-08-2015, 06:34 PM
  3. Shorted battery by accident now car won't start - battery is good...
    By Nookster in forum Golf MK4 - 1999 - 2004
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 19-12-2011, 06:32 PM
  4. Please Help battery light not working and battery not charging
    By nomanjuice in forum Polo - Derby - Lupo - Fox
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 20-05-2010, 07:25 AM
  5. BATTERY LIGHT ON 2.7TDi Q 2005 - NO BATTERY CHARGE
    By shairaz1 in forum Audi A6 - C6 Forum - 2005 - 2010
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 20-07-2009, 02:05 AM
Bookmarks
Bookmarks
Posting Permissions
  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


 



  


Disclaimer: VW Audi Forum is an "independant enthusiast website", administered in line with guidelines supplied by VAG in the UK, and is in no way related to any of the Worldwide Volkswagen,Audi,Seat,Skoda,Bentley,Bugatti,Porsche or Lamborghini group of Companies. For official up to date information on any of there vehicles, please visit the official websites. Any comments made throughout this website, are the views of the respective poster, and in no way represent the views of the VW Audi Forum Administration, or the worldwide Volkswagen & Audi Group of companies.


VW Audi Forum do not vet and are not responsible for any information which is posted in this forum. All content is viewed and used by you at your own risk and we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of any of the information.


Copyright: Certain "words", "phrases" and "Images" used on this website by the Administration are "Copyright" of Volkswagen GB, Volkswagen AG (Germany), Audi GB, Audi AG (Germany), Volkswagen Motorsport GB, Volkswagen Motorsport AG (Germany), Audi Motorsport AG (Germany), Volkswagen Racing GB, Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche and Lamborghini. No image can be replicated by anyone WITHOUT the relevant Companies written permission.


All trademarks and copyrights remain property of their respective owners.

No part of the VW Audi Forum website or forum may be reproduced without written permission from the site administration


PLEASE NOTE - PERSONAL ABUSE, ABUSE AGAINST THIS OR ANY OTHER WEBSITE OR ANY COMPANY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. OFFENDERS WILL BE MODERATED OR EVEN BANNED.


This website and forum are best viewed at a minimum resolution of 1024 by 768.



  



- VW AUDI Forum - The #1 Volkswagen (VW) Group Forum - Volkswagen (VW) - Audi - Seat - Skoda - Bentley - Bugatti - Lamborghini - Porsche - Scania - MAN - Ducatti - VW Audi Forum -


- www.vwaudiforum.co.uk - www.vwaudiforum.co.uk -