Cold Start Failing - Brake + EPS Lights on

**Crasher** · 20-01-2019,03:10 PM

All the symptoms of a poor battery......

**suley** · 20-01-2019,03:12 PM

Thanks, I've just gone back out and when the error has cleared, opening and closing the fuse box cover does not make a zapping sound, the odd click but again the zapping and click both seem to come from the left centre under the gray cover as oppose to the fuse box. I decided to reseat some of the fuses just to see if I could get a zapping sound and the ones I managed none caused any zapping. When the error is on the dash the zapping or click type sound exists which is strange. Think tomorrow I have to borrow the multi meter from work, seems odd only occurs in cold weather.

I've taken a photo of the front of fuse box and it seems to look ok, didnt try using a spanner as did not want to get shocked when its freezing outside!

IMG_6242.JPG - Google Drive

**suley** · 20-01-2019,03:16 PM

How else can I have the battery tested? I basically went to a garrage and said can you test battery and if it needs replacing then replace. Had a call from them saying they tested the battery and it was fine, they did manage to get it to start but was unsure what had caused it other then attempting to start a few times

**Crasher** · 20-01-2019,03:25 PM

How old is the battery, show us a picture?

**philipharmes** · 20-01-2019,03:37 PM

I'd be surprised if your battery was faulty.

In your first post you wrote :-
" I left the ignition on and decided to call the breakdown service and told it would be 55 mins, before they were with me. After around 15 mins of the key being left in, I noticed the brake light went off, at this point on the dash (P with a line through) had gone off, and around 30 seconds later, I tried again and the car turned on, no jutters or anything "

So from that i'm reading that the battery voltage must have been good, even after being left switched on & draining a constant 5 amps or more for the last 15 minutes.

Looking at the picture of the front of the fusebox, there is no sign of any heat build-up from a poor conexion on any of the wires.

But as you say, you need a multimeter to confirm all the conexions/ fuses are good.

Connect your negative meter to the battery neg then probe around all the other connexions with the positive, all should give roughly the same reading.

Put the positive thin meter probe on all the copper wire conexions right at the bottom, as the wire is going away from the crimp, in case it is a poor crimp conexion & it will show up as a lower voltage.

**suley** · 20-01-2019,03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Crasher

How old is the battery, show us a picture?

If I am right, it says 2015?
IMG_6247.JPG - Google Drive
IMG_6250.JPG - Google Drive

**philipharmes** · 20-01-2019,03:57 PM

As you say, looks like its a 2015 battery although the conexions look a bit cruddy.

I would take them both off & wire brush inside the lugs & the battery posts.

A smear of vaseline on all surfaces before bolting back together.

**Crasher** · 20-01-2019,04:17 PM

That is odd, it having a Touareg spec stop/start specificication battery....

**suley** · 21-01-2019,12:57 PM

Here is an update guys, so this morning I had the car again refuse to start, I thought, I know what to do, open and close fuse box, took a few attempts and started up. I thought great, a moment later the engine went off after the lights I think were turned on. A few more mins of attempting to start and then I got going, so start to drive down the street, drove around a mile around a roundabout (its downhill so don't need to accelerate). Around 500 meters from where I need to turn, I tap brakes and engine cuts out. Thankfully I am in the middle of the road in a filter lane. I think not going to try the fuse box again, I am just going to call the breakdown, guys come with a towing truck. They come and as I am in middle of the road, they don't attempt to try fix, I think he did try open the fuse box but I was sat inside the cab by this point, when we got to the garage, on unloading he said the fuse box was sounding like it was having a short circuit. The car by this point was again turning on, guy opens the fuse box and pulls the R2 relay and engine gone off, hes looking at the relay and says it looks like it might be the relay switch an issue. Garage said if its relay then its £30, but if I want to do diagnostics plugged in its £40 plus VAT. I said ok lets take at look and if its relay then replace but if not then lets see. Garage guy seemed keen replacing the relay which was off putting as he seemed to not want to look at issue but more replace parts.

I am thinking if its a minor issue I will replace if anything more thinking take car back.

Update: had a call from the garage saying when plugged in it had tons of error codes but he thinks that was taking out relay while switched on. He had the same issue occurring and replacing the relay did not fix the issue. He could not hear the zigging sound, explained how to replicate. Will let you know how I get on.