First sign that battery needs replacing?

[jdp1962]

My S4 is four and a half years old, and today, on starting for the first time in four days, I got the DIS warning that the battery is low and will be charged whilst driving. Sadly, it was only a short journey.

I don't have any devices on permanent live, so I’m thinking maybe it’s telling me the battery would prefer not to go through a fifth winter. My plan is to get my garage to check for a drain and assuming it doesn’t find one, put a new battery in.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[NHN]

Stick ctek on it bud, let it do the 8 stages, then see if it still has issues, they're very good units.

 

[jakm15]

My S4 is four and a half years old, and today, on starting for the first time in four days, I got the DIS warning that the battery is low and will be charged whilst driving. Sadly, it was only a short journey.

I don't have any devices on permanent live, so I’m thinking maybe it’s telling me the battery would prefer not to go through a fifth winter. My plan is to get my garage to check for a drain and assuming it doesn’t find one, put a new battery in.

Thoughts, anyone?

Sounds like a plan, our 60 plate is still on its original battery though, averages about 7000 miles a year.

If they do a fault scan it will more than like bring up the "energy management active fault" that means the car is limiting some electrical functions to preserve battery levels as it's dropped below a certain voltage.

If there is a drain on the battery that normally comes up as a fault on the scan as well.

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[NHN]

Check the magic pro/camera etc was it we fitted ages ago & the updated head unit, these are systems iirc fitted that may affect said, systems over time can become faulty, not to say it's these Jeff, but worth a shout.

 

[jdp1962]

Check the magic pro/camera etc was it we fitted ages ago & the updated head unit, these are systems iirc fitted that may affect said, systems over time can become faulty, not to say it's these Jeff, but worth a shout.

@NHN , hi Nigel. That camera packed up a while ago. I got a new one fitted by my local garage which is ignition live only.

 

[jdp1962]

Stick ctek on it bud, let it do the 8 stages, then see if it still has issues, they're very good units.

For the cost of buying a ctek thingie, I might as well pay an hour’s labour for my garage to do the job properly.

 

[Dippy]

Jeff, as you know my S5 is about the same age as your S4. I have been noticing that it is starting itself after start/stop at traffic lights sooner than it used to. I already asked about warning messages on the S5 forum and someone answered along the lines of what you must have seen. My plan is to replace my battery as soon as I see my first message. In fact soon I must get around to looking at my battery and measuring up the space because if there's room to replace it with I higher capacity one I will do so, and I want to have that researched before I get a warning message.

As per @NHN's comment I do have a battery charger which has a full check function so I'll probably do that just to see how bad that battery is. However for me 4-5 years is a good battery life and I'd be inclined to believe that the battery management system in our cars is pretty good at determining the condition of the battery it has been monitoring for all those years!

BTW since I don't use my car daily I occasionally hook my battery up to a charger and give it full charge. Do you ever do that for yours?

 

[V6_Man]

My S4 is four and a half years old, and today, on starting for the first time in four days, I got the DIS warning that the battery is low and will be charged whilst driving. Sadly, it was only a short journey.

I don't have any devices on permanent live, so I’m thinking maybe it’s telling me the battery would prefer not to go through a fifth winter. My plan is to get my garage to check for a drain and assuming it doesn’t find one, put a new battery in.

Thoughts, anyone?

Believe @Dippy had exactly the same issues the other day. Haven't driven mine in over a week, looking at your and Dippy's issue I might as well try it tonight

 

[jdp1962]

Jeff, as you know my S5 is about the same age as your S4. I have been noticing that it is starting itself after start/stop at traffic lights sooner than it used to. I already asked about warning messages on the S5 forum and someone answered along the lines of what you must have seen. My plan is to replace my battery as soon as I see my first message. In fact soon I must get around to looking at my battery and measuring up the space because if there's room to replace it with I higher capacity one I will do so, and I want to have that researched before I get a warning message.

As per @NHN's comment I do have a battery charger which has a full check function so I'll probably do that just to see how bad that battery is. However for me 4-5 years is a good battery life and I'd be inclined to believe that the battery management system in our cars is pretty good at determining the condition of the battery it has been monitoring for all those years!

BTW since I don't use my car daily I occasionally hook my battery up to a charger and give it full charge. Do you ever do that for yours?

Until very recently I used my car at least every other day so never had to think about hooking up a charger. Not having a garage makes that rather impractical in any event.

 

[desertstorm]

@jdp1962 I changed the battery on my car after around 6 years, It was struggling to start the car when it had been standing for a few days not being used in the winter. This time of the year the electrical system works overtime due to the dark mornings , dark nights and the cold. heater fans, lights, heated seats, heated windows, etc etc all consume a lot of power. I replaced my OE battery with a Varta I1 .
https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/i1/
Or even better 20% off if you buy it from the Ebay store . £100 delivered is a bit of a bargain.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/I1-VARTA-Silver-Dynamic-12V-110Ah-Car-Battery-020/252731277211?

If yours has start stop It's probably AGM in which case Varta H15

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/varta/h15/
Again 20% off in the Tayna store. At £177 probably half the price of the dealer.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Varta-H1...-Land-Rover-Range-Rover-Porsche/252007703490?

 

[jdp1962]

No real update to report as yet, mainly because I've not used the car in the past two days. But I need to go to Sevenoaks tomorrow (20 miles each way, mostly motorway and dual carriageway) so that should give the battery as decent chance to charge up. If it's still throwing up the low charge warning after that, that's when I'll take it to Sanspeed.

One thing I did notice fron searcing all the links to new batteries was that they advose to measure the existing battery, as apparently they come in two different physicaly sizes. I've just done that (boy is there a load of stuff to move before you get access to it) and it's 345mm wide by 175mm wide and 190 deep. Handy to know if I decide to source my own rather than leave it to Sanspeed.

 

[scotty76]

Hey Jeff. Just to chime in and say my June 2014 S4 is now only getting used once a week max. Sometimes once every 2 weeks. I've not had any warnings but after one extended stint last winter of approx 3 weeks standing I did find the welcome home lights didn't come on when unlocked. Also on getting into the car the radio was off, I always leave it on. Its still starting first time no problems.

 

[jdp1962]

Update proper: started fine this morning, but the low battery warning sounded. Drove 20 miles to Sevenoaks, then when i started it again to come home, there was no low battery warning. So job done, now to monitor it over the coming weeks, see if it returns.

 

[Dippy]

One day it won't start and the message will change to "I warned you Jeff..."

 

[jdp1962]

One day it won't start and the message will change to "I warned you Jeff..."

Or how about one day, the low charge warning will appear again, and I’ll get a new one fitted?

 

[Kakatk]

You could try SC Motor factors at Ruxley you get a fresher battery from a wholesaler that hasn’t been sitting on a shelf for so long. I think there prices are competitive.

 

[jdp1962]

Went to get petrol this morning; the low charge warning bleeped up. Spoke to Sanspeed,they recommended fitting an OEM replacement and are ordering it in for tomorrow. They'll fit it while I wait. I don't mind paying quarter of an hour's labour for them to do it right.

 

[Dippy]

Hmm. I wonder how long before I get the same message?

 

[jdp1962]

Hmm. I wonder how long before I get the same message?

At least you'll know what to do when it does show up.

 

[jakm15]

Just buy a battery and bang it in, £100 and takes about 20 minutes if you take your time taking the stuff out of the boot, jobs a good one. No coding needed, don't over complicate something simple.

An example of overcomplicating things is changing the diesel filter, the first time I did it I clamped the pipes either side of the filter, filled the new one with fresh diesel and fitted it and the car fired up exactly as normal, took about 20 mins.

I got a load of comments on that method saying you will damage your high pressure pump and you need to prime with VCDS so the next time I removed the diesel filter, didn't clamps the pipes, diesel everywhere, didn't fill the diesel filter and I just used VCDS and primed it with that and guess what the car just turned over and over and wouldn't start no matter how many times I primed it, your not telling me that's not good for the starter motor and diesel pump running dry.

The rear brake pads are the same with the electric parking brake, you can just take two torx bolts out and wind the motor in, takes 2 minutes but loads of people say it can't be done without VCDS.

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[jdp1962]

Just buy a battery and bang it in, £100 and takes about 20 minutes if you take your time taking the stuff out of the boot, jobs a good one. No coding needed, don't over complicate something simple.

An example of overcomplicating things is changing the diesel filter, the first time I did it I clamped the pipes either side of the filter, filled the new one with fresh diesel and fitted it and the car fired up exactly as normal, took about 20 mins.

I got a load of comments on that method saying you will damage your high pressure pump and you need to prime with VCDS so the next time I removed the diesel filter, didn't clamps the pipes, diesel everywhere, didn't fill the diesel filter and I just used VCDS and primed it with that and guess what the car just turned over and over and wouldn't start no matter how many times I primed it, your not telling me that's not good for the starter motor and diesel pump running dry.

The rear brake pads are the same with the electric parking brake, you can just take two torx bolts out and wind the motor in, takes 2 minutes but loads of people say it can't be done without VCDS.

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I appreciate the sentiment, @jakm15 but trust me when I promise you that the best way for me to over complicate something simple is to attempt to do it myself.

 

[jakm15]

I appreciate the sentiment, @jakm15 but trust me when I promise you that the best way for me to over complicate something simple is to attempt to do it myself.

That's quality at least your not in denial about it haha

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[scotty76]

All sorted now?

 

[Bristle Hound]

I was getting the battery warning issues with the the Avant that I have just part x'ed for the X3
First came to light when I was using the Carista app on it
I've managed to keep it going but I suspect the new owner will need a new battery for the winter

Still the battery was 9 1/2 years old so wasn't doing bad

 

[jdp1962]

All sorted now?

Yup: all is good.

 

[Dippy]

Jeff, did you see exactly what factory battery you had and what it was replaced with?
My code is J0B which should be 92Ah/520A

 

[V6_Man]

Jeff, did you see exactly what factory battery you had and what it was replaced with?
My code is J0B which should be 92Ah/520A

IIRC, the OE battery used by Audi is Varta AGM. Looking at your amperage and CCA no wonder why it lasted only 4-5 years @Dippy. If I was you I'd go minimum 110Ah/850A, which should last longer given all the 'gadgets' we are running off them.

 

[jdp1962]

Jeff, did you see exactly what factory battery you had and what it was replaced with?
My code is J0B which should be 92Ah/520A

No: should I have done?

 

[Dippy]

Only to answer my question...

 

[jdp1962]

Only to answer my question...

If you’d asked it a fortnight ago, I could have done, but the original battery is now long gone. It’ll be next weekend before I’ll have the opportunity to examine the new one in daylight, but if it’s any use, the part number on the invoice is 000915105CE.