Flat Battery

[XPOWER]

I left my S3 locked in my garage for two weeks. I started it this morning to wash it and it started first time but it did seem to require a bit more cranking than usual. Then after washing and tried to start it wouldn’t, the battery was flat.


It’s seems ok after I connected a battery charger and gone for a 22 mile drive in it. Initially starting it caused an array or warning lights (ESP, Power Steering, breaks) like you get if the battery has been disconnected.

Should the battery discharge like that after 2 weeks?

Thanks

 

[Staz]

No way! I left my old A3 for 2 months while I was away and it started first time.

Is the battery warning light on? How old is the car? Has the battery been change since new?

 

[XPOWER]

The car built in June 2007 so the battery has been fitted since then. There has been no previous problem with the battery no warning lights or anything else untoward.


I guess I’ll phone the dealers so they can have a look at it under warranty.

Thanks

 

[Staz]

If alternator is working fine, which it obviously is then it's pretty likely that the battery is simply worn out and not holding charge so well. Audi won't replace this for free so they'll charge you labour as well as the cost of the battery.

 

[XPOWER]

I wouldn’t have thought the battery would fail in less than 2 years. My parents only had to get new battery after 11 years for their Nissan.

I will ask the dealer to check to make sure something isn’t draining the battery.

I’ll buy and fit a new one myself if they confirm it is the battery.

 

[Staz]

Batteries are funny little beasts. A bit of neglect and they'll start to wear out. High loads will wear it quicker. There are many variables. Chances are it's just goosed.

 

[kaz219]

Mine died on my late 2004 A3 when it was parked up for 2 months.

Infact, I took it out and gave it a good charge and its still been parked up for over a week and im pretty sure its charged up...

You can buy an alternator/battery tester for less than a fiver and the batt and alt were both fine on my car.

Just give it a good charge an give it a good drive and it should be ok

 

[Staz]

Kaz does raise a very good point. Without going into it in any depth, a slow charge from a battery charger can bring your battery back to life.

 

[kaz219]

Definitly

Remember to take the batt off the car though before you charge.

I turned mine over before i came to uni and despite it not being driven since i charged it over a week ago, it turned over (dont want to start it as the turbo's blown!)

 

[XPOWER]

I didn’t know that the battery needed to be removed while charging. But it was only on charge for a couple of minutes so I hope no damage was done.

I’ve booked it into the dealers for Wednesday so they can have a look. I will post to let everyone know how it got on.

 

[kaz219]

I didn’t know that the battery needed to be removed while charging. But it was only on charge for a couple of minutes so I hope no damage was done.

I’ve booked it into the dealers for Wednesday so they can have a look. I will post to let everyone know how it got on.

It wont cause any damage but to properly charge it, you need to disconnect the batt and leave it on over night (around 8hrs on a trickle charger).

I think it needs a proper charge imo but you may be able to milk teh dealers for a new batt! lol

 

[XPOWER]

I took it to the dealers and they say something is using the battery.

The car has a GPS driving logger fitted, done by the dealer, since the car was new, so it could that but it wasn’t conclusive from their tests.

The dealer has sent the figures away to Audi to get a diagnoses.

 

[Caesium]

My battery collapsed 2 days after buying the car, it was 2 years old when I bought it.

Luckily they replaced it under warranty, but it goes to show they can just go!

 

[NHN]

I took it to the dealers and they say something is using the battery.

The car has a GPS driving logger fitted, done by the dealer, since the car was new, so it could that but it wasn’t conclusive from their tests.

The dealer has sent the figures away to Audi to get a diagnoses.

Well unless the gps system has its own backup system when ignition turned of then I guess its this taking charge away mate as I guess it also is a gps tracker aswell, I reckon as already advised the trickle charge will fix this easily as mine did same thing, got tested & showed just flat, weird huh, but think tracked down to the rns, so gotta do some wire checking given kufatecs crappy looms

 

[XPOWER]

Just to give you an update of what the garage said about my car.
Basically no faults were found during testing of the electrical system and the battery held its charge.
The technician said that with the electrical systems in the car, leaving it two weeks could lead to the battery being drained.

So its looks like if it’s I’m going to leave it in a car park for two weeks then I need to buy a battery booster just in case and a set of jump leads.

 

[Staz]

No way mate. If everything is off and the battery is healthy it should last way longer than that.

 

[XPOWER]

I agree. They say there are no faults then there isn’t much I can say to them. I will just have to wait until I leave the car to go on hols in October and see how it behaves then.