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The only thing I've ever used a simple battery voltage for is to tell if the alternator is putting out at all... even then you cannot tell if it is right.
When a company posts a picture of a bottle of moly (lube) additive on a battery meter page, one might ask if they have any idea of what they are doing. Surely, it wasn't North Korean Hackers?
A simple battery meter is of limited use on a Q5. Normally system voltage floats all over the place (i.e. 12.4-14.4) during city and highway operation, with no apparent relationship to load or speed. I've confirmed this during a number of trips with a calibrated volt meter.
And, even when you car is not running, you also need to know how things work. Forgive me if it is old news but even on an AGM battery, it may need to sit for 8 hours with no large loads and no charging in order to stabilize and show the "real" voltage. So for checking battery condition, you need to check it after the car has been sitting overnight. For checking alternator performance...the only REAL information it can give you, is if it shows continual low output (12.x volts even at speed) or continual high output (over 15 volts at any time).
With no one at Audi really knowing how the charge control system works, the varying voltage ranges *may* actually be good charge management. Or may be all wrong. There's just no way to know based on what they won't tell us.
Thanks Redd, Good info.
I'm not really too concerned about the actual voltage number at any given time, I know it's all over the place. On my last 2 Q5s I would occasionally check the battery condition (% charge) with the MMI just to make sure it was still in good shape. I don't know how Audi calculates 0-100% charge state. Are you saying that this % charge meter is basically BS and is just there to give people a warm fuzzy? If so, I won't miss it so much anymore.
FWIW, this system has been around since D3 A8 snd USA MY 2004 intro. It is documented, at least as it existed then, in various D3 SSP's.
I can't enable this in my 2013 Q5 either, which was built at the far end of the 2013 model run before we got it via Euro delivery in July. But having lived with it for 100K miles and 9 years in the D3 A8, it has some usefulness. Most simply, if it doesn't basically say 100% pretty regularly and you didn't do something obvious to cause it, the battery is suspect. Thus as an example of "something obvious," if you leave the lights on (meaning parking lights after headlights are cut), the power management system clicks though its various levels in ensuing hours to try to save enough power for a restart. On the D3, one time I stupidly managed to do that, it went through all the levels even down to where I had to stick the physical key in the buried door handle slot to open it and then the ignition to start it, but it still managed to go. Meter was way down at that point, but recovered pretty quickly. Some years later as battery failed, even with some charges in between, it would often show low to medium percentages. It took a nose dive within weeks--even in mid summer. Conventional rather than AGM in that application. New battery, 100% all the time. Meter also seems to function somewhat "in arrears." Thus if you start to run it down, like a long VCDS session with ignition on but not running, not bothering to shut down MMI, etc., it may not immediately show on meter. But then you get the warning on MMI screen it needs to power down. On next restart if you check it, maybe only then do you see it off the 100% mark; it always recovers quickly in the D3 scenario--which has both a "big boy" battery size and a large water cooled alternator. Meantime on Q5, I have the P3 gauge set up if I want to check volts. Since it is a hybrid, pretty specialized--two small batteries more like motorcycle size, but then the high voltage hybrid drive one.
I just played today with carista customization and green menu.
I activated Lap timer and oil temperature in dashboard, battery level(green menu)
Ambient Lighting Control activated, I don't know how to activate VIM(video in motion)
Needle sweep activated. I disabled service interval I don't know if it will work (I am the one who is checking my car). I'll do more testing tomorrow.
So i blew it somewhere today and after searches here and about 4 hours playing with the settings, i cant seem to figure out my issue.
I changed some settings today while driving....dumb i know... hit a bump and screwed something up.
now my back up camera doesnt work and neither does the ability to choose the drive style, and the ambient lighting isnt working.
is it possible for someone to post the images of thier settings with all of this working?
I have a 2010 Q5.
Here are my settings.
Last edited by ceroberts75; 10-23-2016 at 06:25 PM.
Reason: Missing images
I just played today with carista customization and green menu.
I activated Lap timer and oil temperature in dashboard, battery level(green menu)
Ambient Lighting Control activated, I don't know how to activate VIM(video in motion)
Needle sweep activated. I disabled service interval I don't know if it will work (I am the one who is checking my car). I'll do more testing tomorrow.
Those are the same exact settings I am hoping to change/update in my Q7 - also the VIM and the rip from CD function. How do you find out what settings to change to get to this stuff??
Has anyone tinkered with the Window portion of this green menu? Is it possible to have all 4 windows go all the way down? In the US by default the rear windows only go down about 80% for child safety.
.m.
Local Indy activated windows up/down on my 2016 Q5. Funny thing. 1 remote activates both up & down. The 2nd remote only windows close.
Has anyone tinkered with the Window portion of this green menu? Is it possible to have all 4 windows go all the way down? In the US by default the rear windows only go down about 80% for child safety.
.m.
Local Indy activated windows up/down on my 2016 Q5. Funny thing. 1 remote activates both up & down. The 2nd remote only windows close.
10-20-2016, 12:53 PM
