JamesAudiA6007

Hi All - hoping for some help!

I left my A6 stood for about a week and half recently, just as the weather started getting cold. When I returned to it, two days ago, I turned on the ignition and the battery warning light came one and I noticed it was a little more sluggish to start the engine. I checked the battery meter in the MMI and it was showing 80 percent...

Yesterday I took it out for an hours drive and this got the battery level up to 100%.

Today I went back and attempted to start the engine wont turn over over. It sounds like it's trying to, but it just cant.

The strange thing is, there is no battery warning light in the dash and the meter in the MMI shows 100%.

Any ideas? I am suspecting there is a battery problem, but I would expect to get a warning light and a lesser capacity reported in the MMI?

raj99

When was the last time your changed the battery in the car?

The mmi battery meter is notoriously unreliable and impersise

JamesAudiA6007

Hi Raj,

I bought the car in March this year, not sure when the battery was last changed. I think that as I have no idea about this, I should get it checked. Meanwhile, an update...

Went out again to take another look at the car. Headlights come on full brightness. All electrics seems fine. Windows go up and down etc..

Turn the key, and it's like it's stuck it sounds like it's straining at the leash to turn the engine over but cannot.

So tried again; turned the key and held it there, about 5 seconds and suddenly its like something freed up or become unstuck, the engine turned over once and fired into life.

So I wonder what was going on - could the engine have been literally frozen solid and just needed a whole bunch of effort from the starter to get going?

raj99

Go out and look at your battery, it'll have a date stamp on it...if it's the same year or before your MY (model year), then I'd strongly advise you get a new battery. FWIW, even when your battery is dying, it'll power your headlights and other lower voltage items. However, when attempting to crank the vehicle it uses the most power and you can get lucky here and there...but once your battery is on it's downward slide...it'll eventually leave you stranded. You especially don't want that in the winter.

JamesAudiA6007

Hi Raj thanks again for following up and helping me out. Went out (it's dark, apologies for bad images) - here's what I see..



Take this cover off, and see this...





It all looks brand new - but I guess thats no real indicator!

I cant see a date sticker anywhere on the top. Hopefully it's not on the bottom as it looks like would need to unbolt that metal piece to slid it out I think?

Thanks again for you help..

raj99

JamesAudiA6007

Hi Raj, thanks for your advice - you were absolutely right, I took the car in to have the battery tested today - turns out the battery failed tests. So it was replaced. Simple! Cheers!