Nux

Hi there,

I have bought in 2016 my 3.0 TDI allroad, but having some difficulties with my battery with the colder weather. Starting the car is a bit more difficult.
Couple days ago, I couldn't start the car anymore, even after a short drive! I called Audi and they say it is normal with the weather
I had this problem for some months, but couple of weeks ago a let install the audi extra heater (don't know the exact name in english).

Is there someone here that had the same configuration as me, who can tell me which battery is in the car?
Cause Audi says that options doesn't change the capacity of the battery, but the engine does.
And I think the extra heater is asking more from the battery than without the heater.
Is there someone who could help me with this?

Thanks

tsetso

Are you talking about block heater? If so they use external power source not the battery. Just curious, how cold it is? I had (still have one) many diesel cars and never had issues down to -20C
Is you car with push start button or key? Check car manual for starting the car cold weather, glowplugs.

Nux

It is probably a block heater, from Audi itself (not Defa or Webasto).
It runs on diesel, but it uses electricity for ventilation, to get the heat in the car and the screen of the heating is on, showing the icon that that heater is on.
So I thought that perhaps Audi puts a stonger battery in the car when this option is installed.

And I'm talking about a tempature around 0C .
Is there a manual on starting the car in cold weather? The car has the push start button, not a key.

tsetso

I think you're describing electrical cabin heater (instant heat) found in most modern diesels. They run only when the car is on. Driving short distance?
Sounds like battery to me.

About the start button, starting diesel engine with key there is a delay for the glow-plug light to go off. In your case is integrated in the push button. I bet when cold there is 4-5 sec between you pushing start and engine actually starting.

Cheers,

Nux

It is not the electrical cabin heater. It is installed as an extra option and uses diesel to get the water warm (and even the engine). But it uses electricity to move to heat in the car.

It is less, but a bit longer now it is cold.

tsetso

Man...this is some German voodoo :-)​
Is there easy way to disconnect it and see how the car behaves without it.

Glisse

It sounds like your battery was failing anyway, and that your question is just whether the additional heater unit requires a different battery for a 3.0TDI without the auxiliary heater option.

Audi have said no, the battery type for the 3.0TDI does not vary whether the heater is present or not (only by engine type), but you don't believe them?

I think you just need to replace your battery, which had already given you signs that it was failing before the heater was installed. Once they start to go, they just get worse. Some can fail after just a couple of years, others can go much longer.

Not so many people on this forum with your combination.

There was a very recent thread on the motor-talk.de German forums where someone had starting issues with the B9 A4 3.0TDI and auxiliary heater. His claimed advice from the Audi Hotline on how to start the car seems exactly the sort of German voodoo that Tsetso was talking about! Frankly, I can't believe it, but you will find the thread useful. Not just the crazy start up sequence, but comments later in the thread about diesel pumps, incorrect fitting of the heater, and probably the best - a faulty batch of batteries for this model.

https://www.motor-talk.de/forum/a4-s...28.html?page=1

Nux

Indeed voodoo . No, it is not that easy (for me ).

Yes. I could understand that, if you take the heater, that the battery should be stronger. But it was already 'failing' before.
No, I don't believe them. They say everything to cover themself, so they don't need to change it in guarantee. He told me that their own A4 couldn't start the day I called .
We are 2018 and they making cars with a lot of options but we should take it as normal that it is possible that the car won't start? Sorry, not believing it.

That is what I mean, we are 2018 and we need to start the car like it is an airplane?
Now I have to wait and if I have it again, I need to call Audi assistance. And before they switch the battery, it has to stay there to load the battery for 3 hours .
So i hope I have it soon .

Thanks for the link!

Nux

Ok, thanks to the link of Glisse, I found something. On the last page of the link, someone wrote:
"For some days I had a problem with the parking brake after the - tiresome - starting. Then the car went again to the workshop. The master has emailed to Audi and then I got a new battery warranty as there was a serial error with this battery supplier. Unfortunately, I did not know what was in it before - now it's a minor."

I also get the mention of the parking brake after starting. So I need to contact Audi for this.

Nux

New update.
I have called Audi and after I said that I have the mention of the parking brake, they ordered a new battery.
Once there, they checked the logging of the car and changed the battery without any problem.
So the engine starts smooth again.

Also installed the darker lights while I was there :



So I'm a happy man again