Start stop error Audi Q3

[RoboQ3]

Just collected brand new Q3 1.5 TFSi and on only doing 30 miles when coming to a stop a Start Stop error occurred and says “Contact Workshop” The engine continues running ok just doesn’t stop as it should. Switched the ignition off and went for another drive and no issues. Repeated the above and the error happened again. Going to phone dealer but just wondered if anyone had the same issue on a new Q3?

[Magnet]

Hello Robert,

Many thanks for being in touch with the forum. 
Your issue is typical of an undercharged battery - probably due to the car having sat around somewhere for some period of time (in transit for example). The stop/start facility is the first to shut down under these conditions.

I would expect the dealer to advise you to simply use the car - on extended runs if possible- and monitor the situation, and you should find the issue will minimise in frequency as the car is used. Obviously, if it doesn’t, then it may be suggested the battery is charged on a special charger (don’t use the old conventional chargers) for an extended period. 
All in all, the problem is likely to become less of an issue as the car is used. 
Good luck and kind regards, 

Gareth. 
 

[RoboQ3]

Just now, Magnet said:

Hello Robert,

Many thanks for being in touch with the forum. 
Your issue is typical of an undercharged battery - probably due to the car having sat around somewhere for some period of time (in transit for example). The stop/start facility is the first to shut down under these conditions.

I would expect the dealer to advise you to simply use the car - on extended runs if possible- and monitor the situation, and you should find the issue will minimise in frequency as the car is used. Obviously, if it doesn’t, then it may be suggested the battery is charged on a special charger (don’t use the old conventional chargers) for an extended period. 
All in all, the problem is likely to become less of an issue as the car is used. 
Good luck and kind regards, 

Gareth. 
 

Hi Gareth. Many thanks for your reply. I understand what you mean regarding the battery being new. Would it still show the “Contact Workshop” error though if it was just the battery? As I say sometimes the start stop has worked but when it hasn’t I am getting this contact Workshop error. 

[Magnet]

Thanks Robert,

I guess it depends on how the warning alert has been set up. 
If I were you, I would of course do as the warning says, and contact the dealer - not to, may well not help your guarantee. 
The purpose of my reply was to give an opinion on what I believe may happen when you do. 
Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[RoboQ3]

Hi Gareth. Many thanks again. I am just waiting for the dealers service dept to call me to possibly arrange for them to look at the car. I will definitely let you know the outcome. Hopefully nothing much!

[RoboQ3]

On 4/16/2021 at 11:05 AM, Magnet said:

Thanks Robert,

I guess it depends on how the warning alert has been set up. 
If I were you, I would of course do as the warning says, and contact the dealer - not to, may well not help your guarantee. 
The purpose of my reply was to give an opinion on what I believe may happen when you do. 
Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Hi Gareth. Well we have the issue again with the “Vehicle Start System:fault. Please contact workshop” Also last night we had another 2 errors “Drive system fault” and “Electrical system fault”. Car I now at the dealers to be looked at tomorrow. They are replacing the car if they cannot fix it. It has only done 1,000 miles 😞

[adithyajb]

@RoboQ3, my Audi Q3 too is showing "Vehicle start system: fault. Please contact workshop" (and also "Cruise control system: currently unavailable. See owner's manual"). So, keen to know if the problem on your car got resolved or not. Looking at the problem and how long it takes to even know it can't be fixed (preparing for the worst) makes me anxious. Will await for your response. Thanks in advance. 

[Magnet]

Hello Adithya, 

This is typical of a failing battery, or infrequent use/short journeys. 
Is your battery the original one fitted to the car when new? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
p.s. As I’ve said before, I’m very much anti this engineeringly averse system, so for me, it would be a bonus that it doesn’t work. Sorry - any environmentalists reading this. 

[adithyajb]

Gareth, 

I will check this with my Audi dealer. Or is there a way to check if it was a originally fitted battery? 

PS: This feature was working for 9 years perfectly fine on my 2010 Audi A3 which I part exchanged to by this Q3. I very much like this working on my car. Not sorry. 

 

[adithyajb]

Would really appreciate some feedback from @RoboQ3 and make a concluding comment on how it all ended. Fingers crossed. 

[RoboQ3]

Hi there,

Really sorry I’ve not responded before now. I have only just seen a email from the group chat this morning. Basically we rejected the first Q3 due to this issue. The replacement has been fine apart from only one occasion on just over a year where the message came up. I really do think this was because of the car being fairly new and I presume the battery wasn’t charged enough as others have said. The old Q3 kept coming up with the message quite frequently. I do hope you get yours sorted. Please feel free to ask any more questions. 

[Magnet]

Hello Adithyia, 

The battery is likely to be date coded, and you would probably  be looking for a Varta/Bosch brand.
You don’t tell us how frequently the car is used, and for what journey lengths. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[adithyajb]

Thank you @RoboQ3 for the response.

What was the dealers take on your first Q3? If it was just down to the battery why was it not fixed? If it is simple to fix, what makes the dealer to go for another Q3? What happened there please? 

 

Also, what battery have you got in your new Audi Q3 please? Appreciate you helping out. Thanks. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by adithyajb

[adithyajb]

Hi Gareth, 

The battery is from Moll, not Bosch. I could not find a date on it. I have attached the pic. Let me know what you think. Thanks. 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by adithyajb

[adithyajb]

Gareth, I have had the Audi for the 3 weeks. I have driven it fairly regularly and have had two long journeys on two days, roughly 200/220 miles each time on an average. 

[RoboQ3]

15 minutes ago, adithyajb said:

Thank you @RoboQ3 for the response.

What was the dealers take on your first Q3? If it was just down to the battery why was it not fixed? If it is simple to fix, what makes the dealer to go for another Q3? What happened there please? 

 

Also, what battery have you got in your new Audi Q3 please? Appreciate you helping out. Thanks. 

They couldn’t fix it and had no idea what to do so we rejected the car. My wife is out atm so I can’t check any battery info 

[Magnet]

Hello Adithya, 

Your Moll battery is likely to have been an original fitment. I believe they ceased trading about 3 years ago, and there were warranty issues with some of them, so I would be restating that if it were mine, I would want to get it on a sophisticated tester, that will measure all parameters monitored by the Battery Condition Monitor. 
I might not be able to convince you of the worth of getting that done, and I sense you feel there is something else wrong with another ( more expensive?) component, so there is little more I can add, except if you do find you need a replacement battery, then I would be going for a Varta/Bosch or possibly Exide - their minimum of 4 year warranty grade. 
Incase it helps, I buy mine at competitive prices from on-line specialists such as Tayna, Battery Megastore ( there are more). 
The new battery will need to be coded to the car. 
Perhaps you would be kind enough to let us know what the resolution turns out to be. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[adithyajb]

Hi Gareth, 

Thanks for being helpful on this. Appreciate it.

I would like to understand in what capacity you're giving the advise. The page says you are a moderator and 'staff', does that mean you're employed by Audi? It will be important if I were to quote your words with my Audi dealership. I am not questioning your knowledge in any way. Obviously, I welcome a good advise from anyone who knows better. 

2 hours ago, Magnet said:

and I sense you feel there is something else wrong with another ( more expensive?) component,

Maybe this is because Audi could not fix @RoboQ3's first Q3. Replacing the battery could have been easier, faster and cheaper than going for second Q3. 

 

2 hours ago, Magnet said:

Perhaps you would be kind enough to let us know what the resolution turns out to be.

Of course, I will. 

[adithyajb]

I would also like to mention that the dashboard on my Q3 also started displaying the below cruise control warning message on the same day as the "Vehicle start system: fault. Please contact workshop":  

"Cruise control system: currently unavailable. See owner's manual" 

Not sure if they are related or not. 

[Magnet]

Hello Adithya, 

Thanks for coming back on this.

My ‘standing’ on this forum is really no different from most other members, except that the moderators generally have more than a few! posts behind them, and are untrusted to act with respect and uphold the best interest of the forum. 
I am certainly not employed by Audi, and indeed it’s been a couple of decades since I was employed by anyone. Some will know that!
Discounting my own contributions, we are fortunate to have a core of contributors who are prepared to offer their best advice, and I think it’s fair to say much of this advice is based on shear experiences of issues - with Audis and many other marques. 
Quoting me, will get you absolutely nowhere, but I stand by my opinion - and it can only be an opinion until proved or disproved - that your issue is associated with a below par battery. This opinion is supported by the now additional warning re cruise control, and as the battery becomes even less efficient (if - in caps- it’s all to do with battery efficiency) you are likely to get more and more warnings coming up, and eventually encounter the ‘Christmas tree’ warning light array. 
One of the parameters that can become substandard is the cold cranking amperage, and the stop/start will shut down because of the perceived risk that the car will not restart. There will of course be other parameters measured by the BCM. 
Apologies if this has become boring. 
Kind regards,

Gareth.  

[adithyajb]

Hi Gareth, 

Appreciate sharing information about yourself and I can see some are more personal. It helps and makes me comfortable from another angle which is - you aren't partial towards Audi and hence your advice is more sincere and valuable. I don't think any of that was boring.

May you please extend your advise on the below points:

1. As my car is an approved used car bought from an Audi dealership (and I have reported these warning messages over an email within the 30 days), the dealership is obliged to fix this under warranty. Is this fair to say? 

2. Will replacing the battery (and re-coded) be the best solution to get rid of the problems I see on the dashboard? Hopefully this will keep the problems away for a long time? Do you see any side effects of replacing the battery? 

 

Thanks, 

Adithya 

[Magnet]

Hello Adithya, 

Could I spell this out as I see it?

You have bought a vehicle with a warranty, and it has a fault which you have reported. 
The dealer has to rectify that fault, so that the vehicle has all its equipment working as designed.

Where we deviate from my logic is that you are taking on a responsibility of telling them what is wrong. Sorry to say it, but it is you that is wrong, since that responsibility should not, and does not rest in your hands. You are treating this in the same way as if you are taking the dog to the vet, and you ( in caps) want to tell the vet what is wrong with the dog! 

Has the dealer actually told you they they are not/ cannot repair the vehicle? If no, just write a short, concise list of what is wrong and make arrangements to return the car for repair. Leave that note in the car, not with a receptionist. Just don’t pre-judge anything beyond at point. 
Have a glass of wine and relax. 
Hope some of this boxes it up, but please let us know how you get on. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[adithyajb]

Gareth, 

Thanks for spelling this out. I needed it. I will give an update later.