Dead battery only 18 days old

[Daytonapaul]

Hi, my 18 day old Q3 2021 broke down stating battery discharging. Ten days later my Audi dealership charged me labour and a new battery. They said that the battery had been under 12v for 15 days and that was my fault for not driving the car enough to charge the battery. I had driven over 300 miles in 18 days including motorway driving. I would love to hear your comments please.

[dalswinton]

I would take the car straight back to the Audi dealer, if the car is only 18 days old there must

be a problem, either with the charging system, or it being a dud battery in the first place.

i have an A4 Allroad 2017, which does not cover many miles, and last month, it was parked up

for a month, whilst i was in hospital, it started perfectly after all that time.

p.s. i once had a brand new saab, and after 2 weeks the battery was flat, the reason was a rogue

screw had pierced the underside of the battery.

Brian.

[Daytonapaul]

Hi, thanks for your comments. I thought I was going mad, not understanding how I broke my car. I have tried communicating with the dealership but no response. I have been in touch with Audi UK and awaiting their reply. After only 3 days my car had dipped below 12v and stayed there for 15 days before breaking down. All this without any warning lights on the dashboard.

[Magnet]

Hello Paul,

As Brian points out, the response from your dealership is total unacceptable, and you may find that you will get the service and treatment you deserve at another dealership. 
If I am reading this correctly, you have already paid for a new battery to be fitted to the car and the labour charges incurred with this. How much did that cost you? 
Again, if I’m reading it correctly, you are now in exactly the same situation as you were before the replacement was fitted. 
There is obviously something wrong, and the car is likely to have a high parasitic drain - which needs to be sourced and corrected, and all your outgoings refunded. 
They must think you have just come up the river on a bike! I wouldn’t be letting them loose to even fix that bike if it were me. 
It sounds like a strongly worded e-Mail to the dealer principal is required here, with copy to Audi U.K. 

Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
Just noticed you have a duplicate post on the same subject. 

[Daytonapaul]

Thanks for your comments Magnet. I'm awaiting a reply from Audi uk. I will post their reply and hope to get a full refund and apology. I'm now checking my battery readings every day as I'm concerned that the problem may happen again.

[Magnet]

As a matter of interest, what make battery have they now fitted? 

As a virtually new car, are you really expected to check your battery voltage every day? I would have thought that ‘if ever’ would be more appropriate! 

It’s obviously your call Paul, but your discontent and the deemed-necessary payment, really has nothing to do with Audi U.K. (who didn’t sell you the vehicle, or charge you to supply and fit a new battery), but everything to do with the dealer you bought it from.

To me, any procrastination in reclaiming your outgoings from them might be a backward step. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Daytonapaul]

I take your point. I'm just hoping Audi UK can put pressure on the dealership to look into this for me as they are not responding. I'm 66 years old and have been driving nearly 50 years. I have never ‘killed a battery’ before, and never been treated like this from a dealership. I have to drive now with the worry that the car will break down again. It is taking away the pleasure of having a new car. I appreciate your support, thank you.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Daytonapaul
Need cropping

[Daytonapaul]

[Magnet]

Thanks Paul.

I’m now even more confused! 
So did the breakdown company ( whoever they are??) renew the battery? - rather than the dealer. Different story!

Who now has the original battery? 
If so, it becomes even more important to know what make of battery they fitted - and you don’t tell us. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Daytonapaul]

Hi Gareth

Sorry for the confusion. The recovery technician read my battery which read a drain of 0.6 amp in a couple of minutes. He took his battery from his van and drove my car to the dealer. He then took his battery out and got a lift back to his van. The dealership put a new VARTA battery in my Q3. I just took a reading and with engine off it read 12.30 with engine on it was 13.30

Regards Paul 

[Magnet]

Thanks Paul, and apologies, for my comments on your duplicate post which I read before this one. 
Right, we now have the fully understandable story, and indeed this confirms that your ‘claim’ should be fully with the dealer, and not dependent with any ‘advice’ which Audi U.K. will give you. You bought the car off the dealer, and the dealer has to be responsible for such issues which occur so soon after delivery.
 

Let me raise a simple question? Do you personally have any control of, or responsibility for the voltage of the battery of this virtually new vehicle? It is a near new vehicle, which has been correctly used, yet it has proved to be unreliable.   So answering the question for you - you cannot be expected to shoulder any blame for this unacceptable situation. 
 

Personally, I would have refused to pay this bill for the above reason, and this reason would form the backbone of my strongly worded e-Mail to the dealer principal, and I would forget about waiting for any response from Audi U.K. If you find this sort of thing to be rather difficult to deal with, then it would be great if you could get someone who is fair, but assertive to deal with it for you. You should certainly not have to worry about it.

In my book, I would be expecting over 14v with the engine running - 13.3v seems low. 
Also, it could be me (or the photo), but does that battery really look brand new...??? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Daytonapaul]

Thanks for replying Gareth. I was thinking the same thing about the battery. I feel that this won't get resolved until I go to the dealership and demand to speak with someone senior. This sort of thing does stress me but sitting back and doing nothing makes me anxious about the car breaking down again. Wish me luck.

Regards Paul

[Magnet]

Hello Paul,

I do indeed wish you luck, but resolving such unacceptable treatment should not depend on good luck. 
As I mentioned, I really think it would be to your advantage to take someone with you. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[Daytonapaul]

Thanks I will 

Paul

[Daytonapaul]

Had a long talk with the dealership manager and he agreed that I could not have caused the battery to fail. He assured me that the replacement battery is a new one and he will give the car a complete check over so I can be confident that the problem won't happen again. 

Thanks for the support 

Paul

[Magnet]

And your money back Paul?

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Daytonapaul]

Yes, work done under warranty 

[Magnet]

Well done Paul.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Daytonapaul]

Thanks for your support 

Paul

[Racman]

I wonder if there was a batch of dud batteries in the system last year?  My 5 year old battery was replaced in June 2021 and the new one failed in December.   (The replacement in June was due to age related failure and I had no problem with that being done).

 

It took 3 months for the dealership to accept liability (in between patronising me with suggestions that I wasn't doing sufficient mileage - so how does that fit with charging the battery with an off board charger and it still not holding its charge?) and ignoring the log of starting/mileage events and battery voltages that I recorded during January and February.  Eventually the dealership painted themselves into a corner and accepted liability under warranty, changed the battery and all has been well since.

 

Sadly, there seems to be an over reliance on electronic battery testers which only appear to measure battery voltage and the internal resistance of the battery and then calculate everything else from these readings.  As far as I am aware there is no instrument on the market which can directly measure the capacity of a battery.  The old on-load testing kit (with the glowing red hot resistance coil) which actually drew a heavy current from a battery under test is still the best indicator of the state of a battery but presumably the use of such equipment is no longer deemed safe to use thanks to H&S regulations

'Collect the evidence, marshal the facts and then present your case.'    

 

Bob

[Sonic]

I just received my brand new AudiA3 yesterday. On the way home from work it just died in the middle of a junction.  The AA technician couldnt fix at the roadside so the police had it moved by a recovery vehicle. Been calling various people involved e.g. the dealer but just getting sent in circles. It's the weekend now so not going to get much done. Really annoyed as only had it 2 days and done less than a 100 miles.

[Magnet]

Hello Mumith,

Sorry to hear of your unacceptable issues with this car. 
So that we can better understand your obvious discontents:- 
Exactly where is the car now, and how long has it been there? 
‘Been calling various people….’. Why anyone else apart from the supplying dealer? 
Have you recorded your discontents in an e-Mail to the dealer principal? 
Have they provided you with a courtesy car? 
I take it such breakdowns would be covered by Audi Assist ( if they still exist) so is there any reason why you called the AA in preference?

To be in a position to broaden your options going forward, is there any finance involved with the car purchase. 
Perhaps you could come back to us. 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

[Daytonapaul]

I’m sorry to hear of others having an issue like mine. My dealer has had my car for 81 days. They are trying to update the infotainment system. They never believed me that the problem was from day one of getting the car. I’m afraid you may have to get in touch with Audi UK. They have taken up my case, so I’m a little more hopeful. The dealership still says they are waiting for Germany to help them.

Director Audi UK

andrew.doyle@audi.co.uk

I hope your issue is sorted out quicker than mine. Good Luck. 
regards Paul Casserly. 

[Sonic]

Thanks for the replies. As a quick update, Audi Assist have taken my car to a repair center and I'm due a courtesy car today after almost a week so I'll finally be mobile again. I'm not expecting any feedback anytime soon but hopefully it doesn't take too long.  

[Daytonapaul]

On 10/15/2022 at 9:39 AM, Daytonapaul said:

I collected my car yesterday after 85 days. I read the warranty bill. £1600. It shows they replaced the same part twice and recalibrated the system three times. It looks like the part they first replaced was replaced by another faulty part. They seem to have been going around in circles. Nice to have her back. She drives like a dream and for the first time in 17 months the internet is connected and the infotainment system is working.