Alternator failing on Audi A3 mild hybrid

[janeto]

Hi, My daughter has an Audi A3, 2021 reg with just 17,000 miles and is getting different warning messages. Battery not charging sufficiently, electrical fault ,take to workshop for example. She has only had it since Oct 2024 so is now just 7 months out of warranty. The car has had a diagnostic check by an Audi/VW specialist garage who told her it was possibly a failing alternator. She was also informed that the car was a mild hybrid. (she wasn't aware of this at the time of purchase). I have read posts  that there appears to be a common fault with the alternators on the mild hybrid and that the warranty has been extended for 7 years on the alternator, and I was wondering if any members could give me any more information or updates . Also when she tried to buy an Audi all in service/warranty plan, when she puts the car reg and mileage in it says the car already has a service plan in place but Audi says it hasn't. When she does a VIN number check the information says that the car has a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty, again Audi says it hasn't. I wold love some help in sorting these issues please.

[cliffcoggin]

Janet.

Assuming the mild hybrid technology on the A3 is the same as the A7, then you are not alone. See this:

https://www.audiownersclub.com/forums/topic/24906-alternator-failure-related-to-mild-hybrid-system/

 

[janeto]

sorry for the late reply. I've read through a lot of the posts and downloaded the TSB which I was going to take with me to the dealership but it doesn't mention the A3, and like someone else said, if they find the alternator is at fault and change it, will the same problem not occur again. My daughter was advised to turn off the stop start and no lights or messages have appeared for about 3 weeks. Yesterday she drove 74 miles to Cayton Bay without any issues, but then, she switched the car off while she called into the reception and when she got back in the car 5 minutes later and turned on the ignition, there it was again "electrical fault". now she is worried about getting home on Monday.

[Steve Q]

Hopefully she'll get back ok. Have you got breakdown cover just to be safe

[cliffcoggin]

Unfortunately I doubt anybody in the forum can help beyond what has been written in the linked topic, because there is clearly a major flaw in the design and implementation of Audi's mild hybrid technology. Audi will resist any suggestion of responsibility for the problem, nevertheless I suggest you report the problem in writing to the company so that it can not deny awareness of the fault if there should ever be a resolution to it in the future.

Sorry to say that your daughter has been sold a lemon, and at the moment there appears to be no legal redress.