Mark2

Cally, what you report is shocking and bears out exactly what I have been telling Audi UK is a likely worse case scenario. I was promised a response by today from Audi UK but nothing so far. I too want responses in writing.

In the meantime I agree remapping will have had no effect on the Alternator failure. This device is belt driven and either acts as a starter to kick start the engine when it stops in traffic or charges the battery when the engine is running. It charges the 48v battery which then charges the 12v battery which runs all the computers , locks, steering, grearbox, heated seats, air con etc. so you can imagine it does not take long to discharge. My dealer has seen 3 failure, there are 5000 VW /Audi dealers so that could be 15000 vehicles so we need to get the message out.

I am still awaiting a response from Audi UK regarding the serious safety concerns around this failure. Do you realise if you had the child locks switched on the rear doors and the failure does not allow you to release the door locks then anyone in the back seats would be trapped unable to open the doors from the inside or out. as soon as I get a response I will publish it

Audi UK have told me that they do not have any alternator failure or battery not being charged warning lights on any of their current models. I cannot believe this, can anyone confirm if they have a 3 year or less old car if it had an alternator failure warning light

I have just had a call from Audi UK flooding my complaint through my dealer. They have agreed to pay the recovery charge of £330 I incurred getting a local garage out if hours to patch in a replacement battery to get me to their garage and out of danger. Then Audi UK told me the most extraordinary thing. Firstly there are no plans for Audi to issue a software update to warn drivers of this problem but secondly. NO AUDI CARS HAVE A ‘ BATTERY NOT BEING CHARGED’ WARNING,! I find this hard to believe. Does anyone have a newish Audi with a No Charge warning lamp fitted ?

Audi told me it was the highest mileage RS product they had. No major problems. Only once when cam chains broke did I need recovery. Has it chipped at 10,000 miles to 500bhp. Some wag on the RS246 site worked out how much fuel I had used and what it cost but he did not know how many smiles.

My last RS6 was 17 years old and I had done 235000 miles in it but my garage could no longer get suspension spares so I sold it and bought a new one- more fool me. I do need to tow and the C8 is at least homologated. However do not think that will do 235,000 miles. Still awaiting Audi GmbH response so will keep you updated. Trying to claw back the £235 tow charge!

Audi UK rang me on Sunday. The long and short of the conversation was- There is no European vehicle Construction requirement to provide an indication that the battery is not being charged ( despite having 156 warning lamps in the manual). The fact that Audi do not consider this failure to be a safety issue really worries me. When I asked if Audi would prepare a software fix I was told this car is 3 years old and designed 5 years ago so very unlikely. So thanks for spending £100,000 now just !Removed! off. This failure is not specific to RS models but all models which have the hybrid 48/12volt system. Audi have now instigated a 7 year warranty on this starter/charger. What they need to do is come clean about it and advise owners what to do if the yellow battery light comes on, which is TURN EVERYTHING OFF then DRIVE TO YOUR NEAREST AUDI DEALER. I was thinking of selling the car but have decided because I know so much about this problem I can handle any future issues. What would I replace it with which does not have all this electronic crap?

I agree, I am pressing my dealer, who is sending my 2 page failure report to Audi UK, to tell me how many other customers with theses systems have had failures. Somehow we need to get this into a wider audience but understand few motoring journalist will,pick it up as it is the motor manufacturers who are their bread and butter. Maybe I will write to Private Eye.

I have told my Audi dealer, who has given me a courtesy car, I am not picking my car up until Audi UK confirm that they are working on a software upgrade to give drivers warning on how long their battery will last after chargining fails. If my catastrophic failure where the drive was disconnected, had happened on a Motorway or worse a Smart motorway then my and my passengers could be toast. My wife is now scared of going back in the car.

I have a 2021 RS6 and have just experienced Starter/generator failure without warning all electrics failed, the drive was disengage, the handbrake would not work , I could not close the windows and was stuck on a hill in the rain. Why is there no warning that the battery is no longer being charged. Up to now cars have had an ign light which came on or the ammeter showed discharge. At 32000 miles on a £100,000 car this could have been dangerous if I had been on a motorway. Lucky I took out extended warranty, but refusing to take car back until Audi have a ‘warning’ fix.