Magnet

Hello David, Yes, this will be an issue with DIY servicing, and indeed, the ‘Service due’ light may not apply in this case to the need for a full or partial service, but may for example come up at the 2 year anniversary of the date of registration when the brake fluid may need changing. When you say you have only covered 4K miles since the last service - how long ago was this, and what is your average annual mileage? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Bob, Re. Rear parking sensors, see a similar thread earlier this week - by Dan -? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ben, I think the lack of on-line information is probably due to the VAG locks normally being reliable, so pessimistically you might struggle wherever you go - except with specialists - but let’s keep fingers crossed that someone on here might have had similar issues. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, So do you have the compressor and gue? Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome to the Audi Owners Club ! Good to have you onboard. Hello Ben, Thanks for being in touch. I’m sure you don’t mind us pointing out that this vehicle would not pass an MOT in this condition - so could be termed illegal to use. Did you buy it from a dealer? If so you should advise them of the issue and request that they arrange to rectify the problem. If you bought it from a private seller, then it must still comply with the advertised condition. In my experience VAG locks are more reliable than many other marques, so it would be difficult to diagnose without access to the vehicle. It sounds as if you will need to get this to a trusted independent as soon as possible - dependent on where/ who you bought it from financing the repair. Perhaps you could come back to us Ben. Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome to the Audi Owners Club ! Good to have you onboard. Many thanks David, yes that is what was already known. The debate is whether this ‘no age’ limit makes good and safe mechanical sense. As you can see, there are owners who are prepared to accept that at face value, and those who question the logic of this deviation. I think there is enough opinion within this thread to allow owners to make a decision which they feel suits them, and at the same time gives them an all important peace of mind. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, Does the jack and wheel brace come with that - to save individual forum members asking you? Kind regards, Gareth.

Your garage will need to code the new battery to the car David.

It’s not the required AGM type David. Any reason why you aren’t now confirming with Tayna that the AGM one you pictured earlier is correct for your car - or not?

Thanks James, What is your asking price please? Kind regards, Gareth.

Does anyone know what QR stands for - without cheating and looking it up!?

Thanks Tim, Where have you searched so far? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Mark, but unfortunately the OP hasn’t returned to the forum since the day after he joined - about a month ago.

No problem David, everyone gets things wrong from time to time. I put my mistakes down to old age! Back to your Tayna battery:- Seems Exide only do one grade of AGM, so that’s simpler. Try going into EBay, and searching for the same battery from Tayna. You will find its ‘post free’ on EBay, so it could work out cheaper for you, and you have the benefit of ‘Contact seller’ and giving them your reg. no. again to double check it will be correct. When you have gone through that you may be able to use a discount code such as SAVES8 which will give you an extra 8% off. Send me a PM if in difficulty - I’ll be out all the morning, but will come back to you today. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Sarah, I cannot claim that your battery is below par, but testing it (properly!!) is the only way of eliminating it or incriminating it. That is why I suggested you entrust this to your local Halfords stores who are/ should be equipped with a tester capable of carrying out measured tests - usually for nothing. All modern Audis are very susceptible to sub standard batteries, and the technology certainly outstrips green lights. We try to give logical advice which results in cheap elimination, before owners embark on more expensive investigations. Sometimes it works, but we do respect that it’s the owner’s choice whether they accept that advice, or carryout further investigations by any route that might suit them better. Good luck with getting it sorted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks David, you can of course order their Enduroline, but I certainly wouldn’t - as I said. Why have you decided against an Exide Premium as a matter of interest? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ian, but ‘thinking of keeping it for a while’ doesn’t really give us much to go on in terms of advising on a possible course of action, but…… I would be very surprised if an Audi dealership will be cheaper than the independent specialist - but if does sometimes happen. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, I think there a fair amount of varied debate outlined above that should allow you to make a considered opinion. If you continue with the same annual mileage you aren’t going to reach 133K miles until the vehicle is 13 and a half years old. We don’t know what your plans are for it in the coming x years, so it would be difficult to offer advice, but if you could share that with us then we should be able to assist with some more opinion. In addition, do you intend to entrust the ongoing servicing of this 5 year old car to an Audi main dealer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Sarah, OK, but how did your local guy test it, and what were the test results?

Thanks David, Situation as we now know it:- RAC fitted the correct battery type. It has now been checked and found to be below par. RAC fitted this battery about a year ago, but we need to be specific, since it might only have had a 1 year guarantee via. the RAC. Being pessimistic, if it’s slightly over a year old, then they may claim it’s simply out of warranty, despite batteries normally having more than 1 year warranties. We know this battery is graded ‘Manufactured for the RAC’ and this maybe a lower than normal graded battery. Any success with a warranty claim will depend more on a determined and constructed approach, rather than ‘will see what RAC say’. Not sure where you are looking on EBay, but it really surprises me that a AGM 096 is over £300, compared with Halfords sub £200. Have a look at Tayna Battery website and give them your registration number. They are likely to quote you for their own Enduroline brand - which is likely to be dearer than the premium Exide ( which is my current go-for brand - I used to prefer Varta/Bosch). If you then go on EBay and search their shop, you should come up with the correct Exide equivalent, but beware they offer the cheaper Excel grade, and the better ‘Premium’ grade, which I go for. They were offering an EBay discount of 8% via. code SAVES8, so even cheaper! Just a personal opinion, but you could consider forgetting about the RAC and their warranty, and just biting the bullet and buy a new battery. Let us know what you think. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Alternator output?

Go the long way around then!

Hello Sarah, As a first step, I would suggest taking the car around to your nearest Halfords store and ask them to test the battery efficiency, since low voltage has been quoted. Also worth getting the alternator output checked at the same time. I wouldn’t tend to buy a new battery at this stage if found to be sub standard - just comeback to us first with the outcome. Is the car still running on its original battery? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. To ensure the battery gets a fair test, please take the car on a 20 mile run before going to the store.

Hello Dan, Welcome, and thanks for joining. ‘loose connection somewhere…’ - if only. More likely to be one of the sensors is defective. Question is which one -? Some say you can detect which one by selecting reverse and putting your ear to each one in turn, and there should be a different tone. Does that work in practice?? Worth a try. It has also been said that a squirt of WD40 sometimes fixes the offending sensor. Will that work for you? If neither of these work, then it’s likely to be a case of getting it plugged in to find which of the sensors is defective. They may not all be the same across the car ( often different crank angles on the connector section) , so ask for the part number Once you have found the offender, Audi will want to extract probably north of £120/ sensor from your wallet. Alternative:-have a look on EBay for the same part number, and buy one for less than £20 ( colour coded if you pay a bit extra). You might find it will come with the same Audi part number actually embossed on it - clever! Fitting:- some can be difficult to get at, and pessimistic situation is the bumper may have to be removed. Alternative issue ( but less likely) is that the actual module is at fault, but that would be much rarer. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Dan. Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome to the Audi Owners Club ! Good to have you onboard. Hello Andy, If you don’t have a spare wheel, then you won’t have a jack or a wheel brace, but you must have a small compressor and a canister of tyre sealing ‘gue’, for roadside tyre sealing and re-inflating - to hopefully get you home. The tyre will then have to be renewed. You will need to request the selling dealer to provide these two items if you don’t have them. Other very important item is the locking wheel nut remover, if you vehicle has one security wheel nut on each wheel. Someone may have put this in the glove box or arm rest compartment, but you will need to check you have it to hand. I wouldn’t be put off by being told you don’t need it because you won’t be removing the wheel! Let us know how you get on Andy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks David, If it isn’t marked AGM or S/S then it’s likely to be the wrong battery, so it now becomes important that Halfords not only checks the battery efficiency - inc. the cold cranking current - but that the battery is the correct type and size for the vehicle. Let’s hope it is. If it isn’t, then any warranty claim against the RAC, would not be simply the battery efficiency, but whether they fitted the right type. If it were mine, I would simply be noting whatever Halfords tells you - asking them to write it down for you would be great - but I wouldn’t be entertaining purchasing a replacement at this stage - if all isn’t well in terms of type or efficiency. Just let us know how you get on. Don’t forget to ask them to check the alternator output as well. Kind regards, Gareth.