I have an Audi A3 8p 3.2.

When I bought the car just over a year ago, it had a brand new alternator.

I had some trouble last winter with the dashboard clocks blinking and battery seemingly going flat and a booster pack being needed to restart the car.

Same again this winter.

I checked the battery the last time there were no dash lights, no ignition etc (This was just after driving for 40 minutes) and it was fine at 13.11 volts, brand new battery with the green indicator.

Sent the clocks off to ECU Testing and they confirmed an error (Didn't say what), so had them back today. Here is the email I just sent them:

 

When I reinstalled them, the car was still completely dead, no dashboard lights, nothing, no ignition.

The battery is a brand new uprated Yuasa model with a green indicator and a 'car off' multimeter reading of 13.11 volts as can be seen in attached picture. (Voltage 13.93 when the car was running)

I've had the car a year and there was a brand new alternator fitted just before I bought it last October.

 

I had to connect my Astron battery booster pack and then the car started. I left it five minutes, turned off the ignition but the car was dead again. I boosted it again and then let it run for longer and it finally restarted after I turned the ignition off and on.

 

Nothing appears to have changed in terms of the behaviour I was witnessing prior to sending you the clocks.

 

Any advice offered gratefully received.

 

Thanks & Regards

 

Mike

 

So this is where I am at, any advice, gratefully received.

Michael.

The voltages of 13.9 and 13.1 strike me as a little low, though that may just be an inaccurate meter. It would be worthwhile getting the battery and the alternator professionally tested, mutimeters are inadequate for that job.

Did ECU Testing do any repair to the instrument panel or just return it untouched?

3 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

Michael.

The voltages of 13.9 and 13.1 strike me as a little low, though that may just be an inaccurate meter. It would be worthwhile getting the battery and the alternator professionally tested, mutimeters are inadequate for that job.

Did ECU Testing do any repair to the instrument panel or just return it untouched?

Thanks for the response Cliff.

When I phoned them, they simply said it was faulty and we have repaired it. I haven't had an engineer report etc, so no idea what was faulty.

9 minutes ago, Panscrank said:

 

When I phoned them, they simply said it was faulty and we have repaired it.

I think we can assume that the repair was successful as ECU Testing are a reputable company. That leaves battery and alternator as prime suspects.

4 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

I think we can assume that the repair was successful as ECU Testing are a reputable company. That leaves battery and alternator as prime suspects.

Agreed Cliff, I don't doubt ECUs expertise given previously read testimonials.

Battery is (As I understand it), a very good model from a reputable company. (Brand new)

Previous battery was an EB740 from Exide but the symptoms I am seeing are identical when I had that battery and I only bought that a few months ago.

 

The alternator was new just over a year ago when i bought the car.

Is there a way I can test the alternator on this 3.2 easily?

Also, it seems strange that the battery has a full charge but when this issue occurs there are no dashboard lights, nothing but then when I attached a battery booster, it starts..very odd.

1 hour ago, Panscrank said:

Is there a way I can test the alternator on this 3.2 easily?

Not that I know of, but be aware that a faulty alternator can drain a battery so it needs to be tested.

5 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

Not that I know of, but be aware that a faulty alternator can drain a battery so it needs to be tested.

Thanks Cliff but as it appears that the battery is fine and the alternator is 'new', I suspect something else.

I notice you had some input for a thread from 3 years ago which seems remarkably similar to my issue:

 

As you wish Michael, but I can state that a simple multimeter voltage reading is useless in determining the condition of a battery. Only a deep discharge test under a heavy load will reveal internal faults, hence my suggestion of a professional test. See this:

https://www.audiownersclub.com/forums/topic/29630-constant-tone-when-engine-started-but-no-dash-warnings/#comment-124249

 

1 hour ago, cliffcoggin said:

As you wish Michael, but I can state that a simple multimeter voltage reading is useless in determining the condition of a battery. Only a deep discharge test under a heavy load will reveal internal faults, hence my suggestion of a professional test. See this:

https://www.audiownersclub.com/forums/topic/29630-constant-tone-when-engine-started-but-no-dash-warnings/#comment-124249

 

Thanks Cliff, I have taken your advice and booked in for a free battery test in my local ATS. (Just over the road, luckily).

I would be disappointed if it is the battery as it is brand new, a reputable make (so I am led to believe) and I bought it from Tayna batteries which are pretty well regarded.

As well as this, the fact that the previous battery also had good voltage and the symptoms were identical, leads me back to the clocks vis a vi the post I quoted from a few years ago.

Anyway, belt and braces always the best approach!

Apologies for jumping in on this thread, but it would be strongly recommended to have the alternator output checked at the same time. Cliff raises a good point when referring to 13.9 volts being rather low - my view is it should be around 14.5 volts. 
It would be  great if we could revert to the days of new is new and so is faultless. No longer the case Micheal. 
This maybe (in caps) associated with your battery discharging back through the alternator -? 
Regards, 

Gareth. 

54 minutes ago, Panscrank said:

Thanks Cliff, I have taken your advice and booked in for a free battery test in my local ATS. (Just over the road, luckily).

I would be disappointed if it is the battery as it is brand new, a reputable make (so I am led to believe) and I bought it from Tayna batteries which are pretty well regarded.

As well as this, the fact that the previous battery also had good voltage and the symptoms were identical, leads me back to the clocks vis a vi the post I quoted from a few years ago.

Anyway, belt and braces always the best approach!

Hi it could well be an earthing fault or most likely a starter motor fault which is why it starts with a boost a knackered starter loves a bit of extra voltage, that's why it sucks all power from everything else on the car.

Steve.

I did a bit more testing just now and I think perhaps the alternator is faulty.

Car has been standing now for about 6 hours since I let it run when I reinstalled the clocks.

'Car ignition off' battery test read 12.71

'Car ignition on' battery test with no electrics switched on was 13.62.

'Car ignition on with all electrics on' battery test was a lowly 12.33.

 

I kept the multimeter on the car whilst engine and all electrics on and it was on 12:45 and dropping.

Car on but no electrics slowly rose to 13.8.

We are talking voltage readings of 13. odd, with the engine running  - aren’t we? 

30 minutes ago, Magnet said:

We are talking voltage readings of 13. odd, with the engine running  - aren’t we? 

Yes.

Thanks Michael,

So as you have now deduced, you think the alternator maybe at fault - as I suggested it maybe. 

1 minute ago, Magnet said:

Thanks Michael,

So as you have now deduced, you think the alternator maybe at fault - as I suggested it maybe. 

Thanks for your input Magnet.

Appears the clock 'issue' was a red herring. I've asked ECS for the engineer report as they didn't say what was wrong and what they fixed.

Doesn't mean that they aren't faulty as well as the alternator of course.

I've watched some guides online (mainly for the TT) and it looks a pig of a job so will probably book it into the local auto electrician for a supplied and fitted replacement.

Pleasure Michael, but why are you booking it in to have the alternator replaced, before you have positively identified it as one of the a culprits? Similarly get the battery checked as Cliff recommends.

It just isn’t  good and logical practice to get components renewed simply because you believe it is faulty, and prior to having it tested to prove/disprove it is at fault. 
Regards,

Garetjh.

2 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Pleasure Michael, but why are you booking it in to have the alternator replaced, before you have positively identified it as one of the a culprits? Similarly get the battery checked as Cliff recommends.

It just isn’t  good and logical practice to get components renewed simply because you believe it is faulty, and prior to having it tested to prove/disprove it is at fault. 
Regards,

Garetjh.

I believe they check the both, so no harm no foul. I think my keenness to get the car back on the road has affected my patience muscle!

Appreciate the sound advice received in this forum.

I wouldn’t  believe Michael, I would check and ensure they do, otherwise you will end up changing components which may not be faulty. 
If the alternator is found to be at fault, you will then have experience of the quality of some aftermarket alternators - which fail in a year. Spend more and wisely, and perhaps try Bosch. If you leave the choice to the garage, they may fit the cheapest option from ECP or their local motorfactors. 

15 minutes ago, Magnet said:

I wouldn’t  believe Michael, I would check and ensure they do, otherwise you will end up changing components which may not be faulty. 
If the alternator is found to be at fault, you will then have experience of the quality of some aftermarket alternators - which fail in a year. Spend more and wisely, and perhaps try Bosch. If you leave the choice to the garage, they may fit the cheapest option from ECP or their local motorfactors. 

Thanks again Magnet. I'll take a walk over to ATS later and check, it's literally a five minute walk and I know the chaps there as I have used them before for tyres and MOTs.

There is a reputable local garage I intend to contact once it's confirmed for definitive that it is the alternator at fault. (DJ Autos)

Any progress to report Michael? 

Just had this message from ECU Testing, so waiting for a call.

Thanks,

So what was the outcome of its stay with ATS that leads to the ECU being the suspect? 

ATS said the alternator was fine.