DieSel-Q

Well, after 4 or 5 years of this BSG saga, Audi is still consistently inconsistent, deliberately or otherwise. If I still worked there at the time, I would have been able to tell you if it was an Audi AG or Audi UK root cause. I suspect it is budgetary and who gets paid back what. Customer Service also took a backseat at Mercedes in the UK for similar 'reasons' when I was also there , so that leaves you with BMW and Lexus ?

I live in a state of expectant, mild paranoia with my A8 Black Edition, but- 1) Your BSG should probably be fine now for as long as you own the car. 2) You can go online and buy an Audi extended warranty, payable monthly, if you are concerned about the risk of other items / Audi's lack of concern. 3) I turn off the stop start on every start-up and the eco more functions (coasting etc) are permanently toggled to off. Takes the strain off the BSG. 4) I think I will have to visit my Audi dealer for my windscreen replacement (small crack) as they have all the sensor reset kit, so I can blamthem rather than a third party if all is not good after! The A8 is still a great car to drive - you'll be surprised at how little they changed your 22 model to the last of the line currently on sale. Not much wrong with it really...

I have a service plan and pay monthly for the extended warranty. I had the front brakes replaced for £450 at a good Audi specialist, rather than the £1400 the dealer wanted. And that's 'up North'!

... I think you will miss the 3.0 TDi. I only seem to be putting AdBlu in about every 20k, and am still getting some ridiculously good mpg on longer runs (for a 2100kg A8). I'm keeping the Audi extended warranty going as it doesn't have to be diesel parts that are expensive. My last Volvo hybrid would have cost me £2500 for an air con compressor , which were known to fail. Similar money for a matrix LED Audi headlight! I kept my previous A6 Allroad going to 160k - servicing every 10k

Why, as a matter of interest? (Great all-rounder with that engine)

The dealers are worried that they won't get reimbursed by Audi UK, who are avoiding the risk of Audi A G not honouring their warranty reimbusement unless it is an absolutely proven failure. Shoddy. Yes, in cohoots?

Interestingly, I had a new battery at 3.5 years old from the Audi dealer I bought the car from a month earlier. I then had another new battery a year later after all the effing about at the local Audi dealer led me back to my trusted independent. So I'm on my 3rd 12v battery in 5.5 years. I do have a cheap LED thing that I have in my 'cigarette lighter' socket to keep an eye on voltage.

Er, yes I agree ! In practice, life is not so simple as you portray. The complication is getting many dealers to a) Correctly identify the issue with charging (12v, 48v, control unit, BSG) if the BSG has not *failed* b) Not charge you or ask you to underwrite significant investigation costs if the fault is intermittent, or root cause is not clear. c) Recognise the 7 year warranty without showing them the Audi edict. 😀

My car was at the Audi dealer for 2 periods of 2 weeks last year, with lots of chasing and an inability to find out why my battery had low battery warnings, despite already having had a new one. After they wanted me to underwrite 8-10 hours of Labour to strip the rear of the car down to check the gateway controller and some of the 50+ control modules (in case there was a wiring fault, which Audi DO NOT cover), I took it to my Audi specialist. My Audi specialist checked everything and suggested another 12v battery. I had nothing to lose, and they fitted a genuine Audi supplied one for £370. Touch wood 9 months later...

The 3.0 TDi is a great engine, my favourite. I've had all versions back to the A6 Allroad, up to the S4 Avant, and currently have an A8 TDI, which is ridiculously economical on a run. My two bits of advice are that with high mileage, the EGR cooler can need swapping, and the fuel injectors can go bad (6 of at £200/250 each for the correct ones) but my A6 didn't need any of these until 158k on the clock. Gearbox oil change is definitely worth doing on an auto (lots of oil!) But your manual is less critical. I have religiously used Miller's Diesel Eco Power Max for years, adding a bit every few tanks, and never had an issue with anything 'mechanical'. A lot of people swear by it, and others will say its snake oil, but I agree with the former. They are solid engines - I had a Revo remap done on the Allroad at 120,000 miles which brought it safely up from 240bhp to the 286 /282 I now have in my A8. Enjoy !

... If your car is absolutely knackered and immobile I would hope that word has got round to the extent that *most* dealers know what they are doing. However, if it's failing or intermittent, many dealers will do everything possible to fob you off or open your wallet, because they are afraid they won't get reimbursed.

The $64,000 question ! In brief, they used to be horrendous on the Belt Starter Generator and denied all knowledge. There are lots of awful cases on here and other sites. In 2025, there have been more examples of "I dont know what all the fuss is about, as my dealer sorted it". Just go armed with a copy of the 7 years from date of first registration warranty. In my case they had the car for over a month and wanted me to underwrite 8 hours Labour (£1600) to strip the rear of the car as it turned out 'not to be the BSG failing, but something else' . I gave up.

... but if the car is in the Audi dealer, they will insist the customer signs a cost waiver to pay for the battery test as described. I nearly did that, but once they'd put in writing that the BSG had tested good, I took it to an indy who checked it themselves, and, then replace the 12v for £370 (its 3rd battery since new)

I think this applies to any modern car with hybrid of any sort (mild or plug in). I would not buy or run one without having an 'official' used warranty, because things break and the dealers have to fix ! My Volvo V60 Hybrid had a known issue with the air con compressor (a £3k fix) which would stop the battery cooling, which would stop the car because everything was interconnected. Same with the Audi BSG. I'm sure lots of other brands will have their own expensive failures already, or are going to hit people out of the typical 3 year warranties.

If your A3 has F(A)SH I would contact Audi customer service and pursue the goodwill route. You have nothing to lose. The mileage and age means it is definitely worth having a go.

It's only the one for the A6,RS6,A7,Q7,A8 that's known to be faulty and being pursued between VWG and the supplier, and covered (for 7 years from 1st reg). It's different on the A3.

No problem. It is now varying the voltage again like it used to do (not stable at 14.6v). 12.5-13.2 driving, 14-15.2 downhill / braking.

No as I don't have the software/reader - I just have a plug in LED next to the year selector. Battery is AGM (OEM battery - third one in 40000 m / 60km. If you find out more about software updates, post on here. You could almost walk to Baunatal and ask someone !?

My car has always showed a voltage of 12 volts or less with ignition 'on', but engine off. I have had 2x new starter batteries due to 'yellow' warnings. When driving, my maximum voltage was 15.3 like you, and typically 12.5 - 13.3 (?) My car was serviced again by Audi in July, and it now shows 14.6 volts when driving, constantly. If you live in Kassel, you know where you can find Audi parts.....

Interesting (positive) experience with my car following a service. Background: My car was in the Audi dealer for a month earlier in the year due to constant Low battery issues, despite the 12v being replaced. To cut a long story short, they didn't know what they were doing, but I suspected that the BSG was not charging the 12v properly, and because it hadn't failed, I was being strung along. I ended up replacing the 12v again at an Audi specialist ... So - serviced last week:- I have a plug in voltage reader that goes into the 12v 'cigarette lighter' socket (bought in case my BSG was imminently going to die). Once on the move, it is now constantly showing 14.6 volts of charge, whereas it used to vary depending on braking, going downhill, lifting off the throttle etc between 12.4 and 15.2 volts. That seems to suggest that either they've replaced a part without telling me at the service, or Audi have released a software update. I can't think of another explanation, but it's got to be good that the voltage is reading what it is now. Any thoughts or experience 're the software update theory !?

Yes, mine has been turned off every time since I bought my car used in 2023! Make sure that your Eco coasting is turned off as well.

I highly recommend one of those cheap LED voltage readers off eBay / Amazon that you plug into your 'cigarette lighter' socket. I plug it in before I start and if it's less than 11 volts you won't be far off a yellow warning or it needs a run. Also you can see if the alternator is charging on the move as it will show 13-14 volts typically and 15 volts downhill. Really useful warning device. Eg. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305198934256?_skw=car+voltage+cigarette+socket&itmmeta=01K1EG6PRTFHKVRRYVPSSFT4WV&hash=item470f4628f0:g:vuQAAOSwObZgdAC7&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1ftSlxSw2tbuPleRnmKLfC5V%2FflulTWIHH2b1D3eQfYkMT1ROJyK87KR9PUYsjIkkOrWO7eEog%2B4EXVdBbTxw52gCKrQCF7AENWVZIJJ6EpvL%2B3R4GOSIhJhOC78fcVWC21%2FOwfLplr6o4lSpXc9b8cwRKr2cue9Q2%2FR2%2F33kPnQH29oU9kr0W9l%2B63DwCoZNA2SRd4WmG3UtCsMzKyj0LTpiOGwmc6%2F0rpMPN84fW5Raw7hVOuai0H3vKsVzVO6EMcFnk8K1Q%2FrmEq1LTowbG8LyRwm1j4S991LdGWCvpqD%2BefnCGKBWm64LxMlEmMjQ0%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR-DsmtCLZg

I've used A&A motors in Hull several times - maybe worth giving them a call to discuss your options.

They get reimbursed by Audi UK if the BSG is proven faulty, who get reimbursed by Audi AG. They couldn't diagnose a faulty BSG on mine despite the 12v keeping losing charge , so wanted me to sign that I would cover the cost of 9 hours of Labour to strip the car to check the control modules (?£1500). Then they said it they did all that and found faulty wiring rather than a control module, I would have to pay for that as well. Because - the Audi Used Warranty does not cover wiring issues! Farce.

Some of the issues people have had with Audi dealers is exactly this, where the BSG has not totally failed. They are then instructed by Audi technical to do all sorts, including making up bypass wiring looms to prove the issue is with the BSG, checking earth connections, and with my car they wanted to dismantle half the car (with me underwriting the cost if it turned out to be a wiring fault, not BSG) which I declined. Hopefully you dealer looks to be one of the sensible ones.