[MalawiTouareg]

Hi all,
I'm new to the forum, so a big hello. I have a 2004 V6 TDI. I shipped it from the UK to Malawi where I live in march. The car has run beautifully, no problems. Up until about a month ago when there started to be starting issues. But it was extremely intermittent and I didn't worry. Until yesterday when it refused to even start to turn over. All electronics in car work, just no start. So I try jumping it. Nothing. I get my friend to run a full diagnostic (he has all the software) and sure enough it states battery is below critical level. I remove battery and take it to charge (it appears it's buggered as one of the breather stickers wasn't removed when it was replaced). However after charge the readout said it was fine. Reinstall still nothing.
Now here's the thing... These huge 12v 110amh batteries aren't available here. And before I go to the effort of ordering one from SA to be here in two weeks. Is there anything else I need to know with regards to resetting the computer or maybe using a 12v 100amh battery?
Apologies for long thread....

 

[TurboABA]

Scan it again with the charged battery.
Are you sure the battery "took" the charge?
Can you temporarily take a known battery from another vehicle to hook it up just to see if you can isolate the battery?

 

[MalawiTouareg]

Thanks for the response. You're right, I'm not sure, I think that's what the problem is. The other issue is a don't know anyone else with this car, except I do know someone with the Audi Q8 of the same age. I can ask him. I guess I'm also asking that is it possible for there to be a problem with the ignition that wouldn't show up on diagnostic?

 

[TurboABA]

You don't need anyone with the same car... you just need a known working battery.... you can just hook it up to the boosting posts under the hood.... it doesn't have to be installed in the car.

You are just trying to isolate your "suspect" battery as the problem.

Typically any ignition or other issues would come up on the scan, but if the system doesn't have sufficient battery, it can't run diagnostics properly either....

 

[MalawiTouareg]

Thanks, that really helps. Just need to flag down one of the other handful of Touaregs in the country and convince them to lend me a hand

 

[TurboABA]

Any vehicle battery known to be in good condition will do..... don't need a Touareg specific one. Flag anyone with a vehicle down.... that will be easier than finding another Touareg

 

[MalawiTouareg]

Sorry for being thick, but I'm guessing it has to be the same Amh?

 

[TurboABA]

You are only doing a "quick" check to validate that the "correct" battery you believe to still be fully operational after the charge is not the problem..... you just need a battery with sufficient charge\juice to allow your vehicle to either start or be fully scanned for issues without battery voltage being low.

When and IF you replace the battery, you will need one in the correct size (both physical and specifications)

 

[MalawiTouareg]

Gotcha, sorry for confusion. I'm actually currently doing that and now I'm getting possible immobilizer issues. But it's dark now and at least I can now get it out of park so can tow it to my house, out of the supermarket car park...

 

[Flash635]

A battery that is bad can take what I've heard called a surface charge. The way to test if a battery is good is to test while a heavy drain is put on it.

Your battery may well be good enough to run lights etc but not good enough to operate the starter.