GTD Wouldn't Start

[justin]

My Golf Mk6 GTD wouldn't start this morning.

Last time I drove it was yesterday and had no problems. This morning, I'd turn the key and it would make a clicking sound and flash all the dash lights at me and give me various error messages. It had "Fault Stabilisation Control" twice, then the next time I tried it said "Error: Airbag" and then "Move selector lever to position P/N" before I gave up (was in P and I was unable to change it to anything else).

Called roadside assist (since it's only about 7 months old). RACQ dude took one look and said it was the battery.
He hooked up his jumper leads and it started first time! (Some of the warning lights were still on, but he said they'd go away after a few starts).
He told me I needed to get hold of a battery charger. No need to buy a new battery.
So I'll be borrowing one today and charging it overnight.

Seems really strange though... how it's only 7 months old and the battery has gone already. I certainly didn't leave any lights on to make it flat.
You'd think it would say "Flat battery! Feed me!" instead of giving me unrelated error messages...

[Greg Roles]

Sounds right. The only time I have ever had odd errors with my TDI that I didnlt directly cause, was when the battery started to die. My problem was that for some reason a low voltage didn't spin the engine quite quick enough, and the "engine position sensor" freaked out, threw errors, and made starting from cold difficult. A new battery / overnight charge, and the problem was gone. Starting a cold diesel is a big drain on a battery, you have very high compression, glow plugs, and all the other usual things to start!

Check the build date on the battery, it could be considerably older than your car. Mine dies at about year two, so whilst yours is playing up a bit early, it;s not totally outside the realms of possibility.

[Lucas_R]

Is a battery covered under warranty?? Especially when it's only 7 months old?

[Scratchyratface]

The battery died on our Jetta but that was after we'd had it for 2 1/2 years, we'd been away on holiday for 4 weeks and it wouldn't start when we got back. Called VW Assist and they came out and replaced the battery for free. Top service from them.

[slipshot]

So, you drove the car the day before and the battery was fine and would have been being charged.

The next morning it failed to start your car. Two things could have happened:

Battery is a dud (very feasible) and you need a replacement and yes, it would be fully covered under warranty OR

If the RACQ man did properly test it and tell you it was fine, something caused the battery to drain and thus you left a light on. If, as you say, you know you did not, the battery is dead. There is a large drain on a battery but it's a short sharp one and it charges up quite quickly so this is not the reason. There's no way this should happen.

I suspect a knackered battery as it's more likely than anything else (faulty alternator for example) and if you did not leave anything on to cause it to drain, the battery is not holding charge.

[brh1978]

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to leave internal lights/radio etc on once the key is removed. On my Tiguan even if I leave the map light or radio on, after a preset time the car shuts everything off. The only lights that stay on are if I leave the indicator switch up or down the taillight on the corresponding side will stay indefinitely turned on...I think most Euroncars do that? The VW battery in my MK4 Golf lasted 5 years, the Tiguan battery is 3 years old and still going strong.

[justin]

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to leave internal lights/radio etc on once the key is removed.

Yup! That's what I thought too! So I'm not sure how it happened.

It's on the battery charger right now. Hopefully it'll be all good in the morning.

[slipshot]

Yup! That's what I thought too! So I'm not sure how it happened.

It's on the battery charger right now. Hopefully it'll be all good in the morning.

It probably will be - and the problem will no doubt happen again. Batteries do not die for no reason and then do not subsequently come back to life. Far better to get it replaced but....

[justin]

It was 13.30 Volts this morning (after charging overnight). Not very high...
Will test it again at lunch time and see if it has dropped much.

If I do need a new one though, is it covered under roadside assist?
According to the Roadside Assist folklore book:

“We will test batteries for their performance, jump start flat batteries, or coordinate to arrange battery replacement.
Where a replacement battery is required and the vehicle is still covered by the Volkswagen manufacturer’s warranty, our Service Provide will take all reasonable steps to replace the batter at no cost to your if the battery has failed due to a warrantable defect.
Should a replacement battery be required outside the Volkswagen manufacturer’s warranty, you would be responsible for all costs.”

Question is whether they see a dead battery through normal use as a “warrantable defect”?

[Transporter]

How long are your usual day trips? The battery could be just exhausted from too many starts and not long enough driving in between. The Varta batteries are quite long lasting, if the car is not driven under severe driving conditions. Get the battery properly tested and make sure if you charge the battery that you're using the right battery charger, if you're charging the battery connected in the vehicle, so you not voiding your warranty.

[Klink1313]

I had my battery go flat on me after 4 weeks of owning my car. I do long distances everyday. I charged it overnight and all has been well for the last 8 months.

I noticed that if i did not close my hatch properly (or the doors or bonnet) the mdf display stays lit up (does not go to sleep) and shows the hatch/door/bonnet that is open. I suspect that this was the cause of my battery drain

Problem with the hatch is that is not obvious that it has not closed properly (more obvious for a door). i suspect that this was the cause of my battery issue ... ie ..... user error.

[AdamD]

I noticed that if i did not close my hatch properly (or the doors or bonnet) the mdf display stays lit up (does not go to sleep) and shows the hatch/door/bonnet that is open. I suspect that this was the cause of my battery drain

I've checked this in my car; from memory the display will turn off - after about 20 minutes or so. (I occasionally leave the bonnet open for the hot air to dissipate after a drive on a hot day.)

Problem with the hatch is that is not obvious that it has not closed properly (more obvious for a door). i suspect that this was the cause of my battery issue ... ie ..... user error.

I turned on the door lock/unlock chirp with VCDS for this very reason. Now if it doesn't chirp when I lock the car, I know something's not quite shut. (And that something can often be the tailgate - if you've opened it to take something out after getting out of the car, it's not like you'll see the indication in the MFD.)

[Brycem]

Mine was flat on Saturday morning. The car in question is a June 2011 GTI. RACQ guy knew the problem straight away. Short journeys each day and not locking the car when in my garage at night. According to him the cars electronics do not go to sleep unless you lock the vehicle and over time will slowly drain the battery. This coupled with 10km round trip each day was enough to cause the battery to get to a low enough level not to be able to start the car. I bought a charger and charged it fully and will do so every six months from now on.

[Transporter]

Mine was flat on Saturday morning. The car in question is a June 2011 GTI. RACQ guy knew the problem straight away. Short journeys each day and not locking the car when in my garage at night. According to him the cars electronics do not go to sleep unless you lock the vehicle and over time will slowly drain the battery. This coupled with 10km round trip each day was enough to cause the battery to get to a low enough level not to be able to start the car. I bought a charger and charged it fully and will do so every six months from now on.

That's right. The drain from the battery until the modules go to sleep is around 300mA compared to 20mA or less, when you lock the car with all doors properly shut.

[Rob_R]

Never knew this fact about locked versus unlocked power drain. Although I always lock my car in the garage overnight it is good to know about this. Never stop learning I guess.