Vehicle Battery Low

[markab]

2 Month old Van started having problems with the electrical system.

Been sitting on the drive for 2 weeks on EHU, jumped in the van to get some diesel before a pub stop tonight, started fine, got fuel, returned home and when I switched off the ignition started complaining about the vehicle battery low.

Nothing in the camping side would work, control panel comes on, no fridge, no lights etc, control panel shows good volts on the vehicle battery but shows a red or amber vehicle battery.

Stuck it on hook up, checked a bit later all fine fridge works lights work. Anyway drove to the pub, started without a thought so I know the vehicle battery fine. Arrived after 40min drive. Turned off ignition again vehicle battery low and no fridge/lights etc.... stuck it on hookup still nothing..... started engine and stopped it again. Now all is fine. Control panel shows vehicle battery charging and 14.9v but graphic still shows amber empty graphic.

My tracker diagnostics show good battery voltage as well.

Any thoughts?

Why does the fridge and interior lights not work regardless of vehicle batt?

 

[markab]

Nice dinner nice beers get back to find it’s decided to dump 30 litres of water, it’s 7 degrees outside and we left the heating on 18.

What a complete pain in the ass this van is Turing out to be can’t trust what it’s going to do next.

 

[GordonH]

Unusual for the frost protection valve to trigger when the heating is on, not heard other reports of the issue even with the heating set to minimum, worth getting that checked. Battery voltage and the measured charge state are not directly related as the charge % is based on Ah used, not voltage. The fridge is not controlled by the GC electronics and so runs independently of whatever % charge the GC thinks the leisure battery is at, most of the other consumers are switched off below a set %, somewhere between 20% and 30%, the various manuals and VW docs are somewhat unclear on the actual number with some conflicting statements. While the GC lights will shut off as part of that shutdown they can be switched back on manually. If your batteries are not holding charge it’s worth getting them both checked.

 

[markab]

The odd thing is when you turn off the ignition it states vehicle battery low but it fires right back up with no issue so vehicle battery seems to have plenty juice. Just driven home again another 40 minutes and getting the vehicle battery low. Leisure battery seems fine, so unsure why the camping consumers are not working after an ignition off... feels like the complete van needs a reset.

I thought that on a vehicle battery when the charge was near depleted that the battery volts would sag, going to go put an meter across the terminals with everything off and no hook up and see what it reads..



View attachment IMG_6677.jpeg

 

[markab]

so, looks like i didn't reset the frost guard properly after it tripped earlier in the week that explains that.

Stumped on the battery issue, I checked the voltage of both batteries at their terminals, both show 12.9v at rest with everything powered off and no hookup.

Interestingly the info panel shows this as both at 12.5v. with the vehicle battery discharging 7amps and the 2nd battery discharging 3.7 amps with nothing on at all.

I have now put it back on hookup and the info panel shows both batteries charging via the onboard charger.

I assume I have just got a bad starter battery on a 2 month old van and will take it in to get replaced.

View attachment IMG_6678.jpeg

 

[sidepod]

I think the problem was the pub being a 40min drive away!

 

[markab]

I think the problem was the pub being a 40min drive away!

Kind of the purpose of a pub stop over!

 

[GordonH]

The odd thing is when you turn off the ignition it states vehicle battery low but it fires right back up with no issue so vehicle battery seems to have plenty juice. Just driven home again another 40 minutes and getting the vehicle battery low. Leisure battery seems fine, so unsure why the camping consumers are not working after an ignition off... feels like the complete van needs a reset.

I thought that on a vehicle battery when the charge was near depleted that the battery volts would sag, going to go put an meter across the terminals with everything off and no hook up and see what it reads..



View attachment 142521

Worth getting starter checked. It maybe a bad battery or could be the starter battery charge status measurement is out of whack. If the latter leaving on hookup for 48 hours or so should get it back in sync. The solar, if you have it, doesn't maintain the starter.

The GC will fire up with a flat starter but a good leisure as the system will close the split charge relay in a starter bad/leisure good scenario to allow the engine start, an interesting if not widely published feature on the GC.

Assume you have a facelift GC (2025+) if you can see the starter battery status on the control panel.

 

[markab]

Yes 2025 spec, it has been on hookup for the 2 weeks before the issue started so assuming it should be in sync.

Booked on start of December to get it checked.

 

[AndrewCook680]

Yes 2025 spec, it has been on hookup for the 2 weeks before the issue started so assuming it should be in sync.

Booked on start of December to get it checked.

Wasn’t there an issue with new model whereby the hookup connection only charges leisure battery and not the starter battery ? I believe vw have a fix for it

 

[GordonH]

Wasn’t there an issue with new model whereby the hookup connection only charges leisure battery and not the starter battery ? I believe vw have a fix for it

Good point, I do remember reading about that.

 

[markab]

wouldn't explain why the starter batt shows low after 40 mins drive. but I will have search for that.

 

[markab]

I have searched and can't find anything on the hookup not charging the starter batt, are you sure you dont mean there was an issue with the engine not charging the leisure batt?

 

[AndrewCook680]

I have searched and can't find anything on the hookup not charging the starter batt, are you sure you dont mean there was an issue with the engine not charging the leisure batt?

Here you are

Starter battery is not charged via shore power – TPI 2078498/1

In vehicles from model year 2025 onwards, the starter battery may not be charged via the shore power as intended. Error pattern The battery remains without re

www.grandcali.com

 

[Tiffffffffffffffffff]

La camionnette, âgée de deux mois, a commencé à avoir des problèmes avec son système électrique.

Le véhicule est resté garé dans l'allée pendant 2 semaines, branché sur le réseau électrique. Je suis monté dans la camionnette pour faire le plein de diesel avant d'aller au pub ce soir. Elle a démarré sans problème, j'ai fait le plein, je suis rentré chez moi et, lorsque j'ai coupé le contact, le moteur a commencé à signaler une batterie faible.

Rien ne fonctionnait du côté camping : le panneau de commande s’allumait, mais ni le réfrigérateur, ni les lumières, etc. Le panneau de commande indiquait une tension correcte sur la batterie du véhicule, mais le voyant de la batterie était rouge ou orange.

Je l'ai branchée sur secteur, j'ai vérifié un peu plus tard, tout allait bien : le frigo fonctionnait, les lumières aussi. Bref, je suis allé au pub, elle a démarré sans problème, donc je sais que la batterie du véhicule est bonne. Arrivé après 40 minutes de route. J'ai coupé le contact, la batterie était faible et plus de frigo ni de lumières… Je l'ai rebranchée sur secteur, toujours rien… J'ai redémarré le moteur, puis je l'ai coupé. Maintenant, tout est rentré dans l'ordre. Le panneau de commande indique que la batterie du véhicule se charge et qu'elle est à 14,9 V, mais le voyant orange reste allumé (symbole de batterie vide).

Les diagnostics de mon traceur indiquent également une bonne tension de batterie.

Des idées ?

Pourquoi le réfrigérateur et l'éclairage intérieur ne fonctionnent-ils pas, quelle que soit la charge de la batterie du véhicule ?

javais un 680 je l'ai vendu après 3ans.8 fois au garage pour toute sorte de problèmes heureusement tout a été fais en garantie. le dernier problème de l'eau qui rentre entre le toit plastic et la carrosserie ensuite par le feux stop

 

[markab]

Here you are

Starter battery is not charged via shore power – TPI 2078498/1

In vehicles from model year 2025 onwards, the starter battery may not be charged via the shore power as intended. Error pattern The battery remains without re

www.grandcali.com

Fantastic thanks, will let the garage know when it goes in to check this. Although my VIN does look later than suggested.

and still does not explain why the battery is low after driving for a reasonable time.

 

[markab]

Interestingly just been out to the Van first time since Sunday, started and stopped the engine, no low battery warning after shutting off.

The control unit now shows the starter battery green but still only 60% capacity so a change from the weekend.

But then it had been on hookup for 2 weeks prior. Confusion continues, at least it's not reporting low anymore.

 

[markab]

Checked the van last night, still on hook up, panel now reports all batteries at voltage and full. No idea what happened starting to think it was a control panel problem, odd thing is the infotainment system also thought it was low.

Will take it out for a drive tonight see what happens.