T6.1 ‘12v battery not charging’ error

[nickb77]

Just at the start of a week away in the Cali. All going well until I got an error come up ‘12 v battery not charging’. Luckily I was close to the campsite so got back here, but when I looked in the engine compartment everything on the left side (looking from the front) is covered in oil. VW assist sending AA but given the oil everywhere I reckon I’ll be going home on a recovery truck. Any words of wisdom as to what might be going on? 2021 6.1 204 4motion. Also just noticed that the dipstick is sticking out a couple of inches - I haven’t touched it since it had an oil service a couple of months ago.

**update** AA man also suspected the dipstick was the cause of the oil everywhere. Lake District driving is obviously going to put the engine under greater load and all sorts of funny angles going up and down the little lanes. He reckons oil now in the alternator and possibly all the belts so on;ly option is to be taken home on the back of a recovery truck tomorrow. Going to be an interesting discussion with the dealer if the dipstick is in fact the cause of the oil spill - very much doubt they'll accept anyt responsibility.

 

[CLTB]

Just at the start of a week away in the Cali. All going well until I got an error come up ‘12 v battery not charging’. Luckily I was close to the campsite so got back here, but when I looked in the engine compartment everything on the left side (looking from the front) is covered in oil. VW assist sending AA but given the oil everywhere I reckon I’ll be going home on a recovery truck. Any words of wisdom as to what might be going on? 2021 6.1 204 4motion. Also just noticed that the dipstick is sticking out a couple of inches - I haven’t touched it since it had an oil service a couple of months ago.

**update** AA man also suspected the dipstick was the cause of the oil everywhere. Lake District driving is obviously going to put the engine under greater load and all sorts of funny angles going up and down the little lanes. He reckons oil now in the alternator and possibly all the belts so on;ly option is to be taken home on the back of a recovery truck tomorrow. Going to be an interesting discussion with the dealer if the dipstick is in fact the cause of the oil spill - very much doubt they'll accept anyt responsibility.

Hi

We have unfortunately the exact same problem, roadside assistance have confirmed. We haven’t touched the dipstick but was also a couple of inches up.

What happened with yours?

 

[dspuk]

[goes out to van and fastidiously checks dipstick]

 

[Ch1pbutty]

The Mrs had a similar thing years many ago with her new Toyota Mr2…was worse as the dealer had not replaced the oil cap after its 1st service.

A van driver behind her flagged her down and told her that there was alot of black smoke (driving home after the service - Aylesbury to Hungerford). She called the dealer service sept who laughed and told her not to worry - “it’s just been serviced madam”. When she got home we called the AA…whose exact words were ‘you are lucky that the engine is not f&cked’; they called the dealer, they sent a low loader to collect the car the following day. Never received an apology from the dealer!

 

[nickb77]

Hi

We have unfortunately the exact same problem, roadside assistance have confirmed. We haven’t touched the dipstick but was also a couple of inches up.

What happened with yours?

Sorry to hear the same thing has happened to you.

Mine got recovered back home by the AA (for VW Assist) and then to the local dealer. The dealer contacted VW technical dept who told them they'd seen other occurences of this and the cause was "wrong oil filler cap fitted at the factory" - yes, new one on me. The oil had killed the alternator so a new one was fitted under warranty as well as a different oil filler cap.

They did a 'so so' job actually cleaning up the oil from the engine compartment, however when I got the van home I checked the oil level which was right at the bottom of the dipstick, exactly where it had been when the AA guy looked at it so clearly the dealer hadn't thought to top-up the oil that had been lost. To be fair, when I had a moan to the service manager, after initially telling me that as long as the level wasn't below minimum it was fine to drive, he then offered to send me a couple of bottles of oil by courier which arrived the next day.

I did a long trip in the van a couple of months ago up in Northumberland so the van was thrown around the hills and twisty roads as it had been in the Lake District when I had the oil explosion and all was fine this time. I make a point of checking under the bonnet more regularly now and the dipstick has stayed locked in place with no further oil loss so fingers crossed.

 

[CLTB]

Sorry to hear the same thing has happened to you.

Mine got recovered back home by the AA (for VW Assist) and then to the local dealer. The dealer contacted VW technical dept who told them they'd seen other occurences of this and the cause was "wrong oil filler cap fitted at the factory" - yes, new one on me. The oil had killed the alternator so a new one was fitted under warranty as well as a different oil filler cap.

They did a 'so so' job actually cleaning up the oil from the engine compartment, however when I got the van home I checked the oil level which was right at the bottom of the dipstick, exactly where it had been when the AA guy looked at it so clearly the dealer hadn't thought to top-up the oil that had been lost. To be fair, when I had a moan to the service manager, after initially telling me that as long as the level wasn't below minimum it was fine to drive, he then offered to send me a couple of bottles of oil by courier which arrived the next day.

I did a long trip in the van a couple of months ago up in Northumberland so the van was thrown around the hills and twisty roads as it had been in the Lake District when I had the oil explosion and all was fine this time. I make a point of checking under the bonnet more regularly now and the dipstick has stayed locked in place with no further oil loss so fingers crossed.

Thanks for reply.

Mine is now at dealers as VW recovery have delivered it there today.

I will await there comments but your reply is really helpful thanks

 

[nickb77]

Thanks for reply.

Mine is now at dealers as VW recovery have delivered it there today.

I will await there comments but your reply is really helpful thanks

Good luck - I'd be interested to hear how you get on and what the dealer tells you.

 

[CLTB]

So I have the van back after VW have repaired it. A new alternator has been fitted. There was no mention of oil cap issue with mine. I spoke with the technician as I wanted to try and understand what had happened. He suggested that when the oil levels are high (full) and the vehicle runs a DPF clear out the pressure can get very high and blow the dipstick out. We have therefore left the oil level at just over half and I will keep an eye on it.

 

[nickb77]

So I have the van back after VW have repaired it. A new alternator has been fitted. There was no mention of oil cap issue with mine. I spoke with the technician as I wanted to try and understand what had happened. He suggested that when the oil levels are high (full) and the vehicle runs a DPF clear out the pressure can get very high and blow the dipstick out. We have therefore left the oil level at just over half and I will keep an eye on it.

Must be some pressure build-up to blow the dipstick out. I wonder if the replacement oil filler cap fitted to mine has some part to play in stopping the build-up of pressure. Deson't feel right that their solution is to just keep the oil level at half as that's not addressing the underlying problem leaving you at risk of the same thing happening again, potentially outside of warranty. Mine is a MY2021 204 by the way - is yours the same engine?

 

[CLTB]

Must be some pressure build-up to blow the dipstick out. I wonder if the replacement oil filler cap fitted to mine has some part to play in stopping the build-up of pressure. Deson't feel right that their solution is to just keep the oil level at half as that's not addressing the underlying problem leaving you at risk of the same thing happening again, potentially outside of warranty. Mine is a MY2021 204 by the way - is yours the same engine?

It is very strange. Ours is a MY2021 150

 

[dspuk]

[goes out to van and fastidiously checks dipstick]

Did eventually check it. On the 6.1 it actually clip to the sides of the dipstick tube with some friction clips, so if it was to leak either a technician would have to not push all the way down, or the oil pressure in the tube made it pop out, which is indicative of a much larger engine issue.

I find the mechanics explanations of DPF regen and going up and down hills twaddle.