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Q3 S line 2013 diesel auto>> Battery BEM Code??

8K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  manfrotto 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone! I recently bought a Q3 and decided to change the original OEM VARTA AGM Battery (68Ah 380A) with a new VARTA battery recommended by the RAC Shop online which is a VARTA E39 AGM SILVER DYNAMIC (70Ah 760A). I changed new battery myself, and when done noticed the ESP and Power Steering lights came up on the dash which soon disappeared on driving the car a few metres.

The above being said, the CEL (check engine light) came on a few days later which was for the first time, and it does not go away. The car drives fine. I went to Audi and they said more and likely the new battery needs BEMs coding, and as my new battery although suitable will need this coding to the BMS (Battery Management System). Having read some threads there are several ways of doing this, I wanted to know if anyone has had this issue and the best way to resolve the CEL issue? I'd rather not do down the Audi route as I think it will be expensive.

The new VARTA E39 battery has no BEM sticker or serial no# details, only a VARTA code sticker with the number A 26 E39 909 407. I do have the BEM code details from the original OEM AGM Battery that I took out of the car.

Any help and advice would be much appreciated!! THANKS!!
 
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#2 ·
It is probably wise to recode the BMS as the battery you have installed is a different size to the original. Do you have a VCDS coding/diagnostic tool?

You will need it to code the BMS, and will also tell you why the CEL light is on.

There is a list of owners with VCDS scanners and their location - https://www.q3ownersclub.co.uk/forum/28-vcds/1888-vcds-list-3.html

There may be someone in your area willing to assist.
 
#3 ·
Not sure how critical it is but there is a procedure for re- connecting the battery -
https://www.q3ownersclub.co.uk/forum/53804-post3.html


Coding a new battery is covered here - https://www.q3ownersclub.co.uk/forum/64285-post6.html
There are various theories on the need to code a new battery with some owners club sites suggesting the battery management system eventually learns the new ampere hour capacity and optimal charging rate. May be worth persevering and trying longer runs to give the charging system a work out.


I recently fitted a Varta E39 to my car and followed Kostas K's VCDS procedure and everything worked fine. The ABS warning came up but that seems normal for any battery disconnect. As you found, that normally resets itself once the car is in motion and the module receives signals from the wheel sensors.


The other thing I did was to fully charge the new battery before installation


Cheers Spike
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys! I am due to take the car up north this week and will cover 200 miles or so, one way, so I will try to persevere as you suggest and hope this will reset the CEL warning. If this does not work, I will take the car into a friends garage up there and ask him to code the battery to the BMS.

I will let you know how it goes in a few days - THANKS AGAIN!!! :)
 
#5 ·
Hi All! So I drove the car up north a couple of hundred miles and the CEL was still on. I took the car to the garage today and VCDS showed OBD II fault code P0671 Cylinder 1 Glow Plug Circuit/Open. The garage has cleared CEL and said if it comes back on again with same error code then best changing all 4 glow plugs.

The car has only done 66k miles and I have had NONE of the following symptoms to show signs of a bad glow plug;
Lack/Loss of Power
The engine may be harder to start
Engine hesitation

Any advice you could provide as well would be welcome! :)

ATHANKYOUVERYMUCH!
 
#6 ·
If you have no symptoms of a bad glow plug, the garage is correct in clearing the code, and then seeing if it returns.
There is a good chance it was a hiccup in the system and it won't return.
 
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