New member with a flat battery
- Thread starter RickyG
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Greyanglia
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Welcome - it's a great forum, really helpful.
Welcome to the forum and your in the best Team BLUE... sorry to hear your having problems but now you said that.... Tell us lol
we'r all left Hanging.........
Well firstly I’m new to to VW camping, so buying my first T6 only three weeks ago, and in that time only driving it back home to (Barry) from the Cambridgeshire area, and just driving it the following weekend to the Malvern busfest, and then not using it for a full 9 or 10 days, I was not happy, to say the least, when I tried to start it up and the battery was flat. This happened again yesterday afternoon, after a weekend at Brean sands, which was our first opportunity to stay out in it. I might have to return it back for a check over, surly this can’t be right for a new van?
Having said that, I’m reading that battery problems on VW vans seem to be not that uncommon,,,, are they??
Do you have solar? did you leave the fridge on? Do you have a DC to DC charger ? There are some real experts (not me) on here that will diagnose the issue for you.
Yes we do have a solar,,, not sure about DC to DC charger?
The fridge was off. I’m thinking of replacing the battery???
Thinking of replacing the vehicle battery, or leisure battery?
Assuming you mean the former, the chances of it having died are likely down to it having been sat redundant whilst the seller waited for you, the buyer, to come along. Happens all the time with vehicle sales. So it’ll want a charger with a decent charger (like the Victron 12/7, for example) and not just starting up once a week (as smart alternators don’t work like traditional ones do).
Opening and closing doors, using the radio and generally being in and out of the van whilst camping runs down the vehicle battery, so when camping for a few days, either hook-up and plug in your vehicle charger or make sure you have solar coverage.
Your leisure battery may have discharged your vehicle battery in those two days, too, if you have a traditional charging system installed over a DC to DC charger.
Another thing is the vehicle battery itself. Early vans came with Moll batteries, which depleted quickly. Varta replacements were fitted under warranty but there are still issues with them, as with any battery, if they’ve been allowed to go completely flat. There’s a thread online about replacing your starter with a bigger battery, but rule out what might be discharging it first.
Come back to us with photos / details of your setup and we’ll be in a better position to help! Oh and welcome to the forum
Thanks for the advice, very informative.
As soon as I can I I’ll send some photos.
By the way, it’s the starter battery I think is at fault. I purchased a battery charger yesterday so I’m going to try and fully charge that first,,, a process of elimination I know. Thanks for the good advice again, and I’ll keep you posted.
I have been through this with my new T6.1. I have had it into VW and called out VW assist. Basically I have been told that's the way it is. If I go more than 7 days without using the van, then the cab battery is dead. They have tested it and said it is fine. The VW assist guy says its a recurring issue, but one they cant do anything about. Their testing is that if it is drawing less than .4a, then it is okay. That means it will be dead in a week!
He offered to put a new one in, but says it will happen with a new one.
Grrr.
He offered to put a new one in, but says it will happen with a new one.
Grrr.
I wonder if the people who’ve paid for a 6.1 only to wait for the best part of a year for delivery know about this.
Add the leaking sliding windows from Day 1 and it’s clear there is some kind of blind allegiance to VW regardless of the quality.
Luckily I had 3rd party windows fitted....
It is my first, and have to say, given the premium paid for VW, don't know if I would do it again. The battery issue for me makes it not fit for purpose.
It is a leisure vehicle for us and now I have to think every few days that I need to take it for a run or put on charge. I have a 12 year old Aygo that lasts 3 months without use and starts first time!
Hi to all. Just joined the forum so thought I would pitch in.
I bought a new T6 T28 Highline Transporter last year. Have had constant flat battery problems. Had the battery replaced by VW Assist last December but I only have to leave the van for up to a week and the battery goes flat again. Had the AA come to get me started twice in the last month. On each occasion they tested the battery, told me the battery was good. They said this is a common problem on VW vans and that I just need to make sure I use it regularly ! Complete nonsense. I plan to do some diagnostics to try and find out which circuit is sucking the charge out of the battery. Can anyone tell me where the fuse box is located please.......just to avoid me having to search high and low for it !! Hopefully by comparing notes we can figure out what’s going on, or is that wishful thinking ?!!
I bought a new T6 T28 Highline Transporter last year. Have had constant flat battery problems. Had the battery replaced by VW Assist last December but I only have to leave the van for up to a week and the battery goes flat again. Had the AA come to get me started twice in the last month. On each occasion they tested the battery, told me the battery was good. They said this is a common problem on VW vans and that I just need to make sure I use it regularly ! Complete nonsense. I plan to do some diagnostics to try and find out which circuit is sucking the charge out of the battery. Can anyone tell me where the fuse box is located please.......just to avoid me having to search high and low for it !! Hopefully by comparing notes we can figure out what’s going on, or is that wishful thinking ?!!
I guess another battery could be added in parallel.
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