RS2 Festival Flat Battery. . .

[Lloyd]

Hello everyone at RS246. It's been a while since I last posted, lots to update you all on - not least some serious expensive issues with a flat battery....

Last weekend, the missus and I drove up to Weston Park for the V Festival. We knew it was going to be really bad weather, so packed the car accordingly. We eventually arrive on-site, loads of queing etc to find it's still chucking it down.... So, you can picture us turning around on the front seats leaning over the back trying to get our waterproofs out of the rucksacks... Then somehow putting them on before getting out of the car and into the rain, right? Wrong.... one of us (probably me the missus reckons) managed to flick the indicator stalk on whilst struggling with the macs. Not good.

Anyway, 3 days later we get back to the car at about midnight on Sunday evening, looking for a quick exit home - missus has work on Monday - only to find the battery is totally flat. The side lights had been left on for 3 days via the idicator stalk.

We try bump starting, jump leads, the works, only to find that the car will start for about half a second before cutting out. There is also a warning lamp lit on the dash which is an outline of a car with a key underneath.

We have no idea what this is - it's not even listed in the car handbook. Anyway, in the end we have no choice but to join the AA and ask for recovery all the way back to St.Albans some 120 Miles. We eventually get home at 11.30 am - sleep? It's overrated.

So, car's at home - I get the battery trickle charged (for free) from a good local garage only to find the same problem exists. The car will start, but will almost immeadiately cut out. Having searched RS246, the S2 forum and spoken to several Audi enthusiasts, it turns out that because the battery was so low, for so long, that the standard factory immobiliser has 'lost' the code from the tiny chip in the car key. The car doesn't recognise the key anymore...

Therefore, I can see no other option right now but a visit to an Audi main stealer to get this sorted. Has anyone any ideas if this can be fixed DIY at home?

In any case, I hope our experience serves as a reminder to be really careful not to flatten your battery as the RS2 will not easily bump/jump start all because of the factory immobiliser!!

[Lloyd]

UPDATE:

I've just got back from Hatfield Audi main stealers. They quoted me £60 over the phone for the re-code which I thought could be worse. So got the AA (meaning one of their contractors AGAIN) to ferry the car over earlier this morning.

As it turns out, their systems could not talk to or erase the error codes on the Immobiliser control unit. So, that meant a new unit. Fortunately, they had one in stock and once fitted they managed the re-code without problem. So, all in all £187 at Audi for about 3 hours labour, a new control unit and a re-code. Which, I beleive to be OK.

I was expecting it to be even more costly when they said a new unit would be required. I was also told that the part price was a lot less than in the past for some unkown reason....

BTW: The Audi head mechanic advised that the immobiliser control unit is very sensitive to spike voltages. Hence, when I attenpted to jump start the car at V accross a totally flat battery I fried the control unit. At least that's his view.

I think it's a bit crap that Audi offers zero explanation for this in the car's manual. They certainly didn't even offer an explanation of the car outline+key warning lamp. Let alone even mentioning that jump starting is not advisable. Other drivers be warned then I guess. He advised the best action, would be to simply remove, charge and refit battery and then start - without jumping. He ho. You live and learn.

[rs2315]

Now if you were as sad as I am, you would of been looking back over your shoulder at your beautiful RS2, as you left it behind for three days.
Then you might of noticed that the lights had been left on!
I know, no -one likes a clever dick.
rs2315.

[Lloyd]

Sadly, it was only one half of the side lights (via indicator lever) that was on and at 1pm that's not easily noticed - I can vouch for that. Anyway, I bet I will be extra careful in future.

[shineydave]

didn't the warning buzzer alert you to the fact the parking lights were on?

[Lloyd]

Hi Dave,

Sadly on my car there is no noise made when you flick on the indicator lever when the ignition is switched off - which is what happened.

Anyway, all sorted now and will be careful in future.

Lloyd

[shineydave]

i'm fairly sure my old S2 buzzed at me if i left the indicator down, possibly a fault there