With winter months coming, automobiles tend to suffer, the most common case is to have difficulties starting your Audi A3 in the morning with very low temperatures. Generally speaking this is related to problems recharging the battery of your Audi A3 . There are some reasons that can show you why your battery does not recharge effectively anymore, and in this article we will try to help you to fix this issue that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To accomplish this, first we will show you how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Audi A3, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.

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How does recharging the battery of a Audi A3 work?

Before we describe the different complications of recharging the battery on a Audi A3 , we will show you to you how its recharging system functions so that you can figure out the complications you are struggling with. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Audi A3 , turn on your headlights, listen to music, lower your power windows… Nevertheless all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this issue, the engineers have designed a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy produced by the engine unit of your Audi A3 to produce energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . Nevertheless, keep in mind that this process can only work when your motor vehicle is running, using electrical components of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will decrease the energy reserve of your motor vehicle. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.

Problems recharging a Audi A3’s battery

We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Audi A3 you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is actually a issue in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.

Battery charging problem on Audi A3: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a specific charger

In this first circumstance, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , obviously, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Audi A3 to start, the problem certainly comes from your alternator which should not be able to produce any more current.

Battery charging issue on Audi A3: My motor vehicle shuts off and does not start regardless if I have charged the battery

If you have recharged your battery and you have managed to start your Audi A3 but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the problem with recharging the battery of your Audi A3 is that your battery no longer holds the charge .

Battery charging issue on Audi A3: My battery is discharged nevertheless it is new

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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while you’re driving, the issue most probably comes from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.

How to fix the issue of battery charging on Audi A3?

We will now give you the solutions according to the issue you are struggling with. Here are the different complications and their solutions:

  • Faulty alternator: You can try with simple mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best solution, depending on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair is feasible in the event that your alternator is accessible.
  • Battery that no longer holds the charge: In this case, the purchase of a new battery is the only realistic solution. In fact, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros depending on your engine.
  • Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Audi A3 but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a motor vehicle electrician is in this case necessary.

How to recharge an empty battery of a Audi A3

At last, to recharge the empty battery of a Audi A3 there are only few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient solution, you can find some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. In any other case you can use cables that will only provide the energy needed to start.

If perhaps you have any additional questions about the Audi A3, do not hesitate to consult our Audi A3 category.