With cold weather coming, cars often suffer, the most general case is to have troubles starting your Volkswagen Up! early in the day with very low temperatures. Generally this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Volkswagen Up! . There are some reasons that can explain why your battery does not recharge properly anymore, and today we will try to help you to fix this problem that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To accomplish this, first we will explain how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Volkswagen Up!, and at last how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Volkswagen Up! work?
Before we summarize the different complications of recharging the battery on a Volkswagen Up! , we will explain to you how its recharging system operates so that you can figure out the complications you are facing. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Volkswagen Up! , turn on your headlights, enjoy music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this problem, the engineers have produced a element called the alternator , this element will use the energy developed by the engine unit of your Volkswagen Up! to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . However, keep in mind that this process can just work when your motor vehicle is running, using electrical components of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will drain 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 Volkswagen Up!’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Volkswagen Up! you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a problem in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.
Battery charging problem on Volkswagen Up!: 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 , in truth, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Volkswagen Up! to start, the problem certainly originates from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.
Battery charging problem on Volkswagen Up!: 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 been able to start your Volkswagen Up! but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Volkswagen Up! is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging problem on Volkswagen Up!: 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 problem most likely originates from your alternator. It cannot originate from your battery, which is new and consequently holds the charge. The second possibility is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to fix the problem of battery charging on Volkswagen Up!?
We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are facing. Here are the different complications and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with basic mechanics to verify it with a pressure gauge to discover if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best solution, based 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 such a case, the purchase of a new battery is the just realistic solution. In fact, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be replaced, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Volkswagen Up! 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 verify by a motor vehicle electrician is in this case necessary.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Volkswagen Up!
At last, to recharge the empty battery of a Volkswagen Up! there are just 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 just provide the energy needed to start.
Whenever you have any further questions about the Volkswagen Up!, do not hesitate to consult our Volkswagen Up! category.
