Should I replace my battery ?

[mike42]

Hello All

Audi A6 C7
2013.
35,000 miles mostly done on motorways although past 12 months has been lots of short journeys sub 4 miles.

If someone more knowleagable than me could take a few seconds of their time I'd be very grateful.

So about 3 months ago after leaving the car for up to a week in cold weather, I'd come to start it with ambient temp about 2 degrees. It would start but then flash a message about battery needing to charge or something like that.

Now it does it quite often if I leave it more than a couple of days and the temperature is say 5 or 6 I'll get that message.

Is it a sign that I need to replace the battery or could I squeeze a bit more life out of it ? And if it did go flat to get me out of an emergency at home would my Optimate4 that I use for my Bike be good enough to trickle charge it just enough to start it ?

[Searider]

7 year old battery.
If it’s started playing up it will be on its way out. I’d replace before it let me down.

Our XC90 was difficult to start one morning just before Christmas. Hmm, I must get round to changing the battery next week. The following day the battery was completely dead.

[AJB88]

I'd say so, just replaced the missus battery on her Fiesta, 9 years old, more than a few mins with the doors open and it wouldn't start.

My daily Leon also had a new battery as that completely died in lockdown despite being started most days.

[ARHarh]

Just pop the car down to your local tyre and exhaust type place and get them to check it, it will be quite apparent if it needs changing.

[mike42]

ARHarh said:

Just pop the car down to your local tyre and exhaust type place and get them to check it, it will be quite apparent if it needs changing.

Thanks but I'm sure if I did that it would need changing even if it was 2 months old.

Thanks to everyone else who replied. I'll change it .....

[ARHarh]

mike42 said:

ARHarh said:

Just pop the car down to your local tyre and exhaust type place and get them to check it, it will be quite apparent if it needs changing.

Thanks but I'm sure if I did that it would need changing even if it was 2 months old.

Thanks to everyone else who replied. I'll change it .....

if you watch them doing the test you will be able to see the results for yourself and judge. Or buy a multimeter and test it yourself

Not all garages are dishonest

[mike42]

ARHarh said:

if you watch them doing the test you will be able to see the results for yourself and judge. Or buy a multimeter and test it yourself

Not all garages are dishonest

Yes fair enough. I was thinking of some of the national chains who I've never had a good experience with.