Polo Stop Start

jezzer_72

Leading on from my other post and reading some of the others i thought there might be some help for the issue i am having with my car.

I have a 2015 VW Polo which has developed an issue with the stop start system (i've booked it in for diagnostics so we will see what VW say).

Obviously the car is out of warranty so i will have to pay for diagnostics and repair. However, when we took delivery of the car a flashing message came up on the dash that said "Stop Start error - battery low - charge battery". We were told by the dealer as he turned the car on (i usually get them to do it for this exact reason) that the car needs to be driven a few miles and the message will go and it did. Now it's developed a stop start issue which i assume will be connected to the battery (but i will await confirmation), do i have any regress or indeed redress? it is possible that the fault was there from purchased and the history of the message shows that it might be connected. Its been serviced at yearly intervals and has less than 8k on the clock so it's not even driven much (used mainly to get to work as my car has a higher mileage limit) just the daily commute about 6 miles return and running around town.

Many thanks.

PS i realise that at the time i should have refused the car for the error but it literally went by the time we drove 5 or 6 miles.

TadleyBaggie

What do you mean "stop start issue"? If you mean that it's not stopping then can be quite normal as the system only cuts in when several conditions are met, such as nominal engine temperature, cabin temperature normal etc.

jezzer_72

The MFD says there is a stop start error. It thus doesn't stop at all and the error message stays displayed on the the media screen and highlights the engine as the issue. It is likely not a condition error as i get those regularly.

AdrianC

3-4yo car, 8k miles from new, and you're surprised that it's developing a battery fault?

I'm not.


Use the poor thing more! Three miles from cold start, three miles from cold start - that kind of abuse does cars no good at all.



And, yes, stop-start will turn itself off if the battery charge is low. It probably needs a new battery now.

TadleyBaggie

The battery on my Qashqai (start/stop) developed a problem after a year or so, when the RAC came out to me they were well prepared as it was a common issue with a batch of FIAMM batteries used. They replaced it with a different brand and not had an issue since.

jezzer_72

Hmmm...

I am surprised because i would have thought a car should be able to sustain short journeys. Equally my car doesn't do much more than 6 miles daily either and hasn't developed the same fault. Although we do drive my car generally a lot more and i travel further distances occasionally for work to meeting with my car so have done more miles overall. The other thing I have just realised is that the system disables if the charge is too low to avoid damage to the battery... Therefore, i would think your comment doesn't quite correlate.

TadleyBaggie i have the same type of battery i think and my research seems to suggest these batteries aren't very good (non AGM battery i think) as they were an early development and do not tend to outlast the warranty.

System

jezzer_72 wrote: »

Hmmm...

I am surprised because i would have thought a car should be able to sustain short journeys. Equally my car doesn't do much more than 6 miles daily either and hasn't developed the same fault. Although we do drive my car generally a lot more and i travel further distances occasionally for work to meeting with my car so have done more miles overall.

Ultimately the journey has to be long enough and done at high enough engine speeds that you replace the charge you lose from starting the car, the charge it has lost from running systems like the immobiliser when not used and the charge that is lost by the internal resistance of the battery over time as its stood there. In winter you use the lights more, you use the heater blower motor more, the screen demister, the lights - all of which mean there is less current available from the alternator to charge the battery. Also being in a state of low charge a lot isn't good for a battery and neither is cold weather so if there's going to be an issue from all of that lot it will be in winter when you get it.

Your other car gets longer journeys which are sufficient enough and in sufficient frequency to replace this charge without there being any noticable detrimental effects.

Browntoa

Stop start needs a battery with a good charge capable of retaining a good charge.

After recent work in the garage my took several days to reactivate and run like normal but I'm going to swap the battery for a new one anyway as I suspect it is on the way out

sheslookinhot

Get it on a charge and invest in a trickle charger which you should use regularly. However, may be a stop/start car is not for you, due to very short journeys.

DUTR

jezzer_72 wrote: »

Leading on from my other post and reading some of the others i thought there might be some help for the issue i am having with my car.

I have a 2015 VW Polo which has developed an issue with the stop start system (i've booked it in for diagnostics so we will see what VW say).

Obviously the car is out of warranty so i will have to pay for diagnostics and repair. However, when we took delivery of the car a flashing message came up on the dash that said "Stop Start error - battery low - charge battery". We were told by the dealer as he turned the car on (i usually get them to do it for this exact reason) that the car needs to be driven a few miles and the message will go and it did. Now it's developed a stop start issue which i assume will be connected to the battery (but i will await confirmation), do i have any regress or indeed redress? it is possible that the fault was there from purchased and the history of the message shows that it might be connected. Its been serviced at yearly intervals and has less than 8k on the clock so it's not even driven much (used mainly to get to work as my car has a higher mileage limit) just the daily commute about 6 miles return and running around town.

Many thanks.

PS i realise that at the time i should have refused the car for the error but it literally went by the time we drove 5 or 6 miles.

Did you have the car from new in 2015?
The SS system will often show not available for a host of reasons, there is the usual, vehicle not at operating temperature, high power consumption, air con demands the engine to be running.
Other times it can be that there is a fault brewing

jezzer_72

Yeah had it from new.

As i said, the stop start error is definitely not related to a condition of operation.

Both cars drive pretty much the same distance daily. It's the weekend that it would be different (although we alternate the cars to try and mitigate it) and the occasional meeting for my car.