Audi A4 alarm problems....flat battery

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Hello peeps,

I own an immaculate A4 - it is a low mileage 2001 2litre sport petrol model

twice in the last 12months it has had a flat battery, usually after 4 - days inactivity.
Battery and alternator check out fine and remembering to run it for 10mins every 3 or 4 days seems to work.
It seems to me (and lots of websites) that Audis suffer from various glitches that can drain the battery. One in particular is the alarm system!
Apparently it has a rechargeable battery that eventually fails.
symptoms of this are a weak beeping noise from the boot area where the alarm unit is found.
I note my car is doing this "beeping" repeatedly!
Do I assume that this may be the cause of battery drain?

If so can I "electrically" disconnect the alarm without affecting any other system????

I know their are guides to DIY replace the batteries which I may consider eventually, but my immediate concern is stopping the constant flat batteries!
.....I am away from home for long days and am concerned my wife has un-reliable transportation :cry:

Thanks for reading
 
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Personally I would think twice about disabling any factory fitted, original equipment, alarm as this might impact on any insurance claim if the vehicle was stolen whilst disabled.

Short term probably best option would be to start the vehicle each day until alarm batteries can be changed or fit a small trickle charger to the battery.
 
How old is the car battery? If you can keep it charged enough to start by running it for 10 mins every three or four days it sounds as though your battery is well down on capacity. Did you have it checked with a load tester?

Peter
 
Personally I would think twice about disabling any factory fitted, original equipment, alarm as this might impact on any insurance claim if the vehicle was stolen whilst disabled.

Short term probably best option would be to start the vehicle each day until alarm batteries can be changed or fit a small trickle charger to the battery.

Agree completely, long term alarm will be fixed.

But the main point of my question was "could alarm be the cause of flat battery?"

I then went on to ask how to disable it, and finally said alarm would be fixed

Thankyou for your reply but my immediate concern is the car not starting
 
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How old is the car battery? If you can keep it charged enough to start by running it for 10 mins every three or four days it sounds as though your battery is well down on capacity. Did you have it checked with a load tester?

Peter

thanks Peter, Battery is at least 4 years old.

it was tested by a garage who proclaimed it to be "in fine fettle"

I only start and run it every 3 - 4 days because I am paranoid :oops:

This flat battery has only happened twice.....(roughly 6 months apart and after not having been started for at least 7 days - Oh and was after a very cold night)

I have read lots of audi forums which seem to agree that Audi`s suffer terribly from current draw due to multiple issues, .....one of which is the alarm!

no one (including Audi) has come up with a definitive fix. All suggestions involve hours of expensive auto electrical testing (beyond my pockets!)

I thought I would seek opinion here including asking if and I suppose how I could disable the alarm (Which doesn't work anyway!!!!! - unless you are wearing a high powered hearing aid!)
 
if its beeping constantly then it wont help, are you sure things like the boot or glovebox lights are not staying on?
Maybe if the boot closed switch is playing up the alarm could be beeping to indicate this.
Its virtually impossible to disconnect a modern vehicle security system.
 
if its beeping constantly then it wont help, are you sure things like the boot or glovebox lights are not staying on?
Maybe if the boot closed switch is playing up the alarm could be beeping to indicate this.
Its virtually impossible to disconnect a modern vehicle security system.

Hmmm! a different forum suggested disconnecting the plug............

have just ran the car and now locked it up with the button that disconnects internal sensors "activated"!

this is a gorgeous car in perfect mechanical nick and I wont be beaten!!!!!
 
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