# "Sleep Mode"



## wrigs (Mar 1, 2005)

I just returned from a fun vacation in New Jersey last night. When I went out this morning to enjoy my hour+ commute to work, I was unable to unlock my door.








Being a bit old fashion I used the actual key to open my door and found that I had no lights -- the battery seems to be dead.
I was in a rush, jumped into my dodg.....an and labored through an awful commute.







My wife called the VW dealer for me and was told this happens if you don't drive your car for awhile. Something about the car going into "sleep mode".
Now this is me re-typing what my wife was told over the phone. Has anyone experienced anything like this?


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## TREGinginCO (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (wrigs)*

Do a search under dead battery issues..... you should find plenty to read about.


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## wrigs (Mar 1, 2005)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (wrigs)*

OK -- This should be reclassified as a "Dead Battery" issue.
Do you think this problem should be addressed via "service" or "sales"? Don't get me wrong, the T is a beautiful car, but its 2 weeks old for heaven's sake and it has been to the shop 2x already. I was told by a VW service manager that these had a lot of problems, but I thought, and was reassured by the sales guy







, it was the '04s due to it just being released.
Thanks again for the heads up


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## touaregwanted (Jun 24, 2004)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (TREGinginCO)*

If I drive the Touareg on a daily basis, will I get this issue?


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## chessmck (Dec 22, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (wrigs)*

Mine is often left for a week at a time and it starts just fine. I did have the battery go bad after the first 11 months. Replaced and no more prob. Make sure you check your charging voltage and if not 14 or a little above, you may have one of th ecable connector problems, which keeps th ebattery from charging to full charge.
If it runs down in a week, something needs to be fixed!


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## raudikal (Mar 15, 2004)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (touaregwanted)*

Daily drivers won't have this issue. I've left my Treg at the airport for a week at a time with no problems.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (raudikal)*


_Quote, originally posted by *raudikal* »_Daily drivers won't have this issue. I've left my Treg at the airport for a week at a time with no problems. 

I think there have been a number of "daily drivers" with dead battery problems. Not sure whether any of them are 2005 models yet. Will have to wait to see the TSBs for the bad aternator cable to know how long this problem extended.


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## Bill 2158 (Nov 7, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (chessmck)*


_Quote, originally posted by *chessmck* »_Mine is often left for a week at a time and it starts just fine. I did have the battery go bad after the first 11 months. Replaced and no more prob. Make sure you check your charging voltage and if not 14 or a little above, you may have one of th ecable connector problems, which keeps the battery from charging to full charge.
If it runs down in a week, something needs to be fixed!

I have a related question. I just moved and my commute is less than two miles. After following the cable problems, I've been watching my voltage. It runs between 13.5 and 13.75. It's never been in the 14 range. Maybe I should be talking to the dealer. Also, any ideas on when the cabling TSB will be official (if it is and I missed it, I apologise in advance).
edit: my '04 VIN is 348##


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## Phagus (Aug 5, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (spockcat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spockcat* »_
I think there have been a number of "daily drivers" with dead battery problems. Not sure whether any of them are 2005 models yet. Will have to wait to see the TSBs for the bad aternator cable to know how long this problem extended.

the above problem could be a bad alternator-battery cable issue. it is possible that a lot, a lot of trucks are affected (including some 2005 trucks) but daily drivers may put just enough "surface" charge on the battery and have the dead battery T-reg's "feature" only when the truck is not driven for a while. a less-than-14V charge voltage reading pretty much means you have a bad cable. 
a cable for my truck has been ordered a week or two ago. these are apparently on long back order. the insufficient supply is probably holding VWOA from releasing a TSB on the cable replacement.


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (****us)*


_Quote, originally posted by *****us* »_
a cable for my truck has been ordered a week or two ago. these are apparently on long back order. the insufficient supply is probably holding VWOA from releasing a TSB on the cable replacement. 

You would wonder if it would be possible to recrimp or solder the connection that seems to be going bad in order to eliminate replacing all these cables? It would have to be a quicker and cheaper solution, even if VW had to buy each dealer a heavy duty soldering gun or a large gauge crimping tool.


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## dschlei (Nov 9, 2004)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (spockcat)*

This is what they are doing in Germany, just solder the connections and it seems to solve most of the problems, most of the times. However, some that had the connections soldered, report continuous problems until they cables are replaced.


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## Phagus (Aug 5, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (dschlei)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dschlei* »_This is what they are doing in Germany, just solder the connections and it seems to solve most of the problems, most of the times. However, some that had the connections soldered, report continuous problems until they cables are replaced.

this sucks. i do not want to have a "used" soldered cable installed in my truck.
unless i do the soldering myself, of course


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (****us)*


_Quote, originally posted by *****us* »_this sucks. i do not want to have a "used" soldered cable installed in my truck.
unless i do the soldering myself, of course









So you figured it out. VWOA is getting the old ones from Germany that were repaired and replaced. Unfortunately, not enough of them are failing fast enough in Europe and the rest of the world because Europe and the rest of the world don't buy so many V8 Touaregs.


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## chessmck (Dec 22, 2003)

*Re: "Sleep Mode" (Bill 2158)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Bill 2158* »_
I have a related question. I just moved and my commute is less than two miles. After following the cable problems, I've been watching my voltage. It runs between 13.5 and 13.75. It's never been in the 14 range. Maybe I should be talking to the dealer. Also, any ideas on when the cabling TSB will be official (if it is and I missed it, I apologise in advance).
edit: my '04 VIN is 348##

Bill,
Don't know about the TSB, but do know that you need to charge a car battery at 2.35 V per cell = 14.1 or a little above. A great Battery reference web site is 
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-42B.htm
and this is the home page. Select parts 1,2,3 for lots of info on all kinds of Batt... IMHO 13.75 is too low. But maybe you should check with a good digital volt meter to verify your dash volts guage is correct. Mine goes to 14.5 after starting then after a while drops back to 14 or a little over.


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## hotdaymnitzbao (Oct 26, 2003)

odd. 
my alternator-battery cable has been checked and everything was normal. just had my overhead compass module replaced.... even tho it's said that the compass is a result of dead battery issues... we'll see how that goes.


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