My Car Died On Me....

[Tommy95]

My car has been in Seat since Friday after it dying on my last week while driving (just put itself in neutral and turned off, no warnings, no brake boost, no power steering nothing) thankfully was on a quieter dual carriageway and could coast to get off and stop but would have been horrible if was on a busy motorway! Car came to a stop and every error you could imagine then came up! RAC came out and said the 12v battery was dead and it wouldn’t charge or be jump started. So they changed the battery and all seemed fine (why the battery died with no warning we don’t know as alternator was working fine with new battery)

So booked car in at Seat who have turned around and said unless I put a new genuine Seat battery back in the car then my warranty is void! Is this new practise as I have never heard this before? Not like the RAC put a cheap battery in either!!

But they are still no wiser as to why my car died and why it comes up with 48v battery issues all the time, keyless doesn’t work, reverse camera is hit and Miss etc etc. So doesn’t look great at the minute

It’s a 1.5etsi First Edition, hope they sort it as I genuinely do love the car, even with all the issues

Oh.. and the spare key fell apart on me the first time I used it

 

[paddy6789]

I’ve heard of similar issues where certain tech doesn’t work on the car after a battery change. I don’t suppose you know what battery was on the car when it died and what battery is now on the car? If the battery type has changed (from EFB to AGM for example) then the car probably won’t charge the battery properly until the new battery is configured correctly on the car.
I had a similar issue on my Mk3 cupra, my battery died and wouldn’t hold charge but I could jump it at least. I had an EFB Banner battery originally but changed it to an AGM Exide battery. I used OBDELEVEN to change the battery type and the new capacity (it was 69ah for the Banner and the Exide was 70ah). I also had to change the battery serial number which basically tells the car it has a new battery. Once I done this, the car charged the battery properly and everything worked fine.
SEAT will also say ‘use our battery otherwise your warranty is void’ - it’s like they’re on call centre script and just won’t budge. If something looks out of sync with their script, their default is to throw that line at you.

 

[HarryJ]

Oh ****! Glad you're okay and safe. My main commute is about 12 miles on fairly busy motorway so let's hope this doesn't happy to mine!

Good to know about the battery though, if this does happen to me I'll maybe try to get the car towed to the nearest Seat garage instead of replacing the battery.

Bloody typical of them to say it voids the warranty though!

 

[rafletcher]

Oh ****! Glad you're okay and safe. My main commute is about 12 miles on fairly busy motorway so let's hope this doesn't happy to mine!

Good to know about the battery though, if this does happen to me I'll maybe try to get the car towed to the nearest Seat garage instead of replacing the battery.

Bloody typical of them to say it voids the warranty though!

Be interesting if you used SEAT recovery - which is AA - and they replaced a battery. Frankly I think the "it voids the warranty" **** is just that, scare tactics to get you to buy another from them. As long as an "equivalent" battery is fitted (same as out-of-network servicing), legally the warranty can't be voided. The issue is having the time and will to fight it, which they know.

 

[RUM4MO]

Unfortunate situation, just a pity that the OP did not use their "SEAT recovery" option while it is active.

I remember back in maybe 1984, my brand new Ford Orion Ghia Injection cut out when crossing a dug up roundabout - I called out the RAC using my family membership and they could not see what the fault was so towed me - back home was my choice, their reason for not digging too deep was that that car was under warranty and had fuel injection! The annoying part was, once I got the car back on my driveway, I very quickly worked out watch was wrong - I knew that the rev counter had dropped instantly so to me that meant a loss of ignition, but the RAC guy just was not interested, the root cause of this problem was a badly manufactured low tension feed lead to the coil, maybe Ford spotted that and trapped it under the main HT on the coil - and I thought that was wrong so moved it clear that day it broke down after washing the car for the first time, it was only days old. I sorted that by crushing that push-on rubber potted lead!

@Tommy95, what was the maker of that original battery, sounds like it was Moll hopefully the RAC left that battery in your car to submit to SEAT for a FOC replacement - though that does not solve the cost of the RAC supplied one fitted, no doubt without any recoding - or did the RAC recode the car to it?

 

[Tommy95]

Unfortunate situation, just a pity that the OP did not use their "SEAT recovery" option while it is active.

I remember back in maybe 1984, my brand new Ford Orion Ghia Injection cut out when crossing a dug up roundabout - I called out the RAC using my family membership and they could not see what the fault was so towed me - back home was my choice, their reason for not digging too deep was that that car was under warranty and had fuel injection! The annoying part was, once I got the car back on my driveway, I very quickly worked out watch was wrong - I knew that the rev counter had dropped instantly so to me that meant a loss of ignition, but the RAC guy just was not interested, the root cause of this problem was a badly manufactured low tension feed lead to the coil, maybe Ford spotted that and trapped it under the main HT on the coil - and I thought that was wrong so moved it clear that day it broke down after washing the car for the first time, it was only days old. I sorted that by crushing that push-on rubber potted lead!

@Tommy95, what was the maker of that original battery, sounds like it was Moll hopefully the RAC left that battery in your car to submit to SEAT for a FOC replacement - though that does not solve the cost of the RAC supplied one fitted, no doubt without any recoding - or did the RAC recode the car to it?

I'm not too sure what the original make was I forgot to take note. But no the RAC took it with them as neither them or me knew it would be an issue, and at the time thought the cause of the brake down was just a dodgy battery, so I didn't expect to have to take it to the dealers when it started playing up again. Seat have sorted the battery with the RAC so have put a genuine Seat battery in and I haven't paid anything for it... Thankfully haha! But the RAC did say they coded the new battery in and it was a 'like for like' swap, so I cant really see why Seat would kick up a fuss, but hey ho, at least they are looking at it now ey!

 

[Tell]

I would have thought the battery would be under warranty so the dealer is trying to wiggle out of it.

On changing the battery the Ateca needs the window retrained so opening and closing works on the windows and mirrors in on the Kessy. probably a similar procedure is required.

Ateca:
》》
Resetting one-touch opening and closing
The automatic open and close function will
not work if the battery has been temporarily
disconnected. The function can be restored
as follows:
– Close the window as far as it will go by lift-
ing and holding the electric window switch.
– Release the switch and then lift it again for
1 second. This will re-enable the automatic
function.
If you push (or pull) a button to the first
stage, the window will open (or close) until
you release the button. If you push or lift the
button briefly to the second stage, the win-
dow will open (one-touch opening) or close
(one-touch closing) automatically. If you op-
erate the button while the window is opening
or closing, it stops at this position.
《《

Does the Leon 4 have one touch... ?. Could try that procedure if one touch has stopped working.... might fix the rest .

These people who provenance I'm not sure of have the following

Seat Leon >> Disconnecting and reconnecting battery :: Battery :: Starter, current supply, CCS :: Electrical system :: SEAT Leon Service and Repair Manual - Seatia.com

》》
Connecting


Installation is carried out in the reverse sequence; note the following:

• Activate the automatic open / close function of electric window lifters .
• Connecting vehicle diagnosis tester .
• Call up and delete the event memory .

Note After re-connecting the power supply, the ESP warning lamp may not go out until the vehicle has been driven a few metres.
《《

Not sure whether that is a Leon 4 but suspect activating the automatic open / close function described in the cut and paste above kicks other system to life, whilst the deletion of event just removes them from memory but perhaps that's required as well....

Attached pages 113 & 114 of the Leon 4 manual on retraining the windows. Also on the Ateca people said you also needed to fumble the rear window lock as well since that resets.

 

[andycupra]

did the RAC give you an exchange discount on the battery? - if not then the RAC man just made a nice easy £5-£10

 

[tsofras]

Oh sorry Tom , I hope everything will be ok . First time though that I listen that the battery could void the warranty

Keep us posted

Sent from my RMX2170 using Tapatalk

 

[Tommy95]

did the RAC give you an exchange discount on the battery? - if not then the RAC man just made a nice easy £5-£10

I still don't have the car back but they have told me the RAC battery will be in the boot when I collect, not sure what to do with it yet but least ill have a spare i guess! Haha

I would have thought the battery would be under warranty so the dealer is trying to wiggle out of it.

On changing the battery the Ateca needs the window retrained so opening and closing works on the windows and mirrors in on the Kessy. probably a similar procedure is required.

Ateca:
》》
Resetting one-touch opening and closing
The automatic open and close function will
not work if the battery has been temporarily
disconnected. The function can be restored
as follows:
– Close the window as far as it will go by lift-
ing and holding the electric window switch.
– Release the switch and then lift it again for
1 second. This will re-enable the automatic
function.
If you push (or pull) a button to the first
stage, the window will open (or close) until
you release the button. If you push or lift the
button briefly to the second stage, the win-
dow will open (one-touch opening) or close
(one-touch closing) automatically. If you op-
erate the button while the window is opening
or closing, it stops at this position.
《《

Does the Leon 4 have one touch... ?. Could try that procedure if one touch has stopped working.... might fix the rest .

These people who provenance I'm not sure of have the following

Seat Leon >> Disconnecting and reconnecting battery :: Battery :: Starter, current supply, CCS :: Electrical system :: SEAT Leon Service and Repair Manual - Seatia.com

》》
Connecting


Installation is carried out in the reverse sequence; note the following:

• Activate the automatic open / close function of electric window lifters .
• Connecting vehicle diagnosis tester .
• Call up and delete the event memory .

Note After re-connecting the power supply, the ESP warning lamp may not go out until the vehicle has been driven a few metres.
《《

Not sure whether that is a Leon 4 but suspect activating the automatic open / close function described in the cut and paste above kicks other system to life, whilst the deletion of event just removes them from memory but perhaps that's required as well....

Attached pages 113 & 114 of the Leon 4 manual on retraining the windows. Also on the Ateca people said you also needed to fumble the rear window lock as well since that resets.

I tried this with resetting the window but still no luck Hopefully the garage can sort it out and find a solution

 

[Tommy95]

UPDATE: The dealer rang me to say they still cant figure out what the problem is, but they think they have traced it down to the 48v system. So they have ordered a new 48v battery as well as other components due to arrive Tuesday. So hopefully this works but ill update you all when I next hear something from them On the upside, got a lovely 80hp Corsa as a courtesy car... so it'll make getting back in the Leon that much better haha!

 

[Tell]

UPDATE: The dealer rang me to say they still cant figure out what the problem is, but they think they have traced it down to the 48v system. So they have ordered a new 48v battery as well as other components due to arrive Tuesday. So hopefully this works but ill update you all when I next hear something from them On the upside, got a lovely 80hp Corsa as a courtesy car... so it'll make getting back in the Leon that much better haha!

Are you going to be out of pocket on any of this. Is it all be treated as a warranty repair which it should including the replacement batteries.

 

[Tommy95]

Are you going to be out of pocket on any of this. Is it all be treated as a warranty repair which it should including the replacement batteries.

As far as I'm aware its all warranty work, I cant see how they could make me pay for any of it if its something fault with the hybrid system if you get me. But no so far I haven't paid a penny towards any of it

 

[Tommy95]

UPDATE: I haven't been on in a while, but Seat told me my car was ready to pick up on the 5th May, so I went and got it and by the 8th the same errors were back and causing issues again.... So it has been back in the dealers since then, only update I have had is that they have ordered yet more batteries as these are faulty (I must have the worst luck to have two brand new faulty batteries...) but these are on back order with no date as to when they will arrive. So if you take out the 3 days I had where it worked between dealer trips they have had it since the 23rd April, so over 4 weeks now with no signs of being fixed anytime soon. Love the Leon but getting a little fed up now as the car is only 5 months old and I haven't seen it for 1 of those

 

[Yern]

Enough is enough...

 

[HarryJ]

Sorry to bump this thread but my earlier comment aged like milk...

... This has just happened to me. Lost all power at a junction, restarted the engine, a host of warnings came up and I had limited power. Managed to drive to a small car park and have phoned Seat Recovery/AA.

Only problem is the wait time is upto 3 hours and I'm probably a 1.5 hour walk away from home

Any advice on what to say when the AA turn up? Maybe mention the battery issues I'm aware of? I'm hoping I don't end up in the same situation as you with Seat refusing warrenty work.

 

[HarryJ]

Okay so totally different problem it would appear!

Somethings up with the fuel injection resulting in loss of power. Just waiting now for it to be taken to the garage.

Will update on a new thread once I know what's up so people know what to look out for.