I have been having trouble starting my '01 Audi A6 2.7T over the past couple weeks, about a week after my 80k service. I especially had problems if I have been running the air conditioner the day before. When I try turning the ignition, I can hear a relay clicking and the cluster panel lights flash with each click. Sometimes It starts immediately, sometimes I have to have the key turned for about 10 seconds before it actually starts. Once the car actually started, it is fine. It seemed like a possible battery problem to me and I was going to try changing it out, but sadly I procrastinated.

Well yesterday, the problem switched to something new. I was able to start the car, quicker and with more success than previously, but it would die out after a second. I tried starting it about 20 times in total, each time, it would die out after a second or two. I had it towed to the nearest Audi Dealer.

Today I get a call from the Dealer saying they were able to duplicate the problem. They attempted to charge the battery, but that didn't help. Then he says, they found out the wrong battery was installed. They switched the battery out to a factory battery and the car now starts normally and has several times in a row. The reason he gave was that this model car requires a "different" battery than other models. The one which was in there was giving erratic electrical problems and voltage spikes. As far as I knew, the only differences in batteries was the voltage level, the amperage they were cabable of, and whether or not they were maintenance free. It had been working seemingly OK for about a year prior to this.

I go to pick my car up tomorrow. I am wondering if it sounds like I am being taken by the dealer or this could be a legitimate cause for the problem.

I just replaced my battery and used the group size for the 2.8, as recommended by many people in the forums. It was ~1/2 the price, and met or exceeded all the specs. Unless there are some double secret requirements out there!

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2000 A6 2.7T 6sp MT
Ebony Pearl/Tungsten

alternator mate

I should explain a little better cough, the battery is not being recharged that's why its dying soon after the new battery/old battery was charged, the car runs on the alternator not the battery not like the old days so if the alternator is shot then the battery soon runs flat and the car is dead just a basic guess

You could also have a parasitic draw. That is something that drains your battery after the car is shut off. If the time since last restart is short youll have no problem starting. But if it has been a while the battery has more time to drain and results in a harder start. The starts and dies problem sounds like an immobilizer problem. When it starts does a car sybol with a key under it flash. Thats the imobilizer light. Did they scan the immobilizer for faults.