2007 Seat altea 2.0 TDI auto, 3 long beeps after startup then dead battery

Dec 27, 2021
3
0
So out of nowhere about 2 months ago my battery died. Nothing when I turned the key, just a clicking noise. Used jump leads, tried to start it a couple of times before it eventually did start. Both unsuccessful times, no engine trying to turn over, just the ticking still so obviously totally dead/very flat, this was after a few minutes of charging with revs from the charger car. Left for 10 minutes and it started. Went for a 20/30 minute run and it's been fine since.

Today I started my car as normal to drive the short distance to town. When I started the car in town, there were 3 long beeps, no warning lights but car started as normal. Made a couple of stops around town, each time the 3 beeps happened.

Note that it is not the bell chime sound that happens when the temperature is 4°c or under.

When I stopped at my next location, I sat in the car trying to Google a diagnosis. Many suggestions as expected but commonly mentioned was low brake fluid. I checked the brake fluid level, was kinda close to the min mark but not there yet. After checking brake fluid, the car started without the 3 beeps. Great I thought, must have been the sensor in the brake fluid reservoir, stopped the engine and went to do what I was doing.

30 minutes later, I went to start the engine to go home and the battery was so low that the car wouldn't start. The engine was turning over but not starting. Only tried this once as to not run the battery any lower. I enlisted a fellow shopper's help to jumpstart. Tried after about a minute and it started immediately.

Another odd thing was that when the battery died today, the clock and trip counter reset as if the battery had been disconnected. This didn't happen the other time the battery died even though the last time the battery was obviously more dead as it wouldn't even turn over just click.

Any idea of the cause? Are the 3 beeps a warning that the battery is low? I don't think this happened the previous time the battery died. I don't think the battery is that old, still looks clean. I do make some short journies numerous times a day, 2-3 mile and 7 mile journeys often but also work 20 miles away so do long runs often too.

A typical work day would be 20 mile run to work, 20 mile back then in late arvo/evening a few short 2-7 mile trips. A day off would be just numerous 2-7 mile trips, no 20 mile trips.

I would have thought this is within a normal range of a battery and alternator system?
 
Last edited:

300bhpdaily

Active Member
May 26, 2020
1,246
568
Have the battery tested and replace if necessary then retest. Seems like you’ve had the car not start multiple times and come to the conclusion that battery was flat but not actually ever thought to replace the battery.
🤦🏻‍♂️
 
Dec 27, 2021
3
0
The battery outputs 13 volts with the engine off and 14 when it's running. Battery has had a health check and all seems well so the alternator and battery are fine hence me asking on here.

I've had no issues since so it's a mystery what was happening.

Sent from my CPH1825 using Tapatalk
 
SEATCUPRA.NET Forum merchandise