Ateca Battery Issues

[BrizzBrown]

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone can help or has experienced a similar issue.

I bought my Seat Ateca 2019 DSG TDI 2.0 FR 4WD at the end of April. After the purchase, I drove it back home and pulled up at McDonald’s with the engine off but the ignition was still on. After a minute or two, a low battery fault appeared and the car wouldn’t start, so I got a jump start. This happened after a two-hour drive home.

I contacted the garage I bought the car from and they offered to replace the battery if the test showed it needed replacing. I went to a local County Batteries and the battery was faulty, so I replaced it. That seemed to fix the problem until…

The battery was replaced on 2nd May 2025, and the low battery error resurfaced on 22nd December 2025, just over seven months later. The problems are happening again.

I charged the battery and took it back to County Batteries because it has a five-year warranty. However, the battery tested as new, and the alternator was also fine when tested.

Many people have suggested a possible drain, but wouldn’t that have killed the battery sooner rather than seven months? I’ve also noticed that my boot switch isn’t working, but I can still open the boot from the key fob.

I’ve found many forum posts about Seat Ateca battery issues, but I haven’t found many solutions. The car has been parked for about two days, but I did start it for a minute or two yesterday to check the battery. It started fine and showed no error messages, but today it’s completely dead again.


Can anyone recommend anything?

 

[James_R]

Do you have a code reader like OBDELEVEN you could run a scan with?

 

[BrizzBrown]

I’m going to get it in to my mechanic on the 2nd Jan but just was seeing if anybody else has had the same problem. To me it seems like a battery drain especially because I charged the battery and it’s gone low again. 20-30mins after I park it up for the the evening im going to test the battery voltage and then test it again tomorrow morning. If it’s dropped then there’s clearly a drain. I need somebody who knows what there doing to identify the actual drain if there is one as I brought the car with a towbar attached which has two ports so that could be the culprit, there’s also a cable going down of the passenger side of my car that’s hidden well but it looks like aftermarket so unsure if that’s related to the towbar or something else and lastly the boot switch doesn’t work but it works when I use my key fob. I’ve disconnected the boot switch for now so I can’t access the boot and see if the drain stops as I’ve read it could keep the module awake if it’s sending wrong signals.

 

[Tell]

Mine is an Ateca 2.0 TDI. I set the pesky stop start off using the voltage method, 12v, with Obdeleven - see the Ateca coding thread for that. Never had a battery issue. Had the garage change the battery at 5 years. Normally they have a warranty for fours years. Didn't have an issue but had it swapped out. All that stop starting I reckon does the battery in, but it's just dangerous in any case hovering at roundabouts with the engine off. Some people flip the steering wheel to start the engine. So yes these are the manufacturers batteries not otherwise. Bosch basically but labelled as a sister company from memory. Cost a small fortune. Ofcourse you could have a camera wired in or something thats draining the battery put in by a previous owner or whatever. Suspect its that pesky stop start and probably not the manufacturers heavy duty battery rather than anything else.

 

[tracktoy]

Not sure if you have a coding tool but have you tried disabling tow bar not sure if that turns off supply but worth a go

 

[Tell]

He might not have a tow bar. It was an optional extra when I bought mine. The only thing I didnt spec up. When you could buy Seat's and spec up. It flicks out from underneath the bumper pressing a button if factory fitted. That and the Kessy provided amusement to dealers by how it worked. Fumbling.

 

[BrizzBrown]

He might not have a tow bar. It was an optional extra when I bought mine. The only thing I didnt spec up. When you could buy Seat's and spec up. It flicks out from underneath the bumper pressing a button if factory fitted. That and the Kessy provided amusement to dealers by how it worked. Fumbling.

There was a towbar fitted to the car when I brought it and it is still on the car but I don’t use it I need to get it removed

 

[Tell]

There was a towbar fitted to the car when I brought it and it is still on the car but I don’t use it I need to get it removed

That will be a mod if its not the one that swings out on the button inside. Button on the right inside. I know we were pressing all the buttons, it suddenly swung out on the demo car. One doing the rounds in the launch period in 2026.

 

[BrizzBrown]

UPDATE: I got home last night and after half an hour I tested the battery, which was sitting at 12.8v. I was told it’s normal for the battery to drop, especially with the colder temperatures.

This morning it tested at 12.5v and I left it all day. I tested it this evening and it’s still at 12.5v. I tried starting the car and it started without any issues.

I’m hoping the drain is coming from the boot latch button. It works on my key fob but not when I try to physically press it, which suggests the actuator is working fine. It must be something to do with the wiring directly to the button that’s damaged or corroded.

Yesterday evening, I disconnected the plug going to the boot latch button from inside the boot. It must have been the right one because I can’t access the boot even with my key.

I’ll monitor it again. I can’t get to the garage until the 2nd January, but I’m hoping the boot latch is the culprit for the battery draining issues. It gives my mechanic something to look at first.