Do I really need to register my battery?

R

RichardZ

Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Messages
47
Location
Downeast, USA
The OEM battery in my wife's 2017 Audi Q3 decided to quit. Five years old so I guess I can't complain too much.

Do I really need to register a new battery? Or will the car 'adapt' to the new battery? I prefer to just buy a battery from a local supplier and just drop in myself. The closest VW/Audi dealer 2 hours away, and I don't want to spend dealer pricing..

I'll buy a scan tool and do myself if absolutely necessary (if anyone has advice on a good scan tool that would do the job I'd appreciate it), but just assume not if not really needed.

Thoughts? Thanks!!
 
Last edited:
oldhp said:
The car's ECU knows what battery is in it??? How??? If your worried get a spare battery and use small jumpers to keep battery voltage in the cars electrical system. Then change the battery.
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From what I understand VW/Audi cars (and some other brands) require you to register the new battery so the car knows the proper charging rates. I don't know if it's BS or not..hence my question..
 
Yes you should adapt the battery for optimal functionality and life of the charging system.

There is a local shop that can do it for you, it doesn't have to be a dealer. You could join a local FB VW/Audi group. I have done a few batteries for folks.
 
I'd register it. Usually the process just involves "resetting" the battery status and type, so the car charges the battery correctly. I did it in my BMW when I recently replaced the original factory 2009 battery. Used a bluetooth OBD2 adapter and an app on my phone.
 
RichardZ said:
I'll buy a scan tool and do myself if absolutely necessary (if anyone has advice on a good scan tool that would do the job I'd appreciate it), but just assume not if not really needed.

Thoughts? Thanks!!
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VAG-COM.
 
VAG-COM/VCDS can do it. you can change the serial number to whatever you want, it lets the ECU relearn the charging parameters for the new battery, so I'd recommend doing it. I know that VAG cars can sometimes get angry if you change the battery without doing it.
 
Thanks for everyone’s advice. I was hoping for a different answer…I guess I’ll start researching scan/reset tools.
 
RichardZ said:
Thanks for everyone’s advice. I was hoping for a different answer…I guess I’ll start researching scan/reset tools.
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OBDEleven or Carista are the cheapest entry-level tools and you can use them with your phone. VCDS is 99% dealer-level but more expensive. Resale on the VCDS cables is really good so it'll technically be the cheapest option if/when you sell.
 
If you replace the battery with a similar battery, why would you need different charge rates or need to register the battery??? If you replaced a 44 amp hour battery with a 24 amp hour battery it would make sense.
 
redbone3 said:
If you replace the battery with a similar battery, why would you need different charge rates or need to register the battery??? If you replaced a 44 amp hour battery with a 24 amp hour battery it would make sense.
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Because the car adjusts to the age of the battery with regards to capacity and how best to / how often to charge it.
 
While a different brand than the OP, my Ford vehicles have a battery management system (BMS) in them, and one of the parameters is the battery age. There are all sorts of debates on whether one actually needs to have the BMS reset. The owners manual refers to leaving the vehicle untouched for an 8 hour plus period to let the system learn it has a battery behaving differently than the one the was replaced.

That being said, there have been a few folks involved in the design of the BMS that have stated it is definitely better to reset it than to leave it and the system assume its working with an old, less capable battery. And I have Forscan and know how to use it, so its easy for me to do myself. The fact the system knows how old the battery is tells me that it us used in the algorithm for battery charging - so why not get it working at its best?
 
redbone3 said:
True. But that old battery wasn't old when it was registered. It was new.
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As as the battery aged, it's internal resistance increased as it's capacity dropped. The computer learned these values and changed the charging algorithm.

You reset the battery adaptations just like you reset transmission adaptations. Batteries and fluid slowly go bad and the computer adapts.

When installing a new battery you suddenly, not gradually, change what the computer expects to see.
 
This folks is what's wrong with today's cars. Sorry............Dumbest thing I've heard today. Dash lights up with not telling the car you changed the battery light??? Pfffffft.........................
 
oldhp said:
This folks is what's wrong with today's cars. Sorry............Dumbest thing I've heard today. Dash lights up with not telling the car you changed the battery light??? Pfffffft.........................
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German engineering. although my cherokee has a primitive version of it.(IBS sensor)
 
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