Add Yours: VW ID. Buzz Owner's Registry

Got a warning “12V battery is being conserved”

2729 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Nai3t, May 2, 2022

NCID4

Discussion Starter · May 1, 2022

I was out today and got this alert on the app when I tried to turn on the remote climate control (to run the A/C). I’m guessing it came up because I turned on the remote climate control twice within 2 hours (at noon and 2) while I was out picking up stuff at the mall. When I tried to turn it on the third time (at 3) that’s when I got this.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the car looks out for 12V battery drain. I just wasn’t expecting it and haven’t seen it mentioned before on the forum. Was curious if it’s shown up for others after running the climate control a certain number of times and whether it was more likely to happen with A/C than heat. I’m guessing A/C is a bigger drain than heat, but I don’t know if that’s correct.

BTW I should say, each time I turned on the remote climate control, I was on my way to the car and got derailed and I didn’t make it. I wasn’t mindlessly cooling an empty car. Also, probably an obvious point but it wasn’t plugged into a charger. I’m assuming if it had been plugged in the 12V wouldn’t drain to this level.

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Nai3t

· #2 · May 2, 2022

When you power up the HVAC whether it's heat or air conditioning, the car closes the high voltage contactors and uses the traction battery to drive the system. The 12 volt is incapable of powering the compressor or the heater (perhaps other than the steering wheel heater -- not sure there).

I haven't see this with my ID.4, but when I receive similar messages in other cars, it indicates I'm days or weeks away from a dead 12 volt and needing a jump. I'm suspecting your 12 volt is about kaput.

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NCID4

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 2, 2022

Nai3t said:
I haven't see this with my ID.4, but when I receive similar messages in other cars, it indicates I'm days or weeks away from a dead 12 volt and needing a jump. I'm suspecting your 12 volt is about kaput.

I wondered about that. I’ve only had the car since December so the 12V should still have a long life ahead of it. Makes me wonder if there’s some phantom drain or if it’s just a bad battery.

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Nai3t

· #4 · May 2, 2022

You say you were out with the vehicle when this happened? How long was the drive up to that point, and had it been sitting unused and not plugged in the days lead up to today?

I'd think that driving the car just prior ought to have ensured the 12 volt was topped up. My recollection is if the 12 volt is not fully charged upon parking, the HV will remain engaged and continue the charge, but once the 12 volt is topped up, that's it (2.1 software), the 12 volt can piddle out and the HV will never re-engage to save it, unless an HVAC command is received.

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NCID4

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 2, 2022 (Edited)

Nai3t said:
You say you were out with the vehicle when this happened? How long was the drive up to that point, and had it been sitting unused and not plugged in the days lead up to today?

I'd think that driving the car just prior ought to have ensured the 12 volt was topped up. My recollection is if the 12 volt is not fully charged upon parking, the HV will remain engaged and continue the charge, but once the 12 volt is topped up, that's it (2.1 software), the 12 volt can piddle out and the HV will never re-engage to save it, unless an HVAC command is received.

Thanks for your help troubleshooting.

It was charged to 80% the afternoon before and had been driven on short (10 min) trips several days in a row. The drive today was about 40 miles one way (mostly highway).

I would have expected the drive would have topped up the 12V too.

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d287

· #6 · May 2, 2022

I've never seen this message, and especially when it was new, used CarNet all the time! I suspect you may have a 12v battery that needs checking/replacing. (Having a bad 12V battery can happen to any vehicle, and I've seen it on a new Subaru.)

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Spin

· #7 · May 2, 2022

NCID4 said:
I wondered about that. I’ve only had the car since December so the 12V should still have a long life ahead of it. Makes me wonder if there’s some phantom drain or if it’s just a bad battery.

My friend had to have his 12v battery replaced last year after owning the car for about 3 months. It took 2 weeks for the dealer to get the battery.

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NCID4

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 2, 2022

Thanks everyone. It may indeed be a bad 12 V. I had a similar thing happen with another car many years ago where a nearly new car had a bad battery.
I’ll reach out to the dealer and see if they can get one ordered.

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Nai3t

· #9 · May 2, 2022

I'd keep a Li-Ion jump start pack handy, just in case.

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