8.5R Gremlins

[nn7man]

Mine is on a CTEK trickle charger 24x7 unless it's being used. Zero issues since delivery. Always get stop start once its warmed up.

[Scudgie]

Me and my big mouth......

 

1hr into a spirited drive today I got exactly the same error message Rebecca did.about the total distance.

 

No wobbler with the windows yet, I imagine that'll happen on my way home. It is a bit warm today, so I won't complain 🤣

[Phil2025]

2 hours ago, Hawaii-Five-O said:

@Booth11 @Scudgie I hear your pain. And sympathise particularly with the appalling dealership experience.

 

VW have designed an aesthetically beautiful beast of a car, and most of the hardware is fundamentally sound (engine, AWD, DSG etc.), but the software is undercooked, buggy sh*te!

 

I’m convinced it’s partly battery related, and error strewn software, so I trickle charge mine quite often. Say every two weeks depending on my mileage in between. On the whole, the car seems happier. However this still hasn’t fully eradicated the odd error messages I get. And my stop/start system often won’t engage even on long trips. Hey-ho. 

 

It is not the battery causing the issues.  A lower voltage on the battery may just make the fault more likely to be triggered, even then with the engine running the battery isn't being used anyway, the car is powered from the alternator once the engine has started.

 

I've had my Golf 8.5 (not an R) for 13 months now, I've often had the low battery warning in the dash, certainly when it was new as I would sit in the car in the garage getting it set up or playing about with things, causing the battery to drain quite low and the warning to be triggered on the dash.  Even with a low 12 volt warning on the dash, the car always starts fine, and I've not had a single error or 'bong fest'.

 

If a car battery can start the car, then there is nothing wrong with the battery.

 

It isn't faulty software (they'd have fixed it by now as this was going on with the Mark 8), it is something hardware related that is faulty or out of spec causing some issue, maybe a bus error so all the sensors appear to have disappeared or stop responding to "Hello sensor are you there and what is your status" requests from the main computer. 

[Booth11]

2 hours ago, Scudgie said:

Me and my big mouth......

 

1hr into a spirited drive today I got exactly the same error message Rebecca did.about the total distance.

 

No wobbler with the windows yet, I imagine that'll happen on my way home. It is a bit warm today, so I won't complain 🤣

Coming out in sympathy!  😂

[Booth11]

36 minutes ago, Phil2025 said:

 

It is not the battery causing the issues.  A lower voltage on the battery may just make the fault more likely to be triggered, even then with the engine running the battery isn't being used anyway, the car is powered from the alternator once the engine has started.

 

I've had my Golf 8.5 (not an R) for 13 months now, I've often had the low battery warning in the dash, certainly when it was new as I would sit in the car in the garage getting it set up or playing about with things, causing the battery to drain quite low and the warning to be triggered on the dash.  Even with a low 12 volt warning on the dash, the car always starts fine, and I've not had a single error or 'bong fest'.

 

If a car battery can start the car, then there is nothing wrong with the battery.

 

It isn't faulty software (they'd have fixed it by now as this was going on with the Mark 8), it is something hardware related that is faulty or out of spec causing some issue, maybe a bus error so all the sensors appear to have disappeared or stop responding to "Hello sensor are you there and what is your status" requests from the main computer. 

Whatever the cause is, it’s frustrating that these types of errors etc are still occurring after years of issues with the mk8.  

[Scudgie]

18 minutes ago, Booth11 said:

Coming out in sympathy!  😂

I endured the full bong fest on the return journey.  Would not clear 🤬 Absolute joke !!

[Scudgie]

Followed by an email from VW telling me my car has alerted them yo an issue.

[AHG]

18 hours ago, Booth11 said:

if it’s optional, then my car won’t have it.  The windows didn’t drop at the time of the accident and the other elements of that system weren’t activated, which you wouldn’t expect if it’s not been specced.  

 

Optional in EU on the mk8
Not sure about UK and mk8.5

 

Easy enough to verify via PR codes

(don’t remember exactly, but can check if you want)

[scuderiafolene]

23 hours ago, Scudgie said:

I am convinced it's the battery, Rebecca. Perhaps the connection with the shop whilst the car is turned off is one of the reasons why? 

 

My car went back in on Wednesday to look at the issue I first reported in April/May IIRC. Took the diag technician out in the car to explain what was happening, showed him my video evidence,  to which he replied I'll relay this to the master technician.

 

Cue, my car showing no activity on my Tracker App all day followed by the "we can't find anything wrong but we think your non-official VW tracker is the reason why your battery is draining". Didn't have the heart to tell him that VW don't have their own tracker - they use an aftermarket offering from Meta fitted by the same people who fitted mine.

 

Didn't get the Odis report I requested and, to cap it off, the short but sweet customer invoice saying that the car is fine, there's no faults, is for a totally different Golf to mine (a 2015 Golf 2-door cabriolet).

 

One positive, the Stop/Start started working the minute I pulled up at the junction to leave the garage 🤣

 

I'm now super careful trying to avoid actions that would drain the battery. Things like unlocking the car then placing the kays in a faraday pouch when I'm washing it to prevent the audio system turning itself on every 5 minutes. It seems to be working - no bongs fest for some time but I still get the occasion dreaded  shop message and paddles issue.

 

I am drained with VW altogether. I love my car and will keep it unless something serious (mechanical) goes wrong with it. It's too much to get a straight answer from them. They just don't know what they're doing.

 

Just to add to this. I´ve noticed the buttons on the remote/key are very easy to be accidently pushed in pocket. I was washing the car the other day and I think 4-5 times the I got the mirror dance. After I was done and drove the car into the garage I got "low voltage on 12v battery". Not a biggie I thought but now, makes me wonder if there is something else drawing power. I can hear some electrical noise when car is unlocked but off quite a bit after I close the driver door... I dont have any accessory.

 

[Burble]

15 minutes ago, scuderiafolene said:

I can hear some electrical noise when car is unlocked but off quite a bit after I close the driver door... I dont have any accessory.

 

Fuel pump priming I think. 

[Booth11]

12 minutes ago, scuderiafolene said:

 

Just to add to this. I´ve noticed the buttons on the remote/key are very easy to be accidently pushed in pocket. I was washing the car the other day and I think 4-5 times the I got the mirror dance. After I was done and drove the car into the garage I got "low voltage on 12v battery". Not a biggie I thought but now, makes me wonder if there is something else drawing power. I can hear some electrical noise when car is unlocked but off quite a bit after I close the driver door... I dont have any accessory.

 

They are easily knocked when in pocket.  I never have my keys nearby when cleaning the car as the keyless means that it’s constantly locking/unlocking and the wing mirrors flap like a dogs ears. 😄

 

When I had the window issue on my drive a couple days back, my keys were in my bag and I think unlikely they got knocked by something.  

[scuderiafolene]

1 minute ago, Burble said:

Fuel pump priming I think. 

Oh yeah. Makes sense now that you mention it.

[Msportman]

These newer models are very complex and it’s the same across the board with all manufacturers to entice customers with new features. Trouble is at local level the dealers can’t deal with the complexity of these types of issues.

I agree the engine gearbox and running gear are fab and pretty bullet proof.

They should have made the cabin simpler ….almost go back to basics.

 

Didn’t they eventually sort the MK8 out?

I have a soft spot for a R20 or 8Y RS3 21-23. Not sure if Audi have had as many software issues.

[Booth11]

Another 5+ hour journey today.  No issues with the windows at all this time, but during last 30 mins of the journey, the “Cannot display total distance” warning popped up again.  Also Start Stop not working again and a notification via the VW app for that.  The app is missing driving data for the last leg of the journey too, which could be linked to the error plus the app is sometimes sketchy as we all know.  

[Booth11]

Gremlins aside, a humorous moment.  At one point early on in my journey, on the A1, there was a pick up truck which had sign-writing of a portable toilets hire company on it.  It must have had toilet rolls in the back and the wind caught some of them and toilet paper was flying about across the motorway.  Driver realised and pulled over in layby.  
 

On getting home I’ve just noticed toilet paper hanging out of the front grill.   That’s the car equivalent of coming out of a toilet and walking round all day with a load of toilet paper trailing from your knickers.  😂