Seat Ibiza Undervoltage Condition

I am writing because I have a concerning issue affecting my 2013 Seat Ibiza with a gasoline engine. I've begun experiencing symptoms indicative of an undervoltage condition. Specifically, I've observed poor starting, intermittent failures of various onboard systems, weak or flickering lights, and the battery seems weak when starting. Initial diagnostics point towards a heavily discharged or defective battery. I've checked the battery voltage and noticed a significant voltage drop during cranking. I'm trying to determine if this is solely a battery issue or if there's a potential alternator issue or a broader power supply problem at play before I replace the battery.

4 comment(s)

I had a similar experience with my Volvo V70, although it was a diesel. Intermittent electrical issues bothered me for weeks. Have you checked for any parasitic drain on the battery when the car is off? A faulty module or short circuit could be causing a constant voltage drop, even with a healthy alternator.

That's an interesting point about the parasitic drain. I haven't specifically tested for that. Can you elaborate on how you went about diagnosing that potential issue? What sort of voltage drop would be considered significant enough to warrant further investigation?

Yes, the parasitic draw was the culprit in my case. After confirming the battery and alternator were functioning correctly, I used a multimeter to measure the current draw with the car off. A healthy system should draw very little current (under 50mA). Mine was drawing significantly more. Ultimately, it led me to a faulty door control module. Given your symptoms, it's worth checking, but honestly, considering the age and symptoms you describe, battery health is questionable. I would take the car to a workshop.

I wanted to share that after a battery health check, the results showed a severely degraded battery. I replaced it, and that resolved the undervoltage issue completely. The total cost, including the battery and labor, was about 290€.

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