This isn’t an EV thing, it’s a VAG thing. Repaired an ID3 a couple of years ago and hit the same issues as you. Recently done a polestar - no pyro fuses, no replacing airbags to make it move. Simple, easy, repair. VAG have made repairing their current EV chassis’s this difficult to stop them being repaired. It’s worked cos Copart is full and they are worthless because of the hassle. As much as I love VAG I won’t be buying another until they get their attitude sorted.
They don't make it hard to repair to stop them being maintained. The requirement to replace the full battery control module is to do with the level of disassembly required and minimising the exposure to hazardous voltage. The training, tooling and PPE they need to provide to allow a mechanic to replace a cell, for example, is high compared to touch protected full modules. These can be done by an Approved Person and lower class PPE than just replacing the fuse, which, depending on it's location in the circuit, may required a Senior Authorised person and the full arc-flash protection PPE and tooling. Whilst the price to the end user seems high, the price to the OEM for manufacture, servicing and repairs is significantly reduced, whilst meeting their obligations to provide safe working conditions.
I know it’s fashionable to hate EV’s but they are just a car like any other. I know you were bitching about 130 screws to remove, but I remember you stripping an RS engine, rebuilding it to find you had to do it all again. The screws are easy in comparison! And for what it’s worth, it’s nice to see you trying something new. There are only so many times we can watch you do the same repairs on combustion engines without it becoming boring
Yep and the battery repair itself was pretty simple. He spent most of the time getting it on the lift and perhaps if he'd cleared some of those DTCs first he'd have been able to get it into town mode much earlier. I'm not sure why people including mechanics are so anti-EV because they are actually so much simpler and cleaner to work on than combustion vehicles. Also - I didn't see him replace the coolant?
It's not fashionable - it's plain stupid. EV cars are much more efficient, much more fun to drive, much less of a hassle technically (as they are technically way simpler) and cheaper in maintenance. In particular if you have your own solar system they are also sign. cheaper to drive. There is really not a single reason why to prefer a combustion engince car over an electric one. At least if one is sane.
@@andreas4175if they were a good idea, why do they depreciate like they do? Why do dealers not want them in part-ex? Putting that aside, I agree that for the right type of short distance driving and assuming you have the means to home charge, they make sense and work well (so long as you lease and don’t buy). However, not everyone (about a third of the country) has a driveway. If you’re doing long distances, charging is a pain and extortionate). If it for commercial purposes, it’s an absolute joke. EVs don’t like to be put under heavy load, so a fully laden van going up a hill would burn through charge like shit through a goose. Exactly why you don’t see anyone towing a caravan with an EV. A trip from Derby to Cornwall would necessitate half a dozen charging stops. So are EVs good? Yes and no. Depends on the situation
@@peterhowson-pf5vodealers don't want them in part ex and they depreciate because people are scared of 2nd hand EVs. If I was in the market for a car right now, I'd probably get a 2nd hand model 3. There is a model 3 taxi at 400k miles. I don't tow a caravan. If you only do it once a year then it would be cheaper to have an EV for most of the year and rent a diesel car for a week. Eventually the range will go up and charging time will go down and you won't care.
Hard Agree. This job is akin to replacing a crankshaft. Moaning about 100quids worth of sealant, how much is it in stretch bolts for a engine repair? I remember spending 75 quid on just the bolts to replace a PD camshaft!
Please continue working on it. Humankind needs to be able to fix this themselves and not rely on dealers and insurance companies to just write it off. You have the car and youtube to still somehow get some money for your time and effort so please put in the research. I suggest temporarily putting resistors in place of the airbags so the module thinks they are all in place and functioning. I wouldn't be surprised if the airbag module can be reset by a specialized company, same (in the near future?) with the HV module in the battery. Selling this car on without it being roadworthy again would probably be a bad decision, compared to fixing it fully and putting it up for auction with a reserve, but you will probably want to research that.
Its dangerous, thats why it goes to the dealers. If you wanna chance shocking and killing yourself because of a little simple mistake then thats up to you
Buy an EV they said you can only cook yourself if you do something wrong and if it catches fire take the fire brigade 12hrs to put out the toxic black smoke and keep combusting randomly for up to a week when will people wake up EV is not the future to build one EV is the same as running an old diesel for 20 yrs and let's face it ev drivers are pompus little twats 👍👍
resistors to 'trick' the module wont work unfortunately as the system on switch on measures the resistance in the entire wiring & a single solder joint on its own (putting resistors in) is more than enough to be detected resulting in fault status :(
Not a fan of evs,not to bad with spanners on petrol/diesel cars, but I would appreciate further investigation by yourself with greater skills than mine just so I know,
You can deactivate the handbrake. Sit in the car and switch on ignition, then switch directly to N, don t try to switch to D or R, directly to N. After that a message pops up on the MMI that says " the roll-away protection will be deactivated" with the options "cancel" and "OK". Press OK and the car will have the handbrake deactivated even if you exit the vehicle. Cheers mate keep up the good work.
i donot hate EVs but its the people and the community! they act like the ICE is literaly the worst thing to ever happened! that the ICE is just bad for the environment totally forgetting all the things it allowed the world to build till today which EVs totally relies on.
And also not illegal unless you work on the consumer unit or bathroom. Though this doesn't mean you wouldn't do illegal things if you don't know what you're doing...
I work in EV battery factory. One thing I straight away noticed is @12:29 - you NEVER want to pull that cover off with screws on top, if for any reason one screw falls into the battery and shorts something it's game over for the battery, your shop, and most importantly maybe even you. With that voltage in the cells, anything could happen, so just stay aware of that. Nice and educational video anyways, thanks for sharing :)
Yeah, but I work in at the battery cover engineering consultants and Id have you know that removing said battery cover with screws ontop is in fact the recommended operating procedure. Try again, troll.
Of course FIX IT, you'll be a legend. That video will be watched like a million times during the next 10 year. Like it or not, EV's is the future today. I came over your channel via Mat Armstrong. Greetings from Norway.
I own a Q4. Love it - done 20k miles in 12 months and never had any issues with range or charging. So cheap to charge (at home). Bought through my business so get all the tax breaks. Wouldn't have bought privately though.
What were the designers thinking!! They make it so difficult to work on. Would really like to see you fix it as it's so different to the normal stuff. Great video as always.
That’s the main point, Audi has designed it to be almost impossible to repair cost effectively. Have to think it’s crying out for better standards for design of electric power train and maybe right to repair legislation. Audi needs to have some skin in game to repair at fair cost.
Please please please buy yourself a couple pairs of proper electrical gloves, they're not that expensive. It gives me shivers seeing your missus handling the metal cover with her bare hands! I am glad everything worked out fine. As always - keep up the good work
I’ve just watched this latest video, really interesting TY. I can totally understand if you decide not to continue but if you do I will definitely watch.
I’ve had a Q4 Etron through work since January, and as a company car I cannot fault it! I was a massive sceptic, making the move from my 3.0 TDI A7, but as a point to point drive it is ideal. Cheap to run, does everything it needs to and has plenty of space inside for my boys chair and pram etc. I don’t think I could ever envisage spending my money on one personally, mainly due to the HUGE depreciation, but would not hesitate to recommend them to business users! 👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Good luck with it mate, intrigued to see how it is put together! 🙂
Hats off to you, you have taught me so much and I am 72 it’s great to see you not give up, why do they have to make modern vehicles so hard to work on 🤦♀️
Did this with a polestar, wasnt able to get it driving because i installed a cheaper US wiring loom. Airbags were blown that was fixed by replacing them with resistors and reprogramming the srs module. Best of luck and i will watch this to see how far you come
OMG ...I retired 3yrs ago after working as a mechanic for 41yrs ...in my day almost everything was RWD over head valve...then we started to see front wheel drive over head cam multiple valve engines...then coil packs fuel injection replaced carbs points dizzy caps ect ...But these E.V are something else am glad am out off it now .....totally different game from my mk1 escorts vx viva and Morris Marina days ...😮 but biggest change was small car diesel engines...we hadn't a clue...but taught ourselves...
Great video, certainly an eye opener. They only that made me cringe was removing and replacing the battery cover with the bolts still on top... all ready to drop into the battery pack! I do wonder if things like the airbags needing to be replaced before the car 'works' will be come common on conventional cars. Great video, great to see you mixing it up.
Another one on the fix it camp, Cars for Paul fixed a VW ID3 and had to take the battery out, his videos would give you an insight on what he had to go through to fix it, and I think it's the same set up as your Audi Q4!
Bolt a wireless terifirma winch to the workshop floor behind the ramp on the floor. Hook the winch on and use the remote while sitting in the car and it’ll pull you all the way back and onto the ramp from the door. I saw this in a garage once and it’s genius. 👍
I own a non-VAG EV and mine has a tow/recovery mode you can activate from the dash which i feel would have saved you a lot of hassle here. Also other manufacturers make the crash fuses more accessible and require less computer interaction to recover. A lot of the things you're getting annoyed at here aren't EV issues, they are specific Audi/VAG issues. But I'm sure in time they will become regulatory/compliance issues! I think my XFR's place on the drive is safe for another few years yet 😂
I definitely want you to fix this, it’s unlike any other type of video as it’s the kind of thing that people normally shy away from. It’s good content. Also highlights the many reasons not to buy an EV, unless you got it for a steel.
Very interesting please fix it. I think you may have already completed the most difficult and dangerous part. Direct Current is not as forgiving as AC (no zero crossing point so muscles stay contracted) restricting the chance to let go. That high voltage battery is capable of passing an awful lot of current and we don't want to watch you fry or create a fire that near impossible to put outr. If you need to work on any live (Orange) high voltage cabling please invest in the correct insulated tools and safety gloves etc. Out of interest what is the route to becoming EV certified?
I now see why our insurance premiums have gone through the roof - to cover these write offs. If EV’s are to be mainstream then repairs 25:27 have to be simpler/cheaper. I’d love to see you try to fix it and understand the hoops you have to jump through.
Please continue, this is something really interesting as it is a completely new part of the channel. At first i thought well, they made it quite difficult to repair although it should be even easier than on normal cars. But now that you fixed the battery for a couple of quid, you should do the airbags as well. These are not EV specific and would have to be replaced on any other car as well. I'm already looking forward to see this running again.
Like them or loathe them they aren't going away anytime soon so may as well get used to them so from a curiosity point of view i'm rather interested in this. I'd also like to see you try and fix it and see how it compares to an ICE engined car.
I drive them all the time as we deliver them to customers, I'll be honest, if you're not bothered about cars then they are much smoother and easier to drive. A to B anyway.
@@SavingSalvage Just got rid of my hybrid and gone back to a Petrol Astra but it is 130 BHP like my 3 other Astras but it is a 1.2 turbo 3 pot and so far it is as good.
It is an interesting and brave project Dean.maybe also the best reason I have seen why EV is a flawed plan but not for the reasons we read. These are effectively irreparable at reasonable cost. It confirms why depreciation is catastrophic and that Politicans and well intended owners/ drivers are somewhat in the dark. I fear EV is coming no matter what but the costs of using and owning one will drive things and so far, too complex, too dangerous to repair and still charging problems for most owner. Fix it if you can but I doubt you will make a profit and itis an interesting insight into owning one in old age….you just cannot.🧐😳😳
Take faith from the good ole USA. There are many repair shops repairing Tesla’s every day, even developing their own spares and technology for repairs. There are a few small operators who sre doing repairs in the UK, which needs to grow exponentially to meet demand. We can’t keep writing off new cars for relatively little damage! Much as I would like to see you fix this car, I fear for your personal safety and I think it will be a money pit with no returns for you, unless you want to seek sponsorship from somewhere. You are one brave man Dean👍🇬🇧😎
Well done Dean for getting the battery sorted. My bmw dealer are charging me £3600 for this on my IX3. Plus the modules one at £1587 another at £355 bolts and gaskets another £200. One dealer took the car and subsequently decided after two weeks they wouldn’t touch it as it is cat S. I would have done it with just the pyro fuse in the original module like you but they only would do the job as per bmw rules. Good on quatrotech for helping you. I think you paid a fair price for it. Please get it fully back on the road. Well done for tackling a witchcraft EV. Most mechanics would be clueless!
It seems at every stage of this fix, car companies wanna fuck you over by putting as many barriers in your way! Get rid mate, it’s just not worth the hassle. People tend to shy away from cars with damage history so I’m guessing they won’t go near this with a barge pole! I’m not doubting your work Dean, it is exemplary and we all appreciate your dedication. This one just doesn’t feel right? Stay awesome mate! 👌
Don't do it, cut your losses before it costs you a fortune to repair & get rid of it ASAP, Great Video excellent learning curve & extremely interesting video.
I'd love to see it fixed, if only to see what other issues may pop up. I'm in the prep stage to convert my cabrio to an EV, would be very interested in your efforts. Thanks for your great content!
As you say high amp DC is instant death. Not that AC is any joke mind you. Weird fact my initials are DC my sister's AC and we really really don't get on 😮
As an HV electrical tech as long as you don't short the + & - and brake the battery down (so split it so it's more manageable voltage and current wise) It shouldn't be too bad the cells in the battery will be modular so it can be made safe to work on.
Hi there, you'll need an Universal Airbag Emulator Resistor Bypass, just plug it in each airbag that triggered, and clear the codes, scan for error codes again to make sure that everything has cleared, then try the learning process again. Keep up the good work.
Holy shit, my heart was going when you were messing with fuse with just those blue gloves on, you really should have had fully insulated HV gloves when going near that.
So as a default this is the correct response and we should be teaching safety first. Now that said, with the correct knowledge and understanding of exactly how current flows and from where to where it is totally possible to operate safely without gauntlets. It’s also got nothing to do with tearing or knicking the gloves as it can pass straight through those gloves with ease if he were to get it wrong. What is more concerning is that the guy doesn’t understand pack isolation and them at the pyro fuse only isolates the pack from the vehicle and NOT the pack itself once opened up so that’s actually what was dangerous here. That and his mrs wearing big metal bracelets whilst helping him which was also pretty stupid.
@@richhelm21nothing to do with a hole in the glove. DC voltage can pass straight through those gloves with ease. Latex gloves don’t have the sufficient IR (insulation resistance) to do anything for him if he got it wrong. The gloves aren’t the dangerous thing, his lack of knowledge is.
Great video and very interesting, I bought a Audi Q4 40 Etron S line with comfort pack last July with 7 miles on from Audi dealer for £44,000, £10,000 off list price, 11 months on its worth £33,000 with 8,000 miles on.😒😒😒😒 Love the car, its been no problem, not like my new shape BMW X 1 (72 reg ) or my Range Rover Evoque (21 reg). It only costs around £3.50 for 220 miles and 80% charge at the minute is 258 miles it drops to 200 at worse last winter. So quiet and quality feel Hope you do more videos on this repair
Not an EV fan but please fix it - you will give the best review , by the amount of work / problems , on the pros and cons of owning one ! You may well make a decent profit too. Good luck with it Dean !
It’s not illegal to do electrical work in your own home, just not recommended if you don’t know what you’re doing. I, a qualified electrician and seen a lot of diy bodges but its definitely not illegal to work on your own property
I agree, I installed and replaced my boiler, pipes & rads. Same with the electrics. I got one of each Gas Electric certified professional to check and commission my work. A minor amendment was to install single-run earths
@@kevinmoffatt That's the way I also understood the law. You can do it yourself, IF you know what you're doing, but for insurance and resale, you HAVE to get a Certificate of Inspection, which must be done by a certified electrician (and that's where the money goes) -
A great watch and it's the first EV I have seen anyone attempt a repair on, and it would be interesting to see if a full repair is viable? Based on the purchase price you would think there would be some profit? Just be careful (or avoid) the high voltage side as that stuff can kill!
Dean you are 11k in on this project, im finding it curiously interesting and enjoying the content. Im all for you fixing it and getting back on the road. Sorry if that is not the answer you wanted 😂
😂😂 Dean, its looks as if your going to have to fix it... Different content is always the way forward m8 keeps everyone interested and wanting to view your channel... Keep up the good work 👍👍
I'd love to see you fix it. I brought an ev myself last year and it's very interesting to see why they are overpiced and the insurance costs so much. Just the control module price was scary.
As a family we have an EV and a hybrid on the drive. 90% of miles are done on electric, charged from solar at home and free in the work car park. The torque is amazing, never going back to the hassle and high maintenance and running costs of an ICE.
I’d put money on it that 90% of the people saying “nah I hate them” have never driven one. I’ve never driven one but definitely want to try it out because the power delivery sounds fun. Repair it. Whether people like the car or not it will still be an interesting watch
It’s nice that you have chosen to do a EV but I’m not interested in the cars but I am interested in what it takes to fix one and issues. It puts into perspective the differences between fuel cars versus electric. 😊
anyone that drops £50k on a new EV needs there head testing. I’ve got to say Dean I’m 100% not interested in any EV. And I think most petrol heads have had enough of the government forcing them down our throats.
Excellent Video Dean. You have already done the risky side of the repair,. I think it would be a great idea for channel content to persist with getting it driving at least. Buy a decent rated Volt Meter for working ov EVs and check for high voltage twice befroe approaching the orange bits. Buy the briefcase full of High Voltage hand tools. Theres a good few EV tool sets avaliable. As for the airbags, I would be making up or buying dummy resistor bridges to similate the signal of a non deployed airbag strictly to gef it running without too much expenditure. I hate EV's too, bht they are fallimg like flys so we in the motor trade need to have the tools and knowledge there to fix them. Geoff, Ireland
It's not like ICE is going to become extinct. EV's are handy for people who just want to travel and have no interest in cars. ICE is great for those of us who enjoy the mechanical and tuning aspect. They didn't shoot all the horses when ICE became the norm...
This was a very interesting video. I vote to keep working on it. It would be fascinating to get it back on the road, though I suspect the airbags wouldn't be cheap. It's definitely educational all around!
@@jackschnitzer6092 What are you on about? Absolutely clueless. "Petrol or diesel cars are about 20 times more likely to catch fire than EVs, with ICE vehicles experiencing 1,530 fires per 100,000 sold compared to 25 EV fires per 100,000 sold."
Great video dean, I can only think that VAG have a functional safety standard that requires a complete level 0 reset. I'm my place I honestly don't know what our strategy is but would not expect it to be as harsh as this. Im sure an airbag module reset and some resistors across the airbag connectors would be enough to test the energisation unless the hv battery is already below it's minimum charge point? Anyway enough waffle I say go for it 😊
Continue to work on it Dean - it's interesting just to see what it takes to do an EV in these type of situations. What this does do is also potentially explain why the insurance premiums are crazy at the moment too - essentially its such a nightmare to fix crash damaged EVs (parts, labour etc) that they just write them off instead i assume! Keep going with it, I'd really like to know the outcome of whether the pyro replacement did actually work.
Your a finisher pal don’t let it beat you and your learning as you go wich is kinda priceless you already know than most about EVs just from this episode and so do I kind regards
Glad you didn’t die Dean! I guess the pyro fuse is buried in the battery to force the repair shop to visually inspect the battery for physical damage before re-energizing?
Definitely fix! You’ve bought sooo cheap. Would most certainly watch! I drive an EV and still love petrol but have to admit how nice my EV is to drive. Watching you working on something so complicated is impressive, how far do you think you’ll get if you persist? All the best!
When opening the maintenance connector it disconnects the pilot line and power to the relay for the high voltage contactor, the wire you described as the earth is the the potential equalisation line, be careful poking around inside the battery without the relevant safety equipment as high voltage is still stored even when de-energised 👍
Hi really think its interesting what you are doing I think it will be good to see you repairing it as no one as attempted one yet it will be interesting and good for your channel keep up the good work
Dean there is a trick to stop the resistance on them believe it not, used to do this at my last job. Went from a full workshop pushing to 3 people😂 need to put it in Neutral and allow the car to roll on dash then disconnect 12v battery
Thanks for showing the information on replacement of the battery crash fuse,we will all need to work on these cars in the future, may as well start learning now,will be very happy if there's a part 2....Good luck. 11k is a very good price,maybe 3k on repairs an parts..
Great video and I believe that you should fully repair this car firstly it's not beyond your abilities. I've followed you for some time now and I am very impressed with your ability and professional attitude....I'm a disabled mechanical engineer and I am shortly to receive a Skoda Enyaq 85X sportline on Motability which I believe is a rebadged Audi/VW so to me this is a very interesting video and I believe an important one too....go on go for it and kick it in the bollocks
I will watch it too. It’s the main dealers way of screwing over every which way they can. I would’ve thought after the fuse had been replaced. You could get some sort of workshop mode into it so you can drive it at a low speed
Go for it. I believe you will take all the precautions necessary, will definitely be up for a few tickets in the draw. Try Škoda for the sealant may be cheaper, it will be the same, Škoda make batteries for the whole of the VW group.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I was very close to buying an e-tron until I read about all this re-energizing nonsense online. What a headache! I’d love to see it fixed though, and if anyone can DIY this, it’s you!
Try getting airbags done by same crowed as Rob and Chris on salvage rebuilds uk. I think they are called airbag services. They seem to be way cheaper than buying new.
Dean, always enjoy your videos. Keep going with this, but please make sure you buy the correct tools. Can now understand why insuring EV’s is so expensive.
If you fix it - I will watch.
I drink too that mate 👌🏾
Field of dreams fan? 😂
me 2
Ye me to mate 👌✨👌✨✌️👍
Ye me to mate👌✨👌✨✌️👍👍
This isn’t an EV thing, it’s a VAG thing. Repaired an ID3 a couple of years ago and hit the same issues as you. Recently done a polestar - no pyro fuses, no replacing airbags to make it move. Simple, easy, repair. VAG have made repairing their current EV chassis’s this difficult to stop them being repaired. It’s worked cos Copart is full and they are worthless because of the hassle. As much as I love VAG I won’t be buying another until they get their attitude sorted.
They don't make it hard to repair to stop them being maintained. The requirement to replace the full battery control module is to do with the level of disassembly required and minimising the exposure to hazardous voltage. The training, tooling and PPE they need to provide to allow a mechanic to replace a cell, for example, is high compared to touch protected full modules. These can be done by an Approved Person and lower class PPE than just replacing the fuse, which, depending on it's location in the circuit, may required a Senior Authorised person and the full arc-flash protection PPE and tooling. Whilst the price to the end user seems high, the price to the OEM for manufacture, servicing and repairs is significantly reduced, whilst meeting their obligations to provide safe working conditions.
I know there is a lot of people hate ev’s but Dean , I would love to see you fixing it . Good luck!!!!!
I know it’s fashionable to hate EV’s but they are just a car like any other. I know you were bitching about 130 screws to remove, but I remember you stripping an RS engine, rebuilding it to find you had to do it all again. The screws are easy in comparison! And for what it’s worth, it’s nice to see you trying something new. There are only so many times we can watch you do the same repairs on combustion engines without it becoming boring
Yep and the battery repair itself was pretty simple. He spent most of the time getting it on the lift and perhaps if he'd cleared some of those DTCs first he'd have been able to get it into town mode much earlier. I'm not sure why people including mechanics are so anti-EV because they are actually so much simpler and cleaner to work on than combustion vehicles. Also - I didn't see him replace the coolant?
It's not fashionable - it's plain stupid. EV cars are much more efficient, much more fun to drive, much less of a hassle technically (as they are technically way simpler) and cheaper in maintenance. In particular if you have your own solar system they are also sign. cheaper to drive. There is really not a single reason why to prefer a combustion engince car over an electric one. At least if one is sane.
@@andreas4175if they were a good idea, why do they depreciate like they do? Why do dealers not want them in part-ex? Putting that aside, I agree that for the right type of short distance driving and assuming you have the means to home charge, they make sense and work well (so long as you lease and don’t buy). However, not everyone (about a third of the country) has a driveway. If you’re doing long distances, charging is a pain and extortionate). If it for commercial purposes, it’s an absolute joke. EVs don’t like to be put under heavy load, so a fully laden van going up a hill would burn through charge like shit through a goose. Exactly why you don’t see anyone towing a caravan with an EV. A trip from Derby to Cornwall would necessitate half a dozen charging stops. So are EVs good? Yes and no. Depends on the situation
@@peterhowson-pf5vodealers don't want them in part ex and they depreciate because people are scared of 2nd hand EVs. If I was in the market for a car right now, I'd probably get a 2nd hand model 3. There is a model 3 taxi at 400k miles.
I don't tow a caravan. If you only do it once a year then it would be cheaper to have an EV for most of the year and rent a diesel car for a week. Eventually the range will go up and charging time will go down and you won't care.
Hard Agree. This job is akin to replacing a crankshaft. Moaning about 100quids worth of sealant, how much is it in stretch bolts for a engine repair? I remember spending 75 quid on just the bolts to replace a PD camshaft!
Please continue working on it. Humankind needs to be able to fix this themselves and not rely on dealers and insurance companies to just write it off. You have the car and youtube to still somehow get some money for your time and effort so please put in the research.
I suggest temporarily putting resistors in place of the airbags so the module thinks they are all in place and functioning.
I wouldn't be surprised if the airbag module can be reset by a specialized company, same (in the near future?) with the HV module in the battery.
Selling this car on without it being roadworthy again would probably be a bad decision, compared to fixing it fully and putting it up for auction with a reserve, but you will probably want to research that.
With all due respect most people or humankind as you call us haven’t got the resources to do this .
Its dangerous, thats why it goes to the dealers. If you wanna chance shocking and killing yourself because of a little simple mistake then thats up to you
Buy an EV they said you can only cook yourself if you do something wrong and if it catches fire take the fire brigade 12hrs to put out the toxic black smoke and keep combusting randomly for up to a week when will people wake up EV is not the future to build one EV is the same as running an old diesel for 20 yrs and let's face it ev drivers are pompus little twats 👍👍
resistors to 'trick' the module wont work unfortunately as the system on switch on measures the resistance in the entire wiring & a single solder joint on its own (putting resistors in) is more than enough to be detected resulting in fault status :(
Not a fan of evs,not to bad with spanners on petrol/diesel cars, but I would appreciate further investigation by yourself with greater skills than mine just so I know,
You can deactivate the handbrake. Sit in the car and switch on ignition, then switch directly to N, don t try to switch to D or R, directly to N. After that a message pops up on the MMI that says " the roll-away protection will be deactivated" with the options "cancel" and "OK". Press OK and the car will have the handbrake deactivated even if you exit the vehicle. Cheers mate keep up the good work.
there will also be a recovery mode that he's not used.
Hate 'em - but this IS interesting: please fix it - if you can do it safely. Mind you, most home electrics are very easy, so.... Good luck!
Only 3 wires init
i donot hate EVs but its the people and the community! they act like the ICE is literaly the worst thing to ever happened! that the ICE is just bad for the environment totally forgetting all the things it allowed the world to build till today which EVs totally relies on.
I agree, please fix it.
And also not illegal unless you work on the consumer unit or bathroom. Though this doesn't mean you wouldn't do illegal things if you don't know what you're doing...
With you - would love to see more vids where these issues are worked through.
As much as i don't like EV's I enjoy learning new things, you’ve started the project, it would be nice to see you finish it. Good luck
I don't want to own an EV, but I love learning new stuff. And you are a good teacher! I vote for fixing it.
I agree, not an EV but let’s fix it, pyro fuse in the battery ffs
I do, I test drove a byd seal excellence. Most fun I've ever had. I'll wait a bit though as I think batteries will change a lot soon
Don’t give up Dean please finish what you started
I work in EV battery factory. One thing I straight away noticed is @12:29 - you NEVER want to pull that cover off with screws on top, if for any reason one screw falls into the battery and shorts something it's game over for the battery, your shop, and most importantly maybe even you. With that voltage in the cells, anything could happen, so just stay aware of that. Nice and educational video anyways, thanks for sharing :)
Hold on, I pull that exact cover off everyday and never had a single problem, your mcwankshaft mr ev cell maker.
Are you 12 years old?@alexm9718
Yeah, but I work in at the battery cover engineering consultants and Id have you know that removing said battery cover with screws ontop is in fact the recommended operating procedure.
Try again, troll.
@@alexm9718Why are you removing the battery cover on someone else’s car every day?
Zero training on an electric car ,,, what's Dean thinking
Of course FIX IT, you'll be a legend. That video will be watched like a million times during the next 10 year. Like it or not, EV's is the future today.
I came over your channel via Mat Armstrong.
Greetings from Norway.
I own a Q4. Love it - done 20k miles in 12 months and never had any issues with range or charging. So cheap to charge (at home). Bought through my business so get all the tax breaks. Wouldn't have bought privately though.
What were the designers thinking!! They make it so difficult to work on. Would really like to see you fix it as it's so different to the normal stuff. Great video as always.
Really interesting Dean, now we see why they get written-off for what looks like minor damage.
That’s the main point, Audi has designed it to be almost impossible to repair cost effectively. Have to think it’s crying out for better standards for design of electric power train and maybe right to repair legislation. Audi needs to
have some skin in game to repair at fair cost.
Continue working on it please. Its interesting to see someone working on a Electric vehicle. Repair it to the fullest. This is very interesting.
Please please please buy yourself a couple pairs of proper electrical gloves, they're not that expensive. It gives me shivers seeing your missus handling the metal cover with her bare hands! I am glad everything worked out fine. As always - keep up the good work
not to mention with all her conductive jewellery on!
@Martynas TOTAL BEDWETTER! grow a pair for ffukssake
@@HenryOCarmichaelSmith zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bedwetter alert!!
I’ve just watched this latest video, really interesting TY. I can totally understand if you decide not to continue but if you do I will definitely watch.
I’ve had a Q4 Etron through work since January, and as a company car I cannot fault it! I was a massive sceptic, making the move from my 3.0 TDI A7, but as a point to point drive it is ideal. Cheap to run, does everything it needs to and has plenty of space inside for my boys chair and pram etc.
I don’t think I could ever envisage spending my money on one personally, mainly due to the HUGE depreciation, but would not hesitate to recommend them to business users! 👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Good luck with it mate, intrigued to see how it is put together! 🙂
Hats off to you, you have taught me so much and I am 72 it’s great to see you not give up, why do they have to make modern vehicles so hard to work on 🤦♀️
This is interesting. Especially seeing how EVs are moving the ‘no user serviceable parts’ game on.
Did this with a polestar, wasnt able to get it driving because i installed a cheaper US wiring loom. Airbags were blown that was fixed by replacing them with resistors and reprogramming the srs module. Best of luck and i will watch this to see how far you come
OMG ...I retired 3yrs ago after working as a mechanic for 41yrs ...in my day almost everything was RWD over head valve...then we started to see front wheel drive over head cam multiple valve engines...then coil packs fuel injection replaced carbs points dizzy caps ect ...But these E.V are something else am glad am out off it now .....totally different game from my mk1 escorts vx viva and Morris Marina days ...😮 but biggest change was small car diesel engines...we hadn't a clue...but taught ourselves...
Great video, certainly an eye opener. They only that made me cringe was removing and replacing the battery cover with the bolts still on top... all ready to drop into the battery pack! I do wonder if things like the airbags needing to be replaced before the car 'works' will be come common on conventional cars.
Great video, great to see you mixing it up.
Another one on the fix it camp, Cars for Paul fixed a VW ID3 and had to take the battery out, his videos would give you an insight on what he had to go through to fix it, and I think it's the same set up as your Audi Q4!
Bolt a wireless terifirma winch to the workshop floor behind the ramp on the floor. Hook the winch on and use the remote while sitting in the car and it’ll pull you all the way back and onto the ramp from the door. I saw this in a garage once and it’s genius. 👍
Tamiya need to get in to the big cars game. I had no problem building one of them as a teenager.
The first Tamia model I built was the lunchbox van, some years back mind.
What you on about *Teenager*
Even as an Adult I wouldn't trust you with Play doh 🙊🙊😂🤣
@@statementleaver8095 I feel blessed, im 65 🤣😂
Fascinating video, I think you should persevere and become one of the only TH-camrs who can fully fix EVs!
I own a non-VAG EV and mine has a tow/recovery mode you can activate from the dash which i feel would have saved you a lot of hassle here. Also other manufacturers make the crash fuses more accessible and require less computer interaction to recover. A lot of the things you're getting annoyed at here aren't EV issues, they are specific Audi/VAG issues. But I'm sure in time they will become regulatory/compliance issues! I think my XFR's place on the drive is safe for another few years yet 😂
I definitely want you to fix this, it’s unlike any other type of video as it’s the kind of thing that people normally shy away from. It’s good content. Also highlights the many reasons not to buy an EV, unless you got it for a steel.
Very interesting please fix it. I think you may have already completed the most difficult and dangerous part. Direct Current is not as forgiving as AC (no zero crossing point so muscles stay contracted) restricting the chance to let go. That high voltage battery is capable of passing an awful lot of current and we don't want to watch you fry or create a fire that near impossible to put outr. If you need to work on any live (Orange) high voltage cabling please invest in the correct insulated tools and safety gloves etc. Out of interest what is the route to becoming EV certified?
I now see why our insurance premiums have gone through the roof - to cover these write offs. If EV’s are to be mainstream then repairs 25:27 have to be simpler/cheaper. I’d love to see you try to fix it and understand the hoops you have to jump through.
Yep everybody is paying the price of this Net Zero nonsense, which is just a euphemism for impoverishment and reduced living standards.
Fix it! Everyone wants to see the newest car stuff, but no one want to take their car apart. Fix it. and they will watch.
Please continue, this is something really interesting as it is a completely new part of the channel. At first i thought well, they made it quite difficult to repair although it should be even easier than on normal cars. But now that you fixed the battery for a couple of quid, you should do the airbags as well. These are not EV specific and would have to be replaced on any other car as well. I'm already looking forward to see this running again.
Like them or loathe them they aren't going away anytime soon so may as well get used to them so from a curiosity point of view i'm rather interested in this. I'd also like to see you try and fix it and see how it compares to an ICE engined car.
I drive them all the time as we deliver them to customers, I'll be honest, if you're not bothered about cars then they are much smoother and easier to drive. A to B anyway.
@@SavingSalvage Just got rid of my hybrid and gone back to a Petrol Astra but it is 130 BHP like my 3 other Astras but it is a 1.2 turbo 3 pot and so far it is as good.
I recently got rid of a Volvo V60 PHEV, and it was delightful to drive in electric mode.
It is an interesting and brave project Dean.maybe also the best reason I have seen why EV is a flawed plan but not for the reasons we read. These are effectively irreparable at reasonable cost. It confirms why depreciation is catastrophic and that Politicans and well intended owners/ drivers are somewhat in the dark. I fear EV is coming no matter what but the costs of using and owning one will drive things and so far, too complex, too dangerous to repair and still charging problems for most owner. Fix it if you can but I doubt you will make a profit and itis an interesting insight into owning one in old age….you just cannot.🧐😳😳
Take faith from the good ole USA. There are many repair shops repairing Tesla’s every day, even developing their own spares and technology for repairs. There are a few small operators who sre doing repairs in the UK, which needs to grow exponentially to meet demand. We can’t keep writing off new cars for relatively little damage! Much as I would like to see you fix this car, I fear for your personal safety and I think it will be a money pit with no returns for you, unless you want to seek sponsorship from somewhere. You are one brave man Dean👍🇬🇧😎
Another wonderful video. This shows exactly why insurance premiums are going through the roof!😢
Do it! I’m waiting for the competeforcars link
Well done Dean for getting the battery sorted. My bmw dealer are charging me £3600 for this on my IX3. Plus the modules one at £1587 another at £355 bolts and gaskets another £200. One dealer took the car and subsequently decided after two weeks they wouldn’t touch it as it is cat S. I would have done it with just the pyro fuse in the original module like you but they only would do the job as per bmw rules. Good on quatrotech for helping you. I think you paid a fair price for it. Please get it fully back on the road. Well done for tackling a witchcraft EV. Most mechanics would be clueless!
Please continue with it really interesting
It seems at every stage of this fix, car companies wanna fuck you over by putting as many barriers in your way! Get rid mate, it’s just not worth the hassle. People tend to shy away from cars with damage history so I’m guessing they won’t go near this with a barge pole! I’m not doubting your work Dean, it is exemplary and we all appreciate your dedication. This one just doesn’t feel right? Stay awesome mate! 👌
Don't do it, cut your losses before it costs you a fortune to repair & get rid of it ASAP, Great Video excellent learning curve & extremely interesting video.
He's right. I had a nightmare with a fairly untouched evito.
I'd love to see it fixed, if only to see what other issues may pop up. I'm in the prep stage to convert my cabrio to an EV, would be very interested in your efforts. Thanks for your great content!
I’m a electrician and I wouldn’t dick about with that 400v and 450A is no joke especially DC
As you say high amp DC is instant death. Not that AC is any joke mind you. Weird fact my initials are DC my sister's AC and we really really don't get on 😮
As an HV electrical tech as long as you don't short the + & - and brake the battery down (so split it so it's more manageable voltage and current wise) It shouldn't be too bad the cells in the battery will be modular so it can be made safe to work on.
@@plasmaDave Hopefully you can rectify that 😀
@@GaryB007 😂 nice work
@@GaryB007too much resistance I'm afraid 😂
Hi there, you'll need an Universal Airbag Emulator Resistor Bypass, just plug it in each airbag that triggered, and clear the codes, scan for error codes again to make sure that everything has cleared, then try the learning process again. Keep up the good work.
Holy shit, my heart was going when you were messing with fuse with just those blue gloves on, you really should have had fully insulated HV gloves when going near that.
Agreed. The slightest tear or hole & its goodnight Irene! Proper HV gloves only.
And should be using HV tools, maybe test it with a multi meter first.
So as a default this is the correct response and we should be teaching safety first. Now that said, with the correct knowledge and understanding of exactly how current flows and from where to where it is totally possible to operate safely without gauntlets. It’s also got nothing to do with tearing or knicking the gloves as it can pass straight through those gloves with ease if he were to get it wrong.
What is more concerning is that the guy doesn’t understand pack isolation and them at the pyro fuse only isolates the pack from the vehicle and NOT the pack itself once opened up so that’s actually what was dangerous here. That and his mrs wearing big metal bracelets whilst helping him which was also pretty stupid.
@@richhelm21nothing to do with a hole in the glove. DC voltage can pass straight through those gloves with ease. Latex gloves don’t have the sufficient IR (insulation resistance) to do anything for him if he got it wrong. The gloves aren’t the dangerous thing, his lack of knowledge is.
@@Triplebengineering stupidity at its finest, maybe next he will climb an electricity pylon or re wire his house, who knows.
Great video and very interesting, I bought a Audi Q4 40 Etron S line with comfort pack last July with 7 miles on from Audi dealer for £44,000, £10,000 off list price, 11 months on its worth £33,000 with 8,000 miles on.😒😒😒😒 Love the car, its been no problem, not like my new shape BMW X 1 (72 reg ) or my Range Rover Evoque (21 reg). It only costs around £3.50 for 220 miles and 80% charge at the minute is 258 miles it drops to 200 at worse last winter.
So quiet and quality feel
Hope you do more videos on this repair
Not an EV fan but please fix it - you will give the best review , by the amount of work / problems , on the pros and cons of owning one ! You may well make a decent profit too. Good luck with it Dean !
Came here cos you mentioned in Mat's video that you were fixing up an EV, super curious. Subscribed.
It’s not illegal to do electrical work in your own home, just not recommended if you don’t know what you’re doing. I, a qualified electrician and seen a lot of diy bodges but its definitely not illegal to work on your own property
oh, I thought they changed the law. don't listen to me then haha
It's only the gas you can't work on legally without being corgi registered @@SavingSalvage
Did a lot of rewiring for a kitchen refit myself and had a sparks test and certify just to make resale easier later.
I agree, I installed and replaced my boiler, pipes & rads. Same with the electrics. I got one of each Gas Electric certified professional to check and commission my work. A minor amendment was to install single-run earths
@@kevinmoffatt That's the way I also understood the law. You can do it yourself, IF you know what you're doing, but for insurance and resale, you HAVE to get a Certificate of Inspection, which must be done by a certified electrician (and that's where the money goes) -
A great watch and it's the first EV I have seen anyone attempt a repair on, and it would be interesting to see if a full repair is viable? Based on the purchase price you would think there would be some profit? Just be careful (or avoid) the high voltage side as that stuff can kill!
Think the poll was right Dean, leave EVs well alone 😂😂😂
Please take us through the process of (hopefully) putting it back on the road. I find your videos thoroughly absorbing. Thank you.
Fix it, it will help some people deciding on getting a crashed one or not. They ain't going away soon, so make some content from it.
Love to see you fix all the crash damage 💪
Yep, would like to see this fixed
Dean you are 11k in on this project, im finding it curiously interesting and enjoying the content. Im all for you fixing it and getting back on the road. Sorry if that is not the answer you wanted 😂
Manufacturers are bending us over backwards with these EV’s so many things that we can’t repair.
They are being forced to though..
😂😂 Dean, its looks as if your going to have to fix it... Different content is always the way forward m8 keeps everyone interested and wanting to view your channel... Keep up the good work 👍👍
No to the ev....how about that tvr ???
I'd love to see you fix it. I brought an ev myself last year and it's very interesting to see why they are overpiced and the insurance costs so much. Just the control module price was scary.
i'm not an ev fan but your video is about the repair not the sales, so why wouldn't you watch it.
Interesting to see you work on that fuse in that way, surely it has a torque setting
As a family we have an EV and a hybrid on the drive. 90% of miles are done on electric, charged from solar at home and free in the work car park. The torque is amazing, never going back to the hassle and high maintenance and running costs of an ICE.
Really interesting watch Dean, please finish the build!
I’d put money on it that 90% of the people saying “nah I hate them” have never driven one. I’ve never driven one but definitely want to try it out because the power delivery sounds fun.
Repair it. Whether people like the car or not it will still be an interesting watch
I’d say most people hate the wider implications of the product rather than the product itself
It’s nice that you have chosen to do a EV but I’m not interested in the cars but I am interested in what it takes to fix one and issues. It puts into perspective the differences between fuel cars versus electric. 😊
I'm hybrid/electric trained, the motor trade needs to be regulated in terms of EV repair.. but it's too hard to regulate it
agreed
Absolutely fix it, please! Love watching what you put out and also educational. We need to know this.
anyone that drops £50k on a new EV needs there head testing.
I’ve got to say Dean I’m 100% not interested in any EV.
And I think most petrol heads have had enough of the government forcing them down our throats.
I was never going to buy an EV, this has justified my decision
Excellent Video Dean.
You have already done the risky side of the repair,.
I think it would be a great idea for channel content to persist with getting it driving at least.
Buy a decent rated Volt Meter for working ov EVs and check for high voltage twice befroe approaching the orange bits.
Buy the briefcase full of High Voltage hand tools. Theres a good few EV tool sets avaliable.
As for the airbags, I would be making up or buying dummy resistor bridges to similate the signal of a non deployed airbag strictly to gef it running without too much expenditure.
I hate EV's too, bht they are fallimg like flys so we in the motor trade need to have the tools and knowledge there to fix them.
Geoff,
Ireland
You gotta finish it now Dean.... and never do it ever again...F##k EV. Remain a petrol head for as long as we can
It's not like ICE is going to become extinct. EV's are handy for people who just want to travel and have no interest in cars. ICE is great for those of us who enjoy the mechanical and tuning aspect.
They didn't shoot all the horses when ICE became the norm...
So this is the future of motoring is it?? I hope not.. Great eye opening video.. Keep up the great work.. Love your videos..
And they say electric cars are the future , all I see is the potential for dealers to rip the electric motorist off big style 🤔🤔
Knowing they are already gullible enough to buy one must help
@@KeyBrosUKand dealers have never ripped anyone off selling ICE vehicles😅
@@mikeypc3592 I think you missed the point mate haha
I think you should complete it mate, I would definitely watch it.
You’ve made a start so I feel you should complete it. Go for it mate 👌👍
Apparently you need to have the correct certified training in order to fiddle with them
Not just a pair of marigolds
Yeah it was the latex gloves that spooked me too. I'm sure you should be wearing special high voltage rated gloves.
This was a very interesting video. I vote to keep working on it. It would be fascinating to get it back on the road, though I suspect the airbags wouldn't be cheap. It's definitely educational all around!
Just don't park it inside anywhere 🔥🔥🔥
Why's that?
@@ProdriveP1 EVs that have never been in accidents(not a lot), suddenly ignite, so one that's been involved in an accident is a risk
@@jackschnitzer6092 What are you on about? Absolutely clueless.
"Petrol or diesel cars are about 20 times more likely to catch fire than EVs, with ICE vehicles experiencing 1,530 fires per 100,000 sold compared to 25 EV fires per 100,000 sold."
@@ProdriveP1 When EV goes up in flames, it's really hard to extinguish.
@@StaticVapour590 Good job it happens 20 times less than petrol or diesel cars in that case then! 👍
Great video dean, I can only think that VAG have a functional safety standard that requires a complete level 0 reset. I'm my place I honestly don't know what our strategy is but would not expect it to be as harsh as this.
Im sure an airbag module reset and some resistors across the airbag connectors would be enough to test the energisation unless the hv battery is already below it's minimum charge point?
Anyway enough waffle I say go for it 😊
Continue to work on it Dean - it's interesting just to see what it takes to do an EV in these type of situations. What this does do is also potentially explain why the insurance premiums are crazy at the moment too - essentially its such a nightmare to fix crash damaged EVs (parts, labour etc) that they just write them off instead i assume!
Keep going with it, I'd really like to know the outcome of whether the pyro replacement did actually work.
If your replacing the air bags your most of the way to fixing it so just keep going. It’s really interesting seeing all the ins and outs of an EV
Your a finisher pal don’t let it beat you and your learning as you go wich is kinda priceless you already know than most about EVs just from this episode and so do I kind regards
I hope you continue with the repair . This first video was really interesting . Good luck
Glad you didn’t die Dean! I guess the pyro fuse is buried in the battery to force the repair shop to visually inspect the battery for physical damage before re-energizing?
Definitely fix! You’ve bought sooo cheap. Would most certainly watch! I drive an EV and still love petrol but have to admit how nice my EV is to drive. Watching you working on something so complicated is impressive, how far do you think you’ll get if you persist? All the best!
Hi Dean. Well done bro. Keep up the great work 👏👏👏👌🇮🇪
When opening the maintenance connector it disconnects the pilot line and power to the relay for the high voltage contactor, the wire you described as the earth is the the potential equalisation line, be careful poking around inside the battery without the relevant safety equipment as high voltage is still stored even when de-energised 👍
Hi really think its interesting what you are doing I think it will be good to see you repairing it as no one as attempted one yet it will be interesting and good for your channel keep up the good work
Please continue On and get it fixed. I’m an Etron owner so I’m curious to see how much this will cost to repair.
Dean there is a trick to stop the resistance on them believe it not, used to do this at my last job. Went from a full workshop pushing to 3 people😂 need to put it in Neutral and allow the car to roll on dash then disconnect 12v battery
Fascinating to see something a little different. I say go for it! Happy to subscribe and watch the progress.
Thanks for showing the information on replacement of the battery crash fuse,we will all need to work on these cars in the future, may as well start learning now,will be very happy if there's a part 2....Good luck.
11k is a very good price,maybe 3k on repairs an parts..
Interesting stuff, would be good to see it running and the crash damage repaired!
Great video and I believe that you should fully repair this car firstly it's not beyond your abilities. I've followed you for some time now and I am very impressed with your ability and professional attitude....I'm a disabled mechanical engineer and I am shortly to receive a Skoda Enyaq 85X sportline on Motability which I believe is a rebadged Audi/VW so to me this is a very interesting video and I believe an important one too....go on go for it and kick it in the bollocks
I will watch it too. It’s the main dealers way of screwing over every which way they can. I would’ve thought after the fuse had been replaced. You could get some sort of workshop mode into it so you can drive it at a low speed
Go for it. I believe you will take all the precautions necessary, will definitely be up for a few tickets in the draw. Try Škoda for the sealant may be cheaper, it will be the same, Škoda make batteries for the whole of the VW group.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I was very close to buying an e-tron until I read about all this re-energizing nonsense online. What a headache! I’d love to see it fixed though, and if anyone can DIY this, it’s you!
Hi, I'm a big fan of the channel. If you put resistors on the aerbec you should be able to program and drive it.
Try getting airbags done by same crowed as Rob and Chris on salvage rebuilds uk. I think they are called airbag services. They seem to be way cheaper than buying new.
Dean, always enjoy your videos. Keep going with this, but please make sure you buy the correct tools. Can now understand why insuring EV’s is so expensive.