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Transporter T3 (1979-1992) Transporter T4 (1990-2003)

Diagnosis of battery faults (VW Transporter T4)

Cause	Method of elimination
Electrolyte level too low
Recharge. Evaporation (especially in summer)	Add distilled water to bring the electrolyte level to the prescribed level (with a charged battery)
Electrolyte leaks from the plugs
Charging voltage too high	Check the voltage regulator, replace if necessary
Electrolyte level too high	Suck out excess electrolyte with a bulb syringe
The density of the electrolyte is too low
The density of the electrolyte in one can is significantly less than in the other cans	Short circuit in one bank
The density of the electrolyte in two adjacent cans is significantly less than in the others	The dividing wall is not hermetically sealed, so there is conductivity between the cans, as a result of which they both discharge. Replace the battery
The battery is discharged	Charge the battery
Generator faulty	Check the generator, repair or replace if necessary
Short circuit in electrical wiring	Check the electrical system
The electrolyte, due to improper maintenance, is too diluted with water	Perform electrolyte density equalization
The density of the electrolyte is too high
Electrolyte was added	Align the density of the electrolyte
The output power is too low, the voltage drops sharply
The battery is discharged	Recharge the battery
Charging voltage too low	Check the voltage regulator, replace if necessary
The connecting terminals are loose or oxidized	Clean the connecting terminals and, especially the underside, lubricate with a light layer of technical petroleum jelly. Tighten the fastening screws
Bad ground connection: battery-engine-body	Check the ground connection, if necessary restore the metal contact and tighten the screws
The self-discharge of the battery is too high due to contamination of the electrolyte	Replace the battery
Battery sulfation is possible (gray-white coating on positive and negative plates)	Charge the battery with small currents to remove the plaque. If after repeated charging and discharging the output power is still low, replace the battery
The battery is worn out, the active mass of the plates is falling off	Replace the battery
Insufficient battery charge
The generator, voltage regulator or wire connections are faulty	Check the generator and voltage regulator, repair or replace; secure the conductors
The V-belt has become loose	Tighten the V-belt or replace it
Too many consumers are connected	Install a more powerful battery, if possible, install a new generator
Constant recharge
The voltage regulator is faulty, possibly the generator too	Replace voltage regulator, check generator

This article is available at russian, bulgarian, belarusian, ukrainian, serbian, croatian, romanian, polish, slovak, hungarian

The text has been checked: Orlov Dmitry

Previous articles
Self-charging of the battery
Storage of the battery
Charging the battery
Checking the battery
Removal and installation the battery
Battery — General Information

Next articles
Generator — design description
Checking the generator voltage
Removal and installation the generator
Replacing the generator's graphite brushes and checking the voltage regulator
Generator fault diagnostics
Starter — General Information

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