2021-2022 Audi A6/A7/Q5 Red Battery Symbol DTC P0B1300

Audi Technical Service Bulletin PSS 93, identified as 2062211/1 and issued on February 17, 2021, addresses a specific concern for 2021-2022 Audi A6, A7, and Q5 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) models. Owners may encounter a red battery symbol on the instrument cluster accompanied by a critical warning message. This bulletin provides guidance on how to handle this condition, emphasizing that no immediate repair is necessary.

Symptoms

Owners of affected Audi PHEV models may observe a red battery symbol displayed prominently in the instrument cluster. This visual warning is typically paired with the verbatim message: "Electrical system: fault. Safely stop vehicle". This indicates a potential issue with the vehicle's electrical system, specifically concerning the hybrid battery. The warning lamp often clears itself, and the vehicle returns to normal operation after the ignition is switched off and then back on. If you experience an Audi A6 red battery P0B1300 warning, it's important to understand the underlying cause.

Fault Codes / DTCs

When this condition occurs, the hybrid battery management module, identified as J840 (address word 008C), will store specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). The primary DTC associated with this issue is P0B1300.

Important Warnings

Audi has issued critical advisories regarding this condition. It is important for owners and technicians to note the following:

• "Do not replace any components for this condition since this will not resolve the customer's concern." This means that attempting to replace parts like the hybrid battery management module will not fix the underlying issue and should be avoided.
• "The PSS does not apply if other DTCs in addition to the above combinations are logged in the hybrid battery management module, J840 (address word 008C). In this case the PSS does not apply, continue diagnosis outside of the PSS." If your vehicle has additional DTCs beyond P0B1300, P33F000, or U059B00, this specific Technical Service Bulletin does not apply, and further diagnostic steps are required.

Technical Background

The root cause of the red battery symbol and associated DTC P0B1300 is attributed to internal communication issues. Specifically, there are known problems with the communication between the battery junction box and the power/voltage sensor. Audi indicates that this issue is unlikely to be experienced repeatedly by the customer, suggesting an intermittent communication glitch.

Manufacturer's Position and Next Steps

Audi's current stance, as outlined in TSB 2062211/1, is that a definitive production solution is under development. A resolution is anticipated to be available in the third quarter of 2021. Until then, no repairs are deemed necessary for this condition. Dealers are instructed to explain this to customers and to create a Pending Service Solutions (PSS) record in their system. This PSS record helps Audi track the occurrences of the Audi A6 red battery P0B1300 issue and ensures that affected vehicles are identified for the future solution.

Warranty Information

For eligible vehicles, warranty claims related to this issue can be submitted under specific claim types:

• Claim Type 110: Applicable for vehicles up to 48 months or 50,000 miles.
• Claim Type G10: For Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles, requiring owner verification.

If the vehicle is outside of its warranty period, this Technical Service Bulletin serves as informational guidance only. The Service Number for this bulletin is 9327, and the Damage Code is 0039. Diagnostic time for checking and clearing fault codes is allocated as 0151 0000, with a maximum of 20 Technical Units (TU). No allowance is provided for road tests before or after service procedures under this bulletin.

NHTSA ID: 10187507