Dead battery in 3 days

[S2central.net]

Anybody got any weird experience of their battery going flat in 3 days. The car was last used on Sunday with no problems at all. I went to move it last night and there wasn't even a hint of red light in the cluster with the ignition on. It is completely flat as a pancake. The battery, a Bosch silver is only 18months old.

I checked the following and found none of them are on -
Lights, interior light, radio.

I had a brainwave that maybe my tailgate wasn't shut properly - so would have left the light on. But I checked that and its fine...

The only odd things I can imagine that might be draining the battery are if the afterrun pump stayed on, or if the central locking pump kept running if it thought there was a leak. Both of these have a timer circuit to prevent excessive running though.

Only other thing I can guess is if my relief relay (for the infamous 'x' supply) has gone bananas and it stayed on.

Whatever it is it has been drinking about 1A in order to flatten a 72Ah battery in three days. Thats quite a drain....

Anybody had a similar experience before I go looking for the root cause ? ...

[porkkis]

No such experience with my Coupe but the way to solve this is taking fuses out one by one and measure amperage on every fuse base. This way you'll probably find out what's causing this.

[S2central.net]

No such experience with my Coupe but the way to solve this is taking fuses out one by one and measure amperage on every fuse base. This way you'll probably find out what's causing this.

Yeah - I know *how* to do it - I was just hoping to get some tips to help work out a prioritised list of suspects. That and my DVM can only cope with 10A so I need to be real careful not to have any high load item on inadvertently or I'll blow the fuse on my DVM...

There was me hoping to drive the car this weekend - not work on it - outside in gale force conditions

[s2carlo]

Hi Paul,

BTDT
Posted the same request some time ago.
No (usable) reponse.
Checked everything, including locking myselve in the car and measuring Current for an hour....
I would like a "datalogger" to monitor the powerdrain for a long time

The problem has not yet been found but it also, recently, hasn't reared his uggly head.

I think there is a poweruser that is, for some reason, kicking in at some time but can't find the what and when.

If you find anything please let me know.

Thanks & succes
Carlo

Anybody got any weird experience of their battery going flat in 3 days. The car was last used on Sunday with no problems at all. I went to move it last night and there wasn't even a hint of red light in the cluster with the ignition on. It is completely flat as a pancake. The battery, a Bosch silver is only 18months old.

I checked the following and found none of them are on -
Lights, interior light, radio.

I had a brainwave that maybe my tailgate wasn't shut properly - so would have left the light on. But I checked that and its fine...

The only odd things I can imagine that might be draining the battery are if the afterrun pump stayed on, or if the central locking pump kept running if it thought there was a leak. Both of these have a timer circuit to prevent excessive running though.

Only other thing I can guess is if my relief relay (for the infamous 'x' supply) has gone bananas and it stayed on.

Whatever it is it has been drinking about 1A in order to flatten a 72Ah battery in three days. Thats quite a drain....

Anybody had a similar experience before I go looking for the root cause ? ...

[scouser_75]

Paul,

I had exactly the same thing couplea months ago. Drove the car one night. Parked it up. Left it for bout 2 days. Went to start it up to go footy. Flat as Britney before her "job"! Checked all round to see what I'd left on/running. Nothing. Nothing at all!

Jumped it. Took it for a massive spin in the hope of charging up the battery. Left it for a day. Next day started it up. This time as flat as Kylie before heeeer "job"!

Apparently, batteries can just randomly die on you. And the only way to resolve the problem is to fork out 80 squid for a new one.

Sorry mate.

[porkkis]

10A rating is well enoug if your battery drains in 3 days, not in 3 hours.

One thing to check would be the window control module as I've heard that they might malfunction in this way.

[Stick Insect]

10A rating is well enoug if your battery drains in 3 days, not in 3 hours.

One thing to check would be the window control module as I've heard that they might malfunction in this way.

The after run pump could switch itself on and run the coolant round, maybe a faulty sensor?

Have you wired in some blue cruising lights under your car to a permanent live?

David

[S2central.net]

Funny you should mention zee window module... Its shared with the sunroof from memory and I had the sunroof open on Sunday for a while (the wee lad thinks its the best thing in the world) and I shut the roof after removing the key (as the funky x-contact circuit keeps the juice to that circuit until you open the drivers door).

Gotta think that is the first place to look... as I rarely use the sunroof and maybe the controller or its interaction with the x-relay have held a supply rail open.
Good tip Porkkis

[S2central.net]

Paul,

I had exactly the same thing couplea months ago. Drove the car one night. Parked it up. Left it for bout 2 days. Went to start it up to go footy. Flat as Britney before her "job"! Checked all round to see what I'd left on/running. Nothing. Nothing at all!

Jumped it. Took it for a massive spin in the hope of charging up the battery. Left it for a day. Next day started it up. This time as flat as Kylie before heeeer "job"!

Apparently, batteries can just randomly die on you. And the only way to resolve the problem is to fork out 80 squid for a new one.

Sorry mate.

Very much doubt the battery is duff - its a top spec Bosch Silver job - barely 18months old and the car has previously sat for 3 weeks and more with no problems.

I just hope it recovers OK with a decent recharge and it doesn't suffer long term damage....

[S2central.net]

The after run pump could switch itself on and run the coolant round, maybe a faulty sensor?

Have you wired in some blue cruising lights under your car to a permanent live?

David

No they are red cruising lights. That is OK right ? ;-)

[scouser_75]

Very much doubt the battery is duff - its a top spec Bosch Silver job - barely 18months old and the car has previously sat for 3 weeks and more with no problems.

I just hope it recovers OK with a decent recharge and it doesn't suffer long term damage....

I was told that sometimes, no matter what the age of the battery 1 month or 1 year, if just 1 cell "blows" that'll pretty much destroy the entire battery - thats why most manufacturers offer 2 year guarantees. Is yours guaranteed Paul?

How much of this is true I do not know - I have a knack of getting conned when it comes to car related stuff

[s2-1.5bar]

Hi Paul,

Had this experience about 4 years ago with my Golf KR.

Left at the garage where I worked for a week, inside so nobody gonna nick it.
Came back-batery totaly flat. B...ked every mate I worked with for using my ICE for discos. Everybody told me that nobody used your ICE, honest.

Charged battery, everything OK. Left undriven over w/end-the same story.

Got my dad out (his engineer) and asked for help. He, using simple electrical tester, tested all fuses and found that something in the circuit using very little power (dont remeber what A exactly) when everything is switched off. It appeared that the boot light swith broke down and this light was always on.

As I closed the boot it was not possible to see if light left on or off. And the power consumption was so little that it required 2-3 days to drain battery flat.

Hope it helps

Andy

[SR71]

Just had exactly the same on my car.

Last night it cranked fine and drove home at 10pm.

Today at about 5pm, I've gone to drive to Audi to get a wiper and car only just about started. Battery charging at 14V.

Got to Audi and was there 10 mins.

Came back to car and car won't start. 8V on the voltmeter.

£100 for a new one.



I had the same problem once on my GT4. One day battery works, next day it doesn't.

New battery solved the problem.

[caterpillar]

chekked the solenoid on the starter??????? they are very near the downpipe,and have a HOT place.....

[audiman]

Just cos its nearly new doesnt mean it cant fail, Doug had a Bosch Silver die on him. Get it checked out with a electronic battery tester.