Car Battery draining

ck24

Hi, I'm having an issue with my volkswagen car battery draining and I'm not sure whats causing it.

The battery died about 3 weeks ago, I jumped started it and drove around hoping to recharge it but it was dead again the following morning. Brought it to a garage who said it was an issue with the battery and so they replaced it. However about a week later it died again. Brought it back to that garage to tell them they didn't fix. Again they changed the battery . I asked them why they needed to change the battery again and was the original one they installed faulty. They said they didn't know.

If asked them to check the alternator, and they saw no issues. So I asked them to check if there was something draining the battery when the car was off and they said theres 2.5 amps being used when my car is off, I'm not sure what this means but supposedly it should only be about .5 amps. I don't know if that makes sense, or not. They recomended I get an car electronics place to look in to it.

So although the car started this morning I doubt the problem is fixed and I'm just waiting for it to go again on me some morning.

I have a parrot RKi8400 installed in the car but that was installed a couple of years ago and I had no issues.

I've checked the glove box and its closing so doubt its that light, also checked the boot light and see no issues what that not turning off.

Anyone have any ideas on what might be causing this or have any experience what an issue like this?

I wont be bringing it back to that gagrage again so if anyone can recommend a garage in Galway city who may be able to sort this out I'd appreciate it.

CJhaughey

make/model?

listermint

Might have to remove the car kit. Generally places have to bring it back to stock to fault find.

I had a similar issue when i bought my last E46. Try as i may it took me ages to find out the issue.

Turns out it was a badly and partially removed car kit unit hidden up under the glovebox, it was pulling down the battery enough to cause eventual non start issues.

langdang

Apes like to fit carkits on VWs without using a switched supply or IGN sense wire. So the carkits, or aftermarket radios don't know when the car is off.

I'd definitely try to remove that carkit. If both the Switched 12v and permanent 12v wires are to a permanent 12V then check the dash for any bananas that may have been left behind.

Edit, I know it's a recent issue and it's been working without giving trouble for a long time but it should be simple to disconnect and rule it out of the debugging process

ck24

Yeah I'm guessing I'll have to remove the car kit.

Anyone know what I could expect to pay to run diagnostic on the car to see exactly where the issue is? Or would it be cheaper just to remove the car kit and hope that resolves the issue.

Any recomendations for a garage in Galway city?

langdang

If by diagnostic you mean hooking it up to a computer that won't help much I'd say. EDIT - it may, may not. Maybe a module gone loo-laa somewhere could be draining things and a code scanner might show that up.

If by "diagnostic" you mean someone with a multimeter and know-how working through the fuses until they figure out where the issue is, I dunno how much that would cost.

If you can get at the car kit and plug out the power leads (or just unplug all of them!) and that fixes the problem, then happy days. Easiest/cheapest thing to do yourself first. Carkit will could lose all it's memory and you'd have to pair things up again after though.

CJhaughey

It could also be a failed diode pack in the alternator.
You need to find the cause and fix that, not start ripping stuff out because it might be the cause.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Does the parrot kit display "goodbye" when you switch the ignition off? If it does then it is connected correctly and will not drain the battery, if it doesn't then chances are its the problem.

langdang

CJhaughey wrote: »

It could also be a failed diode pack in the alternator.
You need to find the cause and fix that, not start ripping stuff out because it might be the cause.

In fairness, he can unplug a power lead himself if he can get at it. Anything else requires equipment or know how that average joe doesn't have. At the risk of repeating myself, it is the quickest, easiest, cheapest thing he can do himself.

DublinDilbert

2.5 amps is quite a big drain, should be fairly east to find. Pull each fuse one at a time, see if it drops. If not look at the major electrical stuff, as others have said could be the alternator.

Any auto electrican will sort this out for you.

ck24

Many thanks for the advice everyone.

I wouldn't chance going at any fuses myself as I'm not familiar with them. I'll go to a auto electrician and see what they can do.

And edit: No the parrot never said "goodbye" when I switched off the car. Thats a good point. It makes me moree convinced that its the parrot thats the problem.

Can anyone recommend any garage or auto electrician in Galway to get this looked at?