MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => How to Guides / Troubleshooting => Topic started by: stuupnorth on December 27, 2010, 01:44:22 pm

Title: battery flat
Post by: stuupnorth on December 27, 2010, 01:44:22 pm

hi guys
anyone help me with this??
I seem to have a battery drain problem!!
I replaced the standard head unit with a rcd 500
with a i-pod cradle (dension) i leave the i-pod in the craddle all the time
but after a couple of days the battery go flat( ie drove home x-mas evening,went out this morning
and behold the battery flat)

any ideas??

Stu

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: vRS Carl on December 27, 2010, 04:41:11 pm

It could be the fact you leave the iPod in the cradle all the time.

Otherwise it maybe the RCD500 and you need a new can-gateway.

Hve you checked that the dension etc is wired up properly.

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: stuupnorth on December 27, 2010, 04:52:13 pm

Hi thanks

I think the dension is ok
what is meant by a 'can-gateway'??

Stu

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: vRS Carl on December 27, 2010, 05:11:35 pm

It's a system that keeps check of the control modules in the car and enables a diagnostic cable to access them from the OBD2 port.

If this is an early revision, for RNS510 it's pre K rev that cause battery drain not sure about RCD500, it can stay active when the car is shut off and this drains the battery. This is caused by the firmware on the unit. However I'm not sure if you can update any firmware for tbe RCD as its not something I have any experience of.

What year is your car?

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: stuupnorth on December 27, 2010, 06:03:58 pm

Hi mate
the car is 2005
not sure about the rcd500
Stu

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: vRS Carl on December 27, 2010, 06:05:55 pm

The RCD doesn't matter.

As the car is a 2005 it will have a very early Can-Gateway. I would get the dension checked first before spending £85 on a new Gateway.

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: stuupnorth on December 27, 2010, 06:09:39 pm

Ok mate
I'll start disconnecting the i-pod to see if that helps
Cheers

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: ub7rm on December 27, 2010, 10:15:05 pm

The RCD500 is OK for the age of the car - it was an option at the time.  The CAN-BUS issue affected older cars that weren't designed to have the newer RNS stereos installed.  That said, there were issues with RCD 300 / 500's causing battery drain but it wasn't the CAN-BUS issue it was becuase the stereos would register phantom CD's being installed in the middle of the night, turn themselves on and drain the battery.  If it was bought of ebay or the like that could well be the reason it was put there.

As said though, disconnect the denison and take it from there.

Title: Re: battery flat
Post by: stealthwolf on December 29, 2010, 04:29:09 pm

Quote from: ub7rm on December 27, 2010, 10:15:05 pm

the stereos would register phantom CD's being installed in the middle of the night, turn themselves on and drain the battery. 

I remember reading about that years ago! Before I'd even bought my car!