MK5 Golf GTI
All Things Mk5 => How to Guides / Troubleshooting => Topic started by: MJR on December 29, 2011, 01:02:26 am
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Hey fellow forum members,
Write this as once again my battery is dead! Car has only been sitting for a few days, went to use it today to only get the annoying ticking noise (again lol)
Has this problem a while back, so took it to the garage and they said it was the battery and that the alternator was charging fine, so got a new battery (Oct/Nov 11)
but even since changing the battery, the car has been the same.
If the car is left for more than say 2/3 days, it struggles to start and any longer than a few days the battery is dead.
So I must be getting battery drainage from somewhere but don't have a clue as to what could be causing it.
Before anyone says about upgraded HU, already read all about it.
I recently changed from the RCD300 to RCD300 mp3 and car was the same before I changed it.
Anyone else had this issue of battery draining for no reason or know anything about it?
I have a "05" GTi.
Cheers MJR :happy2:
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Hi
Have you done any electrical mods to the car?
Have you got a multimeter?
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Hi
Have you done any electrical mods to the car?
Have you got a multimeter?
Electrical mods? as in?
No don't have a multi-meter.
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Interested to see if you get an outcome as I had a similar problem end of November and shelled out and had a new Bosch battery fitted and the problem went, but knowing my luck it's something that might return so will be good to find out
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Interested to see if you get an outcome as I had a similar problem end of November and shelled out and had a new Bosch battery fitted and the problem went, but knowing my luck it's something that might return so will be good to find out
It's doing my head in :signLOL:
Honestly can't figure out what it could be.
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Anyone?
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The light in the boot on one of my old cars (not a VW) didn't switch off and drained the battery. I'm sure I've also read about the light in someones glovebox staying on and draining the battery. Might be worth checking both of those.
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What I would do is disable as many items as possible, try to pin down where your issue is.
Also get someone with vag-com to check to see that the modules are shutting down
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The light in the boot on one of my old cars (not a VW) didn't switch off and drained the battery. I'm sure I've also read about the light in someones glovebox staying on and draining the battery. Might be worth checking both of those.
Worth a try :smiley:
What I would do is disable as many items as possible, try to pin down where your issue is.
Also get someone with vag-com to check to see that the modules are shutting down
I have VCDS but don't know how you do that part "check to see that the modules are shutting down"
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Had a good look round the car today and can't figure out what it could be.
May possibly have to go to dealer, to see if they can sort it boohoo!
More wasted money!!!!!!!!!
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Had a good look round the car today and can't figure out what it could be.
May possibly have to go to dealer, to see if they can sort it boohoo!
More wasted money!!!!!!!!!
Took mine to the dealer when my battery was suffering,cost me £320 for them to find nothing until i gave them all the modification fuse positions and then they said the battery was showing much better results!!!
ended up being the heated washer jets were on a permanent live when they should have been an ignition feed!!!
scott
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Had a good look round the car today and can't figure out what it could be.
May possibly have to go to dealer, to see if they can sort it boohoo!
More wasted money!!!!!!!!!
Took mine to the dealer when my battery was suffering,cost me £320 for them to find nothing until i gave them all the modification fuse positions and then they said the battery was showing much better results!!!
ended up being the heated washer jets were on a permanent live when they should have been an ignition feed!!!
scott
Exactly, wasted money.
But don't have any other options and getting bored of a dead battery after 2/3 days.
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Have you added any electrical systems, or the previous owner?
Handsfree kit, footwell lights, hardwired 12v charger and so on?
Look at the rear of your fuse box next to steering wheel for wires that aren't in the loom of wires going into fusebox (if you have any it's likely to be a retrofit and possibly in a constant not ignition live).
As mentioned, take parcel shelf out and ensure boot light goes off with the locks. Push the plunger on glovebox for same diagnosis.
Have you got anything permenantly in 12v socket? Are there any lights that stay on when locked other than door LED?
A good auto electrician would be cheaper than VW and as effective.
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Have you added any electrical systems, or the previous owner?
Handsfree kit, footwell lights, hardwired 12v charger and so on?
Look at the rear of your fuse box next to steering wheel for wires that aren't in the loom of wires going into fusebox (if you have any it's likely to be a retrofit and possibly in a constant not ignition live).
As mentioned, take parcel shelf out and ensure boot light goes off with the locks. Push the plunger on glovebox for same diagnosis.
Have you got anything permenantly in 12v socket? Are there any lights that stay on when locked other than door LED?
A good auto electrician would be cheaper than VW and as effective.
I haven't added anything.
This battery issue has only started happening in the last 6months or so.
Checked the lights, all go out fine.
So god knows :signLOL:
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Ohwell, thought someone on here might have had the same issue, must just be my car :signLOL:
VW garage here I come.
Kinda looking forward to when it goes to a new home now :happy2:
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Ohwell, thought someone on here might have had the same issue, must just be my car :signLOL:
VW garage here I come.
Kinda looking forward to when it goes to a new home now :happy2:
its a shame you are so far away, I like a challenge.
Start by taking fuses out of non essential items to see if you are still having drain issues
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its a shame you are so far away, I like a challenge.
Start by taking fuses out of non essential items to see if you are still having drain issues
This certainly would be a challenge :rolleye:
I'm just going to leave it tbh as I use the car daily anyways, so car never has a chance to die :signLOL:
I might get it looked into at a later date.
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What I would do is disable as many items as possible, try to pin down where your issue is.
Also get someone with vag-com to check to see that the modules are shutting down
Hey
Ive got a similar battery draining issue with my 05 GT TDi. Original I thought it was just the battery, so got a new one... but turned out I had a faulty switch in the brake pedal that caused the one brake light to come on at night(...?) (strip light on the spoiler above the rear window)... so, got that fixed. Couple of months later , guess what, battery totally drained again... had RAC test the alternator this time too and all is fine. After reading a couple of the threads on here I came to the conclusion that it might be the Can Gateway issue and you sound like the man to talk to. Any advice? And how do I get in touch if I was to purchase one from you?
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its a shame you are so far away, I like a challenge.
Start by taking fuses out of non essential items to see if you are still having drain issues
This certainly would be a challenge :rolleye:
I'm just going to leave it tbh as I use the car daily anyways, so car never has a chance to die :signLOL:
I might get it looked into at a later date.
You or your mechanic need to put a multimeter with at least a 10 amp capacity on the battery earth terminal and then onto the battery (battery disconnected) so all the cars power goes through the multimeter, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR LIKE THIS! Then you observe the drain with the drivers door lock flicked over to simulate the door being locked. Then remove each fuse from the under bonnet fuse box and then the dash side fuse box one at a time until the excessive drain goes away. Make a note of the fuse number and post it on here so Someone can help.
The quiescent current should drop to around 0.060amps after 25 minutes before that time it could typically be around 1 amp max for very short time then variable - the reading after the 20 minutes is the important one as thats the one which shows the car has moved into a state of sleep.
If the sleep state is achieved the battery or charging circuits are the issue!