Battery drain problem

[pengjn]

hi all,

Some kind soul smashed the passenger side window of my A3 in October and stole...nothing at all. I had Autoglass replace the window and then the AA jump start it because the battery had gone flat because the alarm or light or something had drained it over the couple of days of not having a window. For a couple of months it was struggling a little to start and I figured that the battery might have been damaged from having run totally flat. Also, the airbag warning light and sometimes the power steering warning light would come on. By early December it wasn't starting well at all, so I had Kwitfit put a new battery in. I didn't use the car much after that due to brilliantly acquiring a broken leg and this week it was dead as a dodo. However, I wouldn't have expected six weeks of being driven once a week to have killed a brand new battery.

Any ideas as to why I'm still getting the airbag warning light and why the battery is getting drained abnormally quickly? I'm sure it's related to the broken window incident because it was good as gold until then.

Cheers,
Jimbo

 

[mike foster]

Bluetooth has been know to cause a flat battery. You need to check the current draw on the Bluetooth unit.

Do a search as this has cropped up before.

 

[Khufu]

The window being replaced shouldn't cause the battery to go flat. I can't think of anything in the door that being left unplugged etc that would cause it. I'd check that the interior light in the boot or the glovebox isnt staying on, check alternator is charging properly etc. A scan with VCDS might help too.

 

[leach76]

hi all,

Some kind soul smashed the passenger side window of my A3 in October and stole...nothing at all. I had Autoglass replace the window and then the AA jump start it because the battery had gone flat because the alarm or light or something had drained it over the couple of days of not having a window. For a couple of months it was struggling a little to start and I figured that the battery might have been damaged from having run totally flat. Also, the airbag warning light and sometimes the power steering warning light would come on. By early December it wasn't starting well at all, so I had Kwitfit put a new battery in. I didn't use the car much after that due to brilliantly acquiring a broken leg and this week it was dead as a dodo. However, I wouldn't have expected six weeks of being driven once a week to have killed a brand new battery.

Any ideas as to why I'm still getting the airbag warning light and why the battery is getting drained abnormally quickly? I'm sure it's related to the broken window incident because it was good as gold until then.

Cheers,
Jimbo

It can mate as this weather zaps battery life especially as diesels need more cranking amps,we have brand new cars in the backyard at work for a couple of days that the next minute wont start after a night outside

 

[pengjn]

The window being replaced shouldn't cause the battery to go flat. I can't think of anything in the door that being left unplugged etc that would cause it. I'd check that the interior light in the boot or the glovebox isnt staying on, check alternator is charging properly etc. A scan with VCDS might help too.

That's what did it in the first place - the glovebox light, good reminder. I locked the car with the alarm off but it had been sat there with the glovebox open for a couple of days because I wanted to show potential thieves that it was empty.

Is VCDS a diagnostics tool? Does it cost an arm and a leg to have done?

 

[mike foster]

Look in the VCDS User section of the forum to see if anyone is close to you. They will do it for a couple of beer tokens !

Otherwise look for an independent VAG specialist. DON'T take it to a dealer who will charge £60+ for the priviledge !

 

[warren_S5]

I take it your alternator is still delivering the goods.

If you get an electrical multimeter and check the battery whilst the car is running it should go up from somewhere between 11.1 and 12volts to anywhere upto 14.4v at max. If you don't see it improve then the alternator may be on its way out.

Another quick and dirty check if you don't have multimeter is to turn headlights on, then turn on all other electrical items and if the lights dim significantly you know you need to get it checked.

VCDS will enable you to check for any open circuits in the electrics system that may be draining the system.