Battery discharging?

[Davidfx]

First of all a big Hi to all.

Have got a problem with my Alteas battery discharging when left for a couple of days. Its happened 4 times now over the last month.

Something must be comming on intermittantly when the car is left.

I have tested the battery for a drain with an Amp clamp. All locked and bonnet switch closed drain is approx 0.4-0.5 Amps which I would say is acceptable.

The battery has been tested and is still very strong.

Im a bit lost now of where to look, or what could be powering up.

Any Ideas anyone

 

[Tell]

There was a reported incidence as I recall of the radio coming on by itself. You could check that.

 

[Davidfx]

I know of this fault , but its hard to convince the dealer that is what it might be.

 

[Tell]

Well you could always take the radio out yourself and see whether this fixes the problem and if so dump it back to the dealer.

 

[aceman]

Half an amp is quite high to my mind should be more like <0.1 A

 

[Tell]

watts = volts x amps

err so thats

watts = 12 x .5

= 6

that's like leaving one of your parking lights on... hmm not the boot light ?

 

[Davidfx]

With the alarm and convenience system on modern cars I would say approx 0.5 of an amp was the max acceptable.

Its only mesured with an amp clamp so its difficult to zero it, its probably closer to 0.3-0.4amps. Ive mesured Mk5 golfs etc. and they all run approx 0.4A, just never tested another Altea. Its 1.6 Petrol but still has a very large AF battery fitted 350DIN which all load tests fine.

Has anyone else tested there Alteas drain (remembering to close the bonnet switch to shut down the convenience system.)?

 

[ALTEA DUDE]

It was for this exact reason I got rid of my Honda and bought the Altea. The battery went dead in no time and after 3 years of them trying to figure out what it was, I went and bought a SEAT! I'm almost convinced the alarm system was draining the battery on the Honda.

Luckily I've never had this problem with my Altea but check all the interior lights are off and that you havnt left the parking lights on either.

I'm just about to leave the car for 3 weeks so hopefully I wont be reporting the same thing soon!

 

[Tell]

I've left mine for a month at a time without problems when on hols. Starts first time.

 

[Davidfx]

I think it does sugest in the owners manual, if leaving fro a period over 3 weeks to disconnect the battery!

 

[Tell]

Ta, can't be bothered with that, but I try and remember to put my charger in the back so when I pick it up I can borrow the electricity as well as the drive I've parked it on if I need to. So far, so good.

You could have a crap battery, how do you know the garage didn't swap it out with a duff one ?.

 

[chappie]

Did you get this fixed? Our car is doing the same thing, eg: radio on when returning to the car when it's left, mostly overnight. Not draining the battery but worried that it might.

Booked in next week at local dealers so will leave them a copy of these threads for them to read.

 

[Davidfx]

I let the dealers know when I booked it in for a service, then a couple of days before it was due to go in I got a phone call asking what colour the radio was so they could pre-order one ready to fit when it when it was in.

Excellent service and thanks to Spur Garage at Hampton Court
All I can say is all sorted at the moment and its got a brand new radio and cruise control arm fitted.

 

[Tell]

Didn't we say it was the radio .... bit unsettling all these cars with boots that don't open, lights come on by themselves, battery goes flat.... but suspect that it is a small proportion of the cars out their, although I've had the cruise control stick issue. Electronic things sort of go wrong in the first year, and if they don't then they generally stay OK.

 

[mediaman111166]

Thanks for that, Ill pass that on to the garage. Its going in on 26-02, so fingers crossed