Car battery life

[Dazzalcr]

Hi all, this may be a silly question but how long would your car be able to stand before the battery would be dead as I'm getting just over a week or so, the car is not in regular use, but I would expect much longer I have had someone have a look and do a check he said very slight drain but nothing massive also do the instrument clocks remain active when the car is not in use.

 

[Leon20vt4]

Hi all, this may be a silly question but how long would your car be able to stand before the battery would be dead as I'm getting just over a week or so, the car is not in regular use, but I would expect much longer I have had someone have a look and do a check he said very slight drain but nothing massive also do the instrument clocks remain active when the car is not in use.

How much is the parasitic drain?

My 4 year old shitty off brand battery was still charged enough to start the car after 5 weeks vacation

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[Dazzalcr]

How much is the parasitic drain?

My 4 year old shitty off brand battery was still charged enough to start the car after 5 weeks vacation

Sent from my RMX1993 using Tapatalk

Hi pal cheers yeah well I think I have an issue then, I really cant remember it was tiny in hid words but that can be enough, and its had a new battery yuasa 5000 silver series and it's been jumped 3 or 4 times since in last few months I'd say,
I do have an autowindows module fitted for folding mirrors in when locking car and that is constantly flashing green so maybe that's the issue cars and electrics grrr...

 

[Sparkie]

Clocks should go off. When key is out.
They can be odd. If I don’t unplug my liquid gauge then centre clock stays on and I get drain.
Very odd. Wired it in myself.
My lad 5inks it’s interference from other wires in steering column. He works for Tesla so I go with what he says.


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[Dazzalcr]

Clocks should go off. When key is out.
They can be odd. If I don’t unplug my liquid gauge then centre clock stays on and I get drain.
Very odd. Wired it in myself.
My lad 5inks it’s interference from other wires in steering column. He works for Tesla so I go with what he says.


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Hi mate thanks for your reply, so the clocks as in the instrument dials time, mileage should go blank when key is out, mine dont they remain showing the time etc, great well that defo could be the drain if they should go out. Thanks another headache now lol

 

[mty12345]

My clocks also have a habit of staying on at times. The backlights are only LEDs so it shouldn't drain the battery too much in the short term, although over the course of a week or so that could start to add up to quite a few amp/hours. It certainly won't help if you already have a weak battery. I've got a brand new (although manufactured in 2004) set of clocks waiting to be coded to the car. It'll be interesting to see what happens and it should narrow it down to the cluster itself or the wiring.

If you're going to leave the car for a week or so then maybe unplug it. Once you remove the tiny trim panel underneath it, the cluster itself is only held in by 2 screws and 2 quick release connectors at the rear.

 

[Dazzalcr]

My clocks also have a habit of staying on at times. The backlights are only LEDs so it shouldn't drain the battery too much in the short term, although over the course of a week or so that could start to add up to quite a few amp/hours. It certainly won't help if you already have a weak battery. I've got a brand new (although manufactured in 2004) set of clocks waiting to be coded to the car. It'll be interesting to see what happens and it should narrow it down to the cluster itself or the wiring.

If you're going to leave the car for a week or so then maybe unplug it. Once you remove the tiny trim panel underneath it, the cluster itself is only held in by 2 screws and 2 quick release connectors at the rear.

Hi mate cheers for reply the lights are fine they clocks just keep displaying the Info and I thought this was maybe normal but as said above the clocks should go off when key is out the mechanic thought it was strange they remained on as well, I think this could maybe be the issue these cars do test us lol.

 

[andycupra]

allowing battery to go flat can often reduce its life and effectiveness. so if its gone flat a few times its likely not in the best condition.

How old is the battery?

alternatively, try taking the bulb out thats in the boot. (if its got one) mine played up in my cupra,

 

[Dazzalcr]

allowing battery to go flat can often reduce its life and effectiveness. so if its gone flat a few times its likely not in the best condition.

How old is the battery?

alternatively, try taking the bulb out thats in the boot. (if its got one) mine played up in my cupra,

Hi bud it's a few months old and was brand new it seems like a slow drain we have a proper charger for it, just need to fix this issue, least I now know the clocks should go off when key is out just need to figure out why they ain't, good job I like this car

 

[Dazzalcr]

This is without my key in, is this normal

 

[Leon20vt4]

This is without my key in, is this normal

Mine is the same the clock and mileage stays on . Never given me a battery issue.

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[Dazzalcr]

Mine is the same the clock and mileage stays on . Never given me a battery issue.

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Cheers pal, only thing I can think of is the autowindows module I do t think I had an issue before that was fitted and that has played up in the past with windows going up and down on there own. Cars.

 

[mty12345]

Sorry i should have been clearer with my reply. The mileage should stay on, but it's the red backlight that often starts to stay on when it shouldn't.

 

[wilfster]

If it's not used for a while everything should close down. Even the flashing "alarmed" led on the driver's door goes out. I went abroad for 2 months and mine started first time, even with a 10 year old battery.

 

[martin j.]

Rather than checking for a drain it might be an idea to check the battery condition? although it's best to do this when the battery is fully charged, if the battery is weak a small drain will have bigger effect.

 

[Dazzalcr]

Hi everyone,
Well the battery was fine when put on fully charged etc and this is the 3rd battery now in couple of years or so,

I've taken bulb out of the boot as I know this can be an issue as with the glovebox

I've checked the battery terminals even under battery plate also done a fuse pull, checked for any damaged wire in the rubbers when u open the doors,
Out of ideas now lol

 

[Maria]

Definitely something not right. I took a battery off my old car and it sat in the boot of my Leon for 8 months, when its battery died I put the one out of the boot on and she fired straight up no problem. Have you had the flywheel ring gear off by any chance?

 

[Nam-uk]

intelligent charger comes in handy got a CTEK myself, at least then you can single out the battery.

 

[Dazzalcr]

Definitely something not right. I took a battery off my old car and it sat in the boot of my Leon for 8 months, when its battery died I put the one out of the boot on and she fired straight up no problem. Have you had the flywheel ring gear off by any chance?

Hi yeah its annoying but I'll get there I'm sure and no nothing has been touched I have maybe an idea but will have to wait for warmer weather before doing it, love the mid life crisis car bit under your name, hope you solve your issue with yours as these mk1s can be rather testing on you.

 

[Maria]

Hi yeah its annoying but I'll get there I'm sure and no nothing has been touched I have maybe an idea but will have to wait for warmer weather before doing it, love the mid life crisis car bit under your name, hope you solve your issue with yours as these mk1s can be rather testing on you.

I was midlife crisis age and had enough of always being sensible, always wanted one of these, and so fed up of old bangers always letting me down! Yeah it's an old-car thing though, they develop a sense of humour, or rather the built-in SOH chip is activated, so that their testing is done with careful and evil timing.