Battery drain...

[domwells27 0]

Any updates on this?

 

Just had a similar thing with mine. Noticed a loud buzzing sound from the rear of the car with keys out of the ignition, left it. Then few days later battery is dead. Checked with a multimeter and its draining 0.37A with everything off! Pinned it down to fuse 21[strike:1w9highb]which is C/L. Thinking the buzzing was the pump struggling to lock or its on its way out. Anything else I should check before changing the pump over?[/strike:1w9highb]

 

Cheers

 

Dom

 

EDIT: Well after having the CL work fine without the fuse in i double checked. Bentley have fuse 21 down as interiior lights/cigarette lighter and rear spoiler adjustment. Thinking it could be the spoiler, but how to check?

[Supercharged 2]

LOL - also bumping this for updates... I have a similar issue and here's what I found - be interested to know what you've done Kev??

 

Ok, dead battery this morning after the car has been sat for 2 weeks, I have left it longer than this before and it's been fine and it has a brand new Bosch 77Ah on it.

 

Battery was reading around 3v so suspected a bulb like the boot light first, checked all lights then measured Current drawer with a clamp meter - 0.3A (should be in the region of 0.05 or at least less than 0.1)

 

Started pulling fuses then relays in order, no change then disconnected alternator and again no change. I then remembered the separate fuse for the electric windows pulling this dropped me to 0.2A

 

Disconnected the alarm, no change but then I did the power to the headlight loom - low and behold it dropped to almost zero.

 

So it appears I have a faulty relay in the loom and one clicks when re-connected - surprised it's not leaving a light on as I have had this before...

 

What I want to know is the remaining 0.1A I am getting when I have the fuse in for the electric windows can't be right can it?? Although it will take approx 1 Month to fully drain it seems to high.

 

Kev - you are getting similar readings, wonder if you have the same problems - headlight loom and a faulty (old / original) E/W control module??

 

Dom - fuse 21 is the MFA in the clocks, Interior and boot lights, make up mirror, cigarette lighter and central locking. Spoiler should be on 16 on UK cars.

[fla 9]

I am also getting a drain of the battery - my multimeter goes up to 500mA but quickly went off the scale and burnt the fuse out.

I've also put a new relay for the main beam, but it seems to function ok. Even if it were to be going closed circuit would the lights not come on? At present there is no visible sign of any lights being on, but when i get a replacement fuse i'll pull fuses and see what changes. Any other suggestions?

[G60 CS 0]

My battery drain turned out to be the ignition switch. Car worked fine , ended up calling out an auto electrician who said was a common fault on Corrado's apps twenty they break up inside and switched live becomes perm live.anyway i changed mine and the battery drain went !! :)

[fla 9]

when i lock the car with the key the drain is around 500mA, which i think is pretty high, but with the fob it goes up to 14A!! Hence the battery is always dead in the morning. I've just got a new multimeter and set it to 10A and i'm getting 14.3 when its closed on the fob (which i assume means 14.3A, or maybe 1.43A?, its not clear from the instruction manual). Either way its collosal but is this to do with the immobiliser unit under the dash or somehting else? Maybe a wiring short?

[dr_mat 0]

I think most Corrados will flatten a battery if left unattended for a month. Mine certainly does, and I've seen too many stories on here to think it's unusual.

The only real solution is to keep the battery topped up however you can. (Going flat regularly will KILL lead acid car batteries in very short order, you should keep it charged up fully at all times if you can.)

 

---------- Post added at 7:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 7:49 AM ----------

 

a new multimeter and set it to 10A and i'm getting 14.3 when its closed on the fob (which i assume means 14.3A, or maybe 1.43A?

 

A multimeter with a 10A scale can't read 14A (it would actually cook it!), so you're probably looking at 0.143 A, or maybe 1.43Amp.

0.1 Amps will flatten a 64Ah battery in 640 hours, 1.43A in 44 hours, though the car will probably not be able to start after about 30 hours or so.

If it was really pulling 14A for a start something somewhere would get very hot and the battery would be flat in four hours ...

[Portent 0]

Have you checked the boot light and glove box lights? I seem to recall a couple of people having problems with the switches not working correctly. Try removing the bulbs and checking if the drain is there. Also isn't there a vanity light on the passenger sunvisor with a manual switch... has it been left on?

[Wullie 1]

I had a similar quick drain on the battery, one or two days to a flat battery. It turned out to be the pneumatic controller for the central locking in the passengeer door. I just disconnected it and the car has been fine since and even with it disconnected all thee locking features still work. I went the old faashioned way of making up a test light with long enough leads to reach inside the car which had the bonus of providing some light when I was under the dash pulling fuses. The drain stopped when I pulled the "hidden" fuse above the fusebox that controls the central locking and windows. After that I replaced the fuse and went around the car disconnecting all the bits that ran off, or were related to that circuit and, as above, when I disconnected the pneumatic controller thingy the light went out. It was a kind of Eureka moment. A bit old fashioned and time consuming but ultimately successful.

[Supercharged Will 10]

Interesting read, I've had a battery drain for sometime now. Always thought it was the C/L. Got hold of a second hand C/L pump but haven't fitted as yet. Will try pulling the C/L fuses and see what happens.

[dragon green 4]

I had a similar quick drain on the battery, one or two days to a flat battery. It turned out to be the pneumatic controller for the central locking in the passengeer door. I just disconnected it and the car has been fine since and even with it disconnected all thee locking features still work. I went the old faashioned way of making up a test light with long enough leads to reach inside the car which had the bonus of providing some light when I was under the dash pulling fuses. The drain stopped when I pulled the "hidden" fuse above the fusebox that controls the central locking and windows. After that I replaced the fuse and went around the car disconnecting all the bits that ran off, or were related to that circuit and, as above, when I disconnected the pneumatic controller thingy the light went out. It was a kind of Eureka moment. A bit old fashioned and time consuming but ultimately successful.

 

Sorry for another thread revival !

Wullie,did your drain happen all the time,or just when your car was locked ?

Your test light ? I presume it was 12v ? The drain must have been less then 12v,did the bulb just flicker ?

Bryan

[Wullie 1]

I used an indicator bulb rig that I had already made up from many moons ago. A bulb with wires soldered to the terminal on the base and the side of the bulb. I just extended the wires so that the reached from the battery to inside the car. This had the advantage that it lit up the fusebox until I found the circuit causing the problem. The light from the bulb was quite bright and steady.The circuit was the one covered by the "hidden" fuse above the relays. Once I had defined the circuit I recplaced the fuse and went round all the bits and bobs that were controlled by it until I finally disconnected something that caused the light to go off. In my case it was the actuator mentioned in the thread above. It's still disconnected and taped up and apart from a few days recently which may have been dampness I have had no problems. If you need anything more let me know.

[dragon green 4]

Thank you Wullie

[fla 9]

Bryan, mine turned out to be a short from one of the group of three black wires on the top left of the fuse box (iirc it was related to the heated washers), so i have disconnected this and all is fine now. Didnt take any pics unfortunately though.

[dragon green 4]

Mines on the central locking circuit !

If I leave it unlocked,no problem !

[bully 10]

dont know if this will help anyone.. but i sorted my battery drain issue... the culprate was a combination of

 

badly wired headlights.. stupid hid kit fitted to direct feed from battery. ripped it all out put factory loom back in.

 

badly wired stereo amplifier

 

badly wired cigertee lighter power being used to light the oil pressure water pressure and battery gauges.

 

badly wired heater controls..

 

badlly wired after market alarm

 

all been sorted now no battery drain at all.

[Wullie 1]

dont know if this will help anyone.. but i sorted my battery drain issue... the culprate was a combination of

 

badly wired headlights.. stupid hid kit fitted to direct feed from battery. ripped it all out put factory loom back in.

 

badly wired stereo amplifier

 

badly wired cigertee lighter power being used to light the oil pressure water pressure and battery gauges.

 

badly wired heater controls..

 

badlly wired after market alarm

 

all been sorted now no battery drain at all.

 

Sounds as if it was bad wiring then. :bonk:

[Dollyman 10]

I need to have a look at mine too. Battery doesn't last more than about 2 days. Really beginning to p*** me off !

 

Cheers

Jeff

Edited February 27, 2013 by Dollyman

[bully 10]

ok now im worried...

 

i just found out that wen the key is out of the ignition you can still put the windows up or down... is this on all coraddos ?

 

im thinking i will need new ignition barrell.. anyone had this issue? also stereo comes on wen key is put in.. not turned.. :(

[owen g60 10]

There is a certain amount of time they can still be put down.

They can be put up at any time.

 

Opening the door resets this delay.

 

I thought the same thing the first time I found it out

[Wullie 1]

The windows will still work for a short time after the keys are out, it's one of those Corrado things. I've never worked out just how long for or what controls it. Try leaving the car locked for ten minutes then see if they still work without switching on the ignition.

 

Haven't a clue about the radio bit. Mine is always live and has been since I got it.

 

Response to a previous post, the battery drain I was getting because of the door lock fault happenned all the time, not just when the door was locked.

[bully 10]

thisis why i love this forum so much... sumthing as simple as that and responded to really quickly.. well chuffed :)

[dragon green 4]

A big thanks to Wullie !

Mine too was the passenger side pump,but mine only drained when locked.Have disconnected it,and all electrical drains have stopped.

Thanks again Wullie

[Wullie 1]

A big thanks to Wullie !

Mine too was the passenger side pump,but mine only drained when locked.Have disconnected it,and all electrical drains have stopped.

Thanks again Wullie

 

More luck than judment as it could be almost anything. Glad it's sorted as it's a real pain in the ass going out to the car wondering if it will start or you have to drag out the jump leads and you only have ten minutes to get to work.