What could be killing my battery?

[fazmufc]

Hi all,

Just another problem, recently my battery has been going flat after not driving the car for say about 18 hours or so, the battery completly dies away.

Just wondering what could be the problem? I was looking at my glove compartment, the light stays on there and never really fades away, do you think this could be killing it or is there another possibility?

Cheers 

[No Golf Clubs at all]

Could be it's just your battery is shot, you've had it in there for over 5 years..... T_T mentioned something the other week re battery size and some GTI's only being fitted with 70 rather than 72's.

Could just be a new batt, call Vw for a price then check out costco.

[A7 UFO]

most likely a bad earth from something.  A small LED wouldn't empty a battery within 18hrs.

[ub7rm]

There was a known issue with radio's turning themselves on after thinking a CD had been inserted and then draining the battery but I forget the exact details of it.  Have you ever come back to the car and discovered the radio playing? 

[fazmufc]

The radio has had happened on a occasion i remember, basically when i unlocked the car it came on sometimes but not all the time, just on the odd occasion. So this could be a possibility?

I dont think its the battery, as its charging fine and everything else is charging it alrite. Its just if i leave my car for a number of hours, it just shuts down and i think something must be draining it.

[No Golf Clubs at all]

You could have dodgy cells or something, that stops it retaining its charge. But I am no more technical than my missus (well ok a little more).

[Ben Lessani]

Get a multimeter and test for a parasitic drain.

[Vman]

I had a problem when I first picked my car up, I had the RAC out 4 times for flat battery. Turned out that the onboard power control unit was not shutting down properly(opc). This was replaced and a new battery was fitted. Apparently every time you blip your key fob to unlock your car, all cars wake up to see if its them being called upon to unlock, they then go back to sleep, mine was not, don't how true this is but it sounds like it could be be true.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Get a multimeter and test for a parasitic drain.

That wont really work on the Mk5, or any newish car which uses can-bus electrics.  Specifically on the Golf 5, it can take between 45 to 90 minutes for all circuits to go to 'sleep'.


Faz, just make sure you have the 72 Ah battery, and also get the stealer to update the firmware in the radio - and that will defo cure your probs.