axl911

I left my C2 drive door open, but turned off all the interior lights. Next day, my battery is now dead.

What happenned? Where is the current drain coming from?

---
anthony

DaveK

Hi,
First, I'd be curious to know why yuo did this?

But, one cause may be this :

From previous posts, it's become clear that some cars (think it's regional) illuminate all of the lights when the doors are open - so in other words, although you turned the interior lights off you may find that the luggage compartment and engine bay lights are on.

Mine - and several other peoples - do this. If yours does as well, that will be the drain. Try it again, but look through the spoiler - bet the light is on.

It may also be related to power to the windows etc. On my car, I can open / close the windows if the door is open, but not with them shut (assuming ignition off, obviously). But I'm not convinced this will take any current since you're not actually using the windows - they are simply powered.

Dave
90 C4

Christer

Can I ask 'why' as well?

This is isn't an insurance job is it?...Drive the car to Brixston/Bronx/Joburg and 'accidentally' leave the door open. Next day - hey presto, no car - lots of insurance money. Only downside was that the thief couldn't start the car eh?

axl911

Hmmm...why would the hood/trunk lights up when the door is open?

But anyway, my footwells are soaked after it rained.

I have to gut the interior footwell insulations and air out the interior. That's why I was leaving the door/window/sunroof open.

---
anthony

joey bagadonuts

[quote]Originally posted by DaveK:
<strong>It may also be related to power to the windows etc. On my car, I can open / close the windows if the door is open, but not with them shut (assuming ignition off, obviously).</strong><hr></blockquote>

That was my first thought. The switch that operates the interior lights is located by the door hinges. A faulty one sticks and the interior lights don't come on as you enter the car. The problem occurs when you run your car, and then open and shut the doors as you exit; the faulty switch will cause the windows to remain powered. I lubricated my switches, they now work and my battery remains charged.

You might consider taping down or somehow depressing your switch(es) to ensure the shutoff sequence has been completed rather than toggling them off.

DaveK

Hi,
The thing with the door switches is also a bit regional. I know in the US your windows remain powered until you've opened / closed the doors. In the UK, that's not the case - mine are not powered after I switch the ignition off until I open the door - and then they are only powered with the door open.

As for why the hood/trunk lights up when the doors are open... who knows, but they do.

Dave
90 C4

Christer

Dave

And to add to confusion, my windows are not powered with the ignition off and the doors open.

johnfm

Yes, but this is because of the energy sapped by those BRIGHT pinstripes. Pinstripes AND powered windows, with the engine off, would drain the battery in a matter of seconds.

Christer

John

I have suspected the pinstripes for a few weeks - in fact since my battery got trashed by leaving the car for 3 weeks. I get over it by thinking that the C2 is a jealous bitch that pays me back for 3 weeks of inattentiveness....

I realise I need to get a life and am working on this as we speak.

Oh, and John: you are not listening - my windows are NOT powered witht he igniton off and doors open. The pinstripes have even more to answer for...

Roygarth

Check this out!

My windows are powered with the doors open but only if I'm wearing flares?

BR
Piers

malc elliott

I believe the reason the Hood/trunk/interior lights are linked is to do with the alarm system. If the hood/trunk are broken into they will trigger the alarm by voltage drop. Just the way it's wired.

John H

I was planning on starting a new thread on the same topic until I saw this one. My problem is that if I leave my car sit for more than a day or two, the battery is dead when I get back to it. Question, What should be drawing on the battery while the car is parked? I know the clock and alarm system, but I could not think of anything else. The switch for both lids wereacting up, but I pulled the bulbs to insure this was not the problem. It persists. I know there have been threads on the climate control drawing the battery down when it becomes defective. Is there a simplle way to check to see if this is my issue?

Christer

What about the glove box light - have you checked that?

BrokeAss

I don't have an answer for untimely battery death. It just seems that 964's are prone to killing batteries. Mine is often "weak" if the car isn't driven a significant distance regularly. I could spend a lot of time and money chasing electrical gremlins, but instead I just put the car on my trickle charger as needed. (As a matter of fact, it's charging right now)

axl911

What you can do to troubleshoot is to get an amp-meter and measure the current across all fuse points in the fuse box. You should then be able to find out what device is drawing currents from the battery while when the car is shut off.

It stills make no sense to me why would the trunk/engine compartment light stay lit when the door is opened. But lesson learned.

---
anthony