Battery Drain Overnight

[Guy the Grill]

I have recently purchased a June 2017 204 EU6 T6 panel van with 8,500 miles. If I don’t use the van for 2 days the battery is low and it won’t turn over or start.

I measured the drain with everything off, the key removed and the doors locked and it was 2.5Amp! I waited for another 30m minutes in case it needed to sleep but the reading was the same.

I then went through the process of removing each fuse one by one until the drain reduced, when I removed the second 30amp standard size fuse on the left hand bank (sorry VW don’t supply fuse layout cards) the drain dropped to 1.1Amps, which still seems high, but an improvement.

This fuse seems to protect the entertainment system, radio display, parking sensor display, steering wheel controls and the MFD.

Before I take it to VW under warranty it there anything I am missing or could do, would a complete factory reset of the entertainment system help, I have done many internet searches but cannot find much apart from a recall early last year for battery drain, but that was before my van went into production.

Any ideas please?

 

[Loz]

Have you tried full reboot by disconnecting the battery negative for 10 minutes?

 

[Guy the Grill]

Hi Loz, thanks for your reply, I have just been out to check it after having the negative disconnected for over an hour and its still drawing 2.5A !

 

[Loz]

Hi Loz, thanks for your reply, I have just been out to check it after having the negative disconnected for over an hour and its still drawing 2.5A !

not good, if you think it is the infotainment you could try a restore to factory settings as the next step.

 

[Guy the Grill]

not good, if you think it is the infotainment you could try a restore to factory settings as the next step.

Did a factory reset of the infotainment system over the weekend, looks like it will have to go to a dealer

 

[Guy the Grill]

Sorted out at long last, after getting 3 jump starts from the AA the next time it wouldn't start I insisted on VW Roadside Assistance. Really helpful technician who spent over 2 hours testing all the electrics only to find it was a duff battery. He had the correct battery on board and replaced mine under warranty. Excellent service

 

[Phil_G]

I measured the drain with everything off, the key removed and the doors locked and it was 2.5Amp! I waited for another 30m minutes in case it needed to sleep but the reading was the same. I then went through the process of removing each fuse ... when I removed the second 30amp ... the drain dropped to 1.1Amps, which still seems high, but an improvement.

Sorted out at long last ... really helpful technician who spent over 2 hours testing all the electrics only to find it was a duff battery.

That sounds weird, how could a duff battery cause a measured 2.5A drain? A duff battery can self-discharge, but that wouldnt show any external current into the van electrics. Maybe the measurement was a red herring, some timed load or other, though you'd think 30 mins was enough to time-out.
Good to hear its cleared, I take it you've measured it again and the drain has gone?
Cheers
Phil

 

[Guy the Grill]

Yes I agree as did the VW technician because he couldn't get a reading anywhere near that, so it could well have been the range on my meter and was actually 0.25Amp . For the warranty he conducted numerous and lengthy battery tests which confirmed it was duff, possibly from a deep discharge in the past. The technician did a final reading and the drain was 0.12Amp, (he had to take a picture of this reading for the warranty claim). The stop start which has never operated since I acquired the van now works perfectly and I left the van for 5 days over the weekend and it started perfectly.

 

[Loz]

Yes I agree as did the VW technician because he couldn't get a reading anywhere near that, so it could well have been the range on my meter and was actually 0.25Amp . For the warranty he conducted numerous and lengthy battery tests which confirmed it was duff, possibly from a deep discharge in the past. The technician did a final reading and the drain was 0.12Amp, (he had to take a picture of this reading for the warranty claim). The stop start which has never operated since I acquired the van now works perfectly and I left the van for 5 days over the weekend and it started perfectly.

Good result; did he 'Adapt" the new battery to the van?