New issues: Battery Drain :(

[loudancoe]

Hi everyone,

Yet more problems with my mk5 gti, starting to annoy me now

The battery keeps draining, im not leaving anything on that i can see. It was a brand new battery about 2 months ago. I thought it might just be because i wasnt doing very long journeys in the car and being winter/cold/using the heater more ect. But ive done long enough journeys to charge the battery and then it dies by the next day. I've had to buy a portable jump starter so I dont get stranded.

About a month ago i got some bulb errors (details of which i've posted below)

"I'm having some more issues with the lights on my mk5

Im now getting a brake light failure message and a bulb light on the dash. it says both lights are defective but i have replaced both the bulbs and they both work when the pedal is pressed. I saw the other day that when i unlock the car and the lights turn on automatically, the outside brake light turns on for a few seconds then goes off (as shown in the video)

View My Video

View My Video
(apologies for the weird aspect ratio)

Anyone got any ideas? Ive found that in cold weather the car gets a bit funny, saying either the parking light is out, or the indicator light is out but then when i indicate for the first time since start up, the light flashes quicker than normal a few times then goes back to what it should be doing. Is my CECM on the way out?"

One of the replies to this was:
"The looms that pass through the tailgate and into the roof are apparently prone to wear and chaffing.  Perhaps pop the grommets out and make sure no wires are shorting together or snapped?

If not that, a dodgy central electronics ECU or something?"

Is it possible that the wires could be touching the metal bodywork and draining power?

[loudancoe]

Link to brake light issues:

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,110261.msg1071338.html#msg1071338

[r5gtt]

I reckon the wiring in the grommets have snapped causing light error issues.

Battery drain could be because your alarm siren has internally corroded and bleeding the battery dry unless your alarm siren works fully and bleeps on and off?.
Do you have a new stereo fitted which can also cause battery drain issues.

I'd recommend before posting twice you go out and check the rubber grommets as mentioned by the other lads on the post then take it from there and stop being lazy  yes it's cold but you can't magic the lights to work harsh as it sounds.

 

[loudancoe]

I just haven't had time to look yet and as it wasn't a major issue it wasn't high on my list of priorities but the battery drain is more annoying and i just wandered if there was any connection so i could solve both problems at once.

I think my alarm is working fine when i was jumpstarting the car i popped the bonnet release closed the door and locked the car out of habbit then when i opened the bonnet the alarm went off. I do have an aftermarket head unit but I had it in a previous mk5 for a year then in this one for nearly a year with no issues.

[r5gtt]

Right I see your point on priorities.

Only other thing I can think of is pull your back seat down whilst in the car close all doors and lock the car with the remote to see if your boot light remains on because if the wiring in the boot grommet is at fault then the wiring will need sorting out. 

[loudancoe]

Thats a good thought ill give that a go thanks!

[r5gtt]

Hope you do resolve this soon and don't forget to check the wiring as it take seconds to look at and keep a WD40 can ready for when sliding the grommet back in 

[loudancoe]

Update

I've just done a parasitic test to check for battery drain and from what I can see there isn't one?!

I've put a new battery in today which is the 3rd lion one that's gone in so if it does again I can only assume that lion batteries are no good!

[r5gtt]

What amp battery you fitting?. What ah is it and what amp and is it a 096 battery.

[loudancoe]

This is the one:

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volkswagen_Golf_2.0_2005/p/car-parts/car-electrics-and-car-lighting/electrical/car-battery/?444770271&1&023acb4f111e39b8227e71a834fac94c5f4fab5b&000020

Should I have got an 096?

[r5gtt]

Specs are little low for our cars so you're better off with a higher CCA and Ah. I've got an 096 diesel battery in mine as the one I had was dying which was same spec as that lion battery but some other brand I got with the car.