Something Draining The Battery

[The Ageless Stranger]

Hi all,

 

I have a problem with my Gal. When it hasn't been used for a couple of days (at the most) the battery is totally flat.

 

I can hear something under the bonnet whoch sounds like a small motor or something similar running constantly and was wondering what it was, and if that could be the cause of my problem.

 

Once the car has been jump started it is fine for a few days, and then it goes dead again. My wife and kids are stuck in the Lake District at the moment <_<

 

It's a 2004 2.3 Ghia Auto

 

Any advice?

 

Cheers

[mumof4]

Leave em there and enjoy the peace and quiet. :D

 

 

Is it a fan type motor thingy you can hear?..sorry..on the pop ayt the mo.ill shut up now.zipped. <_<

[Andrew T]

The whirring noise is possibly the coolant run on pump, should stop about 15 minutes after the keys are removed. I had a prolonged battery discharge problem which was a duff Calcium battery. Although it tested OK it was useless if left for more than 24 Hrs. When the supplier (reluctantly) replaced it under warrenty my problems disappeared.

[The Ageless Stranger]

Thanks for the very quick replies...

 

To answer the question - Yes, it is a "fan" type noise, but very quiet.

 

I would love to leave them up there, unfortunately, I bought a roof-box for them, which came (unsuprisingly) the day after they left. So I have a 6' shiny silver coffin in the front room until they get back, as there is nowhere else for it to go <_<

 

I will probably replace the battery when they get back anyway, but just wanted to make sure that it wasn't something else more problematic that could cause the new battery the same trouble 1st.

[mumof4]

there you go then!!..instant bed..lmao.

 

you sure you aint a vampire?..hehe..

 

ignore me....tipsy.

 

a quiet fan type noise......Hmm....cc?ac?....

[El Dingo]

The noise is almost certainly, as Andrew T says, the coolant run-on pump. Whenever the ignition is turned on then off again this pump will run on for a while, circulating coolant around the engine/heater matrix and (if you have one) the rear cabin auxilliary heater.

This won't normally drain the battery, so this probably isn't the cause of the problem.

 

Can someone unplug the tipsy one, please? <_< Tipsy definitely causes battery drain. Or something drain. Or something?

Edited April 11, 2007 by El Dingo

[mumof4]

Unplug me??..hmmm......nah...i like this bottle,hehe..ill get slapped wrists for going off topic yer know!!

 

 

sure any of the interior lights arent being left on?....which side of the engine is the noise coming from?

[The Ageless Stranger]

There are deffinitley no lights being left on.

 

We did get some screens plumbed in last week, but I know for a fact that they are wired up so they only work when the ignition is on. So it will be unlikely to be that.

 

It seems to be the rear of the engine compartment - round near the battery area, but it's hard to pin down really. I'm going off memory of what I heard last week as she is near Windermere and I'm in Warrington.

 

She rang earlier complaining about having to take 4 kids on a 6 mile walk to the shops to get something for tea <_< I just managed to supress a giggle on the phone

 

(God, I hope she never reads this) :D

[Guest wolfie]

There are deffinitley no lights being left on.

 

It seems to be the rear of the engine compartment - round near the battery area, but it's hard to pin down really. I'm going off memory of what I heard last week as she is near Windermere and I'm in Warrington.

 

not even the very rear ones in the load area? switch in the locks fails and leaves the lights on! as for the noise? sounds about in the right area for the after run on pump! if it is staying on it could be a dodgy temp sensor telling the ECU that the engine/coolant is still hot and needs to be circulated in order to cool it

[The Ageless Stranger]

Nope, When the battery first went flat, I sat in the car and locked it using the central locking fob just to make sure that everything was switched off.

 

Will have to get it looked at properly when she gets back after the weekend.

 

I presume if it is the temp sensor thats gone bad that it should be replaced under warranty as it was first reg'd in October 2004? If not, am I looking at shelling out another lump? <_<

 

Cheers

[Andrew T]

It's been stated on here that if a Calcium (Ca) battery (which yours should have had from new) is ever completely discharged it will never fully recover, and that's consistant with my experience. The problem is that it tests OK, but seems to self discharge over 24-48 hours to the extent that it won't start the engine. If you're trying to claim under warranty you may have a battle with the dealer.