Galaxy Tdi Mk3 2007 Battery Discharge Problems

[justride]

I own a Ford Galaxy TDI 2007 ( MK3 ) - the problem I have is that the battery is slowly discharging

overnight at about 0.6 amps - this seems to be enough to prevent me from reliably starting the car.

The battery has been replaced with new, an auto electrician has had a look at it twice ( who contacted a

friend in Ford who said that a software upgrade is required ), I've checked that all interior lamps are

off including the luggage compartment, the alternator produces about 13.4 volts with the engine running,

its been to two different Ford dealers - the first said they couldn't find the problem the second said

they could install the latest software upgrade because its not on their computer.

 

I'm getting desperate - I been through one winter and it was hell - I am approaching the point of

installing a Really Car Isolation switch.

 

Most of the information is in the description - but this some extra points - I've had the problem 18+ months.

My journey times appear to make no difference I cover about 36K per year.

I've monitored the current being drained from the battery whilst the engine is stopped and the ignition off:

1)I withdrew each fuse individually, the current drain doesn't change.

2)I noticed that a relay repeatedly clicks about every 60sec - not always thou.

3)No other noise is coming from the engine compartment

 

A seemingly unrelated issue - I have had a problem on the drivers side rear passenger door - the central locking

sometimes doesn't operate.

Edited November 19, 2011 by justride

[Bigjeeze]

I own a Ford Galaxy TDI 2007 ( MK3 ) - the problem I have is that the battery is slowly discharging

overnight at about 0.6 amps - this seems to be enough to prevent me from reliably starting the car.

The battery has been replaced with new, an auto electrician has had a look at it twice ( who contacted a

friend in Ford who said that a software upgrade is required ), I've checked that all interior lamps are

off including the luggage compartment, the alternator produces about 13.4 volts with the engine running,

its been to two different Ford dealers - the first said they couldn't find the problem the second said

they could install the latest software upgrade because its not on their computer.

 

I'm getting desperate - I been through one winter and it was hell - I am approaching the point of

installing a Really Car Isolation switch.

 

Most of the information is in the description - but this some extra points - I've had the problem 18+ months.

My journey times appear to make no difference I cover about 36K per year.

I've monitored the current being drained from the battery whilst the engine is stopped and the ignition off:

1)I withdrew each fuse individually, the current drain doesn't change.

2)I noticed that a relay repeatedly clicks about every 60sec - not always thou.

3)No other noise is coming from the engine compartment

 

 

 

 

Have you identified which relay is clicking and why? it seems likely that it may have something to do with the problem .

[chrispb123456]

I am not familiar with the MK3 fuses but if the MK 1 & 2 is anything to go by there are some fuses hidden behind the main fuse box, also auxiliary fuse box by the battery and some models with extra fuses under front seats.

 

If there's a definate component or circuit causing the problem you should be able to narrow it down by removing fuses in turn which you say you have done.

 

What you have to bare in mind aswell is things like the immobiliser/alarm clocks and radio memory all consume power while everythings turned off.

[justride]

I am going to revisit this problem again this weekend and identify the relay - one of this problems characteristics is that it is inconsistent. I disconnected the battery last night and recharged it, I reconnected the battery this morning ........... no relay clicking. I can drive 2 weeks with no problems then suddenly the problem reappears.

[justride]

I took another look at my galaxy Mk3 TDI 2007, battery discharging problem. I attached an accurate oscilloscope set to measuring current to the main outgoing +'ve supply cables leading from the battery.

 

The first thing is, there are two thick red cables leading from the battery +'ve terminal, all my current ( today 1 Ampere ) is disappearing down the cable leading into the wiring loom ( nearest the fuse relay box )- the is no current going down the cable leading to the the alternator.

 

I turned the ignition on and off, locked all the doors and started..... obviously the bonnet was open.

 

The initial current drain is 2.2 Amps slowly dropping to 1.4 Amps

1) 60 seconds later :Relay R2 clicks in and out and the current drain returns to 2.0 Amps slowly dropping to 1.4 Amps,

2) 60 seconds later :Relay R2 clicks in and out and the current drain returns to 2.0 Amps slowly dropping to 1.4 Amps,

This repeats 7 more times.

 

Current drain drops to 1.0 Amps

 

I monitored the current whilst I removed all the fuses and relays from the car:

With all the fuses and relays removed from the Fuse Box in the engine compartment.

Current drain is steady at 1.0 Amps

 

I moved to the fuse box in the Front Passenger side foot well:

 

Unlocked the Central locking and openned the door - interior lights came on - I switched off the lights but the foot well lights stayed on,

Current drain is 1.4 Amps

 

Withdrew all the fuses from the footwell fusebox - during which the footwell lights went out.

Current drain is now 0.8 Amps

 

By the fuse box in the footwell there is a white plastic box - I thinks it is an "intelligent" controller ( Part No 6G9T-14A073-DH ) - I disconnected

the main supply cable to it.

 

Current drain is now 0.6 Amps

 

In the rear of the Galaxy on the near side there is a fuse/relay box - I withdrew all the fuses and relays

Current drain is now 0.2 Amps

 

Replaced all fuses and relays in the rear compartment

Current drain now 0.38 Amps

 

Replaced the fuses in the Front Passenger footwell

Current drain is now 0.6 Amps ( I didn't replace the fuse for the interior lights )

 

Replaced fuse 27 in the Front Passenger footwell

Current drain is now 0.7 Amps

 

Replaced fuse F8 in the Front Passenger footwell

Current drain is now 0.95 Amps

 

Moved onto the fuse box in the engine compartment.....

 

Replaced fuses F39/44/43/45

Current drain now 1.5 Amps

 

Removed fuses F39/44/43/45

Current drain remained at 1.5 Amps !! ( I feel like Dave pulling HALs memory cards out )

 

Replaced fuses F39/44/43/45

Current drain now 1.5 Amps

 

Finally whilst replaced all the remaining fuses in the engine compartment fuse box the current suddenly dropped to 0.74 Amps.

 

So the Galaxy is sitting there discharging at 0.75 Amps

 

Whilst checking all my lights were working I noticed that one of my rear side lights is very dull. On the other side one was out completely, when I opened and closed the rear tail gate the light came on - I have been losing rear lamps / brake lights at an unusual rate.

 

So after all that I can say that with all the electrical protection removed the system is still connected to an electrical load ( be it a short circuit ) - not a good idea, and I'm thinking that the rear wiring loom to the tail gate is suspect.

 

Any comments would be welcome.

Edited November 19, 2011 by justride

[justride]

After yesterdays exercise I went through my notes again.

 

The car is draining current from my battery

1) After turning off the ignition the current drain associated with Relay R2 clicking away only lasts for 9 minutes so it does not make a massive contribution to flattening the battery.

2) A constant 0.2 Amps from a circuit protected by a fuse/s in the Footwell fuse box

3) A constant 0.18 to 0.4 Amps from a circuit associated with the fuse/s in the Nearside Rear fuse box

 

There seems to be a separate standing current drain of 0.2 to 0.3 Amps that is associated with the onboard intelligent systems.

 

I am definitely losing current of about 0.6 Amps but its doesn't seem high enough to flatten a battery. I can fully charge my battery, a couple of short journeys and two days later it can be flat.

[justride]

I have a 64Ahour battery fitted - so a couple of short journeys over a couple of days of little use + a constand drain of 0.7 Amps equals a car that won't start

 

Just located 0.25 Amps leaking out via Fuse FA2 in the rear fuse box - feeds the drivers mirror / electric window

[scooper1]

if you have the converse+ display fitted to car then there is a known software bug that stops the panel shutting down correctly resulting in power drain

The only way to fix this is a software update

 

note for measuring drain current it has to be done 20 minutes after last access to car systems

hope that helps a little bit

[justride]

Eliminating the 0.25 amp drain through the wing mirror ( damaged by a passing car ) has transformed the starting performance - even with a series of cool mornings the car has started every time !

[justride]

if you have the converse+ display fitted to car then there is a known software bug that stops the panel shutting down correctly resulting in power drain

The only way to fix this is a software update

 

note for measuring drain current it has to be done 20 minutes after last access to car systems

hope that helps a little bit

 

A conventional display is fitted to my car - I have considered that this may be a problem but it seems to shutdown correctly after a couple of minutes.

[chrispb123456]

Hello Justride

 

You said in an earlier thread you had a 64AH battery fitted, for a diesel galaxy that does seem rather small and on looking at various online battery suppliers you should be looking at a minimum of 80 amp hour and CCA of 740 or higher.

Just a thought you may have had the wrong battery fitted!

[justride]

Hello Justride

 

You said in an earlier thread you had a 64AH battery fitted, for a diesel galaxy that does seem rather small and on looking at various online battery suppliers you should be looking at a minimum of 80 amp hour and CCA of 740 or higher.

Just a thought you may have had the wrong battery fitted!

 

Thank you for your response - although starting improved I still had the occasional problem - so I exchanged the 64Ah Halford Battery for an 7aAH Bosh HSB010 High Performance Battery - and never had a problem since.

[GaryM]

Cos I'm sad and because changing the bulbs was a bit of a chore I have just recently changed all the rear side light bulbs to LED. I had already done the front sides for the same reason. After this though I found the front side LEDs would not go off fully. When I changed the rear outermost lights back to the norm the fronts stayed off. Seems like there is always a leakage current through that circuit but you would think it would go off after a while.

 

Had something simalar on a mini where they would flicker for a bit after the car was locked.