The battery goes dead if the car is not used for two or three days.

I have replaced the battery and the fuse box with new units.

An ammeter in series with the positive lead to the battery shows a small
current draw with the ignition key turned off and removed. The draw does
not go away if all of the fuses and relays are removed from the fuse box.

The alternator checks good.

Any suggestions?

On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:41:35 -0400, rikoski (AT) earthlink (DOT) net wrote:

Start looking for what circuit the current is going to. It
may have it's own fuse or it may not be used. Do you have any after
market devices installed, like security systems or audio equipment?

sligoNoSPAMjoe (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:
how was the alternator checked? have you tried disconnecting the
alternator and trying again? have seen a Corrado alt. with a bad diode
"check" good before, depending on who's doing the testing (e.g. some
places will just spin them up and see if they're putting out voltage.)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:41:35 -0400, rikoski (AT) earthlink (DOT) net wrote:

Define, exactly what this 'small' current draw is, in milliamps.

On Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:41:50 -0400, PeterD <peter2 (AT) hipson (DOT) net> wrote:

In article <3ssb55d3jknuqiofkfmbb65h2e8gbdp5j4 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com>,
PeterD <peter2 (AT) hipson (DOT) net> wrote:

With the security system disconnected it is 0.25 Amp. This is an
improvement but the battery will die in less than two weeks; so I can
just park the car and depend on its starting.

Want to buy a Solar battery maintenance panel from VW? <g>

2-3 days is too short a time.
I found a problem like that on an Audi and it was defective wiring to the
vanity mirror lighting.
One on a '97 Passat that was a right front door handle
One on my Jeeps where the wiring was crossed on the alternator and the
alternator was bad.

Maybe a defective headlight switch.

Keep searching and you will find the problem and you don't have to
disconnect the battery every night. ;-)
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

<rikoski (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote

On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:30:50 -0400, rikoski (AT) earthlink (DOT) net wrote:

Way too much. General 40 to 50 MA (that's 0.04 to 0.05) is considered
the limit. Yea, 0.25 will run down the battery. There is a parasitic
draw somewhere.

I'd start by keeping the meter attached, and start pulling fuses. You
will have to work on the dome light to keep it off, for those fuses
that are only accessible with the door open (I'm not sure about your
vehicle). I'm sure you will find something aftermarket added (audio
system, GPS, whatever) that is drawing the current.

<snip>
250mA is a significant draw, and could indeed be expected to render an
average battery flat in several days. If as I understand this is a new
problem and nothing has been worked on or changed recently my pick would be
glove box light, boot light or some other low illumination bulb not
switching off. another possibility is an audio power amp remaining powered
because of sticking contacts in an ignition switch / relay.....

Good luck, VERY frustrating.

Dave

In article <h39ije$4rs$1 (AT) lust (DOT) ihug.co.nz>,
"DC" <chudley_del_ (AT) ihug (DOT) co.nz> wrote:

Found the source of the problem: a current leak through one of the
automatic seatbelt circuits.

Thanks for all of your help.