97 A6 draining battery

[hootonm]

Hi,

I've been reading this forum for the last week or two since I bought myself a 1997 1.8 A6. Definitely not the most powerful of the motors but as I live on Jersey where a 40mph speed limit applies I'm not too worried!

Anyway, I bought the car privately for not very much so expected a couple of problems to fix. Number one and the most frustrating is that the car is draining the battery dead within a few hours. I've just been out and pulled all the fuses with an ammeter in place and it's drawing 3.6A:aargh4:

I am now completely stumped as no fuse had any real effect on the current draw.

To compound the problem when I tried the same test yesterday it was only drawing about 20ma, which I thought was absolutely fine! So I'm expecting some issues with finding where the problem is.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what could be drawing this amount of current? Especially anything which isn't fused?

My second problem is an erratic idle (wavers between about 800 - 1100 rpm) but I think this is probably a vacuum leak as the hoses look as old as the car!

Thanks in advance for any help, it'll be very much appreciated.

Mark

[kenney]

Could it be an antenne amplifier,which is connected wrongly?

[hootonm]

I suppose it could be, although I don't think any previous owners would have rewired any of those components. I will have a look to see if there's anything obviously out of place though.

Does anyone know what would normally be wired up permanantly, and unfused, which could have failed?

Thanks

[kenney]

I have seen it a few times,instead of connecting to ignition,power,they connected it to permenant power,Try disconnecting the radio

[hootonm]

Thanks. The radio is already disconnected though so is the aeriel amp on a separate feed?

[kenney]

Normally the feed is connected to the radio i.e when you switch the radio on the amplifier receives power.if there is an aftermarket radio,check the radio compartment to see if there is an extra antenne amplifier fitted.

[hootonm]

Ok, that makes sense. I'll have a look when I get home tonight.

Thanks

[hootonm]

I checked the radio wiring and there didn't seem to be anything amiss, no additional antennae amplifiers etc so spent a bit of time scratching my head before deciding to disconnect the alternator to see what would happen (couldn't think of anything that would be connected up).

Anyway, got the alternator off easily enough and the battery draw is now down to 170ma which I suppose is much more inline with where it should be?

So I'm now trying to either find someone who knows how to overhaul alternators or a new one.

Hopefully this post will help someone else in the future.

[solo284]

2000 A6. Had the same problem. Mine was a faulty starter motor draining the battery. Discovered only when the starter motor totally failed.

[webchem]

I have a similar problem that I need to get to the bottom of (2001 A6)...

When boot is left open with the engine off, the battery drains within about 20 minutes - this was discovered while loading the car to go on holiday. I have turned off the courtesy lights, but it did it again when I incorrectly installed the bike rack...

I guess I will be taking it to my friendly German car specialist in Poole - but has anyone had a similar problem and fixed it? Is there a boot sensor that could be shorting out?

[ardle3]

check where wires enter tailgate for chafing I had same problem and the loom was all crushed together here