Passat B6 battery life?

[jmurray01]

There should be no additional cables on the battery so disconnect them and see what happens. If the Parrot is powered from these I would be surprised, it is easier to get the power under the dash.

Right I'll disconnect that and see what happens, or indeed what doesn't happen! There are no other accessories on the car so I'll be damned if I know what it's for if it isn't the Parrot...

[jmurray01]

20200601_140608.jpg

Well I've taken those two fuses out, but the Parrot still works! So I'm at a loss as to what that's for. Going to take it for a quick drive to make sure everything else still functions...

[Crasher]

Has it got an aftermarket tow bar? That additional wiring is NOT OE! As I would have expected, the Parrot is wired up under the dash, taking it direct to the battery would have been daft.

[jmurray01]

Has it got an aftermarket tow bar? That additional wiring is NOT OE! As I would have expected, the Parrot is wired up under the dash, taking it direct to the battery would have been daft.

Indeed it does, and I realised that shortly after posting on here!! It has dual electrics hence 2 fuses so that's what that is for, but there have been stories of incorrectly wired tow bar electrics draining a battery so I'll leave the fuses out and see if it makes a difference. I tow so rarely that it isn't a problem and I can put them back in when I do need the electrics.

[UMEL]

Ref the AM tow electrics. Does your vehicle have a light on your dash to indicate a trailer/van plug is connected to the socket(s). Many moons back I had a Vitara with AM tow gear fitted by the dealer. The dash light decided to stay on even without a plug in the tow socket. I looked everywhere to find the fault but ended up taking the vehicle back to the dealer. They eventually traced the fault (and it took them a while) inside the tow socket was a plunger switch and it had jammed in (live). Even if you don't have an internal light the sockets may still have a switch which could be jammed and sending power somewhere.

[jmurray01]

Ref the AM tow electrics. Does your vehicle have a light on your dash to indicate a trailer/van plug is connected to the socket(s). Many moons back I had a Vitara with AM tow gear fitted by the dealer. The dash light decided to stay on even without a plug in the tow socket. I looked everywhere to find the fault but ended up taking the vehicle back to the dealer. They eventually traced the fault (and it took them a while) inside the tow socket was a plunger switch and it had jammed in (live). Even if you don't have an internal light the sockets may still have a switch which could be jammed and sending power somewhere.

No it doesn't so it wouldn't make sense how it can draw power without anything physically being plugged in, as I don't know much about electrics but as far as I know it has to "go" somewhere not just into thin air... Although I did have connection issues last time I towed (I think corrosion on the socket/trailer plug) so could corrosion cause a parasitic drain?

I'm purely stabbing in the dark here and that probably isn't my issue, but best rule it out first then go after the Parrot fuse, as if I unplug both now then I'll never know which was the culprit.

[UMEL]

No it doesn't so it wouldn't make sense how it can draw power without anything physically being plugged in, as I don't know much about electrics but as far as I know it has to "go" somewhere not just into thin air... Although I did have connection issues last time I towed (I think corrosion on the socket/trailer plug) so could corrosion cause a parasitic drain?

I'm purely stabbing in the dark here and that probably isn't my issue, but best rule it out first then go after the Parrot fuse, as if I unplug both now then I'll never know which was the culprit.

Yes true but one never knows with electricity. All I know is you can't see it and it f'in well hurts when you touch it...the higher volts that is.

Towing sockets are not in the best of positions so water and dirt does get in regardless of the cap. I too have to regularly spray both socket and plug with electrical contact spray before connection. Sometimes also using wet and dry.

[UMEL]

Further to my post above, CTEK charger.

They do eventually (after 5 or 6 days) get to Position 8.

CTEK CS told me 10 days.