Having a nightmare with battery drain!

**jonbaker** · 24-01-2008,10:51 PM

It's just one thing after another lately! Today was the 3rd time i've called out the rac to get my battery going. To cut a long story short, they said the battery is good. One rac bloke told me the radio was draining the battery when off. I simply took the fuse out and all was well. I got brave and put it back in ages ago and all seemed well. Today it's dead again so i told this rac man about the radio. With the radio fuse in it's draining at 2.5 amps, took radio fuse out and it went down to 1.3 so something else is also draining it as i'm told it should be around 0.3. I did take the courtesy light unit out of the boot last night as the bulb had gone. Not knowing much about electrics or mechanics i asked if that could have anything to do with it and he said no. I also asked if the doors had to be locked for the ecu to actualy rest and he said no, i'm sure i've read it stays live until it's locked????

So i've more than likely got a dodgy head unit and now something else is draining the battery. I cant afford to take it to the ********, any suggestions would be a great help. I recently replaced the fuse for the cigarette lighter which had been blown for about a year.

I'm at my witts end with this car, i simply cant afford to keep fixing things, i'm so near to letting it go now and i really dont want to.

**Crasher** · 24-01-2008,11:09 PM

Is it fuse 37 you are taking out and what radio is it? The drain should be less than 0.1 amps.

**jonbaker** · 24-01-2008,11:31 PM

hi crasher, sorry mate, more problems! bose symphony system. fuse 39 (radio).

**Crasher** · 25-01-2008,11:58 AM

Can you double check it is fuse 39 and PM me your reg number.

**Crasher** · 25-01-2008,02:07 PM

I was looking at type 8D 2001, not type 8E 2001, dohh! Disconnect the amplifier.

**jonbaker** · 25-01-2008,03:02 PM

lol, cheers. I take it fuse 37 (power module) is the amp then. so both fuses need to be out to fully disengage the sound system?

I'll try that then get my mates metre on it to see if makes a difference.

If it does turn out to be the amp draining the extra power, what do you think my chances are of getting it fixed? I know it's not possible to diagnose over the forum but is it POSSIBLE it's something simple or am i more than likely looking at a whole new system? i.e head unit and amp

**Crasher** · 25-01-2008,04:57 PM

No, fuse 37 is for an 8D, yours (an 8E) is fuse 39 for amp and head unit.

**jonbaker** · 25-01-2008,05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Crasher

No, fuse 37 is for an 8D, yours (an 8E) is fuse 39 for amp and head unit.

oh right, so how do i disconnect the amp then like you said? surely if fuse 39 is out then it is disconnected?

**Crasher** · 25-01-2008,06:59 PM

The amp is in the boot. The idea is to decide whether the amp is taking the draw or the head unit.

**jonbaker** · 25-01-2008,07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Crasher

The amp is in the boot. The idea is to decide whether the amp is taking the draw or the head unit.

Ok, that takes care of the sound system draw but i still have a further 1.5 amps draining from somewhere else. I got an electrics guy coming round next thursday so see what happens.