Brand new battery dead after 2 days

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
I put an 80Ah Gel Cell battery in my 2002 Jetta and it started and ran great. Drove it around a bunch and then I parked it and it hasn't moved for a couple days. When I went to get something out of it last night it was totally dead.... as in no odometer... no electric locks... no trunk opening.... nothing. So I jumped it with the Passat and drove it for about 30min last night and I came out this morning and it was totally dead again. In order for an 80Ah battery to go dead in 2 days it must have been drawing almost 2A continuous for 2 days. Once I jumped it everything was working and there weren't any lights on or anything.

Anyone have any ideas what to check?
 

BKmetz

Administrator, Member #10
Staff member
Joined
Sep 25, 1997
Location
Illinois
TDI
2015 Passat, titanium beige, 6MT
Borrow a good battery, install it, and see if it drains down in 2 days. If if does then you have to start looking for what is causing the drain. If not then you know the gell-cell battery is bad.
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
Borrow a good battery, install it, and see if it drains down in 2 days. If if does then you have to start looking for what is causing the drain. If not then you know the gell-cell battery is bad.
The gel-cell is brand new... do they typically have problems with selling a lot of bad ones?
 

LiLredTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Location
maryland
TDI
2004 jetta tdi pd-1989 Jetta IDI-1994 F-250 IDI Turbo
Check the main fuses atop the battery. The metal strip fuses to be specific. Check them all by removing nuts holding them, remove, ohm and insure the contacts are clean. Same thing happened to me and it was a loose fuse.
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
Check the main fuses atop the battery. The metal strip fuses to be specific. Check them all by removing nuts holding them, remove, ohm and insure the contacts are clean. Same thing happened to me and it was a loose fuse.
I will try that tonight.... I might also take the battery to autozone and get another one and see if that fixes it.... the battery is literally <5days old
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
"ohm" :confused:

I think he means check the resistance. Ohm is a noun not a verb.
yes... I am an Computer Engineer so I am VERY aware of the difference... but I am pretty sure I know what he meant :D thanks for making it clear though :D
 
Last edited:

puter

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Location
Tacoma, Washington
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Also track down any current leaks using an ammeter.

First test across the neg terminal on the battery, if you see a higher than expected draw there then test across each fuse to identify where it is coming from.

btw, CE here as well, nice to know I'm not the only one on here :)
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
Also track down any current leaks using an ammeter.

First test across the neg terminal on the battery, if you see a higher than expected draw there then test across each fuse to identify where it is coming from.

btw, CE here as well, nice to know I'm not the only one on here :)
I was hoping that someone had seen this.... I will check the current and other factors tonight.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
I'd immediately suspect a defective storage battery (or it's not hooked up right).
It happens. AZ can check it for you, right in the car.
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
I'd immediately suspect a defective storage battery (or it's not hooked up right).
It happens. AZ can check it for you, right in the car.
Right now it takes longer to jump the car than to just pull the battery and take it over there.
 

BKmetz

Administrator, Member #10
Staff member
Joined
Sep 25, 1997
Location
Illinois
TDI
2015 Passat, titanium beige, 6MT
No more than any other type or brand of battery. I believe the Autozone AGM is a rebranded Optima.

I've had 2 Optimas, both lasted about 4.5 years. They crank really hard, recharge very fast, but die fast when you use them up.

The gel-cell is brand new... do they typically have problems with selling a lot of bad ones?
 

White Crow

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Location
Maine
TDI
2002 gls tdi
Check your alternator lead at the battery terminal block disconnect it and see if you get a spark when you touch the post not running it should draw no power.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
The Optimas also prefer to be charged slowly (trickle charger) until fully charged. Charging them at higher voltages kills them. I get about 7 or so years from the 6 volt ones for my antiques. Have to trickle them when needed and keep the generator set lower when using them. If I were to use one in my modern car I would trickle it till fully charged before using and make sure the alternator isn't over charging. Read the pdf's on charging these things. Bottom of page.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/redtop/specs.php
 
Last edited:

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
Well I took the battery in last night and they said they had to test it.... So they put it on the charger and I will go pick up either my fully charged battery or a new one after work.... I will put my current meter on it when I get a chance... right now there is a big storm in Wichita so it probably won't be today.
 

MrSafety

Newbie at Heart
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Location
California... Novato... 25 Mi. N. of S.F.
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI/ALH/01M-'80 240D Mercedes/'81 Rabbit "Caddy"/'99 Lexus ES300
... My advice is mostly the same as "puter's"...

Also track down any current leaks using an ammeter.

First test across the neg terminal on the battery, if you see a higher than expected draw there then test across each fuse to identify where it is coming from.

btw, CE here as well, nice to know I'm not the only one on here :)
And IF you don't have a "Ammeter" you could use a cheap test light one that does not burn too brightly when connected straight across a fresh battery.

Hooked between a disconnected negative cable and the battery post...
this is a good way to see IF you have a significant drain.

IF you have a drain, the bulb lights up and then you can watch it as you remove fuses to help pin point what circuit is the source of the drain.

You must temper this some with experience for on these highly electronic cars, there are always circuits that draw some current...
but these will cause the bulb to only dimly light up!

But "puter" is right on... invest in an Ammeter and learn to quantify what is a normal drain for the entire car...
and quantify what is normal drain for those few circuits that normally cause such drain.

IF the total car darin is more amps than normal, then you do try to osolate the circuite by pulling fuses one at at time...
but DO NOT PUT ANY FUSE BACK UNTIL YOU HAVE FINALLY reduced the drain to ZERO...
and this will tell you the last circuit you pulled the fuse on is a (& maybe the only) source of the drain... for certain...
or in analyzing this circuit you might find that the drain you found is so small that it's entirely normal.

Be systematic and you'll find it... for there might be more than one source of your drain... and/or
you might have two circuits that interact with one another when a part has failed!
With your electronics background, you can eventually find the source...
and in the process be sure to keep good notes as to the drains you do find...
and how much is normal for each!

Best regards,
Sam Ross
 

tditom

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Location
Jackson, MI
TDI
formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
OP- was the car exhibiting any problems before you replaced the battery? Seems awfully coincidental that you'd have problems right after you replaced it. I'd suspect a bad battery.

Lil'red- A loose fuse caused a battery to drain? How?

(Optima doesn't make an 80Ah battery, AFAIK.)
 

yamaguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2012 Passat SE 6man TDI, 2014 F-350 PSD, 2003 F-350 7.3 PSD, John Deere 2032R, Cub Cadet 882
I bet it is the battery. I have heard some bad stories about electronic parts from Autozone.
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
Well I got the new battery back... Autozone said they couldn't charge the one I brought in... so I took it home and disconnected all the wires from that fuse block on top of the battery.... I put my ammeter on them one at at a time... the one on the far passenger side (alternator) was drawing 30-40A continuous. So I left it off and the one next to it draws 5-10A for about 30sec and then it goes back to 1.1A and I imagine even lower then that once all the lights shut down and everything. When I start the engine it runs and charges fine but the alternator goes back to a load once it shuts off.... I am planning on replacing it anyway as part of my accessory bracket swap.

BTW anyone have any good guides on the accessory bracket swap?? mostly how to leave the timing belt alone when I have to pull the Injection pump?
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
BTW anyone have any good guides on the accessory bracket swap?? mostly how to leave the timing belt alone when I have to pull the Injection pump?
You can't leave the timing belt alone when you pull the IP, since it is driven by the timing belt. Having done a few IP swaps, it's much easier if you get the cam & crank to TDC, loosen the TB tensioner and go about the IP swap. That way the engine is mechanically set correctly when you get it back from DFIS (and the pump comes with the hub at the correct position).
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
You can't leave the timing belt alone when you pull the IP, since it is driven by the timing belt. Having done a few IP swaps, it's much easier if you get the cam & crank to TDC, loosen the TB tensioner and go about the IP swap. That way the engine is mechanically set correctly when you get it back from DFIS (and the pump comes with the hub at the correct position).
So at 188Kmi should I get the timing belt kit and tools and do that at the same time as the accessory bracket?
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
I just bought the car and the timing belt looks ok but it is at 188K and I should probably just do the 200k change now.... who knows how it was maintained before I got it.
 

chargersrt10

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Location
Mississauga, Ontario
TDI
00 Mk4 Jetta TDI ALH
This may or may not help but, I have seen on a 2.0 Liter gas with complete battery drain overnight. Turned out there was an internal short in the alternator. I changed er up and she was good to go. It took a full week of diagnosis to figure it out. What a PITA!!!! HA Ha Ha
 

DaGentooBoy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Location
Wichita, Ks
TDI
05 Passat 2.0L TDI 02 Jetta 1.9L TDI
This may or may not help but, I have seen on a 2.0 Liter gas with complete battery drain overnight. Turned out there was an internal short in the alternator. I changed er up and she was good to go. It took a full week of diagnosis to figure it out. What a PITA!!!! HA Ha Ha
that was what I was thinking..... I have to replace the pulley and since I couldn't find just the pulley I bought a new alternator.... once I get the accessory bracket and change that out I should be good to go....
 
Top