Battery died in 30 hours in a '13 SEL

[Ray Khan]

Went to start the car this morning for the wife and it was dead. Measured 3 volts on the battery. Nothing lit up inside the cabin. It took about 15 mins or so to get it to start off our other car. I tried it every 5 minutes or so and the car finally turned over. The starter could barely crank initially but as the charge built up it came alive. I let the car run for 30 mins, shut it off and it restarted without issues. I went to the gym where the car sat for about 2 hours and it started right up again. Came home and washed and detailed the car. It sat for about 3-4 hours and started right up again. What could have happened? No light were left on and no doors open.

 

[Spyke]

Did you set the rain sense closing windows and sunroof feature?

If so, I know a couple of friends who had issue with a dead battery because the sensor was draining the battery.

 

[Vmwalker]

Happened to me a while back. I'd left the fog lights switched on.

 

[Ray Khan]

Did you set the rain sense closing windows and sunroof feature?

If so, I know a couple of friends who had issue with a dead battery because the sensor was draining the battery.

I did set this feature to be on but the car was inside a garage and not exposed to rain. Wouldn't that stop the sensor from doing anything? This has been enabled for at least 6 months with no issues. Weird.

 

[Ray Khan]

Happened to me a while back. I'd left the fog lights switched on.

I guess I could have accidentally hit the switch getting out of the car Saturday night. But wouldn't the fact that the key was removed shut off all lights regardless? I know I left the headlight switch in the auto position.

EDIT: I was thinking about the fog light switch in the other car when I read this initially. Now it makes more sense to me. This was definitely not the case so I'm going to try the other suggestion to disable the windows/sunroof closing automatically with the rain sensor. Thanks

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Did you set the rain sense closing windows and sunroof feature?

If so, I know a couple of friends who had issue with a dead battery because the sensor was draining the battery.

That happened to Jason and I, even when there was no rain. Disabled rain closure and the problem went away immediately.

It's interesting because it didn't do it at first... It took months for the battery drain to develop.

Try disabling rain closure and see if it stops draining the battery.

 

[Ray Khan]

That happened to Jason and I, even when there was no rain. Disabled rain closure and the problem went away immediately.

It's interesting because it didn't do it at first... It took months for the battery drain to develop.

Try disabling rain closure and see if it stops draining the battery.

Did you disable the feature with VCDs or in the DIS menu in the car?

Thanks everyone for the ideas/responses.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Disabled in VCDS.

 

[Herkguy]

Interesting thought that the rain closer is the issue. Doesn't it have to be locked to activate the closer function?
We're your cars locked outside when this was happening?
Is the closure active when it's un locked?

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Interesting thought that the rain closer is the issue. Doesn't it have to be locked to activate the closer function?
We're your cars locked outside when this was happening?
Is the closure active when it's un locked?

I always lock the car when it's parked.

 

[Ray Khan]

I believe our car was unlocked when this happened.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Unlocked the car will not fully power down. It goes into a sleep mode when locked.

 

[Herkguy]

IIRC, when I activated this feature in VCDS, the test only worked after I locked it and waited about 10 seconds. When it was un locked in the garage it did not work. This led me to believe that the sensor was only powered when locked.

Mine is only locked at work, at home it's unlocked in the garage so that's why I ask. It has sat in my garage for two or three days with no issue. I have left it at the airport for upto 4 days also, in which it was locked.

 

[kydsid]

That happened to Jason and I, even when there was no rain. Disabled rain closure and the problem went away immediately.

It's interesting because it didn't do it at first... It took months for the battery drain to develop.

Try disabling rain closure and see if it stops draining the battery.

Well seeing as I don't really need that feature I guess I'll go turn it off. Rather have a battery than a stranded wife. oh well.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I think the rain sensor can get stuck and prevent the car from going to sleep even when it isn't locked. I think this is also related to the system getting stuck and the rain sensing wipers not working sometimes.

 

[kydsid]

Could it be related to the wiper switch position. As in the rain sensing wipers have to have the switch in the first intermittent on position to work. And only gets stuck as you say when in that position .

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I've had the rain sensing wipers get "stuck" when I parked the car with the wipers off as well as with the wipers in the intermittent position. So it doesn't seem to be related to switch position when parked... very random.

 

[Lightflyer1]

It must remain on when off and locked as I have had it close my windows when it rained. Oh and to the OP, charge that battery with a real charger. It isn't good to use the car or boosting to do this. Very hard on the charging system. Remove the battery and fully charge it with a charger.

 

[VernK]

You'd think the auto closer would stay active only if a window or the sunroof were open or ajar. Perhaps that's a clue. A rear window cracked just enough to be sensed not closed but not open enough to be clear of the weatherstrip so it still looks closed.

OTOH, maybe it's a known bug and explains why the 12 & some 13 cars were equipped with the rain sensor but it was never enabled.

Yours
Vern

 

[compu_85]

I ran into problems with the rain closure making the rain sensor totally inoperable. It's like the code handling it would lock up. I'd have to manually wipe the glass, turn the car off, lock it, wait for a rain closure cycle to complete (turn signals blink once), then restart the car.

-J

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Yeah, I think it was buggy from the get-go, which is why it wasn't enabled from the factory and why they ultimately deleted it half way through the 2013 model year.

 

[VtdiW]

keys

I believe our car was unlocked when this happened.

Were the keys in close proximity of the car with the doors unlocked . I had a similiar experience on the weekend I was doing the 40 k service.
I had put the car in the garage on a Friday evening. & left the keys close by on a work bench. When I went out on Sunday morning , the battery was dead.

 

[Herkguy]

Vtdiw, do you think it's a kessy issue? I have an SE so no kessy.

Well since I have a SCII guage now, I will try to check my volts before starting, especially after it's been sitting a day or two.

 

[Ray Khan]

Were the keys in close proximity of the car with the doors unlocked . I had a similiar experience on the weekend I was doing the 40 k service.
I had put the car in the garage on a Friday evening. & left the keys close by on a work bench. When I went out on Sunday morning , the battery was dead.

Keys are typically on the counter one floor directly above the car. So I'd estimate 20-25 feet away. If my wife drives home the car is locked. If I drive it the car is unlocked. I've definitely left a key close to the car in the garage before without issue.

Lightflyer I agree on charging. Unfortunately this was in the morning as my wife was running late for work. I didn't realize I had a charger until after the car started.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Did you remove it and charge when she got home? It wouldn't be fully charged by the engine yet and should have been finished on the charger that evening to save the car and alt some wear. It takes a good while for the car to recharge a dead battery, even though it may work after only a few minutes going down the road. The charger takes 12 hours sometimes.

 

[VtdiW]

Vtdiw, do you think it's a kessy issue? I have an SE so no kessy.

Well since I have a SCII guage now, I will try to check my volts before starting, especially after it's been sitting a day or two.

As lightflyer said, the car doesn't go into a sleep mode. On another thread it was mention tbat keys in close proximity ( kessey ) prevents the car from going into sleep mode.

Dan

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I think, but can't confirm, that "close proximity" is within 5 feet, or however close it needs to be for the doors to unlock when you touch the handle.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Yep mine won't function if I hold the remote in one hand outstretched and reach out with the other for the handle. When I tested it it seemed to be 3 or 4 feet.