Battery Drain - Solved

[jboult]

All,

Just a quick note about a recent problem in case it helps anyone in future. Over the last few weeks I'd been having a problem with the battery draining if the car had been left standing for a couple of days. The battery was pretty new and seemed to be in good condition. The problem turned out to be a faulty relay for the windows, which was staying live even when the ignition was off and drawing just over 0.2A. Replaced this and everything Ok.

However, there was a salutary lesson in there... A couple of months ago I'd noticed that my windows had started working after the ignition was off, whereas before I'd been used to getting out of the car, seeing they were open, turning the ignition back on and winding them up. I somehow convinced myself that they were now actually working properly, like 'a modern car' - i.e. allowing a grace period before powering down. Wrong! Years of car ownership should have taught me by now that things generally don't fail for the better...

Cheers/John

 

[les richards]

But I thought that, with the driver's door open, both windows operated normally even with the ignition off.
Certainly did on my 944, IB and now 993.

Understood it was a 'feature'.

 

[jboult]

Interesting - they certainly don't with both doors shut, or with only my passenger door open. Although in the latter case it could be the flaky contact switch that I must get around to replacing! I wonder if it's meant to be different for the Targa roof (the front flap of which is the thing I usually leave open)? If the driver's door activates all of those then that would be a good feature for me! I'll experiment later.

Cheers/John

 

[sailor]

ORIGINAL: les richards

But I thought that, with the driver's door open, both windows operated normally even with the ignition off.
Certainly did on my 944, IB and now 993.

Understood it was a 'feature'.

Exactly the way mine do. The door has to be open enough to activate interior lights - nothing happens if the door is only open a tad.
Clever stuff, eh?


JohnC
993turbo

 

[John Maddox]

And mine.

 

[clyde]

ORIGINAL: jboult

Interesting - they certainly don't with both doors shut, or with only my passenger door open. Although in the latter case it could be the flaky contact switch that I must get around to replacing! I wonder if it's meant to be different for the Targa roof (the front flap of which is the thing I usually leave open)? If the driver's door activates all of those then that would be a good feature for me! I'll experiment later.

Cheers/John

It's only the driver's door being open that allows the windows to work John. Wouldn't have thought your roof as well but you never know

 

[chris morley]

So, just to be clear, with ignition off windows should not operate?
I've had a similar battery draining problem with my Targa for some time - but had failed to solve the mystery
Just checked my car and ....the windows do operate without a key in the ignition
If this proves to solve my problem too I definitely owe you a beer!
Is a window relay a difficult replacement job?

Chris

 

[LK_991GTS]

ORIGINAL: jboult

All,

Just a quick note about a recent problem in case it helps anyone in future. Over the last few weeks I'd been having a problem with the battery draining if the car had been left standing for a couple of days. The battery was pretty new and seemed to be in good condition. The problem turned out to be a faulty relay for the windows, which was staying live even when the ignition was off and drawing just over 0.2A. Replaced this and everything Ok.

However, there was a salutary lesson in there... A couple of months ago I'd noticed that my windows had started working after the ignition was off, whereas before I'd been used to getting out of the car, seeing they were open, turning the ignition back on and winding them up. I somehow convinced myself that they were now actually working properly, like 'a modern car' - i.e. allowing a grace period before powering down. Wrong! Years of car ownership should have taught me by now that things generally don't fail for the better...

Cheers/John

I thought mine had a 'grace period' as you described and it has been like that for years, however, after a recent service the windows now will not work at all as soon as the ignition is switched off. I wonder if my relay is playing up. Could you please tell me which is the relay in question, I may replace mine just in case.

 

[Mark Elder]

Most of the relay (but not quite all) are inside the fuse box and the inside lid of the fuse box has a diagram/index on it saying what all the fuses/relays do - so you should be able to work it out from that.

With my car, with ignition off the windows operate from the driver's side if the drivers door is open so that the interior light comes on. This does not seem to be timer related.

 

[LK_991GTS]

ORIGINAL: Mark Elder

Most of the relay (but not quite all) are inside the fuse box and the inside lid of the fuse box has a diagram/index on it saying what all the fuses/relays do - so you should be able to work it out from that.

With my car, with ignition off the windows operate from the driver's side if the drivers door is open so that the interior light comes on. This does not seem to be timer related.

Thanks, I'll have a look (and will check if the windows work as you describe with the driver's door open).

 

[jboult]

Chris,

As per Mark's reply, it should be very easy to find out which relay it is from the fuse box lid (under the bonnet). I think it's labelled as Power Window Regulator, or similar. They're quite expensive from Porsche (~£60), so I'd first try checking the drain across the battery with the regulator in/out (or you might even be able to do it via the fuses). Mine was showing 0.2 originally, down to a fraction of that afterward.

And no, it's not difficult to replace at all. Good luck!

Cheers/John

 

[OLD_smilton1]

I have a similar problem to yours on my 993 Targa - can you confirm that windows should not open with ignition off in any circumstance, I don't want to spend £60 on a new relay if it's not necessary.

 

[szklarek]

In my '96 993 C4 the windows will operate from the driver's side (with the igition off and key out, if the drivers door is open enough so that interior light's on). I believe that this feature may timeout but don't know for sure.

Anton

 

[pse_SC]

The way it’s meant to work is: with the driver’s door open enough for the courtesy light to activate, you should be able to operate windows (from the driver’s door side only) and roof, without having ignition on or key in[].

Have fun playing[]

 

[JB 3.2]

ORIGINAL: pse_SC

The way it's meant to work is: with the driver's door open enough for the courtesy light to activate, you should be able to operate windows (from the driver's door side only) and roof, without having ignition on or key in[].

Have fun playing[]

I never knew that, must give it a try

 

[sue11sam]

Must try it on my cab, wonder if it only works with the passenger door open (left hooker) he he []

 

[gm997_1]

Works fine on mine (RHD, driver's door) and I noticed that feature on a 968 i used to have as well as other VAG models. Must be a German thing. Does anyone know what the purpose of it is ?

I've wondered for years and the best I've come up with is that it's a safety feature which allows you or someone else to go back to the car without the key if you want to raise the window or close the roof ... so long as the car's not locked ! [8D]

 

[jboult]

I usually notice the windows are open as I'm getting out (and more frequently as I get older...), so I find it useful not to have to fiddle around putting the key back in. I guess that's reason enough!

Cheers/John

 

[chris morley]

Just for the record, my battery drain turned out to be a dodgy PA1000 control board for the central locking/immobilser
Water ingress from a blocked drain tube led to wet carpets in the offside rear footwell. The board - being located under the drivers seat- just sat in a moist atmosphere for some time which corroded all the soldered connections on the underside
Replacing the board cost £200 and has since proved to be a revelation in battery condition/reliability. Meanwhile Tognola Engineering sorted the roof problem and the jobs a good 'un basically!