Disconnecting the battery

[CupraUK]

I plan to disconnect the battery at the end of each Sunday to stop me having to jump start it again each weekend (I don't use the car through the week). I'm not likely to harm anything by this am I? Is the ECU OK not having any power to it at all for periods of time?

 

[cordobabrendy]

itll be fine though your battery shouldnt be dieing after a weeks inactivity, i left mine in the airport carpark for just over two weeks, and she started first time, no hesitation.

 

[CupraUK]

your battery shouldnt be dieing after a weeks inactivity,

Tell me about it. I've given up arguing at the local motor shop, its under guarantee. The keep testing it and its only when its connected to the car does it get drained so they say its my fault.

 

[cordobabrendy]

do you have an aftermarket headunit or alarm or something that could be killing it?

 

[CupraUK]

Nope, totally standard. I've tried turning off the internal sensors without effect.

Does anyone know if the alarm has a specific fuse? I'd like to try isolating that to see if it could be anything else.

 

[Phil K]

You need to get a voltmeter on your battery so you can see the drain and then start pulling fuses systematically (sp?) to find and issolate your problem... had to do this with my Corrado just recently and although it's slow and a royal PITA I did find the faul - which coincidently was the alarm

 

[Big_daddy]

you could get these solar panel chargers that slowy charge your battery, ideal if the car is parked for abit,

 

[RobM]

Try pulling bulbs out in the boot and glove box too, just in case one of those isn't turning off when it should.

 

[CupraUK]

Right, the week is up and the battery has been disconnected all week in the freezing cold and snow.

Connected up and it started fine, so I guess the motor shop are right, there is nothing wrong with the battery, my car must be draining it.

Drove 1/2 mile down the road and a coil pack failed! Bloody marvelous. (I thought that their problem was heat not cold!)

 

[ElasticTangent]

The coil packs just fail randomly I think. 2 of mine went at start up but they can just go whenever. I used to carry a spare in the glove box.

 

[CupraUK]

I had a spare so it wasn't a big deal, although I did manage to break the plastic tab on the connector as it was dark and I could not see what I was doing.