Cayenne battery draining

Cayenne battery draining

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Fourcarrz

Original Poster:

23 posts

92 months

Monday 3rd April 2017
quotequote all
I have a 2004 V8 Cayenne that drains the battery when left with the ignition switched off.

In the 'off' condition an audible beat can be heard at the centre of the IP/Bulkhead like a pump every 15 to 45 seconds.
Has anyone an idea what this might be so that I can isolated it?

davek_964

9,299 posts

182 months

Monday 3rd April 2017
quotequote all
"Like a pump" - do you have air suspension? Maybe it's the compressor running - although if it is running that frequently with ignition off, it could be a consequence of leaking suspension, which can be expensive.

Fourcarrz

Original Poster:

23 posts

92 months

Tuesday 4th April 2017
quotequote all
Many thanks for your comments and I think you may be right as when I reconnect the battery after charging the fault message 'Air Suspension Fault Workshop' appears and then disappears. Perhaps when connected the pump tops up the suspension pressure and its OK again.
Should the air suspension pump still operate even when the ignition is off?

I have recently acquired the vehicle and am sending it back to the dealer to sort out. In such an old car an air suspension problem may be too expensive to repair. Its a pity as the car has genuinely only covered 21K miles with one owner from new.

davek_964

9,299 posts

182 months

Tuesday 4th April 2017
quotequote all
Fourcarrz said:
Many thanks for your comments and I think you may be right as when I reconnect the battery after charging the fault message 'Air Suspension Fault Workshop' appears and then disappears. Perhaps when connected the pump tops up the suspension pressure and its OK again.
Should the air suspension pump still operate even when the ignition is off?

I have recently acquired the vehicle and am sending it back to the dealer to sort out. In such an old car an air suspension problem may be too expensive to repair. Its a pity as the car has genuinely only covered 21K miles with one owner from new.
The compressor will activate when the car is off if it needs to - that's why you need to lock the suspension if you jack the car up. But if you park it and leave it, then no - it shouldn't really be running.

I have had two problems with my suspension. The first was a leaking shock - which was expensive to replace. The second was a level sensor - which I think did show up as a suspension fault on the dash, but didn't cause the compressor to keep running.

Cayenneand996

750 posts

270 months

Monday 10th April 2017
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which battery is discharging please? You have two, one in the boot and one under the passengers seat

davek_964

9,299 posts

182 months

Monday 10th April 2017
quotequote all
Cayenneand996 said:
which battery is discharging please? You have two, one in the boot and one under the passengers seat
That's not necessarily true. The aux battery in the boot was an option - mine doesn't have one.

Fourcarrz

Original Poster:

23 posts

92 months

Wednesday 12th April 2017
quotequote all
The garage have located the problem and thankfully it isn't the air suspension it is the alarm stuck open and sucking power.
New alarm is being fitted.

Fourcarrz

Original Poster:

23 posts

92 months

Monday 8th May 2017
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A replacement alarm horn has been fitted but the original battery drain continues and the new horn does not trigger.
The engine bay bulk head pulse beating continues and is loudest when battery is fully charged and deminishes with time.
After 4 days the battery hasn't the power to start the engine.

Next idea is to replace the alarm module,
If that doesn't can the Thatcham alarm be deactivated by disconnecting the module or a fuse?
Will the vehicle function without it?

Fourcarrz

Original Poster:

23 posts

92 months

Friday 4th August 2017
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Turns out that the alarm was not the problem or the keyless entry system but tracking device!

An after market fitted tracker device was located buried in the bulkhead. This is the device that was making the heartbeat sound every 45 seconds.
Tracking devices are non transferable so when the original owner traded the car in he forgot about the tracker and probably cancelled the contract.
The vehicle doesn't know that and as the device was over 10 years old the integral battery pack was dead and it was sucking power from the main battery.
I assume the car was desperately pinging out trying to locate a satellite and get a friendly response but received no answer.
This constant searching for home was draining the battery in 5 days if left stationary.

Is this a common occurrence with tracking devices or is it only the older ones that do this?

Anyway many thanks to Shaun at Jordells garage in Wheatley near Oxford for persevering and resolving the problem.
I cant recommend them enough..


SV_WDC

814 posts

96 months

Friday 4th August 2017
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Locating signal is a battery drain on most modern electronics, exasperated by a weak or non-existent signal - it has to try harder to establish a connection.

Anyway, glad it's sorted