996 Battery Drain

[andye30m3]

I seam to have a bit of a battery drain problem on my 996 GT3, replaced the battery first off all but it still seams to drain to the point at which the doors won't unlock within a week. It's really starting to get annoying.

I take it this isn't normal

Just wondering if there were any common issues to check for?

[Pugley]

Do you have a tracker? Mine seems to drag the battery down within a couple of weeks.

The factory alarm/immobiliser also slowly drains the battery.

Its worth checking that your bonnet and boot lights go out when closed.

Sounds like you need a battery maintainer such as C-Tec or similar.

[andye30m3]

Thanks for the reply

It has a tracker, I removed the boot light to see if that helped but it hasn't. I wasn't such a problem when the car was at home as I couldn't resist jumping in it every couple of days, but it's been at my parents place for a few months so I only tend to use it at weekends.

Might have to look at a trickle charger, but wanted to check if there was a likely to be a fault first.

[Rockster]

If the car sits the battery gets low and then when the engine is started even though the battery has enough reserve to start the engine unless the car is driven a goodly distance the battery does not get replenished.

Over the course of several of these series of events the battery gets hammered and from this it can't recover.

My advice is to be sure you drive the car enough after starting the engine to see the battery fully charged. I do not know how much driving is necessary but I would hazard a guess an hour's drive at something above idle speed is about right.

My cars get started and driven at least 30+ miles most days (daily work commute) and battery life is superb.

[fubar69]

Apologies if i have misread your post. Are you aware that if you leave your car for a week your car will go into a state of sleep to conserve the battery life and your doors won't unlock on the remote. If its actually a case that your battery is going flat you would benefit from getting an alternator charge test and drain test done. Also get a trickle charger.
Hope this helps

[monthefish]

andye30m3 said:

to the point at which the doors won't unlock within a week.


I take it this isn't normal

The doors not unlocking after a week is perfectly normal, and is working as its designed to do.

Are you sure its not just that?

[andye30m3]

Oh, didn't realize thats what it was supposed to do, how do you get it out of the sleep mode? just unlock it on the key?

Thanks

Andy

[fubar69]

To get it out of sleep mode, Just unlock it with the key in the door. It may set the alarm off, so just put the key in the ignition and switch the ignition on.

[andye30m3]

Thanks for the advise I'll give it a go.

[monthefish]

fubar69 said:

To get it out of sleep mode, Just unlock it with the key in the door. It may set the alarm off, so just put the key in the ignition and switch the ignition on.

Don't do that. It will set the alarm off.

Just lock it first with the key in the door (anti clockwise on the drivers door of a UK car).

Then unlock with the remote as normal.

Simple.

[andye30m3]

That seams to have sorted it,

Thanks again