# Battery drain, electrical problems

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain-electrical-problems/61150>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** jetta, batteries, volkswagen, electrical-wiring\
**Created:** [February 10, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain-electrical-problems/61150 "2011-02-10T18:54:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jmd\_0330](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jmd\_0330](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmd_0330)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain-electrical-problems/61150/1 "2011-02-10T18:54:57Z")

</div>

Imagine this. Another problem with a 2001 Jetta (4-cylinder GLS) and a parasitic battery drain. Details below, and any insight you can provide would be helpful.  
  
  
  
 Condition and Tests  
  
  
  
 \* car killed three batteries in two years (no problem starting in summer, but winter breaks them).  
  
  
  
 \* charged existing battery to 12.4 volts, disconnected it, and then reconnected one week later to reveal 12.4 volts. (should be 12.6 at full charge, sure, but only got to 12.4)  
  
  
  
 \* connected battery overnight, 12.4 volts dropped to 11.8, no start.  
  
  
  
 \* same result as above with brand-new battery (including 12.4 volt limit on full charge and subsequent voltage drop).  
  
  
  
 \* multimeter says alternator charging normally (steady reading of 14.5 with car running, tested on both batteries)  
  
  
  
 \* set multimeter to 10 amps, and readings jumped around - 0.5, 0.85, 1.1 - then quit to 0.0 with 10-amp fuse blown (verified with continuity test on fuse pulled from multimeter).  
  
  
  
 \* after three days with battery disconnected, placed a 12-volt test light (0.4-amp draw) in-line, and pulled everything I could think of one-by-one — all fuses (battery fuses and interior panel), Monsoon audio (radio, amplifier, and CD), and alternator — but test light (rather bright) would not go out.  
  
  
  
 Observations (some odd)  
  
  
  
 \* radio retains presets, even with week-long battery disconnect. (unheard of, in my experience)  
  
  
  
 \* CD player, a usual suspect, is factory but installed after market (and removing it didn’t make light go out)  
  
  
  
 \* test light glimmered - brighter, dimmer, brighter - not a steady consistent light.  
  
  
  
 \* with fuse 42 (radio, 25-amp) removed, test light would glimmer in sync with loud clicking in the dash behind the odometer: louder clicks = brighter light, quieter clicks = dimmer light.  
  
  
  
 \* glove box, trunk, and interior lights go out when glove box or trunk closed and/or car turned off.  
  
  
  
 \* all auto locks and windows work properly, but can hear what sounds like a window motor trying to wind when doors are unlocked (not CD player).  
  
  
  
 \* daytime running lights stay on with parking break engaged (should not happen) and key sometimes difficult to remove unless placed in ‘park’ forcefully. (this may be a separate issue)