Battery Drain - 2002 diesel tourer

Scimdaz · 7th June 2020, 19:10

Guys (and gals)

Before the lockdown I started to get the "door open" warning randomly appearing on the dash. A couple of times I pulled over, opened and closed each door, inc both parts of the tailgate (I hate that word, what is it in English?). Made no difference but then, just as randomly, the light would go out again. My car was parked up for a month with lockdown so I wasn't totally unsurprised when it failed to turn over (I hadn't disconnected a lead, as it was in the Company car park, and I wasn't....I hadn't expected to leave it there) so I had taken a spare battery with me. Fresh battery and away we went, even if the cars' old bones took a few miles to loosen up. However there now seems to be a battery drain. The batteries (either of them) discharge in 4-5 days. Plenty of volts are showing on my multimeter when the car is running. I had a new alternator fitted before Christmas. And the batteries don't drop if disconnected. I've been out at midnight to check that there are no lights on inside the car. The "door open" warning still randomly illuminates. Is it unreasonable to assume a connection?

I have checked that usual "go to" for all electrical faults - the flooded plenum. It's bone dry (as has been the weather, mostly, for the last couple of months). I'm no electrical wizzard (although I am good at understatements haha), but I would really appreciate any simple pointers. Muchos gracias in advance for anyones' knowledge.

macafee2 · 7th June 2020, 19:13

on a saloon boot, on a Tourer, tailgate is good

macafee2

Scimdaz · 7th June 2020, 19:16

I suppose tailgate it is then - now about these bl@@dy batteries going flat....... LOL

Scimdaz · 7th June 2020, 19:34

Reading some similar threads - am I correct that if the central locking doesn't activate correctly then the car doesn't "go to sleep"? If so (to my mind at least) it would suggest that the car thinking that a door is open and the battery draining in a few days are connected. (?) So maybe I should turn the question around - in common experience which sensor: door(s), tailgate or bonnet is most likely to be sticky or why else might the car think a door is open? (I had hoped that electrical issues were a thing of the past now I didn't have a plastic car - the clue is in the "handle")

BRMFUN · 8th June 2020, 17:09

Does your dash tell you which door is open?? I think mine does!

Scimdaz · 12th June 2020, 23:53

Hi BRMFUN - no it doesn't and, strangely, I havn't seen the warning light all week either. Used the car every day until yesterday. It'll be interesting to see what the state of play is in the morning when I need to use it. Fingers X'd

Bigal2218 · 14th June 2020, 10:00

Can be a fault in the SatNav drive unit (if you have one) located in the rear offside pocket. Fault may be caused by water ingress into unit.

7th June 2020, 19:10	#1
Scimdaz Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Sheffield Posts: 90 Thanks: 64 Thanked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Battery Drain - 2002 diesel tourer Guys (and gals) Before the lockdown I started to get the "door open" warning randomly appearing on the dash. A couple of times I pulled over, opened and closed each door, inc both parts of the tailgate (I hate that word, what is it in English?). Made no difference but then, just as randomly, the light would go out again. My car was parked up for a month with lockdown so I wasn't totally unsurprised when it failed to turn over (I hadn't disconnected a lead, as it was in the Company car park, and I wasn't....I hadn't expected to leave it there) so I had taken a spare battery with me. Fresh battery and away we went, even if the cars' old bones took a few miles to loosen up. However there now seems to be a battery drain. The batteries (either of them) discharge in 4-5 days. Plenty of volts are showing on my multimeter when the car is running. I had a new alternator fitted before Christmas. And the batteries don't drop if disconnected. I've been out at midnight to check that there are no lights on inside the car. The "door open" warning still randomly illuminates. Is it unreasonable to assume a connection? I have checked that usual "go to" for all electrical faults - the flooded plenum. It's bone dry (as has been the weather, mostly, for the last couple of months). I'm no electrical wizzard (although I am good at understatements haha), but I would really appreciate any simple pointers. Muchos gracias in advance for anyones' knowledge. Last edited by Scimdaz; 7th June 2020 at 19:54..

7th June 2020, 19:34	#4
Scimdaz Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Sheffield Posts: 90 Thanks: 64 Thanked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Reading some similar threads - am I correct that if the central locking doesn't activate correctly then the car doesn't "go to sleep"? If so (to my mind at least) it would suggest that the car thinking that a door is open and the battery draining in a few days are connected. (?) So maybe I should turn the question around - in common experience which sensor: door(s), tailgate or bonnet is most likely to be sticky or why else might the car think a door is open? (I had hoped that electrical issues were a thing of the past now I didn't have a plastic car - the clue is in the "handle") Last edited by Scimdaz; 7th June 2020 at 19:48..

8th June 2020, 17:09	#5
BRMFUN Avid contributor MG Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Midlands Posts: 212 Thanks: 78 Thanked 37 Times in 35 Posts	Does your dash tell you which door is open?? I think mine does! __________________ MG ZTT 135 Auto… Too many cars too little time

14th June 2020, 10:00	#7
Bigal2218 Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Beckenham Posts: 88 Thanks: 6 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Battery Drain Can be a fault in the SatNav drive unit (if you have one) located in the rear offside pocket. Fault may be caused by water ingress into unit.

7th June 2020, 19:13	#2
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,912 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	on a saloon boot, on a Tourer, tailgate is good macafee2

7th June 2020, 19:16	#3
Scimdaz Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Sheffield Posts: 90 Thanks: 64 Thanked 16 Times in 11 Posts	I suppose tailgate it is then - now about these bl@@dy batteries going flat....... LOL

12th June 2020, 23:53	#6
Scimdaz Regular poster Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Sheffield Posts: 90 Thanks: 64 Thanked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Hi BRMFUN - no it doesn't and, strangely, I havn't seen the warning light all week either. Used the car every day until yesterday. It'll be interesting to see what the state of play is in the morning when I need to use it. Fingers X'd