Avoiding a flat battery

**MJW** · 06-04-2012, 11:25 PM

After some advice fellow VW fans. I am going away soon for 2 weeks & concerned that when I get back the battery maybe flat. How can I avoid this?

I am told that these cars don't do well to be jump started which may cause a whole lot of problems later on.

**Transporter** · 07-04-2012, 12:39 AM

You should be fine if only for 2 weeks. Just make sure that the battery is fully charged before you go. If the batter is less than 3 years old, it should survive that.

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**HaydEn** · 07-04-2012, 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by MJW

After some advice fellow VW fans. I am going away soon for 2 weeks & concerned that when I get back the battery maybe flat. How can I avoid this?

I am told that these cars don't do well to be jump started which may cause a whole lot of problems later on.

My 2 year old one has lasted 8 months.

**MJW** · 07-04-2012, 08:37 AM

Thanks guys. I appreciate your feedback. I just recall another post about an owner that had all sorts of issues after 3 weeks. I recall his fob wouldn't unlock the car. He couldn't get the cover off the drivers door to manually open the drivers door & as a result couldn't open the bonnet.

I might disable the interior monitoring for the alarm to help a little.

**h100vw** · 07-04-2012, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by MJW

Thanks guys. I appreciate your feedback. I just recall another post about an owner that had all sorts of issues after 3 weeks. I recall his fob wouldn't unlock the car. He couldn't get the cover off the drivers door to manually open the drivers door & as a result couldn't open the bonnet.

I might disable the interior monitoring for the alarm to help a little.

The interior monitoring being off would save you next to nothing in consumption.

Where are you going to leave it? Car park at the airport, no choice but to lock it up.

At home in the garage, I leave mine unlocked and secure the keys. It's a big job to move a car these days without the keys. If someone manages to get the car after breaking into the house and tow it away on a low loader. The insurance would have a hard time not paying out I reckon.

Have a practice at gaining entry with the Plastic key. Then you know what to expect. If you have to jumpstart the car, it's always best to leave the donor car connected for 10 minutes, to build up the charge in the dead battery.

That way it's less strain on the donor when you do the start.

Gavin

**MJW** · 07-04-2012, 09:35 AM

Thanks Gavin. Car will be in my locked garage at home so you think leaving it unlocked is the way to go?

I thought about doing a practice run removing the cover over the drivers door key hole cover but knowing my luck I will damage it & for no good reason.

Thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by h100vw

The interior monitoring being off would save you next to nothing in consumption.

Where are you going to leave it? Car park at the airport, no choice but to lock it up.

At home in the garage, I leave mine unlocked and secure the keys. It's a big job to move a car these days without the keys. If someone manages to get the car after breaking into the house and tow it away on a low loader. The insurance would have a hard time not paying out I reckon.

Have a practice at gaining entry with the Plastic key. Then you know what to expect. If you have to jumpstart the car, it's always best to leave the donor car connected for 10 minutes, to build up the charge in the dead battery.

That way it's less strain on the donor when you do the start.

Gavin

**h100vw** · 07-04-2012, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by MJW

Thanks Gavin. Car will be in my locked garage at home so you think leaving it unlocked is the way to go?

I thought about doing a practice run removing the cover over the drivers door key hole cover but knowing my luck I will damage it & for no good reason.

Thanks for the advice.

If your house is alarmed then definitely. Otherwise, that would have to be your assessment of the risk. I look my spare keys in our safe and don't leave the in use keys hanging around.

Personally, I don't think a dry run of the emergency key is a bad idea, if you use a plastic something or other, you'd not damage the paint too easily. Or tape up a small screwdriver (disclaimer, all my cars have key holes so I haven't ever had to do this ;0)).

Gavin

**Transporter** · 07-04-2012, 10:05 AM

You could always get the Ctek charger and use itwhen you get back before you start the egine.The 1/2 hour charge will bring the flat battery (not the dead battery) to 80% capacity. I found that in Golf5 TDI and in my T5 when the car is not locked that some control units don't go to sleep and the battery drain is greater (tested overnight and I'm not sure if they power down later). The difference was 15-20mA against some 300mA.

**brad** · 07-04-2012, 12:17 PM

lock the car. they draw less power when locked than unlocked.

**The_Hawk** · 07-04-2012, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Transporter

I found that in Golf5 TDI and in my T5 when the car is not locked that some control units don't go to sleep and the battery drain is greater (tested overnight and I'm not sure if they power down later). The difference was 15-20mA against some 300mA.

Originally Posted by brad

lock the car. they draw less power when locked than unlocked.

Interesting... I rarely lock up the car if it's in the garage... maybe I should be...