WR1 Owners Club

Can anyone help or has anyone had a similar problem?

I've not had my 1 more than a week.

Seems the battery is being drained while not in use on my drive?

I didn't use it in about 4 days and the battery was flat. I recharged it and checked the interior lights were switched off. Two days on and the car hasn't moved or been started but it is now dead again? I know the alarm uses a little but not surely in that short space of time.

The battery is a Yuasa and it is less than a year old so I wouldn't have thought it is a fault. Now on charge again. It is still under the 3 year guarantee so maybe worth changing it to be sure it isn't just a faulty battery?

Can anyone suggest anything else to check although I don't have any electrical testing gear. Is this a common problem? how long should the battery charge last if the car isn't used? Other cars seem ok leaving while on holiday for two weeks!

Cheers for any help!

i have heard that the alarm really does drain the battery, but not in that short amount of time.

You have just got the car - right? perhaps give the previous owner a quick call and ask him?

Funny enough, i'v just texted him! Not alot of help except he had experienced similar and on his last car whick was the UK300. Like you said, i just cant belueve the alarm would drain the battery in two days. Going to try and get the battery replaced under the guarentee as a first try before getting it checked out. Would be good to just know how long the battery should last when car isnt used!
Cheers for the reply!

There's posts on the forum about the 'intelligent' alternator, and running with the side lights on to up the volts - that does work as I have a volt gauge - side lights off runs at 12 and on 14. However a couple of days sounds like something is draining it.

I would say that one of the plates in the battery could be bent , deffo sounds like the battery is goosed though!

Update:
Had the battery properly tested and even though it is only a year old, it's faulty! Got a new one!

good news, its a pain to buy a new one, but its a simple solution at the same time

Thought it was too good to be true!

New battery and just gone to the car after only 5 days not in use and it is completely dead, not even a light on dash!

Surely should last longer than that. What about a week away and parked at an airport! I have always left my old cars for a two week hol and starts first time?

Driving with side lights on doesn't seem to make a difference.

I'd love to know what length of time every one else gets?????? comments please

The alternator seems to be working as volts go up from 12.5 to 14.5 when engine on.
With engine off, I am trying to measure a 'sleep' drain by disconnecting one lead and putting mulimeter in series from the lead to terminal. All set correct for mili amps but not giving a reading at all? I'm borrowing another meter as can't understand that! I have an electrical background and it doesn't make sense! lol.
I need to get a reading before i start pulling fuses.

do you have a tracker on the car mate I have the same problem my battery drained after three weeks I have had the car from new the first battery lasted five years then went through four in three years . I have spoke to a few folk that have looked into it and they all say tracker updated the software and it drains the battery after a few weeks . I just put mine on a trickle charge every three weeks to keep it topped up

Hi mate. Reading this made me think just went out to the garage as I haven't started the car for 3 weeks, first turn of key and it started, so must be something draining your battery

hi mate the battery is not totally flat after three weeks it has a indicator to let you know when it needs charging the car has been checked there is nothing draining it other than the tracker I was told it was the alternator then ecu looked to buy new alternator £300 new ecu £800 pete from prosport Manchester said he has had a lot of cars in with the same problem spoke to tracker and was told it is software problem do you have a tracker on your car I know a lot of Scooby drivers have them taken off

Hey up!

Yes got a tracker, think it's the RAC trackstar.

Can I disconnect it myself? not sure if can just pull a fuse but none list the tracker so must be hidden? They obviously make it difficult to just unplug it. I think my last scooby WRX had it under the drivers seat?

I got my meter working last night and it's current draw when the car is locked/asleep is approx 130-150 mA. The battery is rated at 60Ah so should last longer that 5 days eh. Does sound a bit high but not sure what it should be?
You said yours can last 3 weeks so must be a drain somewhere unless it is the tracker draining it?

Anyone know how much juice the tracker uses when the car is asleep?

Really frustrating all this as trying to also sort a heavy power steering problem (other thread!)

Cheers for the responses!

Mine can be parked up for months and starts first time. You have a fault somewhere? check the boot or courtesy lights are not staying on. I assume you have the tracker device turned on for security? i was under the impression if the device was not in operation then would not draw off the battery.

No I don't subscribe to tracker. Does it not draw anything then?

Yes, I checked that boot light doesn't stay on! Ive had that many years ago too!

With regards to battery drain, the tracker can sometimes drain a lot of power as they sometimes dont turn off properly.

The other thing to consider is that there is a smart alternator on these cars which means it charges the battery more when you have the side lights or headlights on. So if you drive around with those on you may find it tops the battery up.

Have you tried a trickle charger to get the battery up to normal condition again?

Halfords can do a battery test...

Hi,

Yes I've been driving around with the side lights on and knew about that.

I only use it as a weekend car really so something is up if only lasts 5 days. Other posts are saying 3 weeks!! OMG thats what I'd expect any car to give.

Old battery prob wasn't that bad but its got a brand new Yuasa 60Ah one!

Definately a drain somewhere so need to start pully fues and measure the effect don't I. It is going into Japtech on Monday for a power steering appraisal so I've also asked if they can look at this as well.

Will keep you all posted. It could well be the tracker like many are saying but not sure how to disconnect it? Isn't it linked to the immobiliser?

I hate these sort of faults as needle and haystack springs to mind!

Is the car standard or do your have any after market electrical gadgets that have been added?

I wouldnt pay anyone at this stage, as you say the car is only used at the weekend, so not your daily driver. I would do some simple detective work first before sending it to an electricians.

Check new battery is fully charged and holding charge make sure battery is disconnected from any power source, leave over night, if ok
Connect battery to car dont set alarm lock doors etc make sure everything is turned off, leave over night, check battery for voltage loss, if ok
Lock doors set alarm, and so on... eliminate the obvious causes.

You could have an alternator fault although charging ok could be draining the battery when ignition has been turned off.

Always grateful of any suggestions! Cheers bud.

Yes a standard WR1 with no add ons, amp or anything to make it a Halfrauds special!

When the battery was flatened, I put it on charge and it actually took about 30 hours to fully charge it from zero. I thought it would have been fully charged from new but told they seldom are and would have lost a significant amount.

Yes although the alternator seems to be charging, as you say could be a leak to earth somewhere? heard diode mentioned before.

A few simple checks to do them and maybe fuse pulling this w/e. I think the 130-150 mA drain seems a lot at mo but car does take quite a while to fully sleep doesn't it. I'm amazed more people haven't had this problem?

cheers

This might help...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0

Thanks all for the suggestions.

Been in at local garage today and they just rang with their findings.

Said the alternator is only putting out about half what it should. The genuine part is £190 plus £150 to fit.

They said the battery is the wrong spec! although it is a 60Ah, somehow one is fitted with a CCA (cold crank ampage) of 450 and wants to be 540. Looks like I was supplied with the wrong one!

Need to wait and see if that will sort it but really surprised they haven't found an excessive drain? ime will tell I guess!

Can anyone verify the correct battery spec for the WR1 please?

I was supplied with a Yuasa 60Ah 450 CCA battery by my local supplier. They checked their listings and still tell me that this is the correct battery for my car.

My local specialist garage who changed the alternator tells me that this isn't the correct battery and it wants changing to a 540 CCA one (£82).

My hadbook just quotes 12V-48AH (55D23L) and when I have looked this up on the net I can find both the 450 and 540 CCA listed. I would assume both are fine and one is just the heavy duty version for colder countries? Not sure though so can people check theirs pleeeeeez

Determined to get it sorted!!

I have an Exide 60ah 390a 12v fitted to mine (EB604) £43.08 incl vat

If you're handy with tools it's easy to remove/replace the alternator. £150 lab to replace is a con as it's so accessible and can be removed in a few minutes.

Had similar prob to yours a few yrs ago, had alt rebuilt at local auto elec shop for £90.00. My car has little use and after three yrs the new Bosch s4 battery wouldn't hold it's charge and was replaced under 4yr warranty, came fully charged btw. I've given up with the tracker as cheaper to pay a little more insurance.

Yes £150 is excessive to change the alternator as could do it in under an hour. I changed the power steering pump myself so that would have been a doddle. usual, it's in the garage so just for ease really. They were looking at my power steering so was just getting a couple of things sorted at the same time.

I'm going to leave the car on my drive for a week soon so if it starts after that then it probably was the alternator! fingers crossed.

Also been looking at those solar trickle chargers you can put on the rear window ledge that plug into the lighter socket. Might just keep it topped up when not in use?

Thanks Gary75, so your excide battery is 390 CCA then.

How long can you leave your car for before battery is dead? assuming locked with key fob and alarm activated!

I'm going to leave mine for a week soon so thats my next test!

swiss tone wrote:Thanks Gary75, so your excide battery is 390 CCA then.

How long can you leave your car for before battery is dead? assuming locked with key fob and alarm activated!

I'm going to leave mine for a week soon so thats my next test!

My car is parked up over winter and left for months before starting, always starts on the button, never had any problems with battery going flat, although due to lack of use premature battery failure can happen, so I invested in a ctec mxs 5.0 charger to keep the battery fully charged.

Car has been parked for three weeks, used yesterday and all was well.

Hope you resolve the problem.

Just an update!

I came back from holiday after a week and it started first time!

It looks like it was the alternator then after all that. As well as not giving full charge, I think it was draining back through the diode pack in it.

Anyway new battery and alternator sorted it so happy now!

Cheers for all your help guys.

swiss tone wrote:Just an update!

I came back from holiday after a week and it started first time!

It looks like it was the alternator then after all that. As well as not giving full charge, I think it was draining back through the diode pack in it.

Anyway new battery and alternator sorted it so happy now!

Cheers for all your help guys.

Glad you are sorted mate, been following this post with interest.

i have a similar problem. New battery fitted a few months ago but leave it 4 days without turning her over and she is dead. The thing i have noticed is the interior light would stay on if i hadn't turned it completely off. Also the green light around the key barrel never goes off either. Any ideas?

I will check to see if my green light stays on?

Is your battery a 540CC spec? (cold cranking Amps). The first one I was given new was a 450CC and the garage told me it does make a difference. I eventually changed it for a bosch. I think mine was a combination of that and an alternator that wasn't working at full power. Changing both sorted it but costly.

If you get a meter, you tube shows you how to check your current drain when the car is in sleep mode to make sure it isn't drawing too much. When you have that figure and a new fully charged battery, you can work out how long the battery would last as its rated in Amp Hours. Just a bit of maths. A car should last 3 weeks if fully charged.

Mos garages can do a decent current drain test for next to nothing anyway.

Hope that helps.