CorradoS4

I don't drive my S4 a lot - maybe one day every 1.5 - 2 weeks. Last month I had my battery raplaced as I bought the car used and had no idea of the state the battery was in.

With 3 completely "dead" issues (no dash lights, no interior lights, no click - nothing.)happening now in 3-4 months, I'm not sure what is going on.

I have no lights on the dash and the Voltmeter is always around 14v.

Jump started it last night, but took a good 30-40 minutes of charging from the good car before it started up.

Can you scan for codes related to the alternator?

Other than driving it more often, what can I do? Is this a common problem? It's very annoying!!!

turbosquatt

Is it possible that any of your interior lights are on? Or is anything plugged into your cigarette lighter?

bingS4

hopefully you mean you're using a charger of some sort. Alternators are designed to put a top charge on a battery, not revive one from dead. Using your alternator as a charger shortens its life.

I start my S4 only a few times during the winter and having it sit doesn't drain the battery huge amounts unless I leave a dome light on or something. I have a Battery Minder that I plug in for a couple days every couple weeks or when it's really really cold outside. It tops off and conditions the battery when it's not in use.

Get yourself a good charger for charging the battery when it's near dead so you save your alternator, and get a battery minder to keep it charged up when you're not driving it. And find out what vampire is sucking out so much power when the car is off.

Good luck!

bingS4

Okay, so you charged 30-40 minutes from the good car. So the good car's alternator is the one that took the wear and tear.

Better thing for a super-dead battery is to jump from a good car just a few minutes, just long enough to get a little charge in it for a charger to recognize, then hook up a charger.

Roque

Yep.

Toddorbert

I had problems with my battery as well, but I installed a RNS-D. I went to the bigger battery (I think it's from the B6) and haven't had a problem since. If a few extra pounds don't bother you, try a larger battery. It will fit no problem.

CorradoS4

Central locking unit got completely soaked and at the same time I lost the remote key-fob function as well as the trunk light (never comes on anymore and it's not a bad bulb.)

Every hard rain we got in the fall...alarm was going crazy...hazard lights going on by themselves...doors locking/unlocking by themselves, etc. Got the central locking unit dried out and everything works again except key fob and trunk light.

But I can't see why this would drain the battery. I'm not 100% sure of the size of the replacement battery my mechanic put in there, but it is an "84 month" Interstate battery. Looks nice and frash (and large).

I don't have a driveway or garage, so I may have to rig-up a battery tender or something with an outdoor extension cord and hope nobody trips over it on the sidewalk. Or just start the car and drive it every once in a while.

CorradoS4

Does anyone have experience with thoese solar charging panels you put on your dash and plug into the cig lighter?

I've seen them at Pep Boys and other places for $20-40. Wonder if that will do any good.

CorradoS4

It had the factory Motorola "Car Phone" in the armrest, but I removed the phone/cradle and unplugged the jack. I don't think this would cause a drain anywhere since I just unplugged it rather than cutting strange wires.