# New Beetle - dead battery question



## DigitalTexan2u (Aug 15, 2001)

My friend is considering buying a new Beetle...but he's heard from 3 different people that if a new Beeltle sits for more than a couple days, the computer "thinks" the battery is dead, and you need to reset the ecu..the car WILL NOT start? 
I told him this is probably BS but I wanted to ask you guys for sure?
Any truth to this? 
Thanks!!


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## Iago (Mar 11, 2002)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

I had an issue with the battery in my Turbo S running down during the first few weeks that I owned it.
It turned out that the thermostat was bad, and causing the cooling fan to never turn off. If the car sat for a day or two, there was usually enough juice in the battery to turn the engine over, but if it sat for, say, more than four days without being driven, it would run the battery out.
Took it to the dealer, replaced the thermostat, and now all is well! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
I asked around when this first started happening at a few different forums, and NO ONE said anything about the ECU mistakenly thinking a good battery was dead and requiring a reset. I'd think its bunk.


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## WasteOfSpace (Nov 29, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

I've owned my New Beetle for over 4 years now, and I've never experienced or even heard of this.
It's BS, I say.


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## pdoel (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (WasteOfSpace)*

Oops, I posted my response over in the General VW forum. But I'll post it here too (I HATE cross posters!!).
Anyway, I've had my 2000 for just shy of 2 years. I don't drive it in bad weather, so it's sat for several weeks at a time. I've never had a problem starting it.


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## DigitalTexan2u (Aug 15, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (pdoel)*

quote:[HR][/HR]Oops, I posted my response over in the General VW forum. But I'll post it here too (I HATE cross posters!!).[HR][/HR]​Thanks for the info, but it's to your advantage to keep the other comments to yourself.
I'm trying to get answers quickly.
I've posted other questions one board "A" and didn't get any answers, so then I posted on board "B" and got some. That's what I did here, but just did it at the same time. If it bothers you then just don't answer either one of them, or answer only one. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif


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## pdoel (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

Yeah, I know. I understand why you did. 
It's not a big deal.


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## DigitalTexan2u (Aug 15, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (pdoel)*

Ok...
Thanks again for the info.
(this is only the second time i've posted in two forums at the same time)
Later


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## dhk (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

There were threads on this issue about a year ago. A guy in the UK came back from a 3 week holiday to find his car dead at the airport. He was told that our cars have a rather high "resting" current draw, so that the battery would be too low to start the car after sitting for 3 weeks. As I recall, someone confirmed then that the resting drain was around 80 mA....that would certainly explain it. 
Dan 00nbglx


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## Traum (Dec 16, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (dhk)*

I went home for only 10 days over the X'mas holiday, and the battery in my Bug, which is parked in the underground garage of my apartment, is dead when I came back. For the record, the parkade's ambient temperature was most likely around 0 degrees Celsius at the time.
I've had some major problems with the battery retaining enough charge to turn over the engine two years ago as well when my Bug was parked outside on the streets. At around -10 degrees Celsius, the battery would be too weak to start the car if the car has been left sitting for more than 4 or 5 days.
I know cold weather drains the battery of its juices pretty badly, but I think the Bug's electronics places a decent burden on the battery as well.
-Rick


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## hannan (Apr 4, 2002)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

this happens to me all the time 
if i do not drive my car every four days or so the battery seems to die 
the latest is i drove it quite a bit on friday and could not start it at all on tuesday
i have asked the dealer to check the diagonstics on it and they never come back with anything but i will take the print out from this forum as soon as i can get an appt with the dealer and hopefully resolve it once and for all


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## Ichoptop (Jan 31, 2002)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (hannan)*

Afew things. I was a design engineer for a high end auto battery company for several years. A few things: 1. Cold does not kill a battery. In fact it slows the charge / discharge chemical process down. 2. Heat and vibration kill batterys. Heat causes internal battery components (lead, acid, acidic paste) to become loose inside the battery which results in less charge / discharge capability. 3. Vibration causes the acidic paste material to fall from the lead plates and therefore also cause less charge / discharge capability. The reason batterys die in the winter is lower charge / discharge capability combined with the cold that slows the process.
You might want to try a higher end battery with a better amps per hour rating instead of CCA. A new car will start on 400 cca but needs more APH to run all the accessories. With the old motors (flatheads, OHV, big cubic inches) it took alot more CCA.


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## wonderspark (Jul 9, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

Something definitely drains the battery. A VW tech told me if the alarm isn't set, it drains it even worse for some lame reason. Every time I check the fluid levels in the battery, they are low. Sucks, but only came to a dead car once in almost three years.


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## dhk (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (wonderspark)*

I just checked mine, with car unlocked, and got 48 mA. Also noted the OEM battery is rated at 60 AH. So, in about 25 days of sitting, battery would be at 50% charge....believe starting would be marginal or no-go. I forgot to check the fluid levels, will do it this weekend. 
Dan 00nbglx


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## dhk (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (wonderspark)*

I just checked mine, with car unlocked, and got 48 mA. Also noted the OEM battery is rated at 60 AH. So, in about 25 days of sitting, battery would be at 50% charge....believe starting would be marginal or no-go. I forgot to check the fluid levels, will do it this weekend. Only thing that needed resetting was the clock and temp display. 
Dan 00nbglx


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## cheesewhiz (Jun 20, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (DigitalTexan2u)*

I've had my '99 1.8T for a year and a half now, and had to replace the original battery a few months ago because it crapped out. Otherwise, since the replacement, I've had no problems, and my car has sat for several weeks at a time with no problems. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
If you start having weird, inexplicable electrical problems, have them check your battery first







Otherwise I can give a good report.


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## cheesewhiz (Jun 20, 2001)

*Re: New Beetle - dead battery question (cheesewhiz)*

I know very little of battery technology, so please pardon me if I'm out of line on this one, but in my personal opinion the battery that Volkswagen shipped stock in the Beetle as of '99 (not sure if it's the same now) is cheap garbage. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif
They diagnosed my car twice without being able to figure out that my rough starts, EPS light coming on and off, windows working only partially, and periodic power decrease, was do to a dying battery.
Because my car was out of warranty, due to my being the second owner, I had to replace the battery on my own $$$ and decided to go with a more solid Kragen battery. I haven't had any problems since, and noted that this battery, albeit expensive, is really solid.


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