Battery discharging overnight

[Tony W]

What capacity battery did you fit? We fitted a new 70 amp battery.
This is the normal size for signum deisel 1.9L 150.

Next size up from the standard GM 55amperehour & about 255 cranking amps....with a 62amperehour Banner Bull with much higher 450+ cranking amps , however our car is the 1.8 petrol 55 reg Facelift with the Z18XE engine...The GM battery was just 4 years old.....Cheers

[Ste]

In my honest and considered opinion, it would be best to try to resolve the problem and not just mask it by fitting a bigger battery.

[H&S-Blaz]

In my honest and considered opinion, it would be best to try to resolve the problem and not just mask it by fitting a bigger battery.

Thought I would do an update, still no joy. Car has been with auto electrician for a week now, he has had two meters on it all week and nothing is showing. We tried sending an e-mail to vauxhall tech services, they rang us and basically wont help unless we book it into a vauxhall dealer, typical!

Still hoping someone who has fixed the problem will post a reply.

[iRocco]

I feel your pain... we had the exact same issue with our CDTi 150ps Estate. Did several readings on power drains and the alternator all of which were fine - all we did was replace the battery (under warranty) and it's been solved!

However at the same time we had an issue with the alarm going off every 5 minutes as one of the break glass sensors was broken... removed the fuse and all is well.

[Tadpole]

I am sure you guys will have done so but the car needs to be locked when left for any length of time.
I had problems with battery drain, vehicle checked top to bottom no fault found.

However I had been in the habit of leaving it unlocked overnight.
It seems the vectra goes to sleep when locked quite quickly but can take some time if left un-locked.
One more thing to tick off the list hth ………………………………

[Ste]

Terry, I said this in post number 8. But it's good for a reminder.

[H&S-Blaz]

I feel your pain... we had the exact same issue with our CDTi 150ps Estate. Did several readings on power drains and the alternator all of which were fine - all we did was replace the battery (under warranty) and it's been solved!

However at the same time we had an issue with the alarm going off every 5 minutes as one of the break glass sensors was broken... removed the fuse and all is well.

Yep! Car always locked overnight since it is parked on the drive (cant get it in the garage for all the junk). We had a new alternator cost £280 although, supplied and fitted by local auto-electrician not vauxhalls, also new battery(vauxhall one, cost a bomb £130)

Not a good idea to disable the alarm by removing the fuse, better to replace the broken sensor surely.

[iRocco]

Yep! Car always locked overnight since it is parked on the drive (cant get it in the garage for all the junk). We had a new alternator cost £280 although, supplied and fitted by local auto-electrician not vauxhalls, also new battery(vauxhall one, cost a bomb £130)

Not a good idea to disable the alarm by removing the fuse, better to replace the broken sensor surely.

It's not disabled the alarm, just the break glass sensors in the boot. To replace the rear quarter window where the sensor is broken VX want almost £300 - I think I'll live with just taking the fuse out! If someone does break in via the boot then the alarm pressure sensor should set the alarm off anyway.

[H&S-Blaz]

Has anyone solved this problem?

I have read lots of threads from people with the same problem and lots of advice on how to find a current drain, but no-one seems to come back and say if or how they fixed the problem.

For anyone who has not read these threads we are having trouble with the battery discharging overnight. We have had a new alternator and a new battery but problem remains.

The local auto-electician says there is no drain but still the battery is flat every morning.

Puzzle Solved (We think). The Auto-electrician rang at closing time to say they think they've got the answer. A sticking engine relay seems to be it. They want us to take the car and test it out before they even tell us how much we owe them, hows that for service?

[Tony W]

Puzzle Solved (We think). The Auto-electrician rang at closing time to say they think they've got the answer. A sticking engine relay seems to be it. They want us to take the car and test it out before they even tell us how much we owe them, hows that for service?

Hope you've solved it H&S.....but if the 'Engine Relay' was sticking ... i.e presumably the main contacts closed.... and not wanting to appear to be a "Smart Ar$e'....would a significant 'drain' on the battery have shown up on the tests suggested earlier in various posts in this thread & various other posts on 'Battery Issues' ?????.....

Did the auto electrician actually see a significant difference in current drain before removing & after removing the said relay?????

And despite my previous post(s) on my experience so far with my similar battery issue, & with the best intentions i.e. my plan to do the current drain test(s) again, I've not yet got round to doing it.....yet.

I'm definitely interested in your solution and may get the drain test completed this week-end..weather permitting ...although since changing the battery as per my previous post...I've had no problem starting the car.........so far....Cheers