RE: Dead Battery (fwd)

[Rob Winchell <rbw@avs.com>]

QUESTION: What could have killed the battery in
4 hours???? The car sat overnight (unlocked) and
started normally the next day.

This _exact_ same thing happened to me last week. I still don't know what 
drained the battery, but I know it was 6 years old and needed to be 
replaced, so I replaced it. Also, my alternator was shot, but I don't know 
if that was a contributing factor, or coincidental.

Rob Winchell
91 200TQ
87 4k (non-Q)


-----Original Message-----
From:	Louis A. Mulieri [SMTP:lmulieri@zoo.uvm.edu]
Sent:	Saturday, March 22, 1997 7:42 PM
To:	quattro list
Cc:	Lou Mulieri
Subject:	Dead Battery (fwd)



  I would like to have some help diagnosing
the following problem. My 5000CS worked
fine(except for a winsheild washer low icon)
starting and driving to work yesterday morning.
It was parked from 9AM to 4:30PM. Unlocked
driver's door and found rear door did not unlock
and had to pull lock knob up manually to open
door. First hint. Turned key, no dash lights,
complete, utter silence from starter, no dome
light. Lifted rear seat and checked battery
voltage with multimeter (probes on lead battery
posts, not on terminal ends). ABOUT 1/4 VOLT!!!
HOW COULD YOU???
	Got jump-started. Started immediately.
Noticed clock giving time as 1:15 so battery
quit just about 4-hours after locking the car
up. Made non-stop trip, directly home (30 min).
Turned off key. Restarted immediately at
seemingly normal cranking speed.
	Checked specific gravity: all cells read
1.125!! Placed battery on charge at 8-10 amps
for a total of about 4 hrs. Spec. grav. now
1.250, electrolyte now somewhat cloudy grey
(clear during the 1.125 original reading).

ALSO:
1. Why did the driver's side door unlock when
the battery was so dead? Is there a mechanical
backup? Will the trunk open when the battery is
stone-cold-dead?
2. I noticed that even after getting the battery
jumped and driving for a half hour, the right
hand front door was still locked. Is it possible
that when I locked the car in the morning the
lock actuating motor in the right hand door did
not complete its travel and remained energized
for 4 hours?
3. What other possibilities might there be?	
Thanks for your help.
	Berthann
	1988 50  TQCS; 126k and counting