ar1g3 said:

This concerns my 1999 p38 2.5 dse

Weird issue. The car is on coil springs and EAS compressor and valveblock have been removed.

Last weekend I thought I'd harvest some EAS parts of the car for my other p38 because I'm going to sell the car. Removed the 2 front height sensors. Now, the battery is completely dead, 2.5V... Battery is new since last month and no issues before.

Anyone any idea how removing the height sensors could lead to draining the battery? I would assume that if the car is on coil springs the height sensors are not being used and it doesn't matter when you remove them?

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Datatek said:

Depends if the EAS ECU is still in place perhaps because it normally self levels every 6 hours or so. I'm only guessing, but with no sensors it may have thrown a wobbly and stayed awake. More likely it's something else like the BECM not going to sleep.
If the EAS relay is still in place, remove it and also unplug the EAS ECU and see what happens.

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Mark Piercy said:

Once you pull the relay under the passenger seat the eas ecu is immobilized if I remember?
Any damp around the BeCM under your seat?

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ar1g3 said:

I have reinstalled the height sensors. Unfortunately the battery is properly f****d. 24h on a trickle charger to no avail. Now trying to reach out to the store where I bought it for warranty (if that exists for batteries).

Can I just remove the EAS ecu without the other ecu's acting up? I believe its still installed.

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ar1g3 said:

Hi all,
Not convinced there is a drain issue per se, battery was delivered without plastic cap on the positive pole so who knows what has happened to it. I think I will try bring it back to life again, leave it 4 days in the garage, measure voltage, charge back up, put in car, wait 4 days, measure voltage. Just to see if there is a massive difference. Maybe I'll try measuring current as well.

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ar1g3 said:

Hi all,

Thanks for the input!

I have reinstalled the height sensors (changed one for a fecked one from my green P38), jumpstarted the car using the green p38 and let it run for half an hour. Then back on the trickle charger for 72 hours. Trickle charger is a fancy expensive one with desulfation mode etc. Battery back up to 12,7V and charger indicating green for battery health. Left it 1 day in the workshop, then installed in the car and waited another 24h. Started the car and boom, fired straight away and still 12.5V. Lots of starting power. Now one week later, haven't started since, and she's dead again...

Not convinced there is a drain issue per se, battery was delivered without plastic cap on the positive pole so who knows what has happened to it. I think I will try bring it back to life again, leave it 4 days in the garage, measure voltage, charge back up, put in car, wait 4 days, measure voltage. Just to see if there is a massive difference. Maybe I'll try measuring current as well.

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ar1g3 said:

Happy yo see that other here also think it's the battery rather than the car that's the problem. Hopefully the store sees it the same way. Issue is that I've bought it online so I can't physically go back and complain. Been 2 weeks now and their customer service transferred my request to the warranty department yesterday.. they 'forgot' about it apparently.

I will be disconnecting the key fob receiver to rule out BeCM issues as I understand that this may cause the car to wake up.

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Grrrrrr said:

RF interference is a problem unless you have a gen 3 receiver. Unplugging makes it less of an issue but won't be 100%. The only real fixes other than an extortionate gen 3 receiver are MartyUK's filter kit or Briansp38dse second fob for a jog switch to kill the power to the RF receiver. Without the battery will drain, the car can lose sync to the engine ECU and the locks can burn out on the doors. Not a case of if but when.

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ar1g3 said:

I spotted Martyuk's RF filter and fancy one however its out of stock in his shop and he seems to be away for work since '21.

The car I have this problem with is up for sale so I will just unplug the receiver. For my other one I think Martyuk's filter is the best option.

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Grrrrrr said:

Brian's 2 fob trick will work and is a fiver.

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ar1g3 said:

Yeah I may do that as a temporary solution but prefer the RF filter as I don't like the idea of having to carry 2 fobs. Ofcourse its also extra theft protection...

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Mark Piercy said:

I drove a 2018 rrs p400e thingy this morning. Tons of poke and eary on the battery even upto 60mph?
Only does 50mls to a full charge.
Nice but too much of to much wizardry behind closed doors

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ar1g3 said:

I spotted Martyuk's RF filter and fancy one however its out of stock in his shop and he seems to be away for work since '21.

The car I have this problem with is up for sale so I will just unplug the receiver. For my other one I think Martyuk's filter is the best option.

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