Hi only just joined and wondered if you could help. I have a Discovery for the last 10 Months and although I like it it has cost me an arm and a leg!! just had a new engine and it seems to be working fine.The problem I have now is the battery kept going flat so I brought a new , ( same thing happened ) have the alternator checked ans was told it was ok. But the battery still goes flat. I checked myself as I was told if i took the leads of while it was runing it should keep ruining, but it dont .Has anyone any ideas?

Many thanks

i'm not a mind reader so i'll just guess it's a diesel, whoever told you dissconnect the battery is a bell end, the diesel has a stop solonoid so if theres no power it will die (petrol relies more on the electrics). take it to an auto electrician and let them have a look at it there are loads of things it could be and most things suggested would be a guess without more information, the basics like discovery are no good without the year, model, engine etc.

have you checked all the earths??

If it has had a new engine, they may have missed an earth somewhere - or it could just be a charge relay.

to start with is there a load on it when turned off this can be checked easily,
simply remove neutral lead off battery and re connect touching to terminal slowly if you see a very slight spark you have a load / drain on battery and even a good one would go flat over night all this must be done while ignition is off(key removed)
to confirm this put a test light in middle , 1 wire to the earth you just removed and the other to the neutral on battery so you are a link between lead and battery if it lights at all it has fault if so remove fuses only 1 at once and if it dont stop the glow replace and try next and so on and so on that should help and when you find the fuse look at what item it is you just removed fuse too.... this is only a guide as to what i would do.martin

Thank you for your reply s . it is a 1995 TDI auto 2495cc. diesel.
Thank you Martin, I have noticed a small spark when placing the earth lead back on . so when it stops raining , if it does! ill give what you recommended ago .. many thanks

Hi tried that , there is still small spark when I contact the earth to the battery, if I do as you recommended , put a light between the earth on the battery and the earth lead it dont light up. But if I disconnect the earth lead and connect to the live and then to the body it lights up ( this must mean the earth to the car must be ok? ) there is still a faint buzzing noise coming from the fuse box under the bonnet tho?

All fun!!