I bought this car a couple of weeks ago. It is a 1988 90 quattro. I drove about two hours to get the car, and drove it back home without any problems (except once just as it was getting dark, I turned my headlights on and my car started acting like it was going to die, and all of my dashlights went dark. so I turned off my headlights and it started running fine again, then a few miles later my dash lights came back on. so I tried my headlights again and they came on with no problems). I got the car home and I had not really driven it alot because I am only 15 and I don't have a lisence, however every couple of days I will drive it around the block a couple times. And a few days ago I drove it up my school (which was the furthest I had driven since I drove it home. And it made it there fine, and when I went to start it up and leave the battery was dead. So I had my friend come and jump start me, and it started right up. But before I could get out of the parking lot it died again. So I jumped it again and it would start right up but die after a few feet. So I towed it home. I re-charged the battery, and put it back in the car and it started right up, and I drove it for about 15-20 minuets, and my battery light would occasionally flash but it never died or anything .So I replaced my altenator because I thought that was the problem. After I got the new altenator on I drove it around again for like 15 minuets, and everything seemed fine. When I got it home I moved it a couple of times to wash it and stuff, and it kept starting right up. Then when I went to get in it after it had been sitting for about 2 hours the battery was dead. So I jumped it and it started, then a drove it around the block a few times, and came home. Then today when I got home from school my battery was dead again. Does anyone have any idea what is draining my battery? I also wanted to add the battery is only about a year old.
thanks
~kyle

 

i think the battery could be dead...

sounds like the alternator killed the battery. not dead battery.... but now a BAD battery. you replaced the cause of it. but the battery sounds bad now.

i'd pull it out and run it over to autozone or whatever and have them test it

 

yea, I played with it a little today and found out that I had an extremly bad parasetic drain because I crossed a wire on my altenator ( I feel like an idiot). So I got ride of the drain, but I havent got a chance to really drive it because the battery is dead, and I have it recharging now. So i'll find out tommarow. But your right my battery could be gone now from being drained so many times. I'll see about getting a new one.

 

well after you get it running from charging, drive it over to autozone if you have one nearby...

they can also do a load test inside the car... just to be sure. its free.

 

yea I will.

 

parasitic drains the culprit. recharge the battery and your good to go