Electrics seem to die when ignistion is switch off

[sjs205]

Hello all, I recently picked up a new mk7, a T350, so rear wheel drive, first rear wheel drive Mk7 I've ever had... Anyway, when I switch the ignition off, the electrics just seem to die completely. I've no interior lights. No headlights, no side lights, nothing. The van is just completely dead. No stereo lights. I also noticed that the trip meter and average fuel, etc. all resets to zero every time the ignition is turned off - also, remote central locking does not work...

And possibly unrelated, but when the ignition is on, the stereo lights up, and responds to me pressing the on button, but doesn't show anything on the screen.

I wouldn't be surprised if the stereo has been disabled to cover up the fact that it will need a code every time you switch the van off, which would have been obvious when I bought the van, but I didn't realise the electrics were this bad. Also, when I ODB it. each of the glow plugs are knackered too - can't remember what the error was but a quick google at the time implied it may just be the glow plug fuse? Could be related?

Any thoughts welcome, thank you.

[knobby1]

Hello all, I recently picked up a new mk7, a T350, so rear wheel drive, first rear wheel drive Mk7 I've ever had... Anyway, when I switch the ignition off, the electrics just seem to die completely. I've no interior lights. No headlights, no side lights, nothing. The van is just completely dead. No stereo lights. I also noticed that the trip meter and average fuel, etc. all resets to zero every time the ignition is turned off - also, remote central locking does not work...

And possibly unrelated, but when the ignition is on, the stereo lights up, and responds to me pressing the on button, but doesn't show anything on the screen.

I wouldn't be surprised if the stereo has been disabled to cover up the fact that it will need a code every time you switch the van off, which would have been obvious when I bought the van, but I didn't realise the electrics were this bad. Also, when I ODB it. each of the glow plugs are knackered too - can't remember what the error was but a quick google at the time implied it may just be the glow plug fuse? Could be related?

Any thoughts welcome, thank you.

RWD Mk7's have twin batteries as standard, your symptoms point to a probable dead front battery....get them both properly load tested, not just a voltage test, some batteries can display good voltage until they're loaded, then they fail miserably.

Glow plug issue is unrelated. You don't really need glow plugs to start unless you're in -5C or lower ambient temps, they're mainly for emissions during starting and a short time of running. If the fuseable link is blown, you have a dead short in one or more of the glow plugs....you can replace them if you wish....but they're well known to snap off in the head, causing more grief.

Lord Knobrot (Smithy)

[Airthies]

Hardly read your post but from the first paragraph...
Front battery

At the age the van is I'd change the two as old batteries will only cause you more hassle than there worth.

Sent from my Pixel 8a using Tapatalk

[sjs205]

Thank you guys... Spot on as usual. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure at first, but when I disconnected the front battery in my knackered van it had the exact same symptoms... Swapped these batteries over and now it works perfectly...

Another thing with the front battery being knackered - the eco mode was constantly off!

[dumper]

If you’re not going to replace the dead battery make sure the drivers door lock works and don’t park it where you can’t get to the lock as if the the now front battery goes flat the central locking will not work and you will not get in the van