Does Leaving the Car Unlocked

[whitenemesis]

Cause a greater drain on the battery?

When I know I'm going out again in a few hours I tend to leave the car unlocked. With my S203 there was no concerns doing this over the 6yrs I had it but with the CLS?
I ask as, when I lock the CLS, there is a release of air and the suspension lowers. Now, if I leave it unlocked this doesn't happen, so am I forcing the car to maintain something running and might this drain the battery? I've had the message "Consumers disabled...." only once at start up.

 

[brigadier]

if you're only talking about few hours it wont make any difference even if there's is a difference.

 

[developer]

If it's designed that way, then, other than a dodgy battery, there won't be a problem.

 

[renault12ts]

I don't know is my answer. But why do you leave it unlocked, have you got a sore thumb?

 

[cliveyboy8]

I don't know is my answer. But why do you leave it unlocked, have you got a sore thumb?

Classic!

I think the question is a good one. Why would you want to leave it unlocked?

What if some scrote gets in it and rips the seats with his stanley knife? The insurance company would not be too pleased when they found out the car was not locked.

Unless of course you put it in a locked garage.

 

[whitenemesis]

Security isn't an issue...

I suppose I got it into my head that locking and unlocking so frequently and necessarily was "undesirable", no real logic to it.

But I am just curious as to what does and doesn't happen when the car stands idle but unlocked for prolonged periods. Is it in some state of readiness?

 

[Dieselman]

I don't think the compressor will run as the car is already at ride height with no alteration needed.

 

[renault12ts]

But it does sound as if when you lock up, a valve lets the air out...to settle things down??

 

[SavMan]

My suspension does exactly the same thing it will release air 20 secs or so after locking and the car settles slightly. I had read somewhere that airmatic stays active until after the car has been locked but I have no been able to verify this.

 

[whitenemesis]

I wonder what 'active' entails?

 

[Diesel Benz]

It could be the opposite too. A car with an alarm consumes some 40 mA more than a car without an alarm system (when doors are locked). The alarm would only get activated when the car is locked.

I cannot remember any specific descriptions from WIS but I'm pretty sure the car would be at "complete" sleep after some 20 minutes even if doors were left unlocked (complete is perhaps never complete, like the HVAC fan may start to run after 30 minutes if the car finds a need to dry the heater core, obviously a low power computer is alive).

Someone should measure the quiescent current for both cases, perhaps Richard has done it already or knows it otherwise.

 

[Dieselman]

I cannot remember any specific descriptions from WIS but I'm pretty sure the car would be at "complete" sleep after some 20 minutes even if doors were left unlocked

That sounds about right. Once the CAN shuts down nothing is going to operate.

 

[whitenemesis]

Seems to be in line with the 203 then. I thought the 219 might have had more "going on", so to speak!

 

[V12]

It only has more going on once you turn the key...i'm sure the exhaust note confirms this.

 

[whitenemesis]

It only has more going on once you turn the key...i'm sure the exhaust note confirms this.

LOL.. Ain't that the truth!! :bannana:

Seriously though, even with the IGN in position #1 there are all sorts of clicks and whirs going on from all four corners of the cabin. Made me consider, does anything happen key out and doors closed?

 

[BlackC55]

Nothing happens at all. There is more drain when the car is locked.

 

[Vilus]

I always leave my e55k unlocked in the garage, as it is very much a weekend car and it always fires up intantly. If I lock it and leave it for several days I can detect a slight drop in cranking power when I restart it. As far as I know all electrics, SBC etc go to sleep after a few minutes and are reactivated if you open the doors or boot.

 

[markjay]

Wife used to leave her car unlocked in the street in front of our house after it has been broken into a couple of time, on the premise that it is better to let the thieves get in and see for themselves that there's nothing to take, rather than having the glass smashed and repaired time and time again. One morning she found a homeless person (young lad from Ireland, as it were, and rather pleasant one at that - I had a friendly chat with him) sleeping in the car - she now locks it again.

 

[LawrenceMB]

For SavMan !!

Sorry - was duplicate of message below as it showed an error when posting

 

[LawrenceMB]

For SavMan !!

My suspension does exactly the same thing it will release air 20 secs or so after locking and the car settles slightly. I had read somewhere that airmatic stays active until after the car has been locked but I have no been able to verify this.

Savman - it's Lawrence, can you please give me a bell or txt me your number to 07966 178 758 to arrange re the battery - my PM is up the swanny & I can't send messages for some reason?
Cheers