Battery draining constantly

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New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2024
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5
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Levorg
Hello fellow Subaru Levorg drivers who, like me, thought that they were getting a WRX wagon with a different name.
Not sure about the rest of you on here but I was made aware decades ago about how reliable and well made Subaru's are. In the 21st century this is in fact a bald faced lie. The battery issues I have experienced with me Gen1 Levorg are becoming ridiculous to the point that I am going out to purchase a $400 jumpstart battery kit to ensure I do not miss any further appointments due to the battery being flat again. Well batteries one, two three, and four have reliably died on me that I have no choice. I now have an expensive Bosch battery capable of starting a much larger engine than my little 2.0 turbo, and it still happens.
Additionally "reprogramming my windows no longer works as I cannot control any windows, including my own, from the drivers panel. I can still operate the side mirrors and lock/unlock the doors, just not the $%^#@*& windows. Also my drivers seat keeps snapping the support cage inside the seat at the exact same spot on the left side, leaving the drivers seat both uneven, and uncomfortable due to the corner of the frame holding the interior cage is has a sharp corner right where it can hurt..
I for one and probably never going to purchase another Subaru after this experience, and feel like going on a social media jihad against the car maker itself if I was twenty years younger and could operate all of the apps like my teenage daughters can.
Great engine,
 

Virgonaut

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2022
Messages
59
Location
Białystok, Poland
Vehicle(s)
Levorg GT-S Sport 1.6DIT
Calm down. I had same issue, but it wasn't related to the battery itself. Just check if you don't have turned-on interior lighting. The issue is - if you leave car with interior light turned on they won't turn-off as this car is mixture of 90's and 2010's XD, and some stuff is not governed by yeh control unit.

Two bulbs which are on may drain battery to flat in 24 hrs (experienced that in low temperatures), so I've replaced them with LEDs. If I forget to turn-off - they should drain battery slower.

Otherwise if it is not the lighting, check if there is nothing that steals electricity like constantly running aftermarket radio or short circuit.
 

Robsyuk

Active Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2022
Messages
408
Vehicle(s)
LEVORG Sti
Do you have a tracker on the car? They put a constant drain in the car.
But like above, check all interior lights turn off after you get out of the car as I've even left mine on 3 times!..
 

Not As Advertised

New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2024
Messages
5
Vehicle(s)
Levorg
Calm down. I had same issue, but it wasn't related to the battery itself. Just check if you don't have turned-on interior lighting. The issue is - if you leave car with interior light turned on they won't turn-off as this car is mixture of 90's and 2010's XD, and some stuff is not governed by yeh control unit.

Two bulbs which are on may drain battery to flat in 24 hrs (experienced that in low temperatures), so I've replaced them with LEDs. If I forget to turn-off - they should drain battery slower.

Otherwise if it is not the lighting, check if there is nothing that steals electricity like constantly running aftermarket radio or short circuit.
Virginaut, if you had gone through four batteries and countless roadside callouts for battery jumpstarts, perhaps your zen like calm might also be tested, as mine clearly has. I have looked for the obvious potential points of power drain like internal lights, lights on the sunshades, in the boot, on the console. Occasionally my kids have left the roof lights for the rear seat on, but nine out of ten times its not the interior lights, nor anything on a normal checklist for the cause.

I have had intermittent issues with the eyesight becoming unavailable during a drive or when you first start the engine. this always corrects itself but there is no discernable cause for the failure such as severe weather, internal humidity, dirty windscreen, etc etc. It means that the autopilot and emergency braking no longer work. Although this safety failure is frustrating and dangerous, the upside is that the eyesight system can no longer limit my ability to "educate" those annoying entitled slow moving jaywalkers ;);).

I have enjoyed many things about my Subaru but I am leaning towards never purchasing a Subaru again. The build quality has appeared to decline from those legendary old Subaru's I see rolling around since the 80's. I think I have a lemon until I google the problem and find I'm not alone.
 

Not As Advertised

New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2024
Messages
5
Vehicle(s)
Levorg
Do you have a tracker on the car? They put a constant drain in the car.
But like above, check all interior lights turn off after you get out of the car as I've even left mine on 3 times!..
I have heard about the DCM drain but my base GT model does not come with any satellite navigation, I'm trying to find out if my year and model has a DCM, but it's a deep rabbit hole i'm descending into.
 

Robsyuk

Active Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2022
Messages
408
Vehicle(s)
LEVORG Sti
I have heard about the DCM drain but my base GT model does not come with any satellite navigation, I'm trying to find out if my year and model has a DCM, but it's a deep rabbit hole i'm descending into.
Connect a volt meter to the battery and monitor it. As it drops, take a fuse out, then see if it keep going down.

When a removed fuse stops it going down, see what that fuse relates to. Are your parking lights on, indicator stalk up. Could the radio be on standby rather than off off.
 

bigsurlyt

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2021
Messages
64
Location
Sydney/ Honolulu
Vehicle(s)
2016 Subaru Levorg GTSV1 STI
By chance are you running a dash cam? Notorious for draining battery life. Robsyuk is correct with advice on voltmeter and fuses, takes about 5 mins and you eliminate all possibilities as you go, good strategy.

Build quality and reliability is still there for Subaru, although you are correct ie not what it used to be. Sound system and sat nav are rubbish, and interiors could use some more factory love.
Gotta say im impressed with Mazda after my Mrs picked up a brand new CX3 this year, amazingly well built on the level of German cars.
 
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