My 2014 Holden Captiva battery keeps draining. I have just purchased a new battery, but if the car isn’t run for a day or two, the battery will be flat. The radio turns on when car is locked. I have turned lights off auto etc, and I make sure my Bluetooth phone plug is disconnected. I’m having to jump start the car. Even if car is locked the back lights are staying on occasionally. I’m unsure how to solve this issue.
This looks like a classic case of a body computer that is in the process of dying. Any time you see random lights coming on, or the stereo switching itself on, suspicions are always that the body computer as the culprit.
This computer controls literally hundreds of functions from the wipers, climate control, lights, entertainment system, even stuff like the rear window demister and central locking. And when the computer starts to fail many of these functions can go haywire, which is pretty much what you’re seeing.
The tail-lights staying on and the stereo witching itself on are what’s draining your battery, but the body computer is very likely the root cause and probably needs to be replaced. But before you do that, try this: Disconnect the battery overnight and then reconnect it next morning. Sometimes (but not always) this swill reset the body computer and might stop it playing tricks. The fix might be temporary, but it’s definitely worth a shot.