What is causing my car's parasitic drain?
My partners Arbarth 595 has developed an electrical fault which illuminates the engine management light and displays the check engine message. It also has a parasitic drain on the battery. Our local Fiat specialist has carried out a full diagnostic but the fault doesn't show up and the drain disappears. We have had a new battery fitted but every couple of days we have to jump start the car? The specialist has suggested we take the car to the nearest Arbarth service centre and ask if they can reprogramme the vehicle. Can you tell me what this will involve and how much is it likely to cost us?
Asked on 8 June 2026 by paul foden
Answered by
David Ross
A parasitic drain can be difficult to diagnose, particularly if a fault code is either not generated or does not disappear. As you have tried a Fiat specialist already with no success, a main dealer may be the next option, and we would expect one or two hours of diagnostics and potentially reprogramming to cost between £100 and £200. Some owners have found this issue can be caused by the infotainment module which fails to shut down when the car is turned off, but you also may wish to consider trying an automotive electrician who can check the vehicle thoroughly in order to find the source of the drain.
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