I started not locking my 997.1 (parked in my garage) a few weeks ago and notice that I will have slow start if I don't driving it for 3 days. I remember when I used to left the car locked, it will take at least 7 days of not driving it before the slow start condition come up. Am I imagining things or is this a known issue ?

 

I thought I heard the cars computers stays on longer on an unlocked car. Don t know if that s true? or how much longer? Good question.

 

What year is it and is it the original battery?

 

Car is 2006, OEM battery replacement 2 years ago.

 

Mine will last longer with the car locked. one year old battery

 

Locking car lowers drain on battery. Known fact. Act accordingly

 

When locked, the car "talks" to the key and if not touched after 7 days, "locks" out the remote part.
That's why you always have to "recode" it to the car. I've never locked the car and have never killed the battery. Longest I've gone I think is a bit over 3 weeks without issue. But that's just me.

 

I'd think that whether unlocked state causes starting problems or not depends on condition of battery and how often/far the car is driven during the week. Best way to go is to use a battery maintainer via the cigarette jack and lock the car up. I am not familiar with having to recode anything. I have left it for over a week, albeit infrequently, and never had a key issue.

 

2008 and never lock in garage with no battery issue.

 

No.

The car doesn't talk the key until the key is inserted in the engine switch. Then the security module beams and RF signal aimed at the key module which triggers a response from the RFID pill. This response RF signal is receive and if it compares to one stored in the security module the engine is allowed to crank.

Leaving the car unlocked for some reason causes the electronics to take longer to enter their low power state. It takes a while longer but eventually they enter their low power state.

I have never left my cars unlocked for any length of time. When I'm out of the car away from the car for any length of time I always lock the car so I do not know what if any impact not locking the car would have on battery life.

Frankly, I do not understand why one wouldn't just lock the car after he's finished with it for a while. One would I think want to get into the habit of locking the car when he is going to be away from it for a while to avoid the risk of leaving the car unlocked and possibly giving someone an opportunity to quickly open a door and grab something out of the car.

Regardless if you lock the car or leave it unlocked after you are through with the car be sure to take the key out of the ignition.

 

Wife never locks her "08 C4 daily driver as she would rather thieves just open door rather than tear it up to get in. She just doesn't leave anything of value in it. No battery problems. We do keep it on a tender in extended bad weather in winter but do not lock it then either.

 

OP asked whether locking car lowered drain on battery. As I read it that as not meant as a poll of "who locks their car" or "who has had battery go dead" Like Mac I am not sure which systems are deactivated by locking car but reportedly it does lower the drain on the battery.

 

it appears that most responders are relating their experiences with locking or not locking their vehicles and the ensuing result. I would prefer 1st hand experience over interpretations of what might happen.

 

Personally I think you are missing the whole point of OP's question and the attempts to answer it. 'Interpretations of what might happen?" Locked car=less drain. Whether battery goes dead or car is hard to start depends on a lot of other factors. Not sure what you are reacting to but have a nice day

 

On pg 255 of manual it does state that after 7 days remote function is turned off and you have to unlock door w key and press button 1 on remote. You are correct but I don't think it is worth leaving car unlocked to avoid that.