Radio looks dead, drains battery

[TechVW]

I got in my 99 Beetle after work to come home, but to my surprise, the radio didn't come on. I push the power button, try holding down Scan, etc. No response.
About 24 hours later, the car won't start. The battery was about half-way drained.

This morning, I searched for radio problems on the forums and saw that pulling fuse #42 got some radios to reset. So I pulled it out and pushed it back in and heard a pop. I pushed power on the radio and it came on!

I jumped my battery and the car is now running ok. Hopefully it doesn't drain again. I assume that the radio was draining my battery even though it appeared to be off. Anyone else experience this?

[beetlejuice]

Don't know about the radio draining the battery but DO NOT jump the car with the radio on. It will render it inoperable, calling for a code input; a cruel joke since the code won't revive the radio either.
b

[TechVW]

Well now my car is running fine, but if I turn off my car while the radio is on, later when I start the car the radio tries to read the cassette tape (even though there is no tape inserted) and makes horrible grinding sounds until it displays "Tape Error".

If I turn off the radio before turning off the car, the cassette problem doesn't happen.

[noR]

Sounds like the radio's toast.

[LadybugEwa]

I've had 'tape error' messages and beeps since I bought my bug, for 3 years now. I'm waiting for the radio to go totally toast before I replace. I suspect something similar's happened to it before it became mine. Good thread.

[vwtazzman]

I have been in and around the forum today and found this thread to be the closet match for my problem.
My battery was dieing overnight lately and i did the process of elimination steps with the fuse box and found that with fuse #42 in I have a whooping 2amp drain ! when i pull it the drain goes down blow like 0.03 . That is the radio power and i even tried to switch out the stock HU with another stock one and the problem remained (monsoon BTW and with the fuse in and the HU unplugged-no drain). I read somewhere here that the amp may not be shutting off and I have noticed a "pop" when i turn off the radio like when you turn off your TV before the surround system.
Is there a way to check for sure if it's the amp and is there a fix that anyone knows of? Please help me if you can.
Thanks in advance.

[vwtazzman]

Well I still have the power draw....I installed a 2005 amp(same year as the CD) and I don't have the "pop" but the 2amp drain remains with fuse #42 in. My NB is a 2002 TS and am looking for ideas here. please help.