Hello,

I have a 1983 turbo 240 wagon. It was running fine until one evening when I parked it for the night I noticed the low battery light on my dash light up, this happened only after I turned the key to the position where I can pull it out. In the morning the battery was completely dead, not even enough power for the power locks or low battery light. I tried jumping it off of two separate cars, without much success. I would allow enough time to seemingly let the battery charge but never even got enough juice turn it over.
So I go and buy a new battery. Drop it in and everything seems fine, no warning lights lit while I have the key turned and engine running, drives fine. However as soon as I turned the key after parking, the warning light for the battery comes on again. So I disconnected the battery to keep the new one from draining. My first thought was I needed a new alternator, but would this cause the battery light to come on even with a new battery? Or drain the battery even with the key not in the ignition?
I thought I would ask here first to try and fix it myself and learn in the process rather than bring it in right away. I have some skills to replace any parts, but would need a good description of part and location. Pictures would make it easiest.

thanks in advance for any help anyone could provide.

Krag

Do you see the batt light on with the key out? Or only with the key is in the "off" position?

I would think its the ignition switch, here is why. The +12v required for that light to be on has to go through the switch and should be off with the key out.

With the key in and with the light on, rattle the key around to see if the light goes out suggesting a bad switch ....