VW radios are often hooked up so they are powered regardless of the key
status.  This can be nice but some radios always draw a lot of power even
when off.  Then it causes you problems.

Assuming your battery isn't marginal, you probably have two options:
get a different radio that draws less power, or
wire it so that it is only powered when the key is on.  I'm not sure if
there's already an easily accessible wire for this purpose in your 85.  But
it isn't hard to piggy back off another one if necessary.

On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 11:48 AM, Sarah Kieschnick <photofreakk@yahoo.com>wrote:

>
> I have a question:  Why is my new radio always "lit up" even when turned
> off and ignition is off also? And after 2wks (from installation of radio),
> now my battery is dead, even though I started it several times including
> for 10minutes the day it "died"?
>
> It is a 1985 Westy vanagon GL 1.9
>
>