Battery dies after a day of not driving

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
Car kept dying after a few days of not driving then I switch the batteries and still had the problem. Winter came put the car away let the battery stay charged while sitting for winter. Now when I drive the car the next morning it’s dead. When the cars off I have a .55ish amps and when I take the fuse for the radio out it goes to about .30ish I’m guessing because the radio gotta you know remember the time and stuff. If anyone has suggestions would be greatly appreciate.
 

VA-Mach1

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2014
Messages
459
Location
VA
I had a similar problem. After many hours and hours of reading and testing it turned out to be the driver door ajar switch going bad. Replaced it and problem solved.

Edit: my overhead light would stay on sometimes also. I just didn't notice it in the daylight
 

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
I had a similar problem. After many hours and hours of reading and testing it turned out to be the driver door ajar switch going bad. Replaced it and problem solved.

Edit: my overhead light would stay on sometimes also. I just didn't notice it in the daylight

that might be it seems like my doom light is only off or on though nothing when the door is open
 

DSG2003Mach1

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
15,913
Location
Central Fl
There are some other threads on here about chasing a current draw.

stolen from another thread:

"A 1.5 -2 amp draw will kill a battery over night
Before the computer goes to sleep you should see a 2.1 amp approx but should drop to about .3 amps ounce asleep"

you need to let the modules go to sleep (ie key out of the ignition and either leave door or open or closed and DONT open/close it while testing)

with the volt meter then start pulling fuses are you going until you see voltage drop. Then you can isolate based on what's running off that fuse. You might have to start with engine bay fuse box then move to the interior.

based on the information above it sounds like something on that radio circuit is the excessive draw.
 

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
There are some other threads on here about chasing a current draw.

stolen from another thread:

"A 1.5 -2 amp draw will kill a battery over night
Before the computer goes to sleep you should see a 2.1 amp approx but should drop to about .3 amps ounce asleep"

you need to let the modules go to sleep (ie key out of the ignition and either leave door or open or closed and DONT open/close it while testing)

with the volt meter then start pulling fuses are you going until you see voltage drop. Then you can isolate based on what's running off that fuse. You might have to start with engine bay fuse box then move to the interior.

based on the information above it sounds like something on that radio circuit is the excessive draw.

Yeah ima have to chase some wires down on this radio any tips? For some reason my car has two radios a aftermarket one and a factory one right under it the aftermarket one works fine but the factory one doesn't might have to do with that.
 

DSG2003Mach1

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
15,913
Location
Central Fl
Yeah ima have to chase some wires down on this radio any tips? For some reason my car has two radios a aftermarket one and a factory one right under it the aftermarket one works fine but the factory one doesn't might have to do with that.

I would say to leave the door open so it goes to sleep that way, already have the radios pulled out of the dash (super easy) and check power going to each one. Im not familiar with your stereo setup off hand, photos might help. I would also investigate the wiring after pulling them out and make sure something else isn't tapped into the wiring. Usually the radio fuse (under the dash anyway) is a key on power fuse (should be off with key off)
 

shurur

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
3,760
Location
Lutz, FL
I had a similar problem. After many hours and hours of reading and testing it turned out to be the driver door ajar switch going bad. Replaced it and problem solved.

Edit: my overhead light would stay on sometimes also. I just didn't notice it in the daylight
Same problem with my ranger.
WD40 to the latches fixed it.
 

JaCobro

Luke 10:19
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2020
Messages
1,718
Location
North Carolina
Sounds like you need to start with the radios. Pull them out. Leave them disconnected. Check connectors for anything obvious. If ok. Leave radios out. Then see if that fixes it.
 

52merc

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2000
Messages
580
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I had an issue with a Mach460 amp that would continuously pull a small amount of power after it was "shut off". There was a burnt transistor in the 5V sense circuit that turns the amp on and off.

This was my problem and tried to fix it but it didn't work per this video.

 
Last edited:

shurur

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
3,760
Location
Lutz, FL
Only other thing I would add is to leave your a ammeter between battery ground and the terminal..and let it set for 5-10 minutes...i.e. wait for stuff to shut down.

Another thing is to turn the key on, then off..as some problems hide otherwise.
You need to make like you just finished driving her in to the driveway.

I found this video very helpful.
 

GNBRETT

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Premium Member
Beer Money Bros.
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
4,548
Location
Middle Earth
Why dont u jump it. Get the battery charged then pull the Radio fuse and see what happens overnight.
 

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
A little update only had a day off so didn’t pull the radio but had the battery charging and took the radio fuse out still had current so I pulled a few fuses out of fuse box in the engine compartment while I was In There and one of the ignition fuses one the other drawing current. Took both out no current now.
 

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
So I pulled the radio wires look fine. Nothing odd but pulled the radio unplugged it and put the fuse back in no current, but still have current in the ignition switch if I put the fuse in. So I ended up buying a few ignition switch still didn’t work. Now I’m stuck.
 

JaCobro

Luke 10:19
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2020
Messages
1,718
Location
North Carolina
Any other aftermarket devices pulling power from the ignition circuit? If so isolate them too. At this point I’d say remove any aftermarket electronic devices. And start from there.
 

redzaku

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
58
Location
Richmond
Any other aftermarket devices pulling power from the ignition circuit? If so isolate them too. At this point I’d say remove any aftermarket electronic devices. And start from there.

that’s it’s just the radio and I don’t have 2 radios the other one was the factory CD player. But other then that no after market parts. That I can see. Trying to find a wire diagram to see which wire is the ignition to radio
 

JaCobro

Luke 10:19
Established Member
Premium Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2020
Messages
1,718
Location
North Carolina
What happens if you isolate the ignition switch from the circuit? Might be the switch causing draw
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top