NewRave

Hello,

After some recent car work (soldering the wires on my front door speakers), By using a test light, I've noticed that there is a short on the PWR ACCY fuse. If I leave that fuse in, the battery will drain even when the car is off. Does anyone know what could be causing this? Maybe one of the wires/connections that go to the control switches on the door (i.e., door locks, windows, mirror controls, etc.)?

If it is a speaker wire that is grounding, wouldn't it only draw on the battery when power is being sent to the speaker? I would think that when the car is off, the radio would prevent power from going to the speaker and thus a short beyond the head-unit would not be a problem. Anyone know more about this?

If I disconnect the radio and leave the fuse in, my test light will slowly flash on and off. What's the deal with that?

dragonrage

How fast does the battery drain?

NewRave

I don't drive the car very often so I'm not exactly sure. I know I tried starting up after 2 weeks and the battery was dead.

I ran a multi-meter in series between the negative battery terminal and cable (with the car off and the fuse in) and got a reading of around 11 V.

lbls1

I've been having the same problem since I've owned mine. I hope you can resolve yours.

My problem is worse in the winter time. Mine is now (since its cold) about every 5-7 days. On good times I could go as long as three weeks. I have a sub in my car, so I take the fuse out of it when its stored, and it is easier on the battery. We're going thru an unusually cold spell where I am at though.

dragonrage

hmm... Try unplugging the radio for a while and see if the drain stops, I guess? It's normal to have some drain on the battery with the car off, but it shouldn't go dead that fast unless it needs to be replaced (and if it didn't need to be replaced, letting it fully discharge like that more than a few times will change that)

NewRave

So I had a chance to work on the car again; whenever the PWR ACCY fuse is plugged in, a test light will light up when I put it in series with the negative battery post and the negative cable. When I unplug the radio, the test light will flash on and off slowly. Is that normal?

If I take the PWR ACCY fuse out, the test light does not light up. There must be something on that fuse that is shorting out. According to the owner's manual, the PWR ACCY fuse controls the Parking Lamp Relay, Hatch Release Relay, Power Mirror Switch, Radio, Shock Sensor, Instrument Cluster.

Michael02hawk

iTrader: (26)

By any chance, did you figure out where your short or drain was coming from?

I ask, becuase I am having the same problem. A draw from the battery when the car is shut off, pin-pointed it to the same fuse #7, PWR ACCY.

TransBAm99

I had the same problem, and I just found the drain. It's the gauge cluster. No one ever updates these hopeless kinds of threads so I figured I share what I found today.

Here's what I did so you can follow the same steps. I know it's the gauge cluster, but I will detail what I did. I'll go from easiest to hardest.

1. You need a multimeter that can handle the amp range. I was unable to find a metter locally that could do 20A, but I did find several that could do 10A. I knew the drain wasn't big, so I had to settle. I will invest in a 20A online though.

2. You've already done the hard part figuring out that it's on the power accy fuse. Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery, pull the fuse and shut the door. Once the lights have gone out test the draw on the 10A setting. I was showing 0. WIth the fuse in I was showing .6.

3. Leave the fuse in. Get to the trunk release and disconnect the two lead that go to it. Make sure you shut the trunk to shut the lights off. Test the draw again. Move on if there is no change.

4. Disconnect the shock sensor (passenger side trunk area under the tire panel. Shut the trunk. Test again. Move on if there is no change.

5. Disconnect the power mirror connection on the driver's door (not the windows! they aren't on this circuit). Shut the door. Test again. Move on if there is no change.

6. Remove the radio. Shut the door. Test again. Move on if there is no change.

7. Remove the gauge cluster. Shut the door. Test again.

That should be everything on the circuit.

What is happening with the cluster? I don't know. I'll take a look at it and let you guys know.

E-mail me if you need help.

NewRave

Can someone help guide me to the correct setting for "20A"? I have two multimeters and I'm hoping that at least one of them can do the job. I also need to know where to hook up the leads as there appears to be 3 options for each meter. Thanks in advance for your help!!!

dragonrage

The red one can only measure up to 2A. The red test lead goes on the right and black in the middle. The yellow one can do 10A, red test lead in the top hole and black in the bottom.

NewRave

Thanks for the quick response dragon! So do you recommend using the yellow meter? It looks like I should use the setting counter clockwise from the BATT setting? Do you know what a normal draw/reading should be for a car with no short on this setting?

dragonrage

On the yellow one, for the 10A function, you'd want to go 6 clicks clockwise from the off position. For any other function, you hook the red lead into the middle hole. Do NOT try to use any function other than 10A with that lead hooked up to the 10A (top) hole.

NewRave

With fuse in I get 2.2 on the 10A setting. With fuse out 0. I checked the shock sensor, mirror controls and trunk release and it made no difference -- still 2.2 with fuse in. After disconnecting the head unit, I got .3. Can I attribute the problem to the head unit? What is the next step? Isn't .3 still high without the radio?

UMD_Jesse

iTrader: (6)

Had the same issue and that little blue wire that connects to the handbrake was shorted out intermitently

NewRave

Are you sure that is on the power accessory fuse? That can't be connected to the radio is it? I'm not sure which wire you are talking about....