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Parasitic draw

5

550Doug

Member
Location
Southern Ontario
My 2003 Buick Park Avenue has a parasitic draw that I've traced to the ECM by eliminating fuses. However, I understand that there are some items on the car that are not fused and would show the same symptoms. Also, it may be possible that a blown diode in the alternator could be the culprit. In any event, it's been sitting for a week and so when I jumped into it last night it started right up and I picked up a pizza and returned home, a 10 minute job. I noticed the battery volts were reading 13.3 to 13.5v while I was driving. However, when I turned off the car the ignition key would not release from the switch. I left the key there.
Today I went to start the car and there was no power at all. My voltmeter measured 4.5v across the battery terminals.
How can a good Interstate battery (only 11 years old) die so fast? Could this be a possible bad diode in the alternator?
 
Well, the charging voltage was as it should be into a very old battery. The reality is likely a bad battery. Disconnect it at one terminal then charging it. Then, when fully charged and a
minute or less after removing a 10 amp charger, the voltage should show 12.7 volts. In an hour, it should be 12.6. In 5 hours it should be 12.6. In 3 days (still disconnected) it should be
12.5 to 12.6. Jim
 
My parents had something like that on
their 1997 Buick LeSabre. It would drain
the battery down over time. I believe it
was something related to the key switch
that dealt with the anti-theft feature.
It has been several years, so I cannot
recall the specifics.

Lon
 
11 year old battery is well over its normal life so I would start with a new battery
 
How did you tell that the ECM was the parasitic draw by removing the fuses? Did you have a test light between one of the battery terminal connections and the battery post?
 
All ECM's will have parasitic draw, they have to stay alive, it should be a few milliamps or less.
 
Was the pizza good? I have the same problem in a 2001 Pontiac. All fuses removed one at a time. Really
cpold use good information. Did unhook alternator and checked for draw,
 
My 2000 Tahoe would have a dead battery sometimes. I would charge the battery and try to move it a week later. I had an infected total knee replacement...so I didn't drive for a few months. The battery was 1
year old. I pulled fuses till it was light circuits. My lighted visor had a bad hinge and would SOMETIMES would leave the light on. Pulled the bulbs no more problems.
 
The two things you need to learn is the use of a multimeter both for voltage and amperage checking. As has been said here a tired battery may take a charge, reading 13.5 to 14.0 volts or so with the
engine running but will not "hold" a full charge afterward, about 12.6 volts that is normal at rest. Test for parasitic draw using the amps setting across the two terminals of the fuse holder with
the fuse removed. Every circuit is suspect if the problem persists after load testing the battery and proving a positive charge situation. New vehicles, tractors, - everything will draw current for
the computer in surprisingly higher amounts over time such that if the machine has not been run in 30-60 days or so it will result in a low battery.
 

This post is a joke RIGHT...

11 year old battery replace it...

Alternator draw UNPLUG IT simple as that..

I fraught a 03 buick draw that was not there for mouths one day while removing the key I noticed the key would come out of the switch before it was in the lock position... That's a somewhat common issue on a GM I begged the old gal to let me put a new ignition cylinder it, it came down to I refused to work on anymore it till she approved the replacement...

I replaced the lock cylinder like magic the mysterious drain vanished...
 
From my understanding, the ignition cylinder for the key is all mechanical and non electrical. Is this wrong? Can a cylinder from a wrecking yard be used or must a new one be purchased?
 

I think it has a chipped key you would have to measure the chip are bypass the pass lock...

I would get an OEM with the correct coded key so one key fits like original... THEN bypass the pass lock system...

I think there were only 11 different chips you would be lucky to hit on one in a salvage yard that matched.. THEN have to tote two keys : (...
 
I have a '04 Dodge Intrepid that Dodge hid the battery down in the right front fender. I have never seen it. I bought the car in Jan '13 and the battery was dead and I had to boost it off and figured I would need to change the battery soon, not yet. I have no idea if it is still running on the original battery or what.
 
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