|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8 |
A couple months ago, I went out to start the car to get to work. It didn't even click when I went out, so I had to drive the other car to work. Went to Wally World that evening and got a brand-spankin' new battery because the old one read 2 volts. Put the new one in, started the car and drove around to make sure it was fully charged.
The next morning, the car would hardly crank. Once I got it started, I drove it to work and drove it home with no problem. Repeat for 3 days. The third night, I hooked up the meter and after much testing (and showing the wife how to use the amp selection on my meter), I found that by pulling the fuse for the radio (fuse 23?) would remove a significant load from the battery (from 10 amps to 1.5). I disconnected the radio, power antenna, and anything else that I could find with the fuse in and it still drew power (yes the door was shut). Now, if I hook everything up and just take the fuse out, I measure 4 amps going through the fuse with the doors open and .90 amps with it shut. That coincides with the interior lights being on or off.
If I remove the fuse, the car can sit for a week without a problem. Leaving the fuse in overnight is a death sentence for the battery.
Basically, the car is somehow pulling 10 amps with the fuse in and 2 amps with the fuse out. The current actually going through the fuse is .90 amps with the door closed and all accessories shown going to it in the wiring diagram (Haynes manual AND Chilton's) removed (disconnected at their connectors).
Any ideas as to what the problem could be? I'm getting pretty close to just trading the car in on a new one that I won't have to worry about.
Oh, yeah.... If I leave the fuse out while driving, the shifter solenoid clicks everytime I step on the brake. It's enough to drive me crazy on a simple trip to the store.
Thanks!
96 Green Mystique
Zetec
ATX
No mods yet (wife's car but I drive it all the time)
If you want something done right, do it yourself or use an SAE mechanic you can buy beer for.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,382
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,382 |
I'm confused. There should be some voltage on the battery, it runs the clock and keeps memory in the computer. Dumb question, but have you checked your alternator?
Run the car with the positive cable loose but in contact then pull it off the post of the battery. If the car dies, it's a bad alternator and you've been running the car off the battery for days until it dies....
"Fear is the little death."
Muadib.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8 |
Originally posted by NateCox:
I'm confused. There should be some voltage on the battery, it runs the clock and keeps memory in the computer. Dumb question, but have you checked your alternator?
Run the car with the positive cable loose but in contact then pull it off the post of the battery. If the car dies, it's a bad alternator and you've been running the car off the battery for days until it dies....
First thing I tried. Even had it load tested at the auto store. Besides, I highly doubt that it could be started twice (or more) a day, driven an hour each day for 2 months and not require a jump if the alternator was bad. I even have a full 14.3 volts at the battery posts when running and 13.8 volts when not running. All I have to do is take the fuse out each night when I get home and it's fine. I just hate having to reset my radio stations every day. There is definitely something loading the battery down overnight. I just can't figure out what it is. I've gone through both sets of schematics that I have and the only things mentioned are the radio and timer module.
96 Green Mystique
Zetec
ATX
No mods yet (wife's car but I drive it all the time)
If you want something done right, do it yourself or use an SAE mechanic you can buy beer for.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,110
Hard-core CEG\'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,110 |
Do you have an aftermarket radio? If so, is it possible the power and memory wire are wired backward?
'01 Escape XLT V6 on S100
CDT Audio/Ascendant Audio/Rockford/JBL/Knukonceptz setup
'00 SE Sport ATX
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 771
Veteran CEG\'er
|
|
Veteran CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 771 |
Since you have a power antenna, my first thought would be that the antenna motor is not shutting off when the antenna retracts. Have you tried unplugging the power lead to the antenna and seeing if the problem goes away? I doubt if its your radio itself, as if it was pulling ten amps when the car was shut off, you'd definitely be hearing some noise! Another possibility is that the premium sound amp is not shutting off when it should, although it shouldn't pull that much current with no signal.
You also mention the same fuse serves the shifter lock out solenoid. Is the solenoid staying energized all the time, instead of just when you step on the brake while the car is in Park? Can you shift out of Park when the key is off and your foot is off the brake?
Just some ideas, hope something works for ya.
-Mark-
'99 Mystique LS, totally original (including the original water pump and the premium stereo)! Bought new in December 1998 for $21,000.
208,000 miles
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 30
New CEG\'er
|
|
New CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 30 |
This may not be your problem, but my battery drained overnight because of a short circuit or ground problem with the trunk light...nothing showed up on the computer scan, so Ford had to poke around manually with a circuit tester to trace the problem to the trunk light...bottom line is diagnostic computer dosn't always work...anyway...got that fixed and no more dead battery's...
2000 Red Contour SE Zetec
Only mod. is a stereo...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 125
CEG\'er
|
|
CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 125 |
Originally posted by thegibby005:
This may not be your problem, but my battery drained overnight because of a short circuit or ground problem with the trunk light...nothing showed up on the computer scan, so Ford had to poke around manually with a circuit tester to trace the problem to the trunk light...bottom line is diagnostic computer dosn't always work...anyway...got that fixed and no more dead battery's...
I had the same problem (took 2 tows to dealer to prove that it was not the altinator), but i do not think the trunk light is a is a 10 amp drain, nor would it kill my battery every night (only when the car sat for a couple days) Try turning off the radio manualy.
Woz
2000 Contour SVT #136
Black with Blue leather
30% tint all around
12.2" Wilwood Billet NDL
PS: I hate ALL Ford Dealers
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8 |
Thanks to all who read my post. I appreciate the suggestions. However, they are all among the first things I did. Maybe my original post was too long?
I completely disconnected the radio, power antenna, and timer module. There is no premium sound in the car. No other amps either. These are the only things listed on the wiring diagram for this car for that fuse. Is there anything else that goes to fuse 32? If I pull it out, the 10 amp draw is gone even though the only current going through the fuse is less than 1 amp. I can't shift out of Park unless the key is on and I press the brake. Yet, somehow, eventhough nothing is shown going to the solenoid that connects to the break light switch from that fuse, taking it out causes the solenoid to click everytime I step on the brake.
This happened "out of the blue" one morning. It wasn't a gradual thing. Was fine the day before and now I have to remove the fuse every night when I get home. I even tried turning the radio off manually. But, I don't see how that should matter if the radio is disconnected.
Anymore ideas anyone?
96 Green Mystique
Zetec
ATX
No mods yet (wife's car but I drive it all the time)
If you want something done right, do it yourself or use an SAE mechanic you can buy beer for.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,408
Hard-core CEG'er
|
|
Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,408 |
Fuse 32 also goes to:
Heated seats
Bulb failure warning system
Anti-theft system
Door lock system
Door locks sounds promising, do they all work? Trunk too?
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8 |
Originally posted by Rogerm60:
Fuse 32 also goes to:
Heated seats
Bulb failure warning system
Anti-theft system
Door lock system
Door locks sounds promising, do they all work? Trunk too?
Thanks, but.... Don't have. Don't know about. What does it do? Don't have. All work perfectly. I also found out that without the fuse in, the mirrors won't work. Maybe it's time to invest in a real factory manual? I just don't want to waste money on a manual if we end up trading the old Merc for something new. Apparantly, this is a problem area as the fuse has been marked with permanent marker so it can be identified.
96 Green Mystique
Zetec
ATX
No mods yet (wife's car but I drive it all the time)
If you want something done right, do it yourself or use an SAE mechanic you can buy beer for.
|
|
|
|
|
