two trucks same problem
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Joined: Jun 2012
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two trucks same problem
i apologize for jumping in with a question, but the search option was to limited for my problem. I was complaining to a friend of mine that my truck, if it sits for a week, will drain the battery. He also has the same problem. as continued or not frustrated conversation, i mentioned that the display on my radio does not work. these two things events occurred at the same time for both of us! unless the radio, which i have learned is a common problem, is also draining the battery, then there must be another culprit. I am not mechanically inclined. I brew beer! any help would be great!
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
Likes: 143
What you need to do is look for a drain over and above what the PCM normally takes to keep it'self alive along with other items such as radio memory , clock etc..
A week is a long time and suggest the drain is somewhat small.
Now working with this will likely at some point reboot the computer from a power down but it does not hurt anything.
I would first look at the posibility of the Alternator causing the issue from it having a leaky rectifier stack. If not, then current draw testing is in order to find the circuit causing the drain.
How that can be done is as follows:
Make up a small 12 volt lamp and socket assembly to connect between the battery post and the cable.
If the drain is high enough the lamp will light.
Next thing to do is remove fuses one at a time to see which one puts the lamp out or dims it considerably.
Caution, remove the under hood lamp and close the doors for each test and have nothing on so their drains don't fool you.
As a test of the Alternator, remove it's plug and watch the lamp brightness.
Better you go this route and learn than go random and not be able to tell much.
Good luck.
A week is a long time and suggest the drain is somewhat small.
Now working with this will likely at some point reboot the computer from a power down but it does not hurt anything.
I would first look at the posibility of the Alternator causing the issue from it having a leaky rectifier stack. If not, then current draw testing is in order to find the circuit causing the drain.
How that can be done is as follows:
Make up a small 12 volt lamp and socket assembly to connect between the battery post and the cable.
If the drain is high enough the lamp will light.
Next thing to do is remove fuses one at a time to see which one puts the lamp out or dims it considerably.
Caution, remove the under hood lamp and close the doors for each test and have nothing on so their drains don't fool you.
As a test of the Alternator, remove it's plug and watch the lamp brightness.
Better you go this route and learn than go random and not be able to tell much.
Good luck.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
We've had 2 Fords with the delay switch on the interior lights. In both, the lights first wouldn't ever turn off, then later, they would eventually go out, but there was still current going through the switch ( very small amount, not enough to light the lights, but eventually drained the battery).
Dave
Dave
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