Yodawill2000 Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 Hello folks! New member here. I have a nasty battery drain when the ignition is off. I eliminated the Alternator by disconnecting the main cable. I used a thermal imaging device to see what was getting warm and I found a connector right beside the inside fuse box the was heating up. Its a light gray Molex type connector on the right side of the fuse box about half way up. When I disconnect the cable the parasitic drain stops. the ignition is non responsive also when its unplugged.. Can anybody tell me what devices use that connection? Cant find a wiring diagram anywhere online. Thanks in advance for any help. Disconnecting the battery when I shut it off is getting old!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 can you post detailed pics of all the connections at the battery and fuse box? That would help identify OEM vs alien configurations. Usually it is an aftermarket alarm or audio system that raises heck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 Will do. We haven't added any aftermarket anything on this vehicle. All stock. Will post pics after work. Thanks for the quick response! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWizard Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 10 amps is a huge drain! Normal drain (to maintain clock, keyless entry, etc.) should be 50 milliamps or less on most recent models - even less on older models with less electronics. Some GM models have been known to approach 90 milliamps but that is still more than 100 times less than your 10 amps. There are lots of circuits in the vehicle that don't draw 10 amps even when they're turned on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 I agree. I thought it may be a short to ground but that would be higher than 10 with a fully charged battery. I'm smooth stumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted September 13, 2018 Report Share Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) Just guessing based on your description, but you may be unplugging the power lead coming into the fuse box. My initial guess is the problem lies in the fuse panel itself. This part actually contains several transistorized circuits that can fail. That being said there is a way to troubleshoot the problem. Connect a VOM (set to amperes) between the positive battery lead and the battery (in series). (This is what you did to determine the leak current. Next disconnect each fuse, one-by-one, and check to see if the draw stops. (There is always some draw coming from the battery, but it's in millimeters.) If after testing all circuits, you do not find a specific circuit, it's the fuse panel (smart junction box) itself. Otherwise you will have isolated the circuit that's causing the draw. Post back your results, we are all curious. Edited September 13, 2018 by enigma-2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 16, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2018 Update on this. Finally! Work has been a beast the last week. I was pulling a fuse at a time to see if I can find the culprit. I had my wife watching the Amp gauge by the battery. Turns out there is a click sound at the inside fuse box area like a relay when she closes the circuit with the meter. When I pulled fuse #18 the clicking stopped and the drain went down quite a bit. Here is what the fuse powers per the diagram. Third row power seats, Start button run indicator, Keypad illumination, Brake shift interlock, Powertrain control module wake-up, Anti-theft system. I did pull out the 2 small relays in the fuse box itself, but that didn't stop the clicking sound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 16, 2018 Report Share Posted September 16, 2018 Brake shift interlock is a common culprit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 As far as a battery drain? Or just not shifting out of park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 17, 2018 Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 17, 2018 Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 The PCM keeps checking something when the sensor stops working and that drains the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 (edited) Thanks! Is there a way to temporarily disable it till I get a replacement? Ignition wont fire with fuse 18 pulled. Edited September 17, 2018 by Yodawill2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 17, 2018 Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 Not sure exactly which sensor it might be and I doubt unplugging it would work. Are the brake lights working? Do you get any “not in park” warnings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodawill2000 Posted September 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2018 No Sir. When running all is fine. Only thing that's acted up since this started was the outside temp showing 0 degrees But on the way home today that was working. Weird. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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