Diagnosing Battery Draw (Battery Goes Dead Overnight)

42 thoughts on “Diagnosing Battery Draw (Battery Goes Dead Overnight)”

1. Searching for ideas on a 2001 Bullit battery draw. Two things are evident: Eric is the King at finding problems, and Mrs O never ages! Great video.

2. To help others, my issue ended up being a hidden GPS tracking unit wired to the fuse box. It had a small lithium battery inside which basically failed and started drawing a ton of power. It was very hot and buzzing!

3. Another awesome video. As soon as OBD2 came out around 1996 the OBD2 module brains should've had their own rechargeable power supply with a battery management system that's fed by the alternator separate from the main battery that can go for weeks or months without driving the car with its own fault codes in case of an issue. What an absurd design for an essential component to be powered in such an non strategic way.

4. Cool granny trick.

5. Excellent !

6. Nice thinking again thanks for the inf Mr😊

7. Love this mechanic

8. Honda multiplex units suck

9. "Back in the old days, when you used to have to think" <<< Thats a fact Jack! 😅

10. Where can i find those fuse pullers?

11. This is a good one! My laymen skills I had to watch it 2.5 times🚕

12. Just before I get in a really bad position to pull something apart I assess if I can put it back.

13. I have a parasitic draw on a 2000 bmwz3. my dc amp clamp shows a 11 milivolt draw on the negative cable, but a 54 milivolt draw on the the positive cable.. why is this?

14. How much do you charge to diagnose

15. Love the tip wrapping the test lead several times 👊🏻

16. It appears that the fuel switch was some how causing the relay to remain continuously energized & that was the cause of the unwanted power draw from the battery; but I'm a bit puzzled how that was possible. Normally when a fuel door is closed, it pushes on a spring-loaded rod that keeps the fuel door switch in an open condition–so that no power can flow to the relay. When the fuel door is opened, then the spring-loaded switch rod pops out & the switch gets closed–so that power can flow to the relay.. But, in your case, the fuel door was closed, so how could the fuel door switch allow power to flow to the relay when it was in the open position? In other words, how can an open switch be stuck closed?

17. If the door lock doesn’t lock completely if you push the door in and locks the latch but might leave the switch or rellay on ( like the door still open ..? I believe if switch in door it’s not actuating mostly problem it’s in rear sliding mechanism

18. Thanks for the learning

19. Thanks.

20. Parasidic drain. 2008 Odyssey Touring. Seems to be on the #15 40 amp under hood circuit.
    Would you please give me the fuse numbers down stream from there. That would help immensely.
    Watched this video.. extremely helpful. Especially the exercise of driving the car around and cycling doors etc before rechecking.
    Thank you so much.

21. And without the door opening solenoid for the fuel fill door HOW DOES HE FUEL THE CAR?

22. lol…. Eric, when you pulled the relay out behind the speaker…..i started to laugh, thinking….. you will end up taking the whole panel off anyhow… of course, i couldnt see what you could…..but if it were happening to me… i wouldve never gotten that relay back into its plug.. i know its an older video, but i learn something new from all your videos

23. could a broken flapper for vent flow drain your battery

24. Had the same issue on my 2002 Odyssey. It was the actual latch that springs out the fuel fill door. It has a cable internally that activates a switch. The plastic housing broke on the latch inside the frame of the car and was making the switch close as if the door was open, causing the 250 milliamp parasitic draw (activating the door lock relay). The door would remain locked, and even lock itself if I unlocked the car doors. Had to pull all of the paneling off of the left side which was the most difficult part. Replaced the cable switch and the parasitic draw went away (doors operated normally). GREAT video. BTW – if pulling panels, I recommend buying the plastic clips (for replacing the panels) ahead of time since it is likely you will break some in the removal process.

25. Be sure to make sure vise grip isn't long enough to contact the positive post of battery if it comes disconnected…zzzap and a nice smoke show and 35 lb magnet created

26. Good morning I am a follower of ur channel it has helped me a whole lot can I ask what site do u go to ,to get the wiring diagrams for these vehicles I'm 62 years old and do thing the old way if I can, and I run to the library to try and get a repair manual but as u know they don't have what u need or can't find out what's what I hope u can understand this but I am curious where u get ur info from thank you keep up the good work.and video,s thanks Jim Trejo Det Mi

27. Thanks Mr. O. Well done as usual.

28. 5:30 what are you some kind of scientist?! 🤣

29. Im just here cause i herd Ms O was in the video 😍.

30. What a Sherlock you are!

31. I'm thinking that if the gas door switch was shorted to power down stream of the relay that would not activate the relay. The problem would still exist but you wouldn't "feel" the relay click on/off as you plug it in or pulled it out. Does that sound right?

32. Nice trick Grandma w/r/t wrapping the wire into a 5X coil to get more resolution on the amp draw signal! 👍

33. I've got a bubb of mine who moved up that way, you seem honest & knowledge abel, shop info?

34. I'm sorry I'd never use the amp circuit of that meter, for a "parasitic draw test", lol $$ bils yahall…fused or not…had my vantage 1st gen,, roasted over current, nevermind what that baby cost you…# cool trick thoe never thought about that, got the clamp too👍

35. Idk if could have done that one.

36. 😂😂😂 that kid scenario o
    Is some serious chaos!! Lol
    Sounds like a country song!

37. Thank you 👍👍👍

38. Great video

39. Hey Eric, great video. I heard your tip about never putting customer keys in your pocket, where would you recommend leaving them when you're not working on that car?

40. Great videos! I’ve picked up a lot of good info from your videos that have helped me keep my vehicles running and saved me lots of $$$. Regarding a parasitic drain issue I’m having on a 2009 Civic, what would you recommend as far as a low current amp clamp and possibly an inexpensive hand held scope-digital multi meter. I’ve been looking online and at videos and not sure what to buy. Once again , I read the comments, and it’s very obvious that you have a large following due to your excellent videos and the way you explain things. Thanks!

41. Hello, good morning, I am contacting you, to be able to comment on the following situation that occurs in my vehicle, it was presenting an electronic problem, without knowing I changed the battery, and nothing, I went on to change the alternator regulator, and well, I I bought, it charges over 14.5V, and I considered the fault finished, one day cleaning the interior, I left the radio on, while I cleaned, and nothing after a few minutes, the voltage began to drop, less to less, until that the battery discharged at that moment, I was surprised because that had never happened to it, I did another test, with the battery charged again, I gave the contact, after a short time, equal to less than less, that in a moment the battery goes, I recharge it, install it, and leave it connected for approximately 2 months, until I realized that the red alarm light was not flashing, I checked it and discharged, that did not happen in the past either, did the current leakage test with the multimeter, because I told myself what And this would have to be a current leak, it is the logical thing to think, and what was my surprise, that the value it gave is 0.02, with the battery just charged, so there is no current leak, and then what is happening to you?, I have explained everything to you with hairs and bones, to see if you could help me determine the cause, because I do not understand it nor do I know what else to do, regarding what I am explaining to you, I await your prompt clarification, please, greetings.

42. Thanks! This was so very helpful. First, I checked if the driver side door would open– no dice! Then, cycling the fuel hatch yielded no clicking back there. So, I thought, easier to pull the speaker than dig out the fuse box. The relay felt warm… Bingo. Thanks again

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