Battery Drain
bdalt76
12-03-2005, 10:32 PM
I have a 2002 Bravada that I bought about 3 months ago (so I don't know full servive history). I had to replace the batter yesterday, which seemed a little early to replace a battery (about 3.5 years old). The tech at Advance auto that installed the battery said that when he installed it and checked the charge, there was an immediate drain on the battery, definitely more than the clock or anything else that should be running when the vehicle is off.
There are no lights on and I can't hear any "humming" of any small motor that might be running. Has anyone had a similar problem? Any small electric that malfunctioned like this? Any help would be appreciated.
There are no lights on and I can't hear any "humming" of any small motor that might be running. Has anyone had a similar problem? Any small electric that malfunctioned like this? Any help would be appreciated.
Delta16
12-04-2005, 01:41 PM
start by using a test light to the battery post/
and attach the test light to the negative battery
if lights, you have Parasitic drain, have someone pull
a fuse one by one until the light goes off( you or someone can hold the testlight)
and attach the test light to the negative battery
if lights, you have Parasitic drain, have someone pull
a fuse one by one until the light goes off( you or someone can hold the testlight)
bdalt76
12-13-2005, 08:05 PM
A very good suggestion, thanks.
Because the vehicle is still under an extended warranty, I took it back to the dealer. They tested and determined that there in fact is no drain on the battery. Apparently there are numerous computers which operate when the vehicle is cranked which continue to run for apx 19 minutes after the engine is killed. This is why the tech at Advance Auto registered the drain. (I guess I'm hoping that this is all there is to this.)
Because the vehicle is still under an extended warranty, I took it back to the dealer. They tested and determined that there in fact is no drain on the battery. Apparently there are numerous computers which operate when the vehicle is cranked which continue to run for apx 19 minutes after the engine is killed. This is why the tech at Advance Auto registered the drain. (I guess I'm hoping that this is all there is to this.)
MT-2500
12-13-2005, 09:21 PM
Well you found a good tech that knows what he is doing.
All of them computers theft alarms and exc. are just like a bunch of hungry kids sitting around the dinner table.
They are just waiting to get there share when you hook up the battery. After getting there fill they quit and ony want a little more snack when they get a little low on juice.
Also why the old test light does not work very good on checking battery draw.
The olny way to test battery draw on a newer car is a good amp meter with the battery hooked up.
Mt :grinno:
All of them computers theft alarms and exc. are just like a bunch of hungry kids sitting around the dinner table.
They are just waiting to get there share when you hook up the battery. After getting there fill they quit and ony want a little more snack when they get a little low on juice.
Also why the old test light does not work very good on checking battery draw.
The olny way to test battery draw on a newer car is a good amp meter with the battery hooked up.
Mt :grinno:
wendy111174
12-21-2005, 06:50 PM
I have owned my 97 Bravada for 1 1/2 years and replaced the battery twice. I thought the place I was buying the batteries from were selling me crap batteries.
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2026