Draining battery '95 Bonni 3800 II

[jeffwall]

My car keeps draining the battery. I put a new one in a week and half ago started fine ran good, now it is completely dead. I can put a charger on it, start it and it will hold a charge for awhile but anything over 12 hours roughly and it is dead. This is the second time (other battery was 2 months old) this has happened. Alternator is good. Lights are all off trunk, glove box etc. everything is factory as far as radio... Any ideas on where else to look or how I can find out what is draining it? Thanks.

[jdl]

You can use a testlite to check for battery drain. With everything turned off, put the testlite between the battery cable and post, if it lites-up, you have a drain.

On newer vehicles, it might be best to use a dmm and check ma draw. My info says it shouldn't draw more than 50 ma. That figure is a little subjective, you know different vehicles may vary a little.

If there is too much draw, you can pull fuses, one at a time. When you pull the fuse for the problem circuit, the reading will drop.

[Bassasasin]

You can also leave the test light hooked up and when you pull the right Fuse the light goes out.

Good Luck

[jeffwall]

The light goes off when I pull the big fuse, by the firewall, that is marked HORNS/DR LKS/TRNK REL. The riders side door lock will lock using the electric lock but not unlock. I disconnected the lock wires in that door, unplugged the trunk release and the horn and the light was still on. What else runs off this fuse? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by jeffwall

The light goes off when I pull the big fuse, by the firewall, that is marked HORNS/DR LKS/TRNK REL. The riders side door lock will lock using the electric lock but not unlock. I disconnected the lock wires in that door, unplugged the trunk release and the horn and the light was still on. What else runs off this fuse? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Common problem on these cars, if so equipped, can be the retained accessory power relay (RAP), this relay allows you to use the radio, windows and other ign on only accesories for about 10 minutes after shut down, when opening the door it kills the circuit. Problem is I forget where the relay is under l/s of dash I believe, sorry.

[ChemMan]

I believe that relay is under the right hand side of the dash. You'll have to drop the black panel under the dash and the relay will be in the fuse block/relay block. Fourth down on the side with all the relays.

[jeffwall]

After going to the passenger's side to check relays. I remember there were more fuses under there. Started pulling them and the test light went off. It was a fuse for the power antenna. Disconnected the antenna after putting the fuse back in BAM! light went off. So end result - turned the radio on and made the antenna go up for the last time. Disconnected it and no more draining of the battery. Thanks everyone for your help. Now on to the sluggish when cold issue...