99 Windstar battery draining

[Tanker06]

First post, longtime lurker....

99 Windstar, 3.8L, abt 80K. Battery died a few weeks back of old age, put in a
new one. It ran fine for a few weeks, then it died at church one night. I went,
jumped it, it ran fine on the way home. Next morning when I went out to go to
the trainstation, nada. "Click, click, brrrrr......."

Swapped out the alternator with a known good one, same deal. Would jump,
ran fine, charge showed right around 14.2V on the multimeter while running.
But if it sat for any amount of time, it was back to 'clicky, clicky..."

If the battery is charged up, and the cables disconnected, it holds a charge,
no problem.

Reading here, it sounds like I had a parasitic drain. Hooking up a test light between
the disconnected ground and the terminal, you get a fairly bright light. Start
pulling fuses gets no result until Fuse #6, which dims the light a bit, but it's
still got a healthy glow to it. Get down to Fuse #16, a 10amp, labeled in the
Owner Guide as "Cluster, Rear Electronic Module", and pull that, and the light
drops to a very weak glimmer with a 'clicking' noise coming from the firewall
area.

In the other direction, if you leave Fuse #6 connected, and pull #16, nothing
happens.

I'm getting frustrated - am I going in the completely wrong direction, or what?
Any ideas?

Wife is getting frustrated with having to take me to the train so early in the A.M.
so she'll have a car to get around in since her buggy is offline.

[DRW1000]

I think you are on the right track.

Are you saying that you need both #6 and 16 pulled to reduce the current?

What is Fuse # 6 for?

[catvents]

I just had this type of problem recently and this seem to be the brake light switch ( at the brake pedal). While I was not inside of the van, the brake lamps went on and I have also noticed that these lamps went on when I just touch a little bit the brake pedal with my hand. I don't know for you but if you have mentionned that the fuses that you remove are related with the rear electronic module, I would certainly look at the brake switch as the brake lamps circuit pass throught this r.e.m.

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by DRW1000

I think you are on the right track.
Are you saying that you need both #6 and 16 pulled to reduce the current?
What is Fuse # 6 for?

Yes, both must be pulled to get the circuit to power down.

Fuse #6 is a 15A, and controls the radio, remote keyless entry and rear seat radio controller.

(The other options available - power sliding doors and CD changer aren't on my vehicle.)

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by catvents

I just had this type of problem recently and this seem to be the brake light switch ( at the brake pedal). I don't know for you but if you have mentionned that the fuses that you remove are related with the rear electronic module, I would certainly look at the brake switch as the brake lamps circuit pass throught this r.e.m.

Hmmm.... Good idea, but in looking at my fuse chart, it says that the brake lights
are controlled by Fuse #7.

When I took out that fuse, the light level never changed a bit.

[catvents]

Originally Posted by Tanker06

Hmmm.... Good idea, but in looking at my fuse chart, it says that the brake lights
are controlled by Fuse #7.

When I took out that fuse, the light level never changed a bit.

Positive current is always present to the lamps (99 and up models) and if I'm not wrong this pass throught your #9 fuse which protect that circuit. When you apply the brake, negative go to your lamps via the rear electronic module. (throught fuse 16). You could try to unplugged the brake switch at the pedal and see what happen, before doing other test, and see if you still have this drain.

[DRW1000]

Originally Posted by Tanker06

Yes, both must be pulled to get the circuit to power down.

Fuse #6 is a 15A, and controls the radio, remote keyless entry and rear seat radio controller.

(The other options available - power sliding doors and CD changer aren't on my vehicle.)

Just wonder about the buzzing noise you hear. Is your radio on a timer? IE Does the radio have power for a while after you shut off the engine - until it times out or until you open a door? This could be the relay that is controlling this circuit and perhaps it is in the fuse box under the hood.

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by catvents

You could try to unplugged the brake switch at the pedal and see what happen, before doing other test, and see if you still have this drain.

Hey, it's worth a try.... since I'm not up on the location of this switch, where would it be located?

("Switch-Locations for Dummies" description, please, as I plead not quite 100% ignorance on this
topic, but not too far behind...)

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by DRW1000

Just wonder about the buzzing noise you hear. Is your radio on a timer? IE Does the radio have power for a while after you shut off the engine - until it times out or until you open a door? This could be the relay that is controlling this circuit and perhaps it is in the fuse box under the hood.

Yes, the radio does have the timer that allows the radio to play for a certain amount of time until it either times out, or you
open the door.

I'd considered the fuse box under the hood, but hadn't messed with it yet, as fiddling with the under-dash fuses had yielded
the above results. That'll be next, I guess, if this doesn't pan out.

[catvents]

Originally Posted by Tanker06

Hey, it's worth a try.... since I'm not up on the location of this switch, where would it be located?

("Switch-Locations for Dummies" description, please, as I plead not quite 100% ignorance on this
topic, but not too far behind...)

For the brake pedal switch, just follow that brake pedal, you will see this switch, that is in contact with the pedal; you can disconnect the small harness directly from the switch,
BUT DO NOT FORGET TO RECONNECT IT before your drive, it is really a matter of safety.

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by catvents

For the brake pedal switch, just follow that brake pedal, you will see this switch, that is in contact with the pedal; you can disconnect the small harness directly from the switch,...

Well, tried that, and it's a no-go. Current is still being drawn, so that's not it.

This is getting so annoying, and wifey isn't a happy camper about not having her vehicle....

[12Ounce]

Which fuse box are you working in? The one underhood .... or the one in the cabin?

[Tanker06]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

Which fuse box are you working in? The one underhood .... or the one in the cabin?

So far, just the one in the cabin. As I've stated in my first post above, the only fuses
that get 'results' in reducing draw was #6, which from what I've read is a minor draw
in itself (the manual suggests pulling that fuse if the van is going to be parked for
more than a month)(and pulling that fuse only dims the test light a bit).

Then if you pull #16, which is listed as "Cluster, REM", the light drops to a very low
flickering, but also produces a slight 'clicking/buzz' noise. But if you leave #6 in place,
pulling #16 gets no result.

So I don't know if I'm chasing a non-existent lead, or what. And I don't have the $$
right now to just take it to the dealership and bend over for what I'm afraid they'd
charge me to track down the problem.....

Any suggestions from those in the know, or who might have a troubleshooting book would
be greatly appreciated. I'm wondering if the REM (where is this located?) might be
bad, or a wiring diagram might tell me what all is connected to this (REM) to enable
me to disconnect/isolate various assemblies, and maybe figure out what the culprit
is here.

Catvents suggested that I disconnect the brake-switch, as it had been a recent cause
for such an issue on his van recently, but that wasn't it.

[12Ounce]

Fuse #16 (10amp) feeds terminal #11 on the instrument cluster
...and terminal #3 on the rear electronic module (REM).

Fuse #6 (15amp) feeds terminal #1 on right power sliding door module
.... and terminal #1 on left power sliding door module
.... and terminal #10 on rear radio control
..... and terminal #9 on radio
.... and terminal #11 on remote keyless entry module
.
.......................if I read the diagram correctly.

I think the REM is located on the right side underneath, near RR wheelwell (or is that the trailer tow module????).

[12Ounce]

OK, looking at diagrams again ... the REM is probably located inside the rear quarter trim panel.

... it controls just about "everything" on the rear ... interior/exterior lamps, liftgate locks, fuel pump and sender .... but not the rear wipers.