Battery dea every mornining???

J

jookycola

Registered User
Is this something anyone else has had happen?
(i.e. it starts fine the night before, then overnight the car is dead.) And not just low....the battery is dead 110%. The battery is brand new and the Alternator is good. So it must be something drawing ALOT of power.
But what on the SC would draw enough power to comnpletly drain a battery in about 9 hours with the car off?

I get a rough slow start sometimes after about 6 hours or so of the car just sitting.
 
i cant think of anything specific to the SC that could cause that prob. but you could check:
Make sure the trunk and hood lights go out when closed
if you have an aftermarket headunit, make sure it shuts off
if you have any aftermarket amps, make sure they're not staying on

just some thoughts
-Nick
 
One way to track down an elusive current draw is to (with the car off) temporarily remove one of the battery cables and put the probes of a multimeter (measuring amperage) between the post and the connector. You should be able to see a few milliamps (probably < 50mA) being drawn. If it's way over that, then something is wrong, and you can try to pull fuses one at a time until the current drops - if you find a fuse that makes a big difference, at least that narrows it down a lot, and you can chase down whatever that fuse is labelled with.
 
Check the ABS to see if the pump is running when the key is off. The ABS Pump Relay has been known to stick in the "closed" position when it fails. This keeps power to the pump when the key is off. Another thing to check is the ignition switch. They wear out and allow current to leak when the key is off. Either one of these could be killing your battery...
 
jookycola said:
what on the SC would draw enough power to comnpletly drain a battery in about 9 hours with the car off?
Click to expand...

If you have a center console light, it could be just not closing the console lid complete or a bad switch so even closed, the light stays on. I did that to myself on my 90.
 
Drain

The center console light in my 92' started acting up as well. I just unplugged it at the connection.
 
Funny you would mention ABS.

Just recently the "BRAKE!" light on the dash will light up randomly from time to time, mostly when i accelerate. And when i first start the car the ABS & BRAKES! lights stay on for a few seconds longer after the car is started and all the other lights go off.

And the center console light is suspect too. although i tested it and it looks like it's going off when i close the arm rest. But it gets really hot in there sometimes for no reason...and i've been suspecting it of staying on.

as for the trunk and hood lights...i pulled those bulbs first. but the car is still dying so it's not them i guess.

Thanks for the tips guys...i'll keep you all posted.
 
Simple to find: Pull one fuse each night before you go in for the night...if it is dead in the morning, you know it is not that circuit.
Keep doing this each night until it starts the next morning and you have found the offending circuit.
From there it should be a relatively simple task to find exactly where it is shorted/open.
 
That's a good idea too, And the most simple. I also own a Suzuki Sidekick so i have no problem getting a jump when i need it. So I may try that.
 
BRAKE Warning Light

If your BRAKE warning light flashes when you accelerate, you are low on fluid. The fluid will slosh away from the sensor causing the light to flash. Check the fluid level in the reservoir with the system charged (KEY ON), or if you have a later model (non-accumulator type) you may need the engine running to get an accurate reading...
 
My SC had a similar issue several years ago. Turned out to be a bad glove box light switch. Replaced the switch and no more dead battery.

Bryan
 
Thank You everyone. Turns out it was the ARC (Automatic Ride Control) had an open circuit. i pulled the ARC fuse under the hood and everything is all good. Thanks for all the ideas.
 
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