Table of Contents
What can cause parasitic battery drain?
The most common causes of parasitic drain are under hood lights, trunk lights, headlights or glove box lights that do not turn off when the door is closed. Relay switches that are stuck in the “on” position can also cause a battery to drain.
How do you fix a parasitic battery drain?
How to Find and Fix a Parasitic Battery Drain
- Set to Amps DC – Pay Attention to Wire Leads.
- Remove Negative Cable.
- Negative Cable Removed.
- Remove Fuses.
Can a bad alternator cause a parasitic draw?
But a battery-power drain can also be the work of a bad alternator diode or even a faulty battery. Depending on the amount of current being drained, a parasitic draw will suck all the juice from your battery in a few hours or minutes. The bad alternator diode test. The car battery hydrometer test.
Can a bad relay cause a parasitic draw?
A failed ECM power relay can also cause a battery drain or dead battery. If the relay shorts it can leave power on to the computer, even when the vehicle is turned off. This will place a parasitic drain on the battery, which will eventually cause it to go dead.
How many amps is considered a parasitic draw?
Parasitic Battery Draw A normal amount of parasitic draw for newer cars is between 50-milliamp to 85-milliamp current draw. A normal amount of parasitic draw for older cars is a reading less than 50-milliamp. Anything past these amounts indicates an electrical issue and should be addressed by a mechanic.
What is acceptable parasitic draw?
This is where we can see the parasitic draw on the battery. The reading for a normal vehicle with no parasitic draw can range from 10mA to 50mA, depending on the manufacturer and the amount of computers and features the vehicle has.
Why does my car battery drain so fast?
A faulty or unreliable charging system can also drain the battery while the car is running. When an alternator is not pushing out enough voltage, which should be between 13.5 and 14.5 volts, the battery will drain quickly. This is especially true if you play the radio and lights while driving.
What causes a parasitic draw?
What is parasitic draw. Parasitic draw is caused by a bad ground or a short in the electrical system which in turn causes an accessory to remain on while the car is turned off.
What causes a car battery to drain?
The most common causes of parasitic drain are under hood lights, trunk lights, headlights or glove box lights that do not turn off when the door is closed. Relay switches that are stuck in the “on” position can also cause a battery to drain.