Help: F%^*& electrical crap. Help please!
- Thread starter SgtKilroy
- Start date
It doesn't matter where you start, but if it's only drawing 0.47 amps there's no way it's killing 2 good batteries overnight.
Think I might have found the culprit. I pulled the radio fuse and the draw dropped down to 0.05ma. I have had an issue with the radio not turning off every once in a while if I turn the truck off with the door open then shut the door but it's intermittent at best. Completely forgot about that. Think it may be whatever gizmo controls power with the door open/closed?
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Remember when I asked about the aftermarket stuff 
It's almost always something like that. Hopefully you won't have a problem any longer :thumb:
It's almost always something like that. Hopefully you won't have a problem any longer :thumb:
I'm nothing special, I've just been through it before. 2 good batteries shouldn't die overnight with that kind of draw. Every time you kill the batteries they hold less power each time, so they may be at the end of their lives. At least if that's the case you won't do it to the next set.
I've never had a battery, much less two Optimas go bad that fast. Granted while I was deployed the truck sat dead because the starter was bad (wife ran them down trying to start it). Really not excited about buying new batteries after just getting a new starter. Granted that starter lasted over 100k miles so I guess that isn't so bad.
I really appreciate the help guys.:thumb:
I really appreciate the help guys.:thumb:
I had terrible luck with the optimas in my last truck. First one was junk after about 8 months. You could leave the door open for 5 minutes and the interior lights would drain the battery enough for it to crank slowly. Autozone replaced it free of charge and the guy there said it wasn't uncommon to see them fail. The next one lasted aboutt he same amount of time before I traded the truck in and started seeing similar issues.
Another early optima failure here too. Little over a year out of it.
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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Had the same problem. Turned out to be the pass seat switch stuck in full back position, it's common. You don't need an amp probe, just get a 12 volt single filament lamp, like a turn signal bulb, and solder some wires and clip leads on it. Connect it between one of the + batt leads and the batt, place it where you can see it and start pulling fuses & relays one at a time. Don't forget the relays under the dash by the steering column and in the end of the dash on driver's side. When the lamp gets very dim you've found the circuit that's causing the problem. Good luck.
You said a year old? I would think 2 year free replacement warranty. It's probably that wiring harness thing to connect an aftermarket stereo. I had one go bad and the radio stayed on.
Seriously? I thought Optimas were supposed to be the bees knees or whatever. Fooled me I guess. Kind of an expensive whoops though.
I'm definitely going to be taking the radio out to check the harness and see what's up.
Anyone know what triggers the lights or whatever when you open the door? I'm not seeing any kind of button in the door frame that would be stuck.
I'm definitely going to be taking the radio out to check the harness and see what's up.
Anyone know what triggers the lights or whatever when you open the door? I'm not seeing any kind of button in the door frame that would be stuck.
The door latch itself has a connector that goes to it to trigger the radio off and lights. There's also a button on the headlamp switch that can be pushed to either have the lights come on when the door is opened or not come on at all.
OK, now more electrical crap. Just driving down the freeway and my security system, battery and cruise control lights come on, my fuel gauge drops to zero (there's definitely fuel left) and the cluster is reading zero oil pressure. Can I chalk this up to crap batteries too or is this something else?
Possibly a bad cluster. Although, as far as I know, usually just the stepper motors go bad causing false gauge readings.
The gauges actually work. I actually replaced all of the stepper motors about a year ago. I turned the truck off for a while earlier, turned it back on and all was right with the cluster again. I was just assuming thos has something to do with my crap batteries.
I just looked at the clamp on meter you listed. Unfortunately it shows AC Current only. I did a search for clamp on meters at HF and all of them only show AC amps and list AC amps.
Might want to try Home Depot or Lowes.
Home Depot Model # DAMP68 http://www.homedepot.com/p/General-...ng-Clamp-Meter-with-True-RMS-DAMP68/204379889
lowes 447115 http://www.lowes.com/pd_447115-4841...uct_price|0&Ntt=clamp+meter&page=1&facetInfo=
Might want to try Home Depot or Lowes.
Home Depot Model # DAMP68 http://www.homedepot.com/p/General-...ng-Clamp-Meter-with-True-RMS-DAMP68/204379889
lowes 447115 http://www.lowes.com/pd_447115-4841...uct_price|0&Ntt=clamp+meter&page=1&facetInfo=