In a previous video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDqlG5bRq8k&t we had a look at a Jeep that had a customer complaint that the battery dies overnight. I mentioned in that video that I had a Honda Accord to look at that had the same issue. Well, here it is. -Enjoy!
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Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
If an SMA Video has helped you out please consider giving using "Patreon" to help support us. The videos take real time to create and pull us away from real work that pays our bills. CLICK HERE: https://www.patreon.com/southmainauto
CHECK OUT OUR "SMA SWAG" STORE! Go on Teespring and get your very own SMA merch!
https://teespring.com/stores/the-sma-store
If you don't like Patreon feel free to use the "PayPal Me" link: https://www.paypal.me/SouthMainAuto
The South Main Auto Amazon Store:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/southmainautorepairavoca
AES Wave Automotive Diagnostic Tools: https://www.aeswave.com/cart.php?m=affiliate_go&affiliateID=2525b91fc8e906e8215984074c9d9e8f&go=https://www.aeswave.com/Miscellaneous-p9347.html
Thank you for all the continuing support!
--Eric & Vanessa O.
Feel like sending some swag to SMA because you love the videos but don't know where to send it?
Just ship it here:
South Main Auto Repair
47 S. Main St
PO Box 471
Avoca, NY 14809
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
I had a nasty battery draw in my 06 Grand Prix. Took it into the shop and they came up with just about every module in the car as being bad. Told them thank you but no thank you. After watching one of your videos I decided to use the power of deduction and try to solve this problem myself. Took about 2 hours to track the circuit and when I found it, I pulled the fuse and the dash cam shut down so I reached in and unplugged the dash cam which was always plugged into a power outlet inside the console and the power outlet was always live even with the ignition switch off which I didn't know. There went my nasty draw. I took it back to the shop and they checked it again. They stood scratching their heads wondering what I did. I don't think they believed me that the dash cam always being live was the problem and that it could kill the battery. To me it just proved their incompetence. Just hope they don't attempt to screw someone else like they tried to do to me. I wound up rewiring the outlets so they shut off with the ignition switch. Problem solved. I sure miss my nasty lil voltage draw…..NOT. LOL
I should also mention that I replaced the battery ($380) when this first started (which now I believe was a waste of money) so I was pretty sure it wasn't the new battery. The car also sits a lot so it would take a week or so to kill the battery. I left it sitting for about 2 weeks and the car started right up.
To bad there weren't a few mechanics around here (S/W Ontario Canada) with your knowledge and ability to track wiring problems. Yer pretty dad gum good at what you do. Keep up the good work and keep the videos coming.
Take care and have an awesome week.
Do you happen to have this type of diagnosis on an older vehicle (1966), where there is no Fuse Box? My guess is that it's the same process and just pinpoint where the juice is being pulled??? Need to give it a try with recommended tools. If not, I may just have to fly you out here to California… hahaha
Thanks this is great lesson good lack to you
I understand the reason for inserting a meter in series is to confirm the suspicion of current draw and the amount.
What I learned today is using a second meter set to milliamps will indicate whether or not there's current flowing across the fuse and if there is you've identified the likely circuit of the draw.
Can I assume, if the car is asleep as you've shown and everything's powered down, without having a meter in series, I can simply use a multi-meter checking across every fuse to determine the suspect circuit? The reason I ask is I only have one meter.
Thanks in advance Eric!
On power draw. First, before you go to an expense ($$$$)on meters,books and local auto shops ;that are charging at least 75 .00 $ to drive you in his shop, and lie to you to the tune of 5 hundred $$ . Check all your off and on buttons(switches) your dashboard ,trunk ,door,hood. You might be surprised, good luck.😀😀😀😌
Fun fact, Google captioning translated hoohoo as doozo
Hi my battery voltage keeping going to 12.5 and up than back to 12.5 what is the cuz mechanic is telling me alternator need to be change can you plz tell me if you have ideas I only see engin light on my dashboard no battery light
Thank you for being such a great teacher! Our shop doesn’t currently have a diagnostician so as an apprentice i’ve been left alone to learn by myself but you have been such a great help/teacher. Wish I lived close enough to work with you and have you as a mentor 😭
With the keyfob so close on the roof it may be keeping the car awake .
I sure wished my brain worked. Way back last century, when I worked on cars, I know we hooked up in series off the ground, but I'd have sworn we were looking at voltage, not amperage. Then just started pulling fuses. ( they were round and glass back then ) No computers in those days. Living in central KS nine times out of ten the problem was "farmer installed" trailer lights. LOL
Am I wrong ?? Probably LOL
WHat site do you pull your car schematics from and how much is it. Thanks.
Could make yourself a fused jumper. Maybe with one click lighter fuse in it.
I've always wondered…. is that Scotty Kilmer holding a chainsaw on your whiteboard?
Last time I had this issue…… Solinoid on the starter was pulling power
Very awesome learned a lot on the flow to diag thank you wealth of knowledge
I love Honda, man….great cars. I recently got a modern CR-V. 2018. Payments suck, but dayamn! It's one helluva car…
Man, spotting that horn honk being absent and going to the lock switch was a thing of beauty. Powerful deductive skills there. Great class. I've watched this video a few times now and I have taken down the target diagram in my notes. I just hope I can pull it off when the time comes. Thanks Eric!
I just love watching your videos!!
Hello dan here have a 2013 thats had a draw for months all fuses checked nothing there with the voltage light, unplugged ever fuse and the draw is still there. so stumped on this one. any suggestions??
Keep these coming!!! I always learn something from your videos.
Mrs O is Beautiful and would like to know why you call her that? Only if you want to share Man?
I just love your videos and please keep them coming.
LUM
Good job Eric O.
Mrs O always looks beautiful
watched the show from day one . still cant buy a sma sticker scotty has them on his junk tool boxes thank you for you vids still cant fing mrs o you tube cooking show must be on the down low
Genuine question for you, in this instance would simply charge your diagnosis fee before you give them the keys or how would that play out? Not gonna hate one way or the other just curious if I should change my own practices
That’s why I like driving older cars and trucks they don’t have all this stuff on it.But I do like watching you go through all The different ways to find problems. Thank you sir.
Eric what i do is hook up a amp clamp to the ground side with out removing cable it set to 600 mili amp scale then go threw pulling the fuse after fuse it is a problem they can be intermittent a lot of the times then i verify by pulling fuse set my DVOM to amp scale and see current then go from their.
I always called it "chasing wild geese". or a wild goose chase. that trips up a LOT of people….also… the "unknown black box" people get off track that their problem just has to be that and they miss something very simple, end up getting a new black box and that don't fix nuthin…. and this way of thinking works will most anything electrical when being trouble shot. I actually taught this in an apprentice class I taught. I was an elevator repairman (40 years of it) … now retired fleet bus mechanic…. old gray haired guy..lol love watching the videos!! Thanks… never too old to learn!!
Elementary
I had a light stay on in the glove box.
Where do you find these wiring schematics? I need them for my 07 dodge charger 3.7L. I have a draw and I am only able to trace it to fuse #14(rear fuse box). From there I am stuck because all I can find online is the fuse box layout and what the fuse goes to. I can't find anything on the wiring itself and what is connected to what circuit.
I work avionics on heavy aircraft. I love watching people take a methodical reasonable approach to troubleshooting. Its frikin painful and torture to watch someone work on something and guess or flip quarters to figure out what part to replace.
About to ask about replacing window switch,,I see you replace it,,,but if you didn't how do you charge for the diagnosis by the hour or by the job ,I'm unsure of how to handle that myself,don't want to rip off myself or my customer
Always a pleasure watching your vids, please keep them coming. Thx for sharing
I have a parasitic draw on my bank account. I call it the ex-wife…
That white board is a good idea love your video's. Interesting.
Hi. So I disconnected the negative battery post and the negative cable. Now, when i touch one electrode of my multimeter to the negative battery post and one electrode of my multimeter to the negative cable the reading it shows me is O.04 A. Is this ok? Or is it a parastic draw? Because whenever i check my battery voltage in the mornings it shows me 11.94 V.
U sir are the man! Thank you so much for your videos are very informative and very educational for us techs that are starting I really appreciate your content keep up the good work and thanks again
The Scotty Kilmer sticker lol
Interesting video thanks
Hi, Eric. So do you read Sherlock Holmes? Looks like you took lessons. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Whenever an electrical issues shows up on one of my cars, I never even try to fix it myself… Watching you do some of these electrical issues gives me enough confidence to at least try it next time!
Lisle 64970 Parasitic Drain Tester
Pls give me the model number for that tool
I have seen those scratched damaged door switches from people that have small dogs that stand on those switches to look out the window, happens alot.
Great electronic detective work 💪.
Next week :
How to diagnose and replace your own heart pacemaker
Wiring diagram provided in notes
"Remember folks : if i can do it, you can do it .."
have a family member with a 2008 (I think) Suburu Legacy that if you dont drive it in like 5-6 days, the battery needs to be jumped or charged … i understand that sort of thing happens after a long time without being driven … but something is wrong with that Suburu for it to happen that fast … SOMETIMES they can go up to 10 days but it's not happy when it sits that long without starting up …
yes there is an alarm system hooked up … it was originally my uncle's car but my father got it when he passed away
4 cyl accords of this Era used a 51 series battery unfortunately Mr. O. Damaged the factories work with that battery hold down. The 35 series came in V6's this Bigger box