BatteryDead in Ten Days
11-09-13, 07:37 PM
#31
Since I just got my 430, and since she'll spend much of the next five months waiting in the garage for warmer weather, I pulled the old battery in favor of a new one and I hooked up my battery tender as I have done on previous "Sunday summer" vehicles. Oddly it was taking longer than I thought for the 1.5 amp tender to reach maintenance mode on a new, fully charged battery. So, I thought I would check to see what the parasitic draw was on this car to see how long it would take to "top up" the battery. .96 amps? What? That's huge. Checked it three times. Maybe my multimeter is bad? No wonder the 1.5 amp tender was taking so long with a net 0.5 amps going in.
Much information is out there about the parasitic draw the SC430's seem to have and dead batteries after a few days of sitting. Has anyone EVER narrowed it down to anything we may have in common? I see much written about maybe the ML amplifier staying on or possibly a bad ECU, or the security system, but seldom are threads completed past how to diagnose the draw. We don't seem to get to the bottom of it past "put a battery tender on if you don't plan on driving for a few days". So now, when I have several spare hours, I guess I will try and narrow mine down and promise to report back.
Much information is out there about the parasitic draw the SC430's seem to have and dead batteries after a few days of sitting. Has anyone EVER narrowed it down to anything we may have in common? I see much written about maybe the ML amplifier staying on or possibly a bad ECU, or the security system, but seldom are threads completed past how to diagnose the draw. We don't seem to get to the bottom of it past "put a battery tender on if you don't plan on driving for a few days". So now, when I have several spare hours, I guess I will try and narrow mine down and promise to report back.
The only way to accurately measure it is to put an ameter in series/inline with your battery terminal and cable.
11-09-13, 07:41 PM
#32
If you're measuring between the battery terminal and the cable, which is the only way to do it, you need to wait about 3 minutes after reconnecting the battery before the current draw goes down to 50 ma. When the power is reconnected, various circuits go into startup mode and draw well over 1.5 amps for a few minutes and until they initialize. This is with the car off and the key out of the ignition.
11-11-13, 06:37 PM
#33
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If you're measuring between the battery terminal and the cable, which is the only way to do it, you need to wait about 3 minutes after reconnecting the battery before the current draw goes down to 50 ma. When the power is reconnected, various circuits go into startup mode and draw well over 1.5 amps for a few minutes and until they initialize. This is with the car off and the key out of the ignition.
11-11-13, 08:42 PM
#34
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After removing the Radio #1 30A fuse ( for the ML amp), I can start the car after it has been sitting there for more than 2 weeks now. The CD player works fine and I do not think it is faulty at all. Now I need more pictures to show me how to take the amp out for close-up inspection. I read quite a few reports of this ML Amp fault and as a result, it drains the battery. Hope this can be proved and will save a lot of good batteries.
11-12-13, 10:15 AM
#35
Lead Lap
IIRC, there are a few threads with AMP replacement and video mix (same area) installation instructions. Do a search on those two items and you are likely to find what you are searching for.
11-17-13, 05:33 AM
#36
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I have the same issue with the dead battery if the car sits there about 10 days. After I removed the Radio#1 30A fuse, I can start the car even it sits there for more than 20 days now. I doubt about the ML amplifier is faulty although the Cd player sounds OK. I need instructions to show me how to take out the ML amplifier for inspection. Thank you!
12-01-13, 08:36 PM
#38
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So, I finally went to start pulling a few fuses (Radio No.1 for a start). My SC has been sitting for weeks. Popped the cover off fuse block #1. Hooked up my multimeter and waited a few minutes for ECU to settle down. The reading I get...39 mA. What the heck? Did it go into deep sleep mode sitting for a couple weeks? Was there perhaps something damp that dried out from when the PO cleaned the engine bay? I'm so confused. No excessive drain.
07-03-21, 07:41 PM
#39
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After removing the Radio #1 30A fuse ( for the ML amp), I can start the car after it has been sitting there for more than 2 weeks now. The CD player works fine and I do not think it is faulty at all. Now I need more pictures to show me how to take the amp out for close-up inspection. I read quite a few reports of this ML Amp fault and as a result, it drains the battery. Hope this can be proved and will save a lot of good batteries.
07-03-21, 09:09 PM
#40
Instructor
Electrolytic capacitors go bad in 10 year old radios. 10 years is a long time for an electrolytic to last. Dont put in an old radio to cure it because it ALSO has old electrolytics. Only cure is to replace all the electrolytics. The radio still works, but the radio can draw over an amp even when turned off. Also, other circuits have electrolytics in them but not as many.
07-04-21, 10:19 AM
#41
Pole Position
The reason I ask is the SC is notorious for draining the battery. Much of the drain can be cured by shutting off the automatic headlights, turning off the radio and locking the car using the "manual flip" door locks (not the button that locks both doors at the same time)
People that do this report they can go more than 2 weeks without the battery being dead
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