Hey. I'm assuming you checked battery first. Looks like may be your alternator or one of the accessories in a car but let's start from the beginning. Disconnect negative wire from the battery and connect multimeter in between the wire and battery negative post. Set your multimeter on 20 amps. You should see no more than 500 mA. If is more than that you got short. You can test it for voltage drop in your fuse boxes but The easiest way would be to connect the light probe same way as multimeter and pull the fuses and relays one after another. When you pull shorted circuit fuse or relay the light will go off. There is your problem. Go to fluke.com for really good testing info
SOURCE: 1990 Lincoln-Battery drained while turned off sitting
If you are jumpering the starter, then the battery is not being drained, the starter may have a bad solenoid.
If the problem still is a dead short, a painstaking troubleshooting is required.
Remove one fuse at a time, check for voltage drop, and see which one is the culprit. Then you woud have to locate each item on that circuit and trace the wires for one that is broken, or pinched & contacting ground.
Also, check at night or in a dark garage, as trunk, door, or hood pin switches may be stuck in the open position - and will keep the lights on.
Interesting note - your having to jumper the solenoid on the starter indicates a possible worn/damaged ignition tumbler. If your tumbler is not seating on the OFF detent, your ACC may still be left on even with the key out of the ignition.
SOURCE: electrical problems - something draining battery
First of all, one of the easiest & cheapest ways to find a draw in the system, if you don't have a clamp on style amp-meter, is with a 12volt test light that costs about $5-$10 at parts stores or hardware stores. You remove positive (+) cable from battery, and simply attach test light in between the battery cable & battery + post. Be careful neither end touches metal obviously. Anytime the test light is lit, you have a draw. If light is nice & bright, it's a fairly good draw, when dim, slight draw. When light goes out, no draw. Now start pulling and re-installing fuses. If you pull a fuse and bright light goes out, you've isolated the circuit.. I usually make sure I have notes or whatever is needed to insure I put fuses back where they should be, then I pull radio fuse and leave it out, as it will cause a constant draw for memory, and sometimes any accessory fuses such as lighter, or power socket for 12v chargers etc. With those out of the way, start pulling and watch light, if no change, put it back in. When I run into a real stumper, I make necessary notes if needed as before, and pull them all out, and light should be off. Now I start putting them in 1 at a time, and watch the light, when it comes on, I note that circuit, pull it back out, and do same with the rest. When your done you will have notes on every circuit that is causing a draw on your battery when sitting. Before you start, take your test light, go to all the fuses and touch little tips sticking out at end of fuses on both side to test for power, if only power on one side, that is a circuit that would not cause a draw when sitting & vehicle off. That would only be powered when key on, headlights on for example, so it doesn't come into play here. Leave those in if you want & it doesn't confuse you. Yes a little time consumming, but hey, think of the learning experience, and a simple test light, is something that every car owner should have anyway. Next time your wondering which fuse blew, you have a test light to tell you. As far as the heated seat goes, if there is a short there, and it's causing a lot of draw, pulling fuse should eliminate & confirm that.
SOURCE: the factory security system is draining the
if you remove the relay for it then it stops then i would check the circuit for that. sounds like a short or a ground
SOURCE: security light flash no security system on truck
sometimes turning the ignition on 3 times quickly without starting will reset the computer. If the van has power locks and keyless entry then try using only the keyless entry. Sometimes your car wont have a alarm but an anti theft device which will not allow it to start if it goes off or something triggers it.
SOURCE: 1997 Toyota Camry XLE has an overnight parasitic
This should be done with everything turned off and the door closed. with negative battery disconnected. place 12 v test light between the battery terminal and the cable end.(on neg. side) if the light lites up there is a drain. remove one fuse at a time until u see the lite go out. that is the sytem the drain is on. usually glove box light or trunk light or visor light left on or stuck on.
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