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Old 06-29-2019, 06:26 PM   #1
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Parasitic battery drain....double beep???

Question for you guys....new to me 2001 box base....Previous owner installed an aftermarket radio. My car double beeps when locked. I read several posts about this issue to get a feel for the culprit. I ran out to my garage and checked the console but it was shut all the way. Anyway as I understand it, my oem stereo was monitored by the alarm system so by the previous owner removing it I guess this could be my double beep issue. People install after market radios all the time in our cars how do they get around this alarm issue?

My other question is this. My battery is relatively new and yet it is losing volts and currently reading 12.4. I am wondering if this open circuit in the alarm could be causing battery drain????? I will be purchasing a new battery tomorrow and monitoring its voltage every few days. If the new batt is getting drained as well I will know for sure that I have an issue.

Last question....
I own a obd cheapo from Harbor Freight. Will I be able to use this on my 01 Boxster to see codes? Probably a dumb question but ....a question none the less

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Old 06-29-2019, 09:12 PM   #2
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ground wire

if you pull the head unit you will find a wire on the left side where the radio was, this wire needs to grounded or removed from ground....I can't remember which. It was supposed to raise an alarm if the original head unit was stolen...which ever state it is in do the opposite and your alarm will go away.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:26 AM   #3
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I don't have a comment on the battery drain, Pdwight's suggestion is probably the most likely scenario. I thought the double beep was tied to the doors, trunks, and console, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was also linked to the stereo anti-theft.

However, I can answer your last question, a cheap HF OBD reader will read generic codes and let you reset non-safety codes (aka - not the airbag light). I used one for several years before buying a Durametric. I still keep it in my 986 so I can check codes if I ever get a random CEL.
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Old 06-30-2019, 03:41 AM   #4
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One more thing....

.....if you can, leave a battery maintainer plugged in all the time.

You only need a cheap one from some place like “”Battery Mart”.

Plug it into the cigarette lighter port and run the cable through the cutout in the door trim on the bottom of the doors on whichever side works for your parking situation.

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Old 06-30-2019, 04:59 AM   #5
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Good info.....thanks guys. I have a few hours today to go out in the garage and tinker on the box. I should be able to find that alarm wire no problem.
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Old 06-30-2019, 10:01 AM   #6
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If you had your battery tested and they said it's fine, then it's fine.

.

Last edited by particlewave; 06-30-2019 at 12:09 PM.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:24 PM   #7
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awwww you dont have to edit for me PW.....I can handle it. First off I do obsess on everything I work on until I conquer it and make it as good as my abilities will allow. Electrical is not my area.....putting lipstick on a pig is my thing. So the reason I keep chasing this battery scenario is this series of events.
1. The day I bought the car and drove it home there was a couple of times it cranked so slow I thought I was going to be stranded. I did make it home and as I mentioned on my other post i checked the volts the next day and it was at 12.3.....a little low the day after a 3 hour drive.

2. The starter is screeching every third start so I know I have a bendix that is hanging up

3. Before I learned more about the car I didnt understand why the dash lights were staying on after I shut the car off....and the passenger side door light has a mind of its own.

4. Since I have had the car and taken it for evening drives sometimes on re start the engine barely turns over....drives me crazy.

5. as u know I have been checking with my multi meter pretty much daily and the volts are dropping.

Sooooooooooo today it was 12.3 something and I was fed up....so I removed the battery again and took it to Batteries Plus. I learned 2 things today.....She tested with 2 different machines and my volts were 12.55 or better....I swear she said 12.65 the first time. Note I just had the battery in the trunk of my daily driver not connected to anything. So then I am thinking it must be my multi meter this whole time. I tested the battery when I got home and got 12.55. So when I removed it from the car it went from 12.3 something to and hour later at the store to 12.55. Now that kind of makes sense to me because there is zero load on the battery.

I am learning a lot from this experience which I enjoy...and this info will be used in the future for sure.

So multi meter might not be as accurate as I thought
Battery reads higher not in the car
And last but not least....my bad starter is most likely causing the slow start that sounds like a dead battery start.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:55 PM   #8
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The edit wasn't for you

If the courtesy light is coming on at random, that is a bigger issue than you might think.
Every time that happens, it reactivates the "consumer switched off" circuit, and it's probably happening when the car is off. That would drain the battery fairly quickly.

You need to fix that door latch. In the meantime, watch this video (and don't worry so much about battery voltage...voltage drop/current drain is what's important): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lRcj1fQcWwU

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Old 06-30-2019, 02:13 PM   #9
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BTW, the double beep is because of your bad door latch.
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:36 PM   #10
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The radio ground wire for the alarm needs to be disconnected from the chassis and wrapped in electrical tape to keep it from grounding. If i remember its a brown wire, but on the CAI website I think its listed in an installation guide.
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:39 PM   #11
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Thanks PW.....I watched the video...that guy is a good teacher and his technique may help me with my problem.

So you see my potential drain items....

Stereo has been replaced and alarm double beeps

Dash lights staying on after key removed....many say that is normal

Passenger side door light comes on and goes off on its own....I have watched it do this. Do you know of a video that will assist me in fixing the door switch? Can I remove the bulb from that light to temporarily fix the problem? Drivers side door light is burned out.

I confirmed even after battery in and out a couple of times and reprogramming the windows that my windows do not go down when top is up...thus windows hit the top when shutting the door. The windows do however go down when the top is being raised. Wouldnt that be the same regulators????? Or is it a different part for door handle switch vs top switch? I think I just answered my own question...
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:48 PM   #12
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You guys are great! I just read the last two replies as well. Im obviously fumbling around with this car a bit as it is completely a new thing for me. I am used to working on my family cars and daily drivers....Toyota...Lexus...Acura....
I cant stand anything on any of my cars not working as it should and I will work on it tirelessly until it is tight and right.

Finally got my 3rd brake light repaired and installed correctly today.....feels good....looks good. Polished with Novus polish.

Also restored the outer part of my rear window with Novus today will work on the inside tonight.
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Old 06-30-2019, 04:03 PM   #13
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You can pull the bulb, but it won't help with the double beep or battery drain.

The windows not dropping and the intermittent door light are both caused by bad door latch switches (or more likely cold solder joints on the latch circuit boards).

These bad latches should be your first priority as the car won't even go to sleep with that happening.
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Old 06-30-2019, 04:27 PM   #14
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Check this out: SOLUTION for the Doorlock failure before you buy new mechanism - Pelican Parts Forums
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Old 06-30-2019, 06:16 PM   #15
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And here i was getting all mentally prepared to install my new starter. Now I have to get mentally prepared to crack open the doors. I have replaced the door lock actuators in my Lexus....it was a similar looking mechanism with a worm gear and such. I have no problem repairing a solder joint if I can just figure out where those goods are in the door. I work best off of videos........or slide show tutorials. I will scan youtube tonight to see if I can find one about taking the door apart and working on the switch thingamabobber. I am certain there are mechanical drawings available in a parts catalog but I simply dont do well deciphering those buggers.

Thanks for taking the time to help me narrow this issue down. Not to say I am out of the woods....but making baby steps in the right direction.

Battery back in.....took her for a spin around the neighborhood before her next procedure.
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Old 06-30-2019, 07:02 PM   #16
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Just watched several vids about removing the door panel.......then a couple vids about window regulators which I hope I dont need. Then I finally found one that just shows how to replace the door lock mechanism.....the guy used a VW part......but I am getting tired....will search for the door latch switch vids tomorrow.
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Old 07-01-2019, 05:47 AM   #17
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Up early doing my homework......there are several mechanisms inside the door that people discuss. You have told me it is the door handle switch which makes sense. I watched the vid you included which just showed a close up of the part and a circuit board....but when I search ebay for this part I keep getting a micro switch cable thing........So I am guessing by the pics in the vid...this cable attaches to the part with the green board that might have a bad solder connection. Is that correct? If so...the part in the link I will include is not what I need then ...right?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Right-Door-Window-Switch-Connector-For-97-05-Porsche-911-Boxster-XG45H3/202613438429?epid=15029934876&hash=item2f2cb3b7dd:g:ejMAAOSwEXtce4RM

too bad...cause its cheap
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Old 07-01-2019, 06:01 AM   #18
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Ahhhh I see.....I need to locate this sucker.....crack it open and inspect......the cable in previous link hooks up to this......learning....learning........slow learner......

and if all else fails...find OEM version of this part and install.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Door-Lock-Actuator-Locking-Micro-Switch-Front-Right-for-Porsche-Boxster-987/142630598644?hash=item21357237f4:g:JMYAAOSwruVbJ5J V
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Old 07-03-2019, 06:38 PM   #20
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Got the after market stereo removed to take a peak at how the previous owner installed it. Sure enough I found the antenna wire and the brown/blue alarm wire dangling behind the radio. I will wrap the wire in electrical tape as suggested...thanks. I will also purchase an antenna adapter so I can get some radio stations.

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