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Old 02-02-2025, 12:23 PM   #1
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Hunting down a parasitic draw, is this the right way to do it?

The battery on my 2002 base 986 goes dead in around 5 days if it isn't driven.

I suspect it might be something to do with the double din radio I installed, although can't be sure as I did that install having not owned the car long enough to know if I caused the problem or not.

This morning I attempted to test for a parasitic draw, but I'm not sure if I have the multimeter set up right? I've included a picture below in the hopes someone can give me a bit of guidance.

My understanding is anything over 50 is not good, and mine is reading around 113.

If this setup is correct, my next step would be to start pulling fuses until I find the one that drops the number back down to something around 50.

Is that the right way to think about this?

Thanks in advance!





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Old 02-02-2025, 01:43 PM   #2
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The factory technical manual (Section 97-07 page 2) has the following table of total electrical load after the car has been shut off (ModelYear 02):
(electrical current is worst case, i.e. car loaded w/all options...)
FROM TO mA
0 min 5 min up to approx. 950
6 min 15 min up to approx. 900
16 min 20 min up to approx. 750
21 min 60 min up to approx. 50
61 min until the battery is empty up to approx. 30
1000mA equals, of course, one amp.
If the car had no options whatsoever, the load after 60 min would be 17mA instead of 30mA.

From this table you should be able to insert an amp-meter between the battery and battery cable and tell if the car is within spec before you begin pulling fuses or removing the battery to get it tested."
And once you see the draw is beyond spec, you pull one fuse at a time noting if the current draw drops within spec when the fuse is removed. Find the one that causes the excess draw and you have located the circuit that is causing your problem.

Nothing but the immobilizer is more than 10.

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