ANOTHER parasitic battery drain problem

[Lewis Long]

Originally Posted by thstone

My first thought is to further investigate the aftermarket stereo. I would track down/trace the power wires for every component in the stereo system.

The installer may have connected the stereo (I use this word generically to mean any or all of the actual components) direct to the battery or to a wire that connects direct to battery power without going through the stock fuse panel in the driver footwell. If this is the case (and the installer knew what he was doing), then there is likely another fuse block or inline fuse for the stereo power that is in parallel with the stock fuse panel.

Thank you for the suggestion. You have given me an idea for another area to investigate.

I installed the aftermarket stereo myself. I have a lot of stereo installation experience, and I don't trust an aftermarket installer to wire it correctly, avoid shortcuts, or make sure that there are no squeaks and rattles under the dash. I am very detail oriented, and even a competent installer isn't working on their own car, and won't have to live day-to-day with the results of a shoddy job.

I was very careful to wire the head unit into the existing wiring harness, and preserve the appropriate wire/fuse assignments. I was also careful to route the wiring, and protect it with split loom from crimps or wear. I did pull the head unit when the problem started to make sure that I didn't pinch or short any wires, and that nothing pulled free from a connector. Having said that, however, I neglected to pull the stereo and THEN check the current draw with it out, which I will do today.

Thanks for the suggestion, and the idea. This is a very likely place to look for a problem.