Our 2002 Town & Country is battery is going dead after the van is not used for a few days. It has been a very cold winter here so, we thought battery had gone dead due to temperatures. However after having to jump start the van several times now (always after it not being used for several days) we took it Advanced Auto (where we bought the battery) and they ran tests on battery. alternator and starter. Battery was a little low (we had just jump started it short time before these tests), and alternator started tested ok.

He suggested testing for parasitic battery draw.

So, I looked up how to do online, and with the multimeter Selector Switch on the 10A position, the reading I am getting is 0.75 amps. Which I understand is way over the recommended threshold of 50mA.

I made sure all doors were closed and everything off. (The hood was open but I do not see a hood light on this van.

I pulled fuses and reinserted one by one to find which circuit was drawing power.

So… it seems when the HZD LP fuse is pulled the reading on the multimeter drops to .04 amps.

Also, when the IOD fuse is pulled the reading on the multimeter drops to .04 amps. My understanding is that pulling this fuse cuts off all the possibilities of battery draw, so I assume that this is not the problem, correct?

I am looking for any advice/guidance to what my next step would be.

What is on this circuit?

How would I troubleshoot this circuit?

Or am I forgetting something more obvious to check or in my multimeter tests?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

 

Just to be sure, I need to ask ..

When I just got my 2002 GV(T&C) I was looking for a parasitic drain and couldnt find it. But what I did find was that I always pulled out my key in the ACC position
That way the car keeps using (too much) power from the battery. Since I found how to pull my key the proper way (OFF) I no longer suffered dead batteries.

The key/ignition system is badly designed and especialy with a sowehat worn keylock its easy to put the car on acc.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I doubled check that and ignition is definitely off, and not in ACC.

 

Leave the IOD [ Ignition Off draw] in place. The car takes 15 minutes to go to sleep, what is the reading after [you must have your meter connected before and when the car goes to sleep] your car has gone to sleep ? Leave the IOD [ Ignition Off draw] in place and pull each of the other fuse[s] in turn to see of you get the .04 a drop you are looking for. What, if anything have you changed recently particularly the radio ?

If its none of the above its probably a battery issue, how old is the battery - a drop test is a pretty poor CVC battery test ?

 

IGNITION-OFF DRAW TEST - reproduced from the workshop manual - NOTE - My Bold.

The term Ignition-Off Draw (IOD) identifies a normal condition where power is being drained from the battery with the ignition switch in the Off position. A normal vehicle electrical system will draw from fifteen to twenty five milliamperes (0.015 to 0.025 ampere) with the ignition switch in the Off position, and all non-ignition controlled circuits in proper working order. Up to twenty-five milliamperes are needed to enable the memory functions for the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), digital clock, electronically tuned radio, and other modules which may vary with the vehicle equipment. A vehicle that has not been operated for approximately twenty one days, may discharge the battery to an inadequate level. When a vehicle will not be used for twenty one days or more (stored), remove the IOD fuse from the Integrated Power Module (IPM). This will reduce battery discharging. Excessive IOD can be caused by:

• Electrical items left on.
• Faulty or improperly adjusted switches.
• Faulty or shorted electronic modules and components.
• An internally shorted generator.
• Intermittent shorts in the wiring

REM01 : Before the tests in #4 above make sure you 'tape up' the bonnet/hood alarm turret first.

REM02 : Disconnect the NEG cable from the battery post, set the milliampere range to 0-200 mA, measure the current draw with your multimeter twixt the negative cable and negative post it should read about 30mA.

REM03 : The IPM is always a suspect for a draw that can't be found easily.

.1.
.2. lotsa video's here

 

Is this the first flat battery syndrome this winter on here?

Leedsman.

 

- yes, but the O/P calls it a 'Town & Country', and it has a 'hood' not a bonnet, and s/he took it to Advanced Auto, so we can assume its over the pond !
- £2 UKP will buy a permanent digital readout of volts to battery post which should always show 13.9 to 14.1, not sophisticated but enough for an early warning device
- I've got one of these for CCA and other diags, but I also have [permanently on] in the RHS cigarette lighter socket

 

we need a small mandatory countryflag next to our forum names

 

Or make the "Location - Where you live" field, on the "Edit Your Details" page of the "User Control Panel", a mandatory field.

https://www.chryslerforum.com/forum/...do=editprofile

 

I didn't bother answering this yesterday as I knew what was coming.
And I was right..