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02 Camaro...help solve electrical mystery
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Kfloamy
New User
Jan 2, 2020, 8:27 PM
Post #1 of 2
(922 views)
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02 Camaro...help solve electrical mystery
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Please help! My son drives an 02 Camaro with 119,000 miles on it. About two months ago something strange started happening electrically and local mechanics can’t solve it. First sign was one night he approached his car in a parking lot and the radio was lit up and playing with the car off. He drive it that night and when he turned the car off the radio didn’t shut off until 30 minutes had passed. I had him disconnect the battery cables that night so the battery wouldn’t get drained if it happened again. I had him start the car each day for a few days and it continued to start. However, after a few days it was dead. I changed the battery in the car and drive it home. Had a mechanic check it out but they could find nothing wrong after having it a week. Said they couldn’t track it down if it wasn’t doing it while they had it. Two days after I picked it up from them it was dead again. Now what is happening is the battery slowly drains over a few days. I charge it. It drains. I removed the radio to see if something was causing it to drain battery (aftermarket radio that has been in over a year with no problems) but it still is being drained. No lights are on...no radio is in car...continues to drain. There is no visible sign anything is draining the battery but it is. I continue to recharge it and it continues to drain. Help! Does anyone have any ideas or experience with this type of thing?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 2, 2020, 8:34 PM
Post #2 of 2
(917 views)
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Re: 02 Camaro...help solve electrical mystery
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If your mechanic can't find a parasitic drain, then you need to find another mechanic. There is a systematic way to isolate the source and any decent tech should be able to find it.
Here is the procedure.
You will need a digital ammeter and a jumper wire with clips on the ends to do this.
First rig any door switches so you can have a door open without triggering the interior lights and unplug the hood light. Remove one battery cable and attach the meter in series between the battery cable and battery post. Take the jumper wire and also attach it the same way. Leave the jumper wire on for at least 30 to 40 minutes to expire all the automatic timers. Now remove the jumper wire and read the meter. Anything over 50ma is too much draw. The way you locate this is to start removing fuses one at a time until the meter drops to normal level. This will be the circuit with something staying on. Determine what components are part of that circuit and check them individually until the problem is isolated.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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