Whats eating my battery?? Help Diagnose.
#1
Whats eating my battery?? Help Diagnose.
Short : With the car off, everything turned off, I hear a click- 2 sec- click thing comming from behind the center console. If the car was running I would think is the A/C compressor or some solenoid of that kind. Anybody know of anything on the 350Z that can be clicking on---off in a cycle when the car is OFF?
Long story : I usually drive my car every day. A few weeks ago it went two days without running, I went out, the battery was dead. Hummm... Since it was the original OEM battery, it has gotten cooler lately, etc, I decided maybe it was a weak battery, so I bought a new Sears Die Hard. 2 days later, no battery.
Charged and started running regularly, the car seemed ok. Last thursday (5AM) the alarm (Viper 790XV, has been in the car for 3 years) started giving me shock sensor warnings, you know, quick beeps and flashes. I checked and nothing, but kept doing it. So I armed it with "ignore other zones", next morning, no battery.
I charged the battery but left the ground post off (XMas holiday, nowhere to take it). This AM I stopped by the alarm place to have them disconnect the alarm while I figure out what is wrong. But now (alarm CPU unplugged from harness), I hear a click-----click from behind the center console. Seems like some solenoid testing or something. And even when the car is off. This is with the car ignition OFF. No A/C, Not even lights (dome light OFF).
What else could it be??? Audio is all stock, only electrical mods are alarm (790XV installed 3 years ago), eManage next to ECU (should be off when car is off, right?). I had the alarm disconnected for now anyway just to isolate the issue.
Long story : I usually drive my car every day. A few weeks ago it went two days without running, I went out, the battery was dead. Hummm... Since it was the original OEM battery, it has gotten cooler lately, etc, I decided maybe it was a weak battery, so I bought a new Sears Die Hard. 2 days later, no battery.
Charged and started running regularly, the car seemed ok. Last thursday (5AM) the alarm (Viper 790XV, has been in the car for 3 years) started giving me shock sensor warnings, you know, quick beeps and flashes. I checked and nothing, but kept doing it. So I armed it with "ignore other zones", next morning, no battery.
I charged the battery but left the ground post off (XMas holiday, nowhere to take it). This AM I stopped by the alarm place to have them disconnect the alarm while I figure out what is wrong. But now (alarm CPU unplugged from harness), I hear a click-----click from behind the center console. Seems like some solenoid testing or something. And even when the car is off. This is with the car ignition OFF. No A/C, Not even lights (dome light OFF).
What else could it be??? Audio is all stock, only electrical mods are alarm (790XV installed 3 years ago), eManage next to ECU (should be off when car is off, right?). I had the alarm disconnected for now anyway just to isolate the issue.
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#8
Went to Nissan today. Viper is disconnected. After a few hours they stated : nothing is wrong. No drain perceived, everything seems ok.
I asked them to keep the car overnight just to make sure. The last time with the Viper disconnected it drained in 24 hrs, so I thought I had eliminated the Viper off the list.
I asked them to keep the car overnight just to make sure. The last time with the Viper disconnected it drained in 24 hrs, so I thought I had eliminated the Viper off the list.
#9
Well, they found it.
Problem : short on wiring causing the power seat to constantly activate.
New issue : they don't want to cover this under warranty ($350, it took them a few hours to find) because the claim I have electrical mods (Viper, eManage). WTF do they have to do with the electrical seats?? Nothing that I know off. The Viper was installed 3 years ago, the seats have been fine since, the eManage was installed 1 week after I started having the probs, and I have receipts and proof of that.
So, opened a complaint with Nissan, see if that helps any.
Problem : short on wiring causing the power seat to constantly activate.
New issue : they don't want to cover this under warranty ($350, it took them a few hours to find) because the claim I have electrical mods (Viper, eManage). WTF do they have to do with the electrical seats?? Nothing that I know off. The Viper was installed 3 years ago, the seats have been fine since, the eManage was installed 1 week after I started having the probs, and I have receipts and proof of that.
So, opened a complaint with Nissan, see if that helps any.
#11
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help - may have same problem
---- I have been trying to trace a similar problem for the past month - I have a 2003 Touring Automatic - no mods - the battery has been going dead at irregular intervals with not discernable pattern. Battery always tested good with a load tester, but after getting fed up decided to change the battery and found that it was leaking - so I figured problem solved - wrong - three days later - weak battery, not enough to crank. My car is driven every day, sometimes no more then 10 miles, but everyday none the less - If you have any details on the your seat heater problem (which seat, was the problem at the switch, in the seat, in the wiring, etc) it would be greatly appreciated - I may be grasping at straws, but have not been able to come up with anything else. Thanks.
#14
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tried that
took it to the dealer first - it sat for three days and they could not find any problems - plus i am out of warranty - much to my surprise, they did not charge me - but cound not find anything - this appears to be intermettent
Last edited by rjaffa; 02-17-2006 at 03:12 AM.
#15
After a nasty letter to Nissan and the dealer, they called me to further explain. They claim that the problem was "foreign material on the power seat switch", like I spilled coffee or something on the button. Since it was not a switch malfunction, it would not be covered by the warranty.
Still, 3.5 hrs to find a malfunctioning switch and $379 to change a switch seems like too much... As somebody stated before, pull the fuse and see if the problem goes away. You can start with the power seats one.
Still, 3.5 hrs to find a malfunctioning switch and $379 to change a switch seems like too much... As somebody stated before, pull the fuse and see if the problem goes away. You can start with the power seats one.
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Thanks for the quick response - I wil certainly check my seat switches - but now a new wrinkle has developed - the overhead interior lights have stopped working completly - I will be taking a look at the fuses, etc for them tomorrow...
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