2000 mitisubishi montero sport battery draw

[DIESELDAN]

I have a mitisubishi that if it sits more than 12 hours or so the battery gets so low that it doesn't start. I thought maybe it was the battery so I replaced it, but it didn't make any differance. If I put the battery on a charger and recharge it it starts great. I noticed when I installed the new battery I got a little spark when I put on the second cable, which in my experance means something is drawing on the battery. I am just wondering what procedure to try to find the battery draw.

DieselDan

[Jeremy airjer W]

After market radio?

To test for a draw you will need a volt meter capable of reading amperage. Disconnect the positive battery cable. With all the doors closed, the key out of the ignition, and nothing plugged into the 12 volt outlet put one lead on the positive cable end and the other lead on the positive battery post. You will likely have to wait 10 to 20 minutes for everything to power down. You should see less than .050 amps. I suspect you will see around .200 amps or more.

Start pulling fuses until the draw goes away and then focus on that circuit. I like to start with radio and dome fuses along with power mirrors and heated seats, which seem to the most likely culprits.

I have had one factory radio, one aftermarket radio, and one vehicle audio control module causing draws in the last couple of weeks. I have seen everything from onstar modules, aftermarket DVD players, vanity lights in the visors, alternators, seat switches, etc.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Could I suggest leaving the doors open but latch the door latches with a small screw driver so you can get to the interior fuse panel without waking up a module. Once you pull the fuse, don't replace it as this could wake up something as well and ruin your test.

It seems that the aftermarket auto start are the culprits for me, and one "programer" for a diesel.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Not sure if Mitsubishi has the switch in the door latch. If it does that's a good tip. Otherwise you need to be a little creative with the button type switches.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

well, that would pose a problem....

[deadeye]

Mitsu should have a button type switch in the pillar. They like to rust out and cause all kinds of fun stuff.

Radios in those are always suspect too though.

[DIESELDAN]

I think it was the radio. I was driving it the other day and the radio started to flicker and not work so I pulled out the radio and saw it spark at a grounding spot on the rear of the radio. I pulled it out and fixed the grounding problem and I reinstalled the radio. Radio now works again and haven't had the battery drain problem.

DieselDan

[Jeremy airjer W]

Ill take credit or that diagnoses!