02 Impala battery drain

#11

It looks like you just answered your question. 11.8 volts after running the
car is too low. It should be in the high 13 or low 14 volt range. Check the
voltage with the car running and it should be around 14.5 volts. Turn the
headlights on and it should stay around there. You have either a bad battery
or bad charging system. Take it to a shop and get it load tested. They can
tell you in a few minutes if they are bad....

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

Thanks for your replies. Here's another little test I did. My neighbour
also has an Impala so we compared current draw with a meter. Both his and
mine are drawing 1.2 A with the car off. To me that's high, but he has no
problems with his car which throws me off. Also, this car has battery run
down protection. Does that merely turn off any lights accidentally left
on
or is it suppose to electrically "disconnect" the battery via relays or
whatever if the level gets too low. Overnight the voltage remains pretty
high at 11.8v but after 2 days it's about 6V.

TR

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce5m69$qt5$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Hello,

As the subject states, I need some help on a battery drain problem. The
original battery was dead and even after I was able to charge it, it
would
not show and "green" in the window so it was replaced. I'm able to
start
the car every time if I drive it daily, but if I leave the car for a
period
of 2 days then the battery is drained to a point where I need a boost.
After
that, it's fine again until I leave it un-driven for another 2-day
period.
I've checked all courtesy lights, trunk and hood lights, etc. I don't
know
where the drain is coming from. How do I begin to troubleshoot this
further?? GM says it could take up to 4 days to find the cause which
would
cost a fortune. I thought about just buying a battery disconnect switch
just for the weekends when the car isn't driven. Other than my radio
settings, would the system not having any powere affect anything else??
Any insight into this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

TR

#12

I bought an Olds that had a similar problem of running the batt. down over
night. The previous owner had 2 shops look at the car and they couldn't
find the problem. He put on a batt. disconnect to stop the run down over
night. The car ran fine which is why I bought it.

I got a factory shop manual off ebay to help with the trouble shooting.
While studying the problem I heard soft clicking from the engine after I
had started it and shut it off. The idle air controler was cycling on and
off. It wouldn't do it after the batt. had been disconnected and
reconnected, only after the engine was run and shut off with the batt.
connected. From the shop manual I found out the ECM controls the idle air
controler. I got an ECM from the junk yard for $30.00 and it has been
fine since. It was a bad ECM that made a ground for the idle air controler
when the key was off.

Quote:

Hello,

As the subject states, I need some help on a battery drain problem. The
original battery was dead and even after I was able to charge it, it
would
not show and "green" in the window so it was replaced. I'm able to start
the car every time if I drive it daily, but if I leave the car for a
period
of 2 days then the battery is drained to a point where I need a boost.
After
that, it's fine again until I leave it un-driven for another 2-day
period.
I've checked all courtesy lights, trunk and hood lights, etc. I don't
know
where the drain is coming from. How do I begin to troubleshoot this
further?? GM says it could take up to 4 days to find the cause which
would
cost a fortune. I thought about just buying a battery disconnect switch
just for the weekends when the car isn't driven. Other than my radio
settings, would the system not having any powere affect anything else??
Any insight into this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

TR

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#13

One must wonder about a technician that requires 2 hours to find and
replace a blown fuse.

#14

You should leave the meter on at least 10 minutes to be sure everything
times out.

#15

hyundaitech wrote:

Quote:

One must wonder about a technician that requires 2 hours to find and
replace a blown fuse.

His previous job was as a fuse tester.

---Bob Gross---

#16

Agreed!

Refinish King

"HRL" <nospam (AT) xxx (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

Are you sure about that 1.2 A? That sounds way high to me. With most
multimeters meters you would have to use a 10 ampere scale

And, I think the run down protection is just an automatic way to turn off
lights. Most cars have that now.

If you are indeed drawing 1.2 Amps you could drain a battery in two days
but
your neighbor would too. I will go with the bad battery and suspect that
you had the wrong scale when reading current.

That is unless when reading your neighbors car you had the hood open and
there was an underhood lamp that was on.

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce85pj$c8j$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Thanks for your replies. Here's another little test I did. My
neighbour
also has an Impala so we compared current draw with a meter. Both his
and
mine are drawing 1.2 A with the car off. To me that's high, but he has
no
problems with his car which throws me off. Also, this car has battery
run
down protection. Does that merely turn off any lights accidentally left
on
or is it suppose to electrically "disconnect" the battery via relays or
whatever if the level gets too low. Overnight the voltage remains pretty
high at 11.8v but after 2 days it's about 6V.

TR

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce5m69$qt5$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Hello,

As the subject states, I need some help on a battery drain problem.
The
original battery was dead and even after I was able to charge it, it
would
not show and "green" in the window so it was replaced. I'm able to
start
the car every time if I drive it daily, but if I leave the car for a
period
of 2 days then the battery is drained to a point where I need a boost.
After
that, it's fine again until I leave it un-driven for another 2-day
period.
I've checked all courtesy lights, trunk and hood lights, etc. I don't
know
where the drain is coming from. How do I begin to troubleshoot this
further?? GM says it could take up to 4 days to find the cause which
would
cost a fortune. I thought about just buying a battery disconnect
switch
just for the weekends when the car isn't driven. Other than my radio
settings, would the system not having any powere affect anything
else??
Any insight into this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

TR

#17

Not unless there was a large draw:

That was eliminated after the meter was hooked up.

The static draw will be the static draw, unless he found a hood lamp,
removed the bulb, then the draw would have went down slowly. As the battery
located it's point surface charge.

Refinish King

"HRL" <nospam (AT) xxx (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

On second thought I think you did not leave the meter hooked up long
enough
to get a good current reading. It takes several seconds - perhaps a
minute
before the initial current settles down. I think that you will read over
1
ampere when first hooked up. Then after about 30 seconds to a minute it
should settle down to something less than 0.1 ampere.

"HRL" <nospam (AT) xxx (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:aPONc.144472$OB3.98791 (AT) bgtnsc05-news (DOT) ops.worldnet.att.net...
Are you sure about that 1.2 A? That sounds way high to me. With most
multimeters meters you would have to use a 10 ampere scale

And, I think the run down protection is just an automatic way to turn
off
lights. Most cars have that now.

If you are indeed drawing 1.2 Amps you could drain a battery in two days
but
your neighbor would too. I will go with the bad battery and suspect
that
you had the wrong scale when reading current.

That is unless when reading your neighbors car you had the hood open and
there was an underhood lamp that was on.

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce85pj$c8j$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Thanks for your replies. Here's another little test I did. My
neighbour
also has an Impala so we compared current draw with a meter. Both his
and
mine are drawing 1.2 A with the car off. To me that's high, but he
has
no
problems with his car which throws me off. Also, this car has battery
run
down protection. Does that merely turn off any lights accidentally
left
on
or is it suppose to electrically "disconnect" the battery via relays
or
whatever if the level gets too low. Overnight the voltage remains
pretty
high at 11.8v but after 2 days it's about 6V.

TR

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce5m69$qt5$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Hello,

As the subject states, I need some help on a battery drain problem.
The
original battery was dead and even after I was able to charge it, it
would
not show and "green" in the window so it was replaced. I'm able to
start
the car every time if I drive it daily, but if I leave the car for a
period
of 2 days then the battery is drained to a point where I need a
boost.
After
that, it's fine again until I leave it un-driven for another 2-day
period.
I've checked all courtesy lights, trunk and hood lights, etc. I
don't
know
where the drain is coming from. How do I begin to troubleshoot this
further?? GM says it could take up to 4 days to find the cause
which
would
cost a fortune. I thought about just buying a battery disconnect
switch
just for the weekends when the car isn't driven. Other than my
radio
settings, would the system not having any powere affect anything
else??
Any insight into this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

TR

#18

Which was going to be my next suggestion:

Also, look for bad grounds from the block, to the frame, and the block to
the body!

Refinish King

"Woody" <TheDuck (AT) pond (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

It looks like you just answered your question. 11.8 volts after running
the
car is too low. It should be in the high 13 or low 14 volt range. Check
the
voltage with the car running and it should be around 14.5 volts. Turn the
headlights on and it should stay around there. You have either a bad
battery
or bad charging system. Take it to a shop and get it load tested. They can
tell you in a few minutes if they are bad....

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce85pj$c8j$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Thanks for your replies. Here's another little test I did. My
neighbour
also has an Impala so we compared current draw with a meter. Both his
and
mine are drawing 1.2 A with the car off. To me that's high, but he has
no
problems with his car which throws me off. Also, this car has battery
run
down protection. Does that merely turn off any lights accidentally left
on
or is it suppose to electrically "disconnect" the battery via relays or
whatever if the level gets too low. Overnight the voltage remains pretty
high at 11.8v but after 2 days it's about 6V.

TR

"TR" <tr (AT) interlog (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ce5m69$qt5$1 (AT) news (DOT) eusc.inter.net...
Hello,

As the subject states, I need some help on a battery drain problem.
The
original battery was dead and even after I was able to charge it, it
would
not show and "green" in the window so it was replaced. I'm able to
start
the car every time if I drive it daily, but if I leave the car for a
period
of 2 days then the battery is drained to a point where I need a boost.
After
that, it's fine again until I leave it un-driven for another 2-day
period.
I've checked all courtesy lights, trunk and hood lights, etc. I don't
know
where the drain is coming from. How do I begin to troubleshoot this
further?? GM says it could take up to 4 days to find the cause which
would
cost a fortune. I thought about just buying a battery disconnect
switch
just for the weekends when the car isn't driven. Other than my radio
settings, would the system not having any powere affect anything
else??
Any insight into this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

TR

#19

More of a mechanical tech:

rather than a diagnostic or electrical/drivability tech. There are
classifications of techs in dealers, look at who's always doing R&R's&R's,
brakes, front end and under car. Then on the other hand, look at the techs
that are always doing the electrical spectrum of the vehicle, such as:
diagnostics, fuel control, electrical ignition, electrical in car,
electrical lighting.

There is no shame in being either, just some are more proficient or more
comfortable with one, more than the other.

Refinish King

"hyundaitech" <howitsac (AT) nospam (DOT) hotmail.com> wrote

Quote:

One must wonder about a technician that requires 2 hours to find and
replace a blown fuse.

#20

LOL

"Robertwgross" <robertwgross (AT) cs (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

hyundaitech wrote:
One must wonder about a technician that requires 2 hours to find and
replace a blown fuse.

His previous job was as a fuse tester.

---Bob Gross---

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02 Impala battery drain

General Motors Discussions About General Motors vehicles (alt.autos.gm)

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 03:05 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 03:06 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 04:38 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 04:39 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 07:10 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 09:16 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 09:18 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 09:20 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 09:27 PM

Re: 02 Impala battery drain - 07-28-2004 , 09:27 PM