Having battery drainage problems.Lights flickering on dash and overhead light.Hard draw it seems from arc that I'm getting.Spoiler doing it's on thing,radio comes on at start up when jumped.Car will run when jumped,but will not restart.Towing alarm button switch stays lit up.. Central vacuum system went out, inwhich I removed it.Can car operate okay with out it?Had drainage problem before removal of it.Central vacuum boards inside burned to crisp.Also seems to have transmission connector bushing leak.Could wet pins and plugs on connector adapter cause short circuit?Also hearing clicking sound under hood on passenger side and seems passenger area upon starting,then stops.Has anyone encountered this problem before?Any feed back will be appreciated.

 

Speaking as a 31 year electronic technician: You can't measure current by the appearance of the spark you see. PERIOD. You have GOT to insert a meter in series with the battery cable and see what you REALLY have. THEN you can proceed.

I see indications of a bad battery or perhaps horribly corroded battery terminals, corroded battery ground cable lug or a very weak alternator. And a burnt circuit board? I'd like to see that one explained before you go any farther, you COULD have high alternator output which has damaged electronics and overcharged and ruined the battery - but this would be VERY rare, it's possible but I don't really think it is the case.

It's hard to know where to start here, but an ammeter in series with the battery cable and doors closed, key off and removed from the ignition - once you connect the meter, let it settle down (takes the modules 1/2 minute to initialize) - you should see no more than .05 amp which is 50 milliamp. I'd prefer to see around .02 but anything under .05 is likely ok. IF you meter does show .02 to .05 amp, then we can move on from there, but that is the FIRST thing I would say, given what you have posted.

We are having a tech day on March 5 in Oakwood on the shore of Lake Lanier, you should join the ATL group so you are not so alone!

On Facebook, we are "CROSSFIRES IN THE SOUTH".

 

Okay,thanks I will get started on it this morning and try to narrow it down.Also I will check out the local crossfire group as you suggested ..This car is tweeking my nerves.Curious,what could be the clicking sound under hood on passenger side when key is turned on.Then it stops.Would like to place it in shop.Afraid of the shops here.Have had some bad experiences with my GTI mark lv ,before here.Either your over charged and workman ship and job crap.Went to a few shops yesterday and part stores.They had no clue.After seeing that the tech was clueless and was calling around and researching something as simple as a trans elect harness connector and O rings.Of course I pulled off.Will keep this updated.And welcome all helpful information.Much more then I bargained for,for sure....

 

Okay , today I checked it out using a meter.I'm getting a crazy reading of 11.7 On Dc setting.
As I suspected,what ever it is going on it is pulling crazy current.I set up meter to ground side and pulled All fuses individually ,no drop in the current at all. Completely baffled at this time.
Would a scan detect open circuits?And what could possibly be pulling so much power.Still got blue arc when touching terminal and post.I'm open for suggestions

 

That would be 11.7 volts, battery is none to good at those readings unless run down.
Get the battery checked, I suspect a poor battery, if so replace it and then check for the drain.
The multimeter meter needs to be set to the amps reading, not volts.
There is always some drain as readings have to be kept in some of the modules, no power to them and they have to be reset.

 

Have you been leaving the key in the ignition for long periods of time? I've read that drains the battery. Those issues I've had were eliminated with a new battery.

 

NO. YOu have got to use the ammeter jack and common jack on the meter and set the meter to the DC amps scale. Put the leads in series with the battery cable, that is disconnect the battery cable and connect one meter lead to the cable and one to the battery post.

THe meter will have (usually) two ammeter inputs, one rated for 10 amps or more, one for much less. Use the lesser and if you get NO current, you have blown the meter's internal fuse, so go get some spares first.

Pick up some clip leads so you can set up the meter and stand back and watch the current settle after about 20 seconds. THAT reading is what you want, not the initial one that will be higher as the modules are resetting.

 

See

 

Here is the meter that I'm using.I set leads into,Red V and COM.Set dial at the red AC/DC side, flipping switch to DC settings.Connecting one lead to negative battery post other to terminal. As stated ,it gave me a unchanging reading of 11.7 with all power off and doors closed.How would I set this meter to give me a reading in amps?

 

One lead in COM, the other in 10A socket. Set meter to 10A position.
Disconnect negative battery cable, connect one lead to the disconnected cable terminal, the other to the negative battery post.

If no reading on 10A scale, try putting that lead in the mA socket and setting the meter to 200m

 

Red to the V makes the meter a volt meter, red lead to the 10A makes it a current meter. Voltage readings are done with the circuit hooked up as built or in parallel, current readings are done in series or breaking the circuit and inserting the current meter in series with the measurement needed. It looks like you should select 20m/10A setting in the lower left on the dial switch at about the 8 o'clock position.

Don't ever try to measure voltage in parallel with the lead in the 10A or the mA connector. The meters internals will get very upset.

The black meter lead would go on the neg. batt. term on the battery and the red lead would go on the black wire you removed from the neg. batt. lead. IE inserting the meter in series with the circuit.

Make sure all doors are closed and nothing is left on.

Did you watch the video I posted above? He shows the entire process to find the culprit.

 

Okay I charged the battery over night. I've placed meter leads to neg battery and terminal and set meter as advised.At first it showed a reading of 0.56 then settled to 0.01. Does this sound correct,is this reading normal?Could this be a bad Battery?

 

Okay I charged the battery over night. I've placed meter leads to neg battery and terminal and set meter as advised.At first it showed a reading of 0.56 then settled to 0.01. Does this sound correct,is this reading normal?Could this be a bad Battery?

 

That would be 0.01 amps or 10 milliamps and does not sound bad. I don't think there is a draw of current from the car on the battery.

Ready for some voltage tests? Put the meter red lead back in V and the dial on 20V in the 10 o'clock position.

 

Actually put the meter in the 2v setting at the 10 o'clock position on the dial. With the red lead in the V spot on the lower left of the meter and NOT in the 10A spot to do this test...

Start the car, turn the blower motor on high, bright lights, wipers, A/C, etc. all electronics you can turn on turn on.

Measure the voltage from the engine block to the NEGATIVE battery post. actually on the lead post of the battery not on the part connected to the cable but the actual battery post. You should see no more than 0.2 volts. This proves the negative battery lead is not corroded or there is a poor connection at the battery or the block.

 

Okay,But the problem that I'm seem to be having when doing this.I'm getting a hard arc and blue not red spark when hooking up battery.Okay ran check got a reading of 2.1 .After shutting car off ,I tried to restart and got nothing.All lights work and horn blows.Not even a click from attempting to crank.Tested battery and got reading of 12.7 volts.Nothing even after trying to boost.Car would start with a jump before,but just has something robbing a lot of current from somewhere. Starter failing to engage now.Like a security kill start.Also spoiler light is flashing and did not before.Could I have a open relay?Also be advised that central vacuum pump has been removed due to it frying.Can car operate with out it?

 

The arc means nothing. You actually measured it with the .56 reading on the meter before it settled down to 0.01. It's just all the electronics getting their initial voltage when power is connected.

2.1 what? Amps from our first test set up meter in series or 2.1 volts from our second test set up seeing if the neg cable was good. If it was the voltage test for the ground wire I would investigate that. If you are losing 2 volts with just the cars accys on you are probably losing 5-6 volts when cranking or trying to crank. You may even see the entire 12 volts! We have had several reports of ground wires right at the block being very corroded.

Did the jumper cables or battery ever get connected with the wrong polarity? Meaning the neg cable to the pos term and the pos cable to the neg term?

A battery voltage of 12.7 may still not supply the needed current (read amps) to start the car due to internal resistance in the battery. Or a corroded neg wire.

You have some strange stuff going on with only those symptoms. It's like we are missing part of the story.

 

Just recently bought car.Don't know much about it and it's history.I got car to crank after exchanging battery .But removed negative terminal while car was running and it died.And yes I do recall jumpers being hooked up incorrect before.Alternator and batt shoot????Thoughts?

 

If jumpers were ever hooked up incorrectly, there is a really good possibility that the alternator is shot, along with a plethora of other electronic related tidbits.

 

This is wierd ,just now was hooking up batt,and as I touch post I get a loud long engaging type click,clucking sound seeming to come from around black fuse box next to batt.And either rear breather or around tranny bell housing area.As if a component is energizing .Like a solenoid .Is there any major elect components around front of tranny?