Drains Which Shut Off When the Battery Cable Is Disconnected

Check for current drains on the battery in excess of 50 milliamps with all the electrical accessories off and the vehicle at rest. Current drains can be tested with the following procedure.

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS TEST ON A LEAD-ACID BATTERY THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN RECHARGED.

CAUTION: Do not crank the engine or operate accessories that draw more than 10A. You could open the fuse in the meter.

NOTE: Many computers draw 10 mA or more continuously.


1. Repeat Steps 1 through 6 of the voltmeter drain testing. With Ammeter, In-Line Test Procedure
2. Without starting engine, turn ignition switch to RUN for a moment and then OFF. If applicable, wait one minute for the illuminated entry lamps to turn off.
3. Connect the voltmeter and read the voltage.

The current reading (current drain) should be less than 0.05 amp. If it exceeds 0.05 amp after a few minutes, and if this drain did not show in previous tests, the drain is most likely caused by a malfunctioning electronic component. As in previous tests, remove the fuses in fuse junction panel one at a time to locate the problem circuit.