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Thread: Parasitic battery drain

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170

    Parasitic battery drain

    Anyone ever have a parasitic battery drain on there MM? went to start my mm and nothing not even a click even though it had a deltran battery tender. Though it was strange but battery was at least 4 years old and it would not charge so bought a battery. used it for two days and all good starting and charging. let it sit for three days with the battery tender and dead again. did a parasitic drain test and found it had a 1.6amp draw. No wonder battery tender could not keep up. Found when I removed fuse F1.114 which is a 30amp fuse hot all time fuse drain went away. Variable assist power steering(VAPS) module, Air suspension module, Air compressor relay, and instrument cluster. Pulled air compressor relay with fuse installed no change. will pull 1 connector at a time on suspension/vaps module to narrow it down. then if that doesn't work will pull cluster. Just wondering if anyone else seen this.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Age
    67
    Posts
    1,281
    Strange. Early models of the S197 Mustangs had a similar situation that was related to the 'smart module'. This is the device that kept 'power on' to various accessories for up to a minute after the key was turned off. Disconnecting the battery negative first, positive last, fully charging the battery and reconnecting positive first, negative last, solved this issue in most cases (my Mustang was one of them). Another issue we had with this gen Mustang was the new gen radio wasn't shutting off when turning off the key, despite a blank display. Turning radio off manually before turning the key off solved most issues. With the Marauder? I dunno, as this is the first time I've read this.
    Current Garage:

    2005 Mustang GT Premium
    2019 Ranger Lariat Super Crewcab 4WD
    2015 Triumph Trophy SE



    “You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
    Love like you'll never be hurt,
    Sing like there's nobody listening,
    And live like it's heaven on earth.”
    William W. Purkey

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    NY
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    1,391
    Do you have any extensive or complicated aftermarket stereo system installed? Have you checked the alternator?
    Here is a link that may help:

    https://www.mercurymarauder.net/foru...-Battery-drain

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Age
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    Procedures are important. With the 2005 Mustang, 50ma is the highest parasitic draw allowed, after the car has been shut off for several minutes. Meter started off at 1.6a and gradually fell back. My Mustang was drawing 35ma the last time I checked.
    Current Garage:

    2005 Mustang GT Premium
    2019 Ranger Lariat Super Crewcab 4WD
    2015 Triumph Trophy SE



    “You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
    Love like you'll never be hurt,
    Sing like there's nobody listening,
    And live like it's heaven on earth.”
    William W. Purkey

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    could not work on the mm today. first thing I checked was the alternator. no am stereo. pretty sure it is in the circuit for that fuse.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    birmingham, al
    Age
    36
    Posts
    124
    Have same problem now, but found issue. Found out my air compressor was kicking on at random even when car been set for days. Then while putting ss brake notice driverside air bag had Deflated. Which i have notice compressor kick on alot while driving lately Spray soapy water on bag found air leak. So i recharged battery and switched off air ride for a week without drive her. Crank up fine Order new bag. Will put them on tomorrow. Switch air ride back on & 3 days later completely dead. Place a camera in garage that can be trigger by sound. Compressor kicked on at least 20time that day without me even touching the car.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    I pulled compressor relay and still have drain. thinking it is the air ride/vaps module. I can here a very light clicking from right side dash.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    birmingham, al
    Age
    36
    Posts
    124
    Flip the air ride switch in truck

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    tried air ride switch before unplugging alternator. found when I unplugged vaps/air ride module drain went away. removed cover from module found burnt spot on circuit board.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    cannot upload photo of burnt board.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    Just so everyone knows the vaps and air ride worked. I have a NGS tester and there were no fault codes for either system. Only issue is battery drain.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    4,338
    FYI: All vehicles with a PCM have parasitic battery drain. Biggest reason why the vehicle needs a battery tender when sitting.

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
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    ty but guess you did not read my post. had a battery tender connected. 1.6 amp draw is way to high for a tender. should be .05ma or less.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    4,338
    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn-ho View Post
    ty but guess you did not read my post. had a battery tender connected. 1.6 amp draw is way to high for a tender. should be .05ma or less.
    Ya, that's too high. Put an amp gauge inline between Batt + post and + cable end and pull fuses 1 by 1 to locate the circuit that is drawing the power.

    If it truly is the PCM pulling the power, that's odd but anything is possible. Someone around you with same MM/PCM code that you could swap to your car to see if it is the issue?

    Good luck with the repair.

    WLB
    BB#1) 1996 ImpalaSS - 16,500 miles - 100% stock
    ______________________________ ___________

    BB#2) 2003 Marauder (300a) - 34k miles - Daily Driver
    #2912 of 7093
    Conceived 8/6/2002
    Delivered 9/19/2002
    Adopted 8/10/2011
    Trilogy 242 - Self Installed 9/9/12 (0-60 5.5 sec)
    Pioneer 6x8 Front
    Legacy 600w 6x9 Rears
    JL 6.5 SubWoofer
    K&N CAI
    Window tint 50% rear/35% front
    FBM CHMSL with Strobe mod 7/1/12
    DR Deep Aluminum Trans Pan
    Sparta FOMOCO Racing 8.8 Girdle
    Mo's Dyno Tune
    Gorilla Nuts - The System
    Ford Racing 4.10s, 31 spline Cobra carrier & axles 7/1/12
    Powder Coat Axle Housing 7/1/12
    CME HP Rear Control Arms & Watts Link 7/1/12
    ______________________________ ________________

    Rex "SC Cheesehead" Weinbender 11-14-13
    Ed "Baaad GN" Linthicum 8-6-2014

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Florence, NJ
    Posts
    170
    please read post before responding. l ready did a parasitic drain test. already pulled all fuses, F1.114 removed stopped drain. put fuse back in removed vaps/air ride module drain stopped. remove cover from module found burnt circuit board. ordered new module. will update after I install t.
    2003 Mercury Marauder Black
    1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
    1974 HD Shovelhead
    1998 Chevy K1500

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