[peva]

...In that picture, thats how the positive battery cable would look from the factory. It connects to a junction up above the battery to supply the main cables to the rest of the car...

That junction above the battery is the positive jump post that I mentioned earlier. It's the junction of three cables: (1) The positive cable from the battery, (2) The positive power cable to the starter (connects to the starter solenoid stud), and (3) The cable supplying power to the PDC - all shown in the wiring diagram I posted earlier.

 

[eagle4x]

A fusible link is a different type of wire; which is meant to "blow" like a fuse if there is a short or overload-----when this happens they usually burn out quick in a puff of smoke-- like a fuse.

They are a different size than the wire they are protecting because they are rated, like a regular fuse, to a certain amperage. They are often smaller than the wire they protect because they are rated to protect the maximum amps the particular components on the circuit can handle, or output; vs the amount the wire itself can handle continuously; which is always higher.

Example, usually a 12 gauge wire is protected by a 16 gauge fusible link.

If the splice was done correctly and is not corroded, it wouldnt cause a battery drain, however, if it is not a fusible link, if there is ever a short or an issue in the alternator circuit, you have no protection on it now; so, a short could result in a fire rather than the fusible link blowing and cutting off the power.

I'll just replace the positive cable from the pick-a-part with the one on my car since it has the fusible link.

 

[eagle4x]

I borrowed a meter from a friend and he told me over the phone how to check the fuses by checking meter as each fuse from the fuse box on end of driver's side dash panel. There was significant drop of voltage from pulling #4 fuse (radio) and #19 fuse (Overhead Console, Garage Door Opener, Trunk, Overhead, Rear Reading, and Visor Vanity Lights, Trunk Release Solenoid, Power Mirrors, Power Door Locks, Body Control Module, Aspirator Motor).

Possible suspects:

1) Radio: Ronbo mentioned checking PIN connectors on radio in another thread. "There are 2 connectors on the back of 2002-2004 radios(RB1 included)" However, my car is a 2001 ES...what to check on radio for 2001 (ES model, no CD changer)...Ronbo?

2) Key Switch/Actuator: There was also a change in voltage when jiggling the key in the switch. A few weeks ago, the battery didn't drain after not being started for 8 days, and after I drove it the next day, battery drained completely the next day. From talking with cruzcar and another friend, that is usually a symptom of a faulty switch/actuator. Also, i misplaced the ignition key for the car (chipped), but I have a pass key for the doors (non-chip), which will turn ignition switch but not start the car....so I assume if turns out from responses to this post that the switch/actuator should be replaced, will the pass key work to remove the cylinder? And if both replaced, any issues using a new key (maybe computer not recognizing it)?

3) BCM: I wrote earlier in this thread that the BCM was replaced and I thought problem with display on led gauge of climate control panel working, but now temp reading on climate control is intermittent. There were no led lights from climate control or radio with old BCM, but I may either get it reprogrammed or reinstall as is because after I installed the one from the salvage yard, the odometer reading was 50K higher, which I noticed after car was inspected...if I do that, just hope no issues when inspected again next year because odometer reading will be lower. Since fuse 19 also controls the BCM, maybe the BCM replaced is source of the drain.

4) Glove box light: I replaced the lid to the glove box a few years ago. After replacing it, the light on the glove box was working, but I didn't check to verify if the lid was turning off the light when closed (read in another thread recently the way to check is to remove the panel on end of passenger side dashboard). When I was looking at lights in and around the car about about a week ago that could be causing the drain, I opened the glove box and noticed no light came on, so I assumed there was no bulb in the glove box (I had forgot that there was a working bulb in it 2 years ago). When I open the lid now, the bulb does not turn on...could that be a source of the drain?

5) Door/headlight switch: Interior light was on one morning but thought switch was off night before. Daytrepper posted in this thread "So the headlight switches have been known to go bad and cause the interior lights to come on randomly. That's the most common possibility, other than that it could be a door switch."

Suggestions appreciated where best to start to isolate this problem. If key not found, then I'll need to replace ignition switch/actuator anyway if no issues doing that from answers to my questions in #2...less expensive than having paying dealer to cut new chip key and program it..

 

[Ronbo]

1) Radio: Ronbo mentioned checking PIN connectors on radio in another thread. "There are 2 connectors on the back of 2002-2004 radios(RB1 included)" However, my car is a 2001 ES...what to check on radio for 2001 (ES model, no CD changer)...Ronbo?

What thread are you referring to? Post a link. What was the thread about?

 

[eagle4x]

1) Radio: Ronbo mentioned checking PIN connectors on radio in another thread. "There are 2 connectors on the back of 2002-2004 radios(RB1 included)" However, my car is a 2001 ES...what to check on radio for 2001 (ES model, no CD changer)...Ronbo?

What thread are you referring to? Post a link. What was the thread about?

This one, your post #17:

Battery drain due to fuse 19... How to diagnose further?

Hi all, Recently had a battery draining problem where overnight, the car would completely discharge (2004 300m special). After some diagnosing (thought it was a bad battery at first), I found out that something on fuse 19 is drawing a current in key off. Basically, if all doors are closed and...

www.dodgeintrepid.net

 

[Ronbo]

Auto headlight switches also have been known to randomly cause the headlights to come on when left in the "Auto" position. This can be intermittent and may cause headlights/parking lights to flash or come on for short periods of time and go off. I rarely leave my headlight switch in the Auto position on my Special. You can try leaving the headlight switch in the off position when leaving the car to see if that affects your problem.

The headlight switch can also cause brightness changes in the cluster/dash lights wile driving due to dirty contacts on the thumbwheel dimmer. Usually rotating the thumbwheel up and down a few times clears that up.

The BCM controls most of the lighting. It gets information from the Headlight switch which uses resistance value changes to determine what position the switch is in. The interior lighting can also be turned on by opening a door with a door switch triggered.

 

[Ronbo]

If you want to eliminate an interior lighting issue for the current drain....then pull fuse 19 and leave it out for a period of time to test.

One thing that's confusing to me on your testing is you mention monitoring Voltage drops. You should be measuring current. How were you taking your measurements? What mode was the meter set on? Voltage or Current?

 

[eagle4x]

Auto headlight switches also have been known to randomly cause the headlights to come on when left in the "Auto" position. This can be intermittent and may cause headlights/parking lights to flash or come on for short periods of time and go off. I rarely leave my headlight switch in the Auto position on my Special. You can try leaving the headlight switch in the off position when leaving the car to see if that affects your problem.

The headlight switch can also cause brightness changes in the cluster/dash lights wile driving due to dirty contacts on the thumbwheel dimmer. Usually rotating the thumbwheel up and down a few times clears that up.

The BCM controls most of the lighting. It gets information from the Headlight switch which uses resistance value changes to determine what position the switch is in. The interior lighting can also be turned on by opening a door with a door switch triggered.

I'll try your suggestion, but if that doesn't work, what about the radio you mentioned in link I posted...are the pin connectors the same in a 2001 vs the 2002 in that thread? Asking because of the voltage drop when fuse 4 for the radio removed.

 

[eagle4x]

Something else going on not sure if related to battery drain is that air passes slowly through the vents when fan turned off while driving the car...maybe related to the BCM?

 

[eagle4x]

If you want to eliminate an interior lighting issue for the current drain....then pull fuse 19 and leave it out for a period of time to test.

One thing that's confusing to me on your testing is you mention monitoring Voltage drops. You should be measuring current. How were you taking your measurements? What mode was the meter set on? Voltage or Current?

My friend who is knowledgeable in testing walked me through it over the phone. Maybe I used wrong terminology in my post.

Steps/Meter settings/readings:

Removed positive cable from battery post, connected jumper cable to positive battery post and then alligator clips between it and black lead of meter.

Connected alligator clip to other end of jumper cable to red lead of meter, which was used to test 2 of the 3 wires on the positive junction box.

First removed bolt on right side of positive junction box and pulled starter wire slightly off it, and wire tested good.

Next tested wire on left side of positive battery junction box, and that indicated where problem was based on meter reading, therefore, left the jumper cable attached and to the red lead of meter using the alligator clip for the next test.

Started pulling fuses from panel in end of dash on drivers side.

I started testing in milliamps but I did something and blew the mA fuse, then started doing the readings using amps... red lead in 10A, black lead in COM, switch to A and pushed button to DC. Don't recall at which point started the testing from mA to A.

Attached is pic of readings he recorded as I gave them to him.

I didn't have fuse # where question marks because I didn't know it at the time I gave him the reading, but later found out it was fuse 4 (radio).

Since a friend suggested the ignition key switch could be bad, I decided since I already had the meter set up to check it by jiggling the key in the switch up/down back/forth, my son was calling out the readings and that indicated too the switch probably bad (didn't write down the #'s). And as I wrote in previous post in this thread, a faulty key switch could be reason why battery didn't die after 8 days of driving but died after 1 day of driving the car.

 

[Ronbo]

You have an ES? Do you have Premium/Infinity Audio system? If you have sail speakers on the upper front doors then you have an amplifier. It's possible the Radio itself is bad or it's not turning off the amplifier.

You're doing this testing with the ignition switch off right?

 

[eagle4x]

You have an ES? Do you have Premium/Infinity Audio system? If you have sail speakers on the upper front doors then you have an amplifier. It's possible the Radio itself is bad or it's not turning off the amplifier.

You're doing this testing with the ignition switch off right?

It's an ES model. No premium/Infinity audio system...just stock, but has Infinity sail speakers on upper front doors. Is amp built in the radio? If not, where is it located?

Yes, doing the testing with ignition switch off.

 

[eagle4x]

You have an ES? Do you have Premium/Infinity Audio system? If you have sail speakers on the upper front doors then you have an amplifier. It's possible the Radio itself is bad or it's not turning off the amplifier.

You're doing this testing with the ignition switch off right?

Car has CD changer..my bad. Didn't think it had one because never saw a separate changer anywhere in the car...says "4 Disc CD Auto Changer" on the cd player.

 

[Ronbo]

Disconnect the changer first and see if anything changes. Single cable from changer to radio. You have Premium/Infinity if you have a changer unless someone added the changer later on. Amp is in the passenger side kick panel near floor level under the plastic trim panel.

 

[eagle4x]

Disconnect the changer first and see if anything changes. Single cable from changer to radio. You have Premium/Infinity if you have a changer unless someone added the changer later on. Amp is in the passenger side kick panel near floor level under the plastic trim panel.

I removed the CD changer and the plug was not connected. I thought at first maybe it became disconnected when I removed it because the wire not very long. However, I reconnected the wire and tugged on the unit and it didn't come out, so either it was not connected at all or it was partially in. Meter reading with plug out, all fuses in with door closed = .014, reading after reconnecting = .077, but after removed again reading stayed at .077. Does this indicate it's the source of the drain? If not, should I disconnect amp and check reading?

After sitting in the car for a few minutes, all the interior lights came on and then shut off automatically...maybe the light switch/dimmer wheel is the culprit.

 

[eagle4x]

I'm considering installing this if power drain not located:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LGCY3RR/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

Other than possible issue that there may not be enough clearance to install it, would there be problems caused by the computer continually resetting (in the Q&A's it says that the unit shuts down all power and deletes radio presets)?

Also, any suggestions on where to pass the wire through to the passenger compartment?

 

[peva]

I think most of the radios for these cars have non-volatile presets. Have you had to re-do your presets when disconnecting/reconnecting your battery? If not, then you won't have to for this device either.

There's a grommet in the firewall (between gas and brake pedals, or maybe just to the right of the gas pedal - I forget which) for the shifter (mechanical) cable (that goes to the transmission) - trace that cable from the shifter. Looking at firewall from inside engine compartment, it will be to the left of the brake booster. The grommet has lots of squish room to fish the device's control cable (probably including the end connector) thru. If not enough room to push the connector (or the control button) thru, you'll have to do a splice.