C5 Parasitic Draw
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 17
Likes: 4
From: Anderson, SC
C5 Parasitic Draw
I need to get my c5 to go to sleep with the doors and hood open to test for a draw on the battery. I have saw on videos where you use a screw driver on the door latch to make the computer think the door is shut then you simply pull the door handle to go back to normal state. My question is can I use this same process on my hood latches to make the computer think the hood is closed and will pulling the hood latch in the car, return the hood latches back to normal state?
Thanks
Gene
Thanks
Gene
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,132
Likes: 799
From: Espanola New Mexico
Not understanding why you need to keep the doors and hood open to measure for a parasitic draw unless you want to measure millvolts across the fuses. I would recommend connecting the DVM in series set to 10 amp setting with the negative battery terminal and negative cable, you should have about 25ma after 20 minutes.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,132
Likes: 799
From: Espanola New Mexico
Hello again, will explain how to locate a parasitic drain on a c5. Step 1: connect dvm configured as an ammeter in series with the negative battery terminal and negative battery cable. Step 2: lift the positive battery cable from the engine bay fuse box, insulate so it doesn't touch ground. This leaves the positive battery cable that connects to the starter and alternator. If you have any current drain then the alternator is causing a current drain. Step 3; After elimaniting the alternator as the source of current drain, lift the positive cable that powers the interior fuse box and re-measure the current drain, once you have determined which fuse box has the excessive current drain you can then defeat the doors or hood switch and reconnect negative battery cable and take millvolt readings across the fuses.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 243
Likes: 93
From: Ashburn, VA
Hello again, will explain how to locate a parasitic drain on a c5. Step 1: connect dvm configured as an ammeter in series with the negative battery terminal and negative battery cable. Step 2: lift the positive battery cable from the engine bay fuse box, insulate so it doesn't touch ground. This leaves the positive battery cable that connects to the starter and alternator. If you have any current drain then the alternator is causing a current drain. Step 3; After elimaniting the alternator as the source of current drain, lift the positive cable that powers the interior fuse box and re-measure the current drain, once you have determined which fuse box has the excessive current drain you can then defeat the doors or hood switch and reconnect negative battery cable and take millvolt readings across the fuses.
Check the power seats...8/10 times whenever I've chased a parasitic draw...the power seats typically come up in the top 3 suspects I look at.
Good Luck.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If the seat control switch unit fails to return to the center neutral position on the switch, it can stick in one position and cause the motor/motors for the seat to continue to drive UNTIL it trips the resettable relay fuse in the passengers foot well fuse box. It will do that until the battery dies! Make sure the switch functions properly returning to the center position. The switch for the lumbar can do the same thing.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 243
Likes: 93
From: Ashburn, VA
Or if your lazy...and have a few bucks to spend...buy an AMP HOUND. It simplifies the step diag procedure mmartinez described [which is the correct way of chasing an amp draw]. However, for someone who is not familiar with the procedure will probably lead to an inconclusive result.
Check the power seats...8/10 times whenever I've chased a parasitic draw...the power seats typically come up in the top 3 suspects I look at.
Good Luck.
Check the power seats...8/10 times whenever I've chased a parasitic draw...the power seats typically come up in the top 3 suspects I look at.
Good Luck.
Glad you found it. Time for some Amazon racing slider seats lol. You could get some refurbed used seats, but I looked into the cost and 600 to 1200 to replace a seat is kind of steep for seats that sucked when brand new lol Both Amazon seats for me were $490 with the slider brackets. Sure its not original...and a little bit of drilling to the bracket is required but beats parasitic draws that kill your battery in 3 days 