Electrical

General Procedures - Battery Drain Test

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  1. If equipped, deactivate the approach detection feature.
  2. Make sure the fuse box can be accessed without turning on the interior lamps or the underhood lamp.
  3. Drive the vehicle for at least 5 minutes at a speed greater than 48 km/h to activate the vehicle systems.
  4. Leave the vehicle with the ignition switched off for at least 75 minutes (depending on region) to allow the modules to time out and go to sleep.
  5. Connect a fused jumper wire (30 A) between the battery negative cable and the battery negative terminal to prevent the modules from resetting.
  6. Disconnect the battery negative cable from the battery negative terminal without breaking the fused jumper wire connection.
  7. Connect a multimeter between the battery negative cable terminal and the battery negative post.
  8. Remove the fused jumper wire.
  9. If an auxiliary battery (batteries) is installed, make sure the auxiliary battery(ies) are disconnected when measuring the current draw of the primary battery, so that the meter or inductive ammeter probe measures all current draws present. Disconnect the auxiliary battery(ies).
    Refer to: Battery Disconnect and Connect (414-01 Battery, Mounting and Cables, General Procedures).
  10. Note the current draw. Current draw varies from vehicle to vehicle depending on equipment level. Compare with a similar vehicle for reference.
  11. If the current draw is excessive, remove the fuses from the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) one at a time and observe the drop in current.
  12. When the current level drops to an acceptable level after removing a fuse, the circuit containing the excessive draw has been found. Reinstall the fuse and leave the vehicle with the key removed from the ignition lock for at least 75 minutes (depending on region) to allow the modules to time out and go to sleep again.
  13. The excessive draw can be isolated by continuing to remove subsystem fuses and disconnecting components. Do not reinstall fuses or reconnect components until testing is complete. To properly isolate each circuit, it may be necessary to remove all fuses, then install one fuse and observe the current draw, remove that fuse and install the next fuse. Continue this process with each fuse.
  14. If the excessive current draw is related to a specific module, check whether the module inputs are the cause. Refer to the appropriate system operation and component description section to identify the inputs (wired or network messages) received by the module.
  15. Refer to the wiring diagrams manual for circuits that operate directly from the battery without passing through the TIPM or other fuse box(es). If the current draw is still excessive, disconnect these circuits until the draw is found. Disconnect the generator(s) from the electrical connections and repeat the check if the draw cannot be found. The generator(s) may have an internal short circuit causing a current leak.
  16. On vehicles with one-touch window function, perform window motor initialization after the battery negative cable has been reconnected to the battery negative terminal.
    Refer to: Power Door Window Initialization — Vehicles With: One-Touch Open and Close Front Windows (501-11 Glass, Frames and Mechanisms, General Procedures).

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