# 4 amp drain on battery with key out and lights off



## dstrat1 (Jul 3, 2014)

Help, my battery has started running down, its good, the alternator is charging, but when i check amps, i have about a 4 amp drain from the battery with key off and lights of...any ideaas?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

You'll have to pull all the fuses from the main fuse/fusible link box to try to isolate which circuit has a short by putting one fuse at a time back in.


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## BRubble (Jun 22, 2014)

dstrat1 said:


> Help, my battery has started running down, its good, the alternator is charging, but when i check amps, i have about a 4 amp drain from the battery with key off and lights of...any ideaas?


Have you installed or had installed any new electrical device's recently, or has anybody messed with any of the electrical wireing recently?


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## dstrat1 (Jul 3, 2014)

*fuses*

i pulled every fuse on the truck, and the draw is still there, and no recent changes


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Have you checked the rear stop lights to see if they are always on? You'll have to put the ammeter on each wire coming off the battery and fuse block to isolate the short.


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## BRubble (Jun 22, 2014)

It will be interesting to learn what the problem is.

I was thinking maybe an amplifier or other Electrical, that was wired direct, and not shut off when the ignition swich is off. 

Is anything electrical,, pluged into one of the cabin outlet's? Be sure to look in the Center Console.

This is an Excellent way, about the same as Rogoman's method, just broken down a little bit more, by SMJ :

http://www.nissanforums.com/frontier/185497-problems-keeping-battery-charged.html#post1412218


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Have you tried pulling the fusible links near the battery to see if the draw goes away?


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## dstrat1 (Jul 3, 2014)

how do you pull them..we disconnected the two plugs below them and it did not stop, but dimmed the drain on the test light...


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Just for some additional info, what type of measuring instrument are you using and how are you connecting it?


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## dstrat1 (Jul 3, 2014)

i used both a amp read out on a multi meter, showing 4.5 amps from neg terminal to lead, and a test light from the disconnected neg terminal to the cable...


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## BRubble (Jun 22, 2014)

Does your Truck have Electric Window's?

If so,, check the Current going to each of them,, to see if one is useing current continuously.

Did a Google,, and found several post's of Battery Drain from Window Motor's.

If window's are ok,, it might be some other little motor staying on.


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## Chrisnf99 (Dec 18, 2020)

Did u find the answer to your problem? I’m having the exact issue right now with my Titan. Checked all the fuses but nothing. Didn’t check the relays yet. Drawing between 3.5-4 amps. Killing my battery very quickly


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

dstrat1 said:


> i used both a amp read out on a multi meter, showing 4.5 amps from neg terminal to lead, and a test light from the disconnected neg terminal to the cable...


When you do these tests, make sure all accessories inside the car are shut off; this includes any courtesy lights such as the overhead lights. If the hood has an opening security sensor, it must be disabled. All the doors and trunk must be closed; if you need to have the driver's door open, put something against the door button to keep it pressed in order to break the electrical circuit.


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## steveX (Dec 20, 2019)

Installation of aftermarket radio with electric tape will cause a short to cause a drain. Also suspect alternator, starter, aftermarket alarm. 

Remove the negative battery cable and connect a test light in between the battery negative cable and ground. The test light should turn ON with the ignition off and key remove. Go to the fuse relay box and start removing and replacing each fuse and relay one by one to see if the test light at the battery turn off. The fuse that is use to remove to turn of the test light has a short on that circuit.


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## Chrisnf99 (Dec 18, 2020)

steveX said:


> Installation of aftermarket radio with electric tape will cause a short to cause a drain. Also suspect alternator, starter, aftermarket alarm.
> 
> Remove the negative battery cable and connect a test light in between the battery negative cable and ground. The test light should turn ON with the ignition off and key remove. Go to the fuse relay box and start removing and replacing each fuse and relay one by one to see if the test light at the battery turn off. The fuse that is use to remove to turn of the test light has a short on that circuit.





steveX said:


> Installation of aftermarket radio with electric tape will cause a short to cause a drain. Also suspect alternator, starter, aftermarket alarm.
> 
> Remove the negative battery cable and connect a test light in between the battery negative cable and ground. The test light should turn ON with the ignition off and key remove. Go to the fuse relay box and start removing and replacing each fuse and relay one by one to see if the test light at the battery turn off. The fuse that is use to remove to turn of the test light has a short on that circuit.


ok I was told only to check fuses, never pulled the relays. Also replaced the starter this summer. Never had any issues for the first couple months after install but I disconnected the battery because I was gonna be away for a month or so, couple weeks after I left my wife wanted the truck so my father connected the battery and it started up right away but next morning it was dead so he charged the battery and within a couple hrs it was dead again. Battery was replaced this summer has well. How would I know if the starter would be the problem? Has u probably know they are a bitch to get to. Any ideas?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

dstrat1 said:


> how do you pull them..we disconnected the two plugs below them and it did not stop, but dimmed the drain on the test light...


Upon pulling those two plugs, you said the test light dimmed somewhat. Remove your test light that was connected between the negative battery post and the disconnected cable and connect a multimeter set on 10A in it's place.There should not be more than a 50 milliamp draw on the system with the ignition switch in the "OFF" position. The reason being is the ECU and IPDM are always on in sleep mode which accounts for the very small draw.


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## BRubble (Jun 22, 2014)

Chrisnf99 said:


> Did u find the answer to your problem? I’m having the exact issue right now with my Titan. Checked all the fuses but nothing. Didn’t check the relays yet. Drawing between 3.5-4 amps. Killing my battery very quickly


Chris,

Think back. Did you install an Audio Amplifier or other electrical hot to battery that is not turned off with the ignition switch?

Be sure to double check the Brake Light's that they are turned off after the key is removed. They can even turn back on, when the Brake Switch is broken or going out.

Good Luck,


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## steveX (Dec 20, 2019)

You need to load test that battery to make sure it is holding it cold cracking amp.


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## Chrisnf99 (Dec 18, 2020)

Nothing aftermarket except the light bar that’s been on there for the last 4-5 yrs. I’m stumped. It’s killing my battery and I have zero power when it’s running. Won’t go over 2000 rpms. Just like when my horn was shorting out and draining the battery.


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## Chrisnf99 (Dec 18, 2020)

Turns out it was the alternator on the fritz for anyone having the same problem. Tested every fuse and relay with no result and then pulled the neg lug on battery for alternator and all was good until we got the truck revving good for 2-3 mins then the alternator went completely. 7 yrs on a refurbished alternator was pretty good I guess. So even though the alternator was acting good when pulling the negative lug it was just enough I guess to keep it running. Maybe leaving it for a week helped in the failure of it has well. Hope this helps anyone with the same issue!


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## BRubble (Jun 22, 2014)

Chrisnf99 said:


> Turns out it was the alternator on the fritz for anyone having the same problem. Tested every fuse and relay with no result and then pulled the neg lug on battery for alternator and all was good until we got the truck revving good for 2-3 mins then the alternator went completely. 7 yrs on a refurbished alternator was pretty good I guess. So even though the alternator was acting good when pulling the negative lug it was just enough I guess to keep it running. Maybe leaving it for a week helped in the failure of it has well. Hope this helps anyone with the same issue!


Chris,

Do you know why you're haveing problem's with your Alternator's? Are you keeping your Battery Terminal's Clean and Tight?

I've been lucky not to have problem's with Alternator's. My last Nissan Truck '93 4cyl Hardbody, I drove it for 20 year's and still had the original alternator on it when I sold it. I've alway's put a heavy coating of Grease on my Battery Cable's Bare Metal.
Anyway hope this will Fix Your Current Loss.
Regards,


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