Brian Wilson
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- Feb 16, 2016
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I agree with sparky. Best way to eliminate the radio itself
2004 Tahoe Parasitic Battery Drain
- Thread starter Flicka
- Start date
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Thanks for the idea. I will try that approach. Any idea what else is on it?
I pulled the radio and put the fuse back in. The draw was low again. Plugged radio and fuse back in together and the draw was high again.
So guessing it is something internal with the radio unless the circuit goes through the radio and then to something else.
Any ideas before I take the radio to a repair shop?
So guessing it is something internal with the radio unless the circuit goes through the radio and then to something else.
Any ideas before I take the radio to a repair shop?
Do you know if you have a factory amp? I know you said you don't have an aftermarket one. The radio is usually what turns on the amp, so you could check the harness before you install the radio to see which wires have power, then again after installing it to see if there is another wire with power which would be the turn-on for the amp. It should only have power when the radio is on. If it powers on as soon as you plug in the radio, even with the radio off, there's your problem. There are work-arounds if that's the case.
So basically you are saying to find wire for amp and see if it has power after installing the radio even if radio is off? sorry for the question but I understand the concept but just not quite grasping what I need to check.
I did test for battery drain with amp fuse out and there was no difference with that fuse out. I put that fuse back in and pulled radio fuse then it dropped the draw.
Thanks for the help
I didn't realize there was an amp fuse but that probably eliminates the amp staying on. But yes, that was what I was saying. I thought maybe the amp was staying on all the time.
Hit the dome light override button to the left of the steering wheel by the headlight switch. My battery was going dead every other day, hit that button and it stopped, it stays charged for weeks now. Never did find a light on which is odd.
I need to take a look . My battery died when I put the radio fuse back in and left the radio unplugged. Looks like the amp is behind the glove box, so hopefully I can reach it by just dropping the glove box
Quick update.
Pulled what I thought was amp in glove box, man it was a bear to get out. Turns out it is the xm radio box......saw mixed reviews of where amp is located.
So here are my readings.
Fuse out and it shows .75 amp draw
Radio plugged in with fuse, radio, xm radio 3.2 amps draw
Fuse in and xm radio in and it is 1.1
Car died with radio out and fuse in. Works all week if I leave the fuse out.
Just don't get how it can still die if radio is out and fuse is in but be completely fine when the fuse is just out.
I am struggling for ideas at this point. Concerned if I take the radio to be repaired I would still have an issue since battery still died with radio pulled and fuse in, just took longer.
What to try next?
Pulled what I thought was amp in glove box, man it was a bear to get out. Turns out it is the xm radio box......saw mixed reviews of where amp is located.
So here are my readings.
Fuse out and it shows .75 amp draw
Radio plugged in with fuse, radio, xm radio 3.2 amps draw
Fuse in and xm radio in and it is 1.1
Car died with radio out and fuse in. Works all week if I leave the fuse out.
Just don't get how it can still die if radio is out and fuse is in but be completely fine when the fuse is just out.
I am struggling for ideas at this point. Concerned if I take the radio to be repaired I would still have an issue since battery still died with radio pulled and fuse in, just took longer.
What to try next?
