Unknown battery drain

[dmhscorpio]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

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This is what I use. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/12V-23A-Digital-Car-Van-Current-Tester-Circuit-Fuse-Galvanometer-Diagnostic-Tool/222286533554?fits=Make:Checker&hash=item33c14f53b2:g:iTgAAOSw8gVYBwuz&vxp=mtr It works better than a test light. If the current draw is is less than the test light draw, the test light will not illuminate.
On my 1999 Tahoe, I found that occasionally I wasn't turning the ignition al the way off, as the key was worn enough to let me remove it without it being turned all the way off. The engine would stop, but something would remain powered. It was a struggle to find this!

 

[JV305]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

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Check your Onstar functions. It happened to my brother and he has an 04 Tahoe Z71. He had the system
disconnected and hadn’t had a problem since.

 

[machadosl]

I am having a problem like that with my 2004 Suburban, a few weeks ago I discovered that the instrument cluster was the culprit lighting the information of language, odometer, fuel consuption etc..
I think I will have to buy a new instrument cluster, until that I plugged a on demand battery charger.

 

[04yuke]

Yea, lots of times the corrosion builds under the insulation and if bad enough you can see the swell of the insulation itself but sometimes not, but it is there. When you replace the cable you can cut open the insulation of the old cable and it will be loaded with white corrosion covering the wire. That creates a major source of resistance to electrical flow.

A cabling/corrosion issue should present itself when I do the light test next week. Thanks!!

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[Jeff O]

This problem has come many times before on this forum. Ck the archives. Suggestions are all over the map as are many solutions found. I chased mine around for a few months. Disconnecting the battery at night each day was a pain. Sometimes the fuse removal can isolate the problem, but sometimes it is intermittent and you will go crazy. I believe my final fix was found to be some corroded pins on the lower connector of the engine computer. Stupid ass place for it to be mounted on left side of the engine in the engine compartment where it is poorly protected from water spray. Also, the body computer under the steering column is a culprit of some who have had this problem. A new OEM is big$$. There are online repair shops to be found with flat rate at about $200. Above, in another reply, is mentioned the heater resistor, also a problem in some cases, available on eBay ~$30. The suggestion it is a weak charging rate causing a slow deterioration in battery level is possible, but the rarest of causes. Easily eliminated by checking whether the voltage goes from 12 to 13.75 after starting. Overall battery condition could be doing it if there is some internal shorting in an older battery. Most part stores will do a load test free. Ck this first. Good Luck.

 

[Jeff O]

Forgot to mention some have found instrument cluster is a problem. 2000-07 all seem to have problems with gauge failure besides shorts. Again find flat rate repair service online. New is $$$.

 

[Mark Shipley]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I had a 2004 Yukon Denali and I chased this problem for a long time. And as it turns out that particular model has a problem with the Bose power amplifier and it's located at the very bottom of the console not very difficult to get to little time-consuming. If you unplug the The radio and then wait a couple of days to see if it discharges the battery. You'll find that it won't. . I've been to this movie. . A new power amplifier for the Bose stereo is about 600 bucks and I'm not even sure you can get him anymore. But there are companies out there that can rebuild them remanufactured them. And there's also companies that can sell you used one for about two hundred bucks. So disconnect The radio power plug and you'll soon know. But I'm telling you I'm having a Deja Vu experience here, dude.

 

[Mark Shipley]

Let me know if that works. And if you have any questions, let me know. It was a radio shop that's been around for 20 years in this area that told me right away. Oh, yeah, that's the problem that your truck is known for that and sure enough soon as I disconnected the Power cable for the radio the problem went away. . They ordered me a rebuilt reconditioned. Power amplifier for about two hundred bucks and life was good after that. . 1 shops only a battery and alternator and swore up and down. That was the problem there idiots

 

[UmmScott]

Lots of good points here.
Love it
[emoji106][emoji106]

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[04yuke]

Forgot to mention some have found instrument cluster is a problem. 2000-07 all seem to have problems with gauge failure besides shorts. Again find flat rate repair service online. New is $$$.

Thx Jeff O. I had the instr cluster rebuilt right after purchase and Led lights installed in it. Had the battery checked at parts store 1st thing when it 1st started having issues. Looked for obvious things (switch left on, etc)

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