High electrical draw

[excentric]

I am wondering if any one has any advice on my current issue. I have a 2000 ls sport. A month or 2 ago I had it died while driving. After looking it over knowing i had a 12 year old battery that at one point sat connected all winter with no use. I bought a new battery and proceed to test the car. I can travel about 70 miles on a fresh charge before it dies. Checking things over with my father we found an uncommonly high draw on the electrical system. I noticed today while looking at my insurance policy that there is an old service bulletin for this issue. Does any one have any information other that what i have listed here? I am currently looking at replacement vehicles and plan on trading it in with the issue just to get it out of my driveway.

NHTSA #: 636096
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY: EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CURRENT DRAW WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DISCHARGED BATTERY AND A NO CRANK CONDITION. *TT SERVICE TIPS. *TT

 

[hite337]

Have your alternator checked? And the wires from the alternator to starter to battery checked?

 

[excentric]

I have a brand new battery, Checked the wiring. I have even checked for draw on the electrical system with the alternator disconnected as i have seen a shorted out /bad alternator pull to much on a battery.

 

[joegr]

Since your battery is going dead while driving, and not while the car is sitting, your problem is that the charging system isn't working correctly. There are several possible causes, but by far the most common one is that the alternator has failed.

Have you measured battery voltage while the engine is running?
What do you consider to be a high current draw? Under what exact circumstances did you measure it? Did you wait thirty minutes for all the electronics to go to sleep?

 

[1LoudLS]

not to mention, you know you had a bad battery, driving around with a failing battery will stress out the alternator until the point of failure.


your service bullitan points to a high drain that will kill the battery while sitting, but with a corectly working alt, this should charge your battery back up while driving. but yours dies when driving. have your alt tested.

 

[msgtusmc]

Advance Auto, Auto Zone & Batteries Plus will test whole system for free. Many other auto parts stores will also.

 

[ridin_ls_]

I had similar problems , actually its almost deja vu it ended up being a bad ABS module, also had a bad power steering module. Only way to go that route is to have an auto electrician take a shot at it.

 

[excentric]

I don't have a shop near by that i trust to trace the issue, and after changing the hydraulic fan pump last year i am not interested in tearing it apart to change the alternator. I figured i would get some opinions before i move on to what i decided is the best route. Trade the LS in on either a Mustang GT or a 4x4 F-150, that is as long as i can talk a dealer into a decent trade value. Who knows, its a 2000 ls sport, only 56k miles, 0 rust and has never seen a winter with this being the only current issue. I hate to get rid of it but i really can't have a headache of a car. Who would of figured my old rusty 1989 f-150 would be my reliable transportation.

 

[regiment1]

I don't have a shop near by that i trust to trace the issue, and after changing the hydraulic fan pump last year i am not interested in tearing it apart to change the alternator. I figured i would get some opinions before i move on to what i decided is the best route. Trade the LS in on either a Mustang GT or a 4x4 F-150, that is as long as i can talk a dealer into a decent trade value. Who knows, its a 2000 ls sport, only 56k miles, 0 rust and has never seen a winter with this being the only current issue. I hate to get rid of it but i really can't have a headache of a car. Who would of figured my old rusty 1989 f-150 would be my reliable transportation.

I got my alternator replaced for a total of around $450, so you're money ahead to just fix it.

But if you're looking for an excuse to buy a new vehicle, go for it.

 

[hite337]

Alternator=a few hundred bucks
car payment=thousands of bucks

Hmmmmm....I'd change the alternator if it were me. But that just me. You dont have to tear anything apart to change the alternator. Its on the bottom. 30-45 minute job.