| UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Nobody: 5:57pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
[b][/b]I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
The only issue observed was Hazard Light wasn't working although the "trafficators" were fine. Seemed negligible.
After taking full ownership, to rectify the Hazard Light issue, the hazard and clock switch was changed. That didn't work. BCM was changed. That too didn't work. Finally, the Instrument Cluster was changed alongside the hazard. (New instrument cluster wasn't reading MPG. Currently on last drive, wasn't reading speedometer, so I think they brought a slightly incompatible one and needs replacement)
Next observation was the battery draining after about 2 - 3 days of not starting the car. Multiple people have tried to trace the parasitic draw. Relays have been changed. BCM was changed and that increased staying power to 4 - 5 days. Different new batteries have been tried, all drained, while the battery that came with the car didn't drain in other cars.
Of course, I found out that the car was accidented. Passenger side fender and windscreen impacted. Nothing critical, but airbags deployed. I believe the steering wheel and dash airbag was successfully replaced.
I have researched a lot on this and feel some possible causes of the drain are:
- airbag/crash history
- faulty central lock
- faulty boot lock (common in similar cases)
- alternator diode
Please can our in-house seniors lend some thought towards a permanent diagnosis and fix? I am yet to register the car just in case there is a fight to be had with the seller. Car is in Ejigbo. Thanks.
CC: gazzuzz lomomike ikenna351 mayor2013 autoelectng luvinhubby cardoctor nurey kingreign radautoworks |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by nurey(m): 6:33pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
Parasitic drain is a small issue with big problem  it would have been easier if it started after a new device was fixed to the vehicle but as it is a tokunbo, you need a good technician that can work with a multimeter, he would test each electronic feed to dertermine which still drains battery after engine is off. 4 Likes |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by kingreign(m): 6:49pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
PapaDapper:
I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
The only issue observed was Hazard Light wasn't working although the "trafficators" were fine. Seemed negligible.
After taking full ownership, to rectify the Hazard Light issue, the hazard and clock switch was changed. That didn't work. BCM was changed. That too didn't work. Finally, the Instrument Cluster was changed alongside the hazard. (New instrument cluster wasn't reading MPG. Currently on last drive, wasn't reading speedometer, so I think they brought a slightly incompatible one and needs replacement)
Next observation was the battery draining after about 2 - 3 days of not starting the car. Multiple people have tried to trace the parasitic draw. Relays have been changed. BCM was changed and that increased staying power to 4 - 5 days. Different new batteries have been tried, all drained, while the battery that came with the car didn't drain in other cars.
Of course, I found out that the car was accidented. Passenger side fender and windscreen impacted. Nothing critical, but airbags deployed. I believe the steering wheel and dash airbag was successfully replaced.
I have researched a lot on this and feel some possible causes of the drain are:
- airbag/crash history
- faulty central lock
- faulty boot lock (common in similar cases)
- alternator diode
Please can our in-house seniors lend some thought towards a permanent diagnosis and fix? I am yet to register the car just in case there is a fight to be had with the seller. Car is in Ejigbo. Thanks.
CC: gazzuzz lomomike ikenna351 mayor2013 autoelectng luvinhubby cardoctor nurey kingreign radautoworks You did not mention if it’s a tokunbo or a Nigerian used vehicle, if it’s been used to swim lekki floods or American floods. |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Nobody: 7:16pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
kingreign:
You did not mention if it’s a tokunbo or a Nigerian used vehicle, if it’s been used to swim lekki floods or American floods. Uh oh. Sorry, thought I did. It is tokunbo. No flood history or flood prone previous location on VIN check, 70k mileage and sold after collision with relatively minimum impact to right fender and bumper. Was shipped in May 2021 and unregistered till I bought it. That's over 1year dealer might have been driving it, although I doubt it saw too much action on Nigerian roads. Thank you. |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by kingreign(m): 7:55pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
PapaDapper:
Uh oh. Sorry, thought I did.
It is tokunbo. No flood history or flood prone previous location on VIN check, 70k mileage and sold after collision with relatively minimum impact to right fender and bumper.
Was shipped in May 2021 and unregistered till I bought it. That's over 1year dealer might have been driving it, although I doubt it saw too much action on Nigerian roads. Thank you. Kingreign = lomomike That said, get a competent electrician and using a sand paper, he should clean all earth contacts in engine fuse and in cabin fuse box, turn off the car, lock the door and allow for about 30mins of rest, then using a tester, check ALL fuses and relays in all locations of the car for power drainage. He should know how to go about this. 3 Likes |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by surefx(m): 7:59pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
I feel your pain.
You need to do a compréhensive scan using techstream software. That could point you in the right direction.
It is possible that one of the modules isn't going to sleep when vehicle is shut off. Possible culprits could be bluetooth module, garage opener, dôme light, door open warning, security, remote Key transmitter, etc.
In addition, check every function on the car, the one that isn't working may be the cause.
Also, since it was involved in a minor collision, you need to ensure that all the ground terminals are good and not painted over. |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by magnumwhales(m): 8:56pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
surefx:
I feel your pain.
You need to do a compréhensive scan using techstream software. That could point you in the right direction.
It is possible that one of the modules isn't going to sleep when vehicle is shut off. Possible culprits could be bluetooth module, garage opener, dôme light, door open warning, security, remote Key transmitter, etc.
In addition, check every function on the car, the one that isn't working may be the cause.
Also, since it was involved in a minor collision, you need to ensure that all the ground terminals are good and not painted over. Sir techstream can't do anything. Parasitic drain remains one of the hardest problems to solve in repair. Goodluck hope in your solution findings. |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by mayor2013: 9:37pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
PapaDapper:
I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
The only issue observed was Hazard Light wasn't working although the "trafficators" were fine. Seemed negligible.
After taking full ownership, to rectify the Hazard Light issue, the hazard and clock switch was changed. That didn't work. BCM was changed. That too didn't work. Finally, the Instrument Cluster was changed alongside the hazard. (New instrument cluster wasn't reading MPG. Currently on last drive, wasn't reading speedometer, so I think they brought a slightly incompatible one and needs replacement)
Next observation was the battery draining after about 2 - 3 days of not starting the car. Multiple people have tried to trace the parasitic draw. Relays have been changed. BCM was changed and that increased staying power to 4 - 5 days. Different new batteries have been tried, all drained, while the battery that came with the car didn't drain in other cars.
Of course, I found out that the car was accidented. Passenger side fender and windscreen impacted. Nothing critical, but airbags deployed. I believe the steering wheel and dash airbag was successfully replaced.
I have researched a lot on this and feel some possible causes of the drain are:
- airbag/crash history
- faulty central lock
- faulty boot lock (common in similar cases)
- alternator diode
Please can our in-house seniors lend some thought towards a permanent diagnosis and fix? I am yet to register the car just in case there is a fight to be had with the seller. Car is in Ejigbo. Thanks.
CC: gazzuzz lomomike ikenna351 mayor2013 autoelectng luvinhubby cardoctor nurey kingreign radautoworks How many amps of current draw was detected. If you have no answer to this then your technicians have just been dancing some makaba dance 1 Like |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by radautoworks: 9:50pm On Jan 31, 2023 |
mayor2013:
How many amps of current draw was detected. If you have no answer to this then your technicians have just been dancing some makaba dance Hi, remote diagnosis not possible I'm sorry |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Kreamie(m): 2:51am On Feb 01, 2023 |
Used to have a severe parasitic drain on a particular vehicle. It was so bad that it’d drain the car battery in a matter of hours. You would never guess what the issue was.. A tracker installed in the spare tyre compartment was the culprit. The tracker was installed by the previous owner outside Nigeria and he probably forgot to disable it. It took the intervention of a well known ‘rewire’ on here who knows his onions to sort out the issue. It was a HUGE sigh of relief cos it was becoming an embarrassment knocking on my neighbors’ doors to ask them to help with their batteries in order to jumpstart the car. Now, the car drives like a dream. So, moral of the story? Seek out a ‘rewire’ who’s good with their multimeter and a knowledge of electronics to put you out of this quagmire. P.S. Just like yours, it was a Tokunbo vehicle too. PapaDapper:
I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
The only issue observed was Hazard Light wasn't working although the "trafficators" were fine. Seemed negligible.
After taking full ownership, to rectify the Hazard Light issue, the hazard and clock switch was changed. That didn't work. BCM was changed. That too didn't work. Finally, the Instrument Cluster was changed alongside the hazard. (New instrument cluster wasn't reading MPG. Currently on last drive, wasn't reading speedometer, so I think they brought a slightly incompatible one and needs replacement)
Next observation was the battery draining after about 2 - 3 days of not starting the car. Multiple people have tried to trace the parasitic draw. Relays have been changed. BCM was changed and that increased staying power to 4 - 5 days. Different new batteries have been tried, all drained, while the battery that came with the car didn't drain in other cars.
Of course, I found out that the car was accidented. Passenger side fender and windscreen impacted. Nothing critical, but airbags deployed. I believe the steering wheel and dash airbag was successfully replaced.
I have researched a lot on this and feel some possible causes of the drain are:
- airbag/crash history
- faulty central lock
- faulty boot lock (common in similar cases)
- alternator diode
Please can our in-house seniors lend some thought towards a permanent diagnosis and fix? I am yet to register the car just in case there is a fight to be had with the seller. Car is in Ejigbo. Thanks.
CC: gazzuzz lomomike ikenna351 mayor2013 autoelectng luvinhubby cardoctor nurey kingreign radautoworks 1 Like |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Nobody: 4:43am On Feb 01, 2023 |
Kreamie:
Used to have a severe parasitic drain on a parasitic vehicle.
It was so bad that it’d drain the car battery in a matter of hours. You would never guess what the issue was..
A tracker installed in the spare tyre compartment was the culprit. It took the intervention of a well known ‘rewire’ on here who knows his onions to sort out the issue. It was a HUGE sigh of relief cos it was becoming an embarrassment knocking on my neighbors’ doors to ask them to help with their batteries. Now, the car drives like a dream. So, morale of the story? Seek out a ‘rewire’ who’s good with their multimeter and a knowledge of electronics to put you out of this quagmire.
P.S. it was a Tokunbo vehicle too. Would be most grateful to be pointed in this "rewire's" direction. The frustrating thing about a parasitic drain is that most of the time it's something so minuscule and random. Just needs an experienced person on detail. I am optimistic of respite, especially as I've resolved to fix rather than manage even though I can... |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Kreamie(m): 5:25am On Feb 01, 2023 |
Of course. Autologic came to my rescue. Look him up on here please. PapaDapper:
Would be most grateful to be pointed in this "rewire's" direction. The frustrating thing about a parasitic drain is that most of the time it's something so minuscule and random. Just needs an experienced person on detail. I am optimistic of respite, especially as I've resolved to fix rather than manage even though I can... 1 Like |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by BestTrades: 9:43am On Feb 01, 2023 |
PapaDapper:
I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
For comprehensive vehicle history report
https://verifyithq.com/services/vehicle-history-reports/
2 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Caveatemptor(m): 6:39pm On Feb 01, 2023 |
Battery draining issues is the worst thing that can happen to your car. I bought a 2010 Lexus 350 es from a dealer. The car was so neat,balanced and solid. I loved that car.
The only issue was the fact that something was draining the battery. Initially I thought my battery was bad and bought a new 75 amp battery while gifting my mech the old one. Seven days later the new battery drained out. I woke up in the morning and the ignition just made a click click sound. I accused the mech of getting me a dud battery.
The mech pleaded innocence,so we took the vehicle to a rewire who suggested we should remove the car tracker I installed after buying the car,according to the rewire the tracker was the culprit.
So we removed the car tracker.
We recharged the car battery and everything was okey dokey for a week. Monday morning. Work day. Took my bath. Dressed up. Entered my car. Hit the keyless button. Click,click,click!!!
I was mad. This was a car I used last night.
Decided to ditch my mech,and sought a new one who suggested we run a scan on the vehicle while doing his best to run down the previous mech as an incompetent oaf.
Scan was run on the vehicle severally but it did not give any concrete codes. Mr Mech then suggested we buy a new battery. He gave the impression that the battery bought was not original.
I agreed to buy a new battery but this time I didn’t give it out but tried it in one of my alternate cars and it worked quite well once it was charged very well.
So I moved on to mech number 3, an elderly and wise middle aged man who warned me that the vehicle needed to be driven over a certain range of miles daily or else the charging system would not be adequately charged and the battery would run down. He even advised me to pay a visit to Lexus forum's.
I drove that car from that moment. I would fire the vehicle on long routes in order to work out the battery.
One month later when I thought the solution had been found,I got to my car one morning, pressed the starter button and the click,click sound again.
I was mad.
Called the old mech and he brought a young rewire who after running 🏃♀️ scans told me the door locks were faulty and because of this were draining the battery. By this time I was so fed up I asked him to change the locks.
The locks were changed but after a week,the battery ran down again.
By this time I was completely exasperated with the car,the mechs and rewires. I just put the car up for sale.
As much as I loved that car I just sold it at a loss just to get it out of my garage.
Let the guy that bought it solve the battery drain issues. Phew!!!
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.
OP, all the best solving your issues! 1 Like |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Nobody: 7:40pm On Feb 01, 2023 |
Caveatemptor:
Battery draining issues is the worst thing that can happen to your car. I bought a 2010 Lexus 350 es from a dealer. The car was so neat,balanced and solid. I loved that car.
The only issue was the fact that something was draining the battery. Initially I thought my battery was bad and bought a new 75 amp battery while gifting my mech the old one. Seven days later the new battery drained out. I woke up in the morning and the ignition just made a click click sound. I accused the mech of getting me a dud battery.
The mech pleaded innocence,so we took the vehicle to a rewire who suggested we should remove the car tracker I installed after buying the car,according to the rewire the tracker was the culprit.
So we removed the car tracker.
We recharged the car battery and everything was okey dokey for a week. Monday morning. Work day. Took my bath. Dressed up. Entered my car. Hit the keyless button. Click,click,click!!!
I was mad. This was a car I used last night.
Decided to ditch my mech,and sought a new one who suggested we run a scan on the vehicle while doing his best to run down the previous mech as an incompetent oaf.
Scan was run on the vehicle severally but it did not give any concrete codes. Mr Mech then suggested we buy a new battery. He gave the impression that the battery bought was not original.
I agreed to buy a new battery but this time I didn’t give it out but tried it in one of my alternate cars and it worked quite well once it was charged very well.
So I moved on to mech number 3, an elderly and wise middle aged man who warned me that the vehicle needed to be driven over a certain range of miles daily or else the charging system would not be adequately charged and the battery would run down. He even advised me to pay a visit to Lexus forum's.
I drove that car from that moment. I would fire the vehicle on long routes in order to work out the battery.
One month later when I thought the solution had been found,I got to my car one morning, pressed the starter button and the click,click sound again.
I was mad.
Called the old mech and he brought a young rewire who after running 🏃♀️ scans told me the door locks were faulty and because of this were draining the battery. By this time I was so fed up I asked him to change the locks.
The locks were changed but after a week,the battery ran down again.
By this time I was completely exasperated with the car,the mechs and rewires. I just put the car up for sale.
As much as I loved that car I just sold it at a loss just to get it out of my garage.
Let the guy that bought it solve the battery drain issues. Phew!!!
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.
OP, all the best solving your issues! wahala |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Itsrm(m): 8:12pm On Feb 01, 2023 |
Caveatemptor:
Battery draining issues is the worst thing that can happen to your car. I bought a 2010 Lexus 350 es from a dealer. The car was so neat,balanced and solid. I loved that car.
The only issue was the fact that something was draining the battery. Initially I thought my battery was bad and bought a new 75 amp battery while gifting my mech the old one. Seven days later the new battery drained out. I woke up in the morning and the ignition just made a click click sound. I accused the mech of getting me a dud battery.
The mech pleaded innocence,so we took the vehicle to a rewire who suggested we should remove the car tracker I installed after buying the car,according to the rewire the tracker was the culprit.
So we removed the car tracker.
We recharged the car battery and everything was okey dokey for a week. Monday morning. Work day. Took my bath. Dressed up. Entered my car. Hit the keyless button. Click,click,click!!!
I was mad. This was a car I used last night.
Decided to ditch my mech,and sought a new one who suggested we run a scan on the vehicle while doing his best to run down the previous mech as an incompetent oaf.
Scan was run on the vehicle severally but it did not give any concrete codes. Mr Mech then suggested we buy a new battery. He gave the impression that the battery bought was not original.
I agreed to buy a new battery but this time I didn’t give it out but tried it in one of my alternate cars and it worked quite well once it was charged very well.
So I moved on to mech number 3, an elderly and wise middle aged man who warned me that the vehicle needed to be driven over a certain range of miles daily or else the charging system would not be adequately charged and the battery would run down. He even advised me to pay a visit to Lexus forum's.
I drove that car from that moment. I would fire the vehicle on long routes in order to work out the battery.
One month later when I thought the solution had been found,I got to my car one morning, pressed the starter button and the click,click sound again.
I was mad.
Called the old mech and he brought a young rewire who after running 🏃♀️ scans told me the door locks were faulty and because of this were draining the battery. By this time I was so fed up I asked him to change the locks.
The locks were changed but after a week,the battery ran down again.
By this time I was completely exasperated with the car,the mechs and rewires. I just put the car up for sale.
As much as I loved that car I just sold it at a loss just to get it out of my garage.
Let the guy that bought it solve the battery drain issues. Phew!!!
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.
OP, all the best solving your issues! I read this hoping for a sweet ending to the story You know you could just disconnect the battery everytime you park it while taking your time to eventually find the culprit. 4 Likes |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by David50: 8:48pm On Feb 01, 2023 |
Caveatemptor:
Battery draining issues is the worst thing that can happen to your car. I bought a 2010 Lexus 350 es from a dealer. The car was so neat,balanced and solid. I loved that car.
The only issue was the fact that something was draining the battery. Initially I thought my battery was bad and bought a new 75 amp battery while gifting my mech the old one. Seven days later the new battery drained out. I woke up in the morning and the ignition just made a click click sound. I accused the mech of getting me a dud battery.
The mech pleaded innocence,so we took the vehicle to a rewire who suggested we should remove the car tracker I installed after buying the car,according to the rewire the tracker was the culprit.
So we removed the car tracker.
We recharged the car battery and everything was okey dokey for a week. Monday morning. Work day. Took my bath. Dressed up. Entered my car. Hit the keyless button. Click,click,click!!!
I was mad. This was a car I used last night.
Decided to ditch my mech,and sought a new one who suggested we run a scan on the vehicle while doing his best to run down the previous mech as an incompetent oaf.
Scan was run on the vehicle severally but it did not give any concrete codes. Mr Mech then suggested we buy a new battery. He gave the impression that the battery bought was not original.
I agreed to buy a new battery but this time I didn’t give it out but tried it in one of my alternate cars and it worked quite well once it was charged very well.
So I moved on to mech number 3, an elderly and wise middle aged man who warned me that the vehicle needed to be driven over a certain range of miles daily or else the charging system would not be adequately charged and the battery would run down. He even advised me to pay a visit to Lexus forum's.
I drove that car from that moment. I would fire the vehicle on long routes in order to work out the battery.
One month later when I thought the solution had been found,I got to my car one morning, pressed the starter button and the click,click sound again.
I was mad.
Called the old mech and he brought a young rewire who after running 🏃♀️ scans told me the door locks were faulty and because of this were draining the battery. By this time I was so fed up I asked him to change the locks.
The locks were changed but after a week,the battery ran down again.
By this time I was completely exasperated with the car,the mechs and rewires. I just put the car up for sale.
As much as I loved that car I just sold it at a loss just to get it out of my garage.
Let the guy that bought it solve the battery drain issues. Phew!!!
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.
OP, all the best solving your issues! Damn... |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Caveatemptor(m): 12:54am On Feb 02, 2023 |
Itsrm:
I read this hoping for a sweet ending to the story
You know you could just disconnect the battery everytime you park it while taking your time to eventually find the culprit. Over the course of the saga I did try this but then my madam would take the car out and forget to do this when she came back and by morning the battery would be drained. Like I said I loved that car but the stress was so much that I just felt the bother wasn't worth it and besides I had other cars so maybe that made the decision easier. I told this story to steel the OPs mind that battery drain is one of the most difficult problems to solve. At times it does not throw up any codes after scanning and from my experience most times the mech resort to trial by error. In my experience it could stop for some months then bang the next morning your car wouldn't start and you had to jump start the car. It was a harrowing experience . |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by JAYUK(m): 5:31am On Feb 02, 2023 |
Do not give up,it is frustrating, I had similar experience on a tokunboh 2012 Toyota sienna,bought new battery twice, visited all the rewires in Aba but it was not solved.i did mine with a little DIY knowledge, got directions and clues from Gazzuz and google,I found the culprit, changed two earth wires,sand papered all earth wires contact points, did the parasitic draw test on the fuses using a multimeter and found the culprit.Do not give up or sell the car, unless you want to, a little more patience and detailed attention can help you solve it.After that harrowing experience I can handle any issue a car throws at me . 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by empron(m): 5:58am On Feb 02, 2023 |
PapaDapper:
I bought a 2013 RAV4 in November 2022 that seems to have come with a few spiritual problems.
The seller assured me that it was non-accidented. Unfortunately, network was slow so I couldn't run a VIN check at that moment and I had inspected and test-driven the car, it seemed like a sweet deal so I paid.
The only issue observed was Hazard Light wasn't working although the "trafficators" were fine. Seemed negligible.
After taking full ownership, to rectify the Hazard Light issue, the hazard and clock switch was changed. That didn't work. BCM was changed. That too didn't work. Finally, the Instrument Cluster was changed alongside the hazard. (New instrument cluster wasn't reading MPG. Currently on last drive, wasn't reading speedometer, so I think they brought a slightly incompatible one and needs replacement)
Next observation was the battery draining after about 2 - 3 days of not starting the car. Multiple people have tried to trace the parasitic draw. Relays have been changed. BCM was changed and that increased staying power to 4 - 5 days. Different new batteries have been tried, all drained, while the battery that came with the car didn't drain in other cars.
Of course, I found out that the car was accidented. Passenger side fender and windscreen impacted. Nothing critical, but airbags deployed. I believe the steering wheel and dash airbag was successfully replaced.
I have researched a lot on this and feel some possible causes of the drain are:
- airbag/crash history
- faulty central lock
- faulty boot lock (common in similar cases)
- alternator diode
Please can our in-house seniors lend some thought towards a permanent diagnosis and fix? I am yet to register the car just in case there is a fight to be had with the seller. Car is in Ejigbo. Thanks.
CC: gazzuzz lomomike ikenna351 mayor2013 autoelectng luvinhubby cardoctor nurey kingreign radautoworks someone with good multimeter knowledge will solve the problem. Parasitic draining is a bit complex with patience from the technician and car owner.What I do most in this case,I attached multimeter to the battery terminals(+&-) and close all the car doors then watch voltage drop in the multimeter,I focused on relays and fuses in engine bay first before proceed to inner fuse box(BCM) and others,sometimes heater relay is major culprit (yours might be different) and third party device installation . I unplugged most modules untill I noticed no quick voltage drop on multimeter. 3 Likes |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by checkmatez: 8:33pm On Feb 02, 2023 |
Caveatemptor:
Battery draining issues is the worst thing that can happen to your car. I bought a 2010 Lexus 350 es from a dealer. The car was so neat,balanced and solid. I loved that car.
The only issue was the fact that something was draining the battery. Initially I thought my battery was bad and bought a new 75 amp battery while gifting my mech the old one. Seven days later the new battery drained out. I woke up in the morning and the ignition just made a click click sound. I accused the mech of getting me a dud battery.
The mech pleaded innocence,so we took the vehicle to a rewire who suggested we should remove the car tracker I installed after buying the car,according to the rewire the tracker was the culprit.
So we removed the car tracker.
We recharged the car battery and everything was okey dokey for a week. Monday morning. Work day. Took my bath. Dressed up. Entered my car. Hit the keyless button. Click,click,click!!!
I was mad. This was a car I used last night.
Decided to ditch my mech,and sought a new one who suggested we run a scan on the vehicle while doing his best to run down the previous mech as an incompetent oaf.
Scan was run on the vehicle severally but it did not give any concrete codes. Mr Mech then suggested we buy a new battery. He gave the impression that the battery bought was not original.
I agreed to buy a new battery but this time I didn’t give it out but tried it in one of my alternate cars and it worked quite well once it was charged very well.
So I moved on to mech number 3, an elderly and wise middle aged man who warned me that the vehicle needed to be driven over a certain range of miles daily or else the charging system would not be adequately charged and the battery would run down. He even advised me to pay a visit to Lexus forum's.
I drove that car from that moment. I would fire the vehicle on long routes in order to work out the battery.
One month later when I thought the solution had been found,I got to my car one morning, pressed the starter button and the click,click sound again.
I was mad.
Called the old mech and he brought a young rewire who after running 🏃♀️ scans told me the door locks were faulty and because of this were draining the battery. By this time I was so fed up I asked him to change the locks.
The locks were changed but after a week,the battery ran down again.
By this time I was completely exasperated with the car,the mechs and rewires. I just put the car up for sale.
As much as I loved that car I just sold it at a loss just to get it out of my garage.
Let the guy that bought it solve the battery drain issues. Phew!!!
I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy.
OP, all the best solving your issues! I had an issue like this on my Peugeot 406, the car kept draining battery charge after back and forth to no avail, I just told the rewire to please put a switch to BSI. So if I switch off the ignition and also the newly placed switch then battery power don't get into the BSI because the BSI controls most of the electrical components. That's how I solved my parasitic drain back then 1 Like |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by chukel(m): 9:17pm On Feb 02, 2023 |
magnumwhales:
Sir techstream can't do anything.
Parasitic drain remains one of the hardest problems to solve in repair.
Goodluck hope in your solution findings. yes, techstream can't do anything. However, parasitic drain isn't one of the hardest problems to solve by anyone who knows what to do and with the right tools. Had a similar problem on a Mercedes R350. Would drain overnight. Watched a very straightforward YouTube video on solving the issue. Ordered a tester with a probe then followed instruction and got to work with my multimeter. In less than 30mins, I discovered the culprit and got it fixed. This was something 2 electricians couldn't fix in 4 days. Internet is the most powerful tool today. But people misuse and underutilize it. 6 Likes |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by autologic: 10:17am On Feb 22, 2023 |
Kreamie:
Of course. Autologic came to my rescue.
Look him up on here please. Thank bro for the recommendations |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by autologic: 10:28am On Feb 22, 2023 |
@op if you are still experiencing this issue , you can reach out to me on my no in signature below .
(Whatsapp only ) |
| Re: UPDATED - Parasitic Drain On SUV by Nobody: 1:58am On Apr 19, 2023 |
After multiple technicians had tried and failed, and after reaching out to a few people on here who didn't have time to take the job, I randomly stumbled on Autowiz profile and posts in a moment of desperate research for anybody who had posted about electrical expertise, as all referrals had so far failed and I felt from all the reading and YouTube videos I had consumed I was more updated on possible solutions than those trying their luck at fixing the car. In fact one had bought a fusebox (body control module) at 80k with obviously no luck (ready to sell at discount if there's a buyer) Throwing parts wasn't solving the issue.
I carried him along for a few weeks about when I would drop the car (which I still hadn't registered in case I needed to count my losses and sell). Autowiz finally took possession of the car and solved the following:
1. The parasitic drain that had caused me sleepless nights for four good months and defeated multiple technicians (he originally thought the problem was blower motor AC ecu and billed me 60k for a new one, but eventually refurbished and reinstalled mine and saved me that cost. His final diagnosis was the drain was a result of faulty wiring probably triggering ac blower module).
2. Cabin noises which he traced to the roof, took off upholstery and solved.
3. Rear wheel backing plate.
4. Catalyst code P0420 by removing inspecting and soaking/cleaning catalyst overnight.
5. Oil and filter change
All of these took 3wks for increased scope of work and to test parasitic draw properly and he gave me regular proactive feedback as I tend to micromanage sometimes. Got my car back in one piece and I couldn't be happier. So far the drain seems permanently resolved as the car starts with unparalleled gusto at first try (never enjoyed this from purchase). Only thing is AC takes about 60 seconds to kick in when put on. Not sure if this is standard or exception for some cars/RAV4.
Appreciate the honest service of Autowiz. He is based in Lekki/Ajah area. Felt compelled to update because this was a harrowing experience and anyone who has such a problem now/in future might be encouraged to find a solution instead of just disposing the car. I'll be registering the car soon. 4 Likes |
