Xadamx1 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I have a 2002 Subaru Outback with the H-6 3.0 in it. Right now I have a battery drain that if the car sits without being started for more than a week it'll go dead. From what I can tell it is going through either the clock.room fuse or the SBF #4 fuse. I have disconnected all the radio components, the security components, the auto AC, and turned off all the interior lights, to no avail. As for the #4 fuse, i have disconnected everything except for the airbag under the steering column to try to locate the drain, still no avail. The multi meter I have will only get to 150 miliamps, and it has blown the meter a few times if I am not quick enough on my readings, does anyone else have any ideas as what to try next? I have seen a lot of topics with the same or similar issues none of them seem to offer solutions to my problem, or they are open ended. There was one that suggested a stuck CD could be causing the problem, I did have a stuck CD but that should have cut out of the equation when I took out the radio, at controller and the multi-disc changer. If anyone has any ideas I would be appreciative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golucky66 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Just an idea, I have seen many issues with seat switches going bad. They get sticky and will be engaging the motor even though the seat position is all the way back or forward. And once they reach their limit on the track, they draw crazy amounts of amps. This can be the same with a window if it is not functioning properly. Just an idea. Any switches that power a motor could get stuck and cause excessive drain on the battery. The fact that it's while the car sits leads me to believe it's not a switch issue, but the seats can move while power is off. Food for thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xadamx1 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Just an idea, I have seen many issues with seat switches going bad. They get sticky and will be engaging the motor even though the seat position is all the way back or forward. And once they reach their limit on the track, they draw crazy amounts of amps. This can be the same with a window if it is not functioning properly. Just an idea. Any switches that power a motor could get stuck and cause excessive drain on the battery. The fact that it's while the car sits leads me to believe it's not a switch issue, but the seats can move while power is off. Food for thought. That was actually my next thing to check as the SBF #4 fuse is for the power windows, according to the wiring diagram I found. The only power seat however is the drivers and that isnt all the way forward or back. But it is a good thought. Thanks for the response! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 do you have the weather package? just wondering about mirror or seat or windshield, heater malfunction. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) Alternator possibly, try disconnecting the main charge wire Edited September 29, 2015 by mikaleda 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) You need to let all the modules in the car go to sleep before connecting your meter. Remove the negative battery terminal for about 5 minutes. Wrap a large guage wire such as 10 or 12awg around the battery post a few times and twist it so it will stay tight. Wrap the other end of the wire around the cable clamp. Stick the clamp over the terminal with wire still attached, turn the key On for a few seconds then turn it back off and remove the key. Wait about an hour. Now carefully remove the terminal making sure the wire stays firmly connected. If the wire becomes disconnected you'll have to repeat the process up to this point. Once the terminal is removed, use aligator clips or clip meter leads to connect your meter in series. Once the meter is connected, now you can remove the wire so the current only flows through the meter. This prevents the control modules in the car from spiking your meter as you make the battery connection and cause them to go into wake up. Instead the modules remain in sleep mode because you haven't really disconnected the battery. Do not try to open any doors, or turn the key on, or the meter will spike and blow your fuse or cook your meter. Edited September 29, 2015 by Fairtax4me 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xadamx1 Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 do you have the weather package? just wondering about mirror or seat or windshield, heater malfunction. Yes, I do, I have disconnected everything I could for those systems no change. Alternator possibly, try disconnecting the main charge wire Thats what I thought too. I disconnected both the main charge wire and the smaller green connector, no change. You need to let all the modules in the car go to sleep before connecting your meter. Remove the negative battery terminal for about 5 minutes. Wrap a large guage wire such as 10 or 12awg around the battery post a few times and twist it so it will stay tight. Wrap the other end of the wire around the cable clamp. Stick the clamp over the terminal with wire still attached, turn the key On for a few seconds then turn it back off and remove the key. Wait about an hour. Now carefully remove the terminal making sure the wire stays firmly connected. If the wire becomes disconnected you'll have to repeat the process up to this point. Once the terminal is removed, use aligator clips or clip meter leads to connect your meter in series. Once the meter is connected, now you can remove the wire so the current only flows through the meter. This prevents the control modules in the car from spiking your meter as you make the battery connection and cause them to go into wake up. Instead the modules remain in sleep mode because you haven't really disconnected the battery. Do not try to open any doors, or turn the key on, or the meter will spike and blow your fuse or cook your meter. It appears I may have just wasted two days. Thank you! I am on my way to go get gator clips now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Alternator possibly, try disconnecting the main charge wire That was my first thought. Could have lost a diode in the alternator and now battery current is back flowing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xadamx1 Posted October 1, 2015 Author Share Posted October 1, 2015 Well, I did my test the way Fairtax4me described, only to find the drain is a max of 18.4 mA so, it could have been a stuck switch that we unstuck when we were trying to test the wrong way. But now everything seems to be okay on that front. However when I had the Subaru dealer in Palm bay replace my engine they broke the green plug that goes into the alternator, and then gave it back to me. I had to get it towed back up there a week later because of that plug and they just glued it back together. Now the plug has fallen apart completely and is not glue able at this time. But anyway. Thank you for the helpful suggestions all of you! I wish I knew who was right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Find a junkyard nearby that let's you pull your own parts and to cut one off. Or post in the classifieds here. Somebody may have one. I did at one point but I don't know if I still do. How old is your battery? If it's more than 3-4 years old you could just be dealing with normal battery discharge due to its age. If the battery has service caps pop them off and check the electrolyte level in the cells. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nspemt Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I am chasing a similar issue in a 2003 OBW. Systematically been pulling fuses and waiting a couple of days. Pulled the radio recently and let it sit for over a week while on vacation, started right up, moved it to a different parking space and it was dead in 2 days. Need some new ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 the best way to pull fuses is the law of 1/2. Take the top 1/2 out then the bottom. depending on which stops the drain then divide them in 1/2 again ( left and right) at some point you will be down to 1 fuse/ circut. Get a wiring diagram and go from most likely to least likely on the circut. Sometimes there are big connectors mid circut ( under seats etc) that you can disconnect and eliminate the whole rear of the car etc. Never had this not work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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