A thought on mystery electrical drains-

I needed new dome/hatch bulbs in my forester, the setup is the same as on outbacks etc.

I put in LED bulbs for brightness and to avoid worries about battery drain.

I noticed the other night that in the 'off' and 'hatch' positions, the rear LED bulb was faintly illuminated. Opening and closing the hatch, and switching the switch back and forth would turn it on, but not get rid of the small current flow leading to the dim lighting up of the bulb.

Did not get a chance to chase it, the phenomena disappeared on its own.

Seems odd.

With all doors closed, and dome-switch OFF, there should not be any 12V to the dome-bulb.

I wonder if one of the door-switches (or the dome-switch) is playing up, and not 'opening' fully, but is still maintaining slight contact?

You could try measuring DC voltage at the dome-bulb. You should get 12V with a door open, and 0V with all doors closed.

You will always have 12v at the light. The switches ground the light to turn it on.

 

So, you have a leak to ground after the bulb. Could be at the manual switch, the hatch switch, or something has worn or cut through the wires insulation.

Yes, I got it backwards.

But anyway, you should have either 0V or 12V across the bulb terminals.

if the hatch plunger switch were on the hatch, I'd suggest abraded wiring in the body-hatch boot....

 

but I think the switch is in the body?

if the hatch plunger switch were on the hatch, I'd suggest abraded wiring in the body-hatch boot....

 

but I think the switch is in the body?

 

nah, switch is in the trunk latch.

If it never recurs, I'll never know!

nah, switch is in the trunk latch.

 learned something new.

And if my memory serves correct, that hatch-switch is a liquid-mercury type, that senses hatch-orientation, and not the physical condition of the latch.

 

Or am I thinking of another vehicle?

my guess would be mercury switches probably abandoned in the early 2000s or before, so, right on the cusp lol!

Edited May 1, 20187 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

And if my memory serves correct, that hatch-switch is a liquid-mercury type, that senses hatch-orientation, and not the physical condition of the latch.

 

Or am I thinking of another vehicle?

 

Nah it's just a reed switch.  gets pushed by the latch.  Doesn't know what direction is up.