Yes, I have searched and read other threads on this topic. Got my voltmeter and started pulling fuses. It isn't the radio, it is the BCM.

Pull the BCM fuse and the parasitic draw stops. Any idea what the next steps should be?

 

How many amps of parasitic draw are you seeing when the car is turned off? What does it drop to when you unplug the BCM

 

0.1 Amps before pulling the fuse.
0.01A or less after.

 

0.1A of current draw at idle is fine. A healthy battery should easily handle that.

Typically, on cars i've seen with parastic draw issues, the draw at idle state is greater than 1 amp. Sometimes 2-3A or higher.

What's the condition of the battery? Have you had it tested? Is it original?

 

battery is about 1 year old. Duramax gold. connections are clean.

If it sets for 3 days chances are it won't start. I've actually backed it out of the garage, opened all the windows and doors and spent a while cleaning it/changing the oil (hour?) and it would be low enough to need a jump.

 

If something is drawing it down that fast, you would see a far bigger drain on the battery than 0.1A. Even an interior light left overnight shouldn't be an issue for a healty battery to handing in the AM.

0.1A is not that much. I don't think you have a parasitic drain issue here. Your problem lies elsewhere in the charging system. Bad alternator, poor/corroded connection, or a weak battery. Does that battery have a removable top plate where you can see the battery cells? Are they submerged or are the cells dry?

 

After the BCM goes to sleep you should have no more than 50 milliamps. That is all that is considered allowable due to clock and alarm. If I remember correctly that fuse is actually 3 fuses put together and I think the ignition is one of those fuses. What I have seen the most in the past is something tied into the ignition switch such as mobile guardian,etc. and that has been the draw on alot of vehicles. I have also seen cars that have been financed and the car lot installed a GPS tracking device until car has been paid off. Those will cause issues also if they are tied into the wrong wire. Hope this helps brother.

 

My new backup and side cameras draw more than this. Time to head back to the the drawing board. I don't want to get stranded.

 

I was having the same issues when I was using my automatic lights. Went to manual and the draw stopped. Pull the battery cables off and touch them together, then reconnect. That will reset the electrical system.

 

My end of the story is: bad battery. 13 month old Duralast Gold. They gave me a new one.

It didn't drop a cell or anything obvious. It would charge up on a charger and look just fine. Test it under load and it was definitely bad.

 

That's ^ the first thing most of us would check before spending hours looking for a non existing issue! Just because a battery is new doesn't mean it's working properly!
Gary

 

Yeah, but it wouldn't be fun if we didn't over-think everything.

 

A simple battery hydrometer (about $10) would quickly reveal a weak or dead cell



Telcoman

 

I am an electrical engineer. I already own a hydrometer. I was too stupid to use it.

 

That explains why you overthought the current drain issue.




I'm a mechanical engineer. I say there and did floor load calculations for a few days before I put a 125 gallon reef tank on the 2nd floor of my place. I overthink stuff way too often