I have an '03 Exp that runs OK and fires right up with a charged battery. However, when I turn it off and after it sits for a few days, the battery is dead. I don't see any lights that have been left on. Any ideas on what is causing the drain?
Battery Draining on '03
- Thread starter PapaGegs
- Start date
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Could be a whole bunch of things causing a draw. Use a meter to figure out what circuit is alive. Could very well be your under hood light. I'm thinking in three days from a charged to dead battery is a light. Electrical stuff can be a pia. Just be methodical.
GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
Besides the above mentioned light that does not switch off or other unseen drain, it can also be the battery itself not being able to hold a charge. This happened suddenly on our 2011 this past winter, was fine on Monday, wouldn't start on Wednesday, I drove it around for awhile and then charged the battery. Would not hold the charge.
VOLTAGE DROP TEST. If you have a bad battery connection, sometime it lets the big surge to start thru but won't take a charge because of the bad connection.
You can test battery wires and connections with a voltage drop test.
You can test battery wires and connections with a voltage drop test.
GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
Good point!
I have a 2003 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer, and it has a battery drain condition that appears to be tied to the factory bass amplifier. The bass speaker intermittently makes a deep popping sound when I start the car and when I shut it off, with a delay of about 5 seconds in each position. Even with the radio off. I noticed I had battery failures coincident with when I hear the bass popping. When there is no popping noise, I do not get any more battery drains. But then the popping noise resumes a few days later, the battery is drained if the car is not used for a few days.
I traced the problem by disconnecting the cable harness to the amplifier. Access to the amplifier is by lifting up the storage tray above the bass speaker and immediately below is the amplifier and wiring. It was hot to the touch when the key was not in the ignition and the battery was drained. I disconnected it and let it cool. I charged the battery and started the ignition and the radio an hour later and then re-connected the amplifier and heard the popping sound and the music played as normal. I cycled the connector a few times and the bass came on and off as expected and the amplifier got warm again. Since I found that symptom and reconnected the harness, the popping sound has not returned. But I keep the storage tray loose so the next time I hear the popping sound I will disconnect the amplifier and verify that the battery is not dead in the morning.
I don’t have a cause of the amplifier intermittently draining amps while the ignition is off. But I would like some opinions of the forum.
I traced the problem by disconnecting the cable harness to the amplifier. Access to the amplifier is by lifting up the storage tray above the bass speaker and immediately below is the amplifier and wiring. It was hot to the touch when the key was not in the ignition and the battery was drained. I disconnected it and let it cool. I charged the battery and started the ignition and the radio an hour later and then re-connected the amplifier and heard the popping sound and the music played as normal. I cycled the connector a few times and the bass came on and off as expected and the amplifier got warm again. Since I found that symptom and reconnected the harness, the popping sound has not returned. But I keep the storage tray loose so the next time I hear the popping sound I will disconnect the amplifier and verify that the battery is not dead in the morning.
I don’t have a cause of the amplifier intermittently draining amps while the ignition is off. But I would like some opinions of the forum.
whtbronco
Full Access Members
Welcome to the Expedition Forum. Generally speaking you should consider a new thread for your issue just so it doesn't get confusing.
Anyway, if you think the parasitic draw is the amplifier have you disconnected the amp and left it disconnected for a few days to see if the battery was not dead as it was while connected.
If that proves not to be the cause of the parasitic draw I suggest performing a voltage drop test and/or parasitic draw test. A search for these terms will produce quite a few tutorials and videos on how to do so. It's not hard, but it does take time.
Anyway, if you think the parasitic draw is the amplifier have you disconnected the amp and left it disconnected for a few days to see if the battery was not dead as it was while connected.
If that proves not to be the cause of the parasitic draw I suggest performing a voltage drop test and/or parasitic draw test. A search for these terms will produce quite a few tutorials and videos on how to do so. It's not hard, but it does take time.
