2007 Expedition - Parasitic Draw ~400-500mA - Need Help Tracking Down

[whySKIPdodis]

Hey everyone, first post here. I've got a parasitic draw issue that's been driving me nuts for the past few days and could use some collective wisdom....sorry for long post, wanted to give as much info as I can....thanks in advance!

About the Vehicle: 2007 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer edition, 280k miles, really well maintained. I bought it from a friend who I know and trust and he has kept meticulous records. All preventative maintenance up to this point has been done and regular fluid changes (yes, the transmission fluid too) have happened.

About Me: 42 year old guy who has always owned older cars and always had to fix them. I can generally do most anything on a car except for HVAC stuff and transmission repair/rebuild. Otherwise I can basically do it or learn how to do it. Very familiar with tools and cars and stuff.

The Problem: Battery keeps dying after sitting for a day. Started investigating parasitic draw.

What I've Done So Far:

Battery Voltage Drop Testing: Tracked voltage drops over several days using both a cigarette lighter voltmeter and my Innova 3320 multimeter:

Day 1-2 Pattern:

• 5:15pm: 12.1V
• 7:15pm: 12.0V (0.1V drop in 2 hours)
• 9:40pm: 11.9V
• 8:00am next day: 11.6V (0.3V overnight)

After charging (25 min drive):

• 11:00am: 12.6V (fully charged)
• 12:00pm: 12.5V
• 4:30pm: 12.2V
• 6:45pm: 12.0V

Calculated from voltage drops: Approximately 400-500mA constant parasitic draw (normal should be 20-50mA)

Fuse Testing:

1. Pulled Fuses #14 (power liftgate module) and #9 (interior lights) - Note: My Expedition doesn't have a power liftgate, but the fuse is still populated
   • Result: No improvement, possibly worse (11.9V to 11.3V overnight) - it got colder overnight so maybe that made a difference.
2. Millivolt drop test across fuses (using Innova 3320):
   • Fuse #3: 6.0mV (highest reading - suspicious? - the diagram calls this the FES?)
   • Fuse #15: 3.0mV (borderline - Climate Control fuse)
   • Other fuses tested normal
3. Currently testing: Pulled Fuse #3 at 2:45pm today with battery at 12.53V. Will update with results.

Equipment Note: Initially tried amp draw test with multimeter but discovered my mA fuse was blown, so direct amp readings may be unreliable. The voltage drop calculations seem more trustworthy.

Questions:

1. Has anyone else experienced parasitic draw from Fuse #3 circuit? What was the cause?
2. For those without power liftgates - is there actually a module installed that could draw power?
3. Any other common parasitic draw issues on 2007 Expeditions I should check?
4. Is 400-500mA draw consistent with a module not going to sleep, or does this suggest something actively powered?

Battery is relatively new (850 CCA) and alternator is charging fine (goes to 12.6V after driving). This is definitely a parasitic draw issue, not a charging system problem.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'll update once I have results from pulling Fuse #3.

Random things:

• The A/C compressor was recently warranty replaced since the electrical part (the clutch?) went bad...sorry, see note above about HVAC....all i know is that the actual compressor was fine, but something electrical went bad on it. Right now the A/C blows cold and fine, but could this replaced part be part of the issue? If so, how can I test for it? The only thing random, is inside the truck, where you can see the status of the AC (temp and fan speed and such); that LED screen is often warm to the touch...I have never known it to be warm or cold so this could be normal, but just sharing here.
• I recently replaced the passenger side window regulator (not the motor) since it died a very dramatic death...but I cannot imagine that I did anything to cause an electrical gremlin...also I have tried testing the fuses and no changes on them.
• Yes, i know about the rear wiper motor issue, mine moves freely, is never hot to the touch, and works fine.
• I do have amps for my door speakers and a sub in the back, and yes I have disconnected these (at the battery)

Thanks in advance!

P.S. Already read the following in detail:

• https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...-massive-battery-drain-2007-expedition.33767/
• https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/power-draw.39599/
• https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/battery-drain.43924/

 

[Gary Waugh]

A 300 to 400mA draw is dissipating about 3 watts of power, something dissipating that much power is going to get noticeably warm to the touch. However the most likely culprit is going to be a small interior or exterior light that is staying on. Have you checked all the interior door and roof lights to see if one has been accidentally turned to the permanent on position, rather than just coming on when a door is open?
Don’t know what circuits are on fuse #3, but I would start with the simple stuff first, check if any small lights are staying turned on.
Have any aftermarket electrical parts been added to the car (wired directly to the battery) that could be causing the issue?

 

[whySKIPdodis]

Thanks @Gary Waugh - unless there is some hidden light somewhere that I don't know about. I can confirm they are all off. A couple of nights ago I also pulled the interior lights fuse and also turned the knob to the left of the steering wheel column all the way down to.

The heat this has me wondering about the climate control display. Later tonight I'll go see if that's still warm. If so that's odd. Since the car isn't on.

I'll welcome anyone else's thoughts.

 

[whySKIPdodis]

Testing Results:

After pulling Fuse #3 (which showed 6.0mV on millivolt drop test):

Voltage drop WITHOUT Fuse #3:

• 2:45pm: 12.53V
• 9:40pm: 12.16V (0.37V drop in 7 hours)
• 7:15am: 11.78V (0.38V overnight)

Previous pattern WITH Fuse #3:

• Would drop 0.5-0.6V overnight, ending at 11.3-11.5V

Conclusion: Fuse #3 was pulling approximately 200-250mA continuously. Parasitic draw reduced from ~400-500mA to ~150-200mA.

Truck starts fine. Currently monitoring with amps reconnected (remote wire tested 0V with radio off - good). Still have some draw to track down (Fuse #15 --Climate Control - showed 3.0mV, testing next), but this is some progress.

Fuse #3 is for the FES - Family Entertainment System (the DVD thing) which we do not use, so I have left that fuse out. I wonder if some water from the sunroof got near or around it and did badly things to it?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[whySKIPdodis]

Update #2: Narrowing Down the Network Wake Issue

Following up on yesterday's Fuse #3 discovery (~250-300mA draw eliminated).

Last Night's Results (Fuse #3 out, amps reconnected):

• 9:45pm: 12.01V
• 7:35am: 11.60V (0.41V drop)
• Better than original 11.3V mornings, but amps adding small draw (~50mA) which is expected.

My Audio Setup (for context):

• PAC C2R-FRD1 interface module (connects Kenwood aftermarket radio to Ford's CAN bus)
• Steering wheel control module
• Two amps: one for door speakers, one for rear sub
• Already tested both amp remote wires with ignition off: 0V (so amps shutting down properly)

Current Testing (as of 10:55am): Now pulled BOTH Fuse #3 and Fuse #15 (climate control - showed 3.0mV). Battery at 12.74V after driving, will retest at 11:30 after surface charge dissipates.

Working Theory: SOMETHING is keeping the CAN bus network awake. Primary suspect is the PAC C2R-FRD1 interface module, but it could be:

1. The PAC module itself failing to sleep
2. Climate control module sending constant signals, keeping PAC awake
3. Another module on the bus creating network chatter

This would explain why Fuse #3 (6.0mV) and Fuse #15 (3.0mV) both show parasitic draw - they're all on the same network that won't sleep.

Testing today with both fuses pulled should confirm if this is a network-wide wake issue. Will update with results.

 

[BlackBetty]

FordTechMakuloco has a good video on this. He’s my go to for all Ford questions. Plus, he’s done great work on my truck. Check’em out.

 

[pitdexion]

Rear wiper work? If it doesn't park properly, will cause draw a large enough draw to kill battery overnight. Fuse 3 powers DVD player, Aux audio module and satellite radio if equipped.

 

[whySKIPdodis]

Update: Shop Found the Issue - Likely Water Intrusion Damage

Thanks for the responses @BlackBetty and @pitdexion!

@BlackBetty - I checked out FordTechMakuloco's video - great resource! The shop essentially did his method #3 with the clamp meter. I wasn't able to do that myself since I don't have a clamp meter (and didn't want to drop $500 on a reliable one). My Innova 3320 got me pretty far with millivolt drop testing, but the clamp meter was definitely needed to nail this down.

@pitdexion - Good call on the rear wiper! I actually did pull both rear wiper fuses AND physically disconnected the wiper motor before taking it to the shop, but the draw persisted. Turns out you were on the right track though with electrical gremlins.

The Shop's Findings: The climate control module was pulling an extra 1 amp (!!) plus 1-2 other modules showing excessive draw. Root cause: water intrusion. I had noticed water dripping from the A-pillar down to the floor area during a heavy rain. The water damage likley caused multiple modules to malfunction and stay powered/not enter sleep mode properly. Three cheers for auto insurance.

The shop is still tracking down all affected components and the water entry point (likely windshield seal or clogged sunroof drains based on the A-pillar location).

Lesson learned: Water + electronics = expensive parasitic draw nightmares!

Thanks again for the help. Will update once everything is fixed and sealed up.

 

[whySKIPdodis]

UPDATE - SOLVED!

Hey everyone, wanted to circle back with the resolution to my parasitic draw issue.

The shop ended up replacing both the GEM/body control module (the unit connected to the fuse box) and the climate control module. They also cleaned out the sunroof drain lines while they were at it.

Turns out the climate control module was pulling an extra amp due to water intrusion - exactly what was causing my persistent parasitic draw. The water damage had affected both modules, which explains all the weird electrical gremlins I was experiencing.

Everything is working perfectly now! No more pulling fuses, the radio and clock work with the engine off, and the battery drain is completely gone.

Big lesson learned: Keep those sunroof drains clear! Water intrusion is a real killer for these electrical components, especially on our generation of Expeditions/F150s. The GEM and climate control modules seem particularly vulnerable to water damage.

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions during the troubleshooting process. Special shout-out to those who mentioned checking for water damage - you were spot on!

For anyone dealing with similar issues: don't overlook the possibility of water intrusion, even if you don't see obvious leaks. Those sunroof drains can get clogged and cause water to go places it shouldn't.

Hope this helps someone else down the road!