Battery drain problem

C BONNER

MEMBER
1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
115,000 MILES

I have a parasitic battery drain problem which lowers when fuse 31 is removed on the inside fuse panel. This controls the main light switch and the lighting control module how do I diagnose from here?

The draw is 5.8 amps it lowers to 2 amps when fuse 31 is removed under the dash. When I removed fuse 19 in the fuse panel under the hood the draw went down to.5 amps. This fuse feeds sub woofer, i/p fuse panel, fuse 23. I assumed this draw was due to the stereo coming on every time the battery is disconnected and reconnected or am I wrong.I tried unplugging the light switch and that blew the fuse in my multi-meter. I then tried hooking up the battery and the lights came on with no switch plugged in is this normal?

4 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

It sounds like you have a lighting control module that has shorted out. Here is the location so you can swap it out.

Check out the diagrams (Below)

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

Image (Click to make bigger)

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Thursday, December 27th, 2012 AT 2:59 AM

C BONNER

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Yep you were right once I unplugged the lighting module the voltage draw stopped. Thanks for the help I can believe this site is free.

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Thursday, December 27th, 2012 AT 5:44 PM

JOHN MILLER2

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I’m having same issue power draw ac cluster. I used a test light on the battery all fuse the problem is coming from #31. I don’t know to replace the switch or the unit. Also every time I start the car I have to use dimmer to raise brightness.

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Thursday, August 20th, 2020 AT 11:03 PM

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Okay, you never use a test light for a draw at all. That is checking voltage. A draw is caused by current flow, not voltage.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

You need to remove the negative cable and put a voltmeter in line. Red lead on the cable and black lead on the battery post.

Then set your meter to DC amps. Let it sit for a couple minutes for the modules to go to sleep. Then read the current flow. It should be 50-75 milli amps. If it is more, remove the fuses one by one until the draw drop to within specs. That will be the circuit that is causing the draw.

Roy

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Friday, August 21st, 2020 AT 3:48 AM