Battery drains out overnight

2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
236,000 MILES • 3.6L • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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SEBASTIEN CAYER
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Hi,

My car is the Gt model. I have something that drains the battery. The car starts and run fine then overnight the battery discharge. I have put a new battery in it two weeks ago. Same problem. The car ran fine for some time. I used the car today. When i came back home i hoped in the car to go back to the city. Car would not start.

There was enough power for the dash lights and radio, but not enough to start the car.

English is not my mother tongue. Please excuse the grammar errors.
Feb 6, 2017 at 2:40 PM
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CJ MEDEVAC
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 11,004 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Check this out first.

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

If that does not find it there are other things that can cause a drain.

See "You Tube" look up 'parasitic drain'. Look at several videos, some are better than others. They will show you how to perform easy tests to narrow it down.

Once you find the 'problem circuit' (if you cannot pin-point the problem) Let me know which circuit needs investigation. I will try to find the wiring diagram for it in 'Prodemand'. This might speed up on what items to check/ test.

Keep us posted.

The Medic
Feb 6, 2017 at 4:04 PM
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SEBASTIEN CAYER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Instead of a parasitic draw, could it be a voltage peak ? Ther's a little green hole on a battery filled with water. I noticed that the hole is now almost completly dry. It literally kills my batteries. I wonder if someting happen that makes the water boil into the battery.
Feb 7, 2017 at 7:47 AM
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CJ MEDEVAC
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 11,004 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Let's do this test.

It will let us know more of what the charging system is doing.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

Return with results of this test.

(There are more tests at the top of the page under "REPAIR GUIDES")

The Medic
Feb 7, 2017 at 4:08 PM
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