1995 Buick LeSabre Battery Drain

1995 BUICK RENDEZVOUS
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GRAFFIX79
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
once in a while my battery will die i have checked starter, alternater out of the car replaced the battery with an optima cleaned all connections on all even thou they seemed to be fine. the car is bone stock exept for headlights and battery. this car has been in the family since day 1. I have been working on cars for 20 years. i have taken an amp meter to it and at initai hook up the meter reads .05 then drops to .01 witch would be enough to run clock and memory. cant ever catch in drawing more then that. I am trying to find a reasonable way to test futher but i cant find a current draw to trace out the problem. it could be a week or 2 or a month or 2 or tomarrow before it does it again. and its after it sits for a night more.
Dec 18, 2006 at 1:49 PM
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MATHIASO
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 1,209 POSTS
you may need to test the charging system starting checking for lose fan belt,defective alternator, poor electric connections or a defective diode,
check the fusible link in the charging circuit using a meter,it should exhibit 0 ohms
Do an alternator output test.
a voltage regulator test,
the voltage regulator test determines wheter or not the voltage regulator is capable of regulating the charging system voltage.
nb: make sure that the vehicle battery if fully charge.
Dec 23, 2006 at 3:32 AM
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GRAFFIX79
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  • 4 POSTS
I have cleaned all the connections that had any oxidation on them. The altenater puts out 14.4 volts at 113 amps. Nov. 25 the battery was dead. Changed battery and was dead again on Jan. 5. The best thing I can think of at this piont is a relay that is sticking on but one that is not noticable. All wires and fuses have checked and tested. The belt has been recently changed in May. I plugged in a separt meter to the cigerette lighter to give voltage while running and it is steady all the time.
Jan 13, 2007 at 3:07 PM

Suggested Repair

Test the charging system further: confirm belt condition, alternator output, voltage-regulator operation, and a possible defective alternator diode. Check the charging-circuit fusible link for continuity (about 0 ohms) and verify the battery is fully charged before testing.

Conversation Summary

A 1995 Buick LeSabre intermittently goes dead after sitting overnight, sometimes after weeks. The owner replaced the battery, cleaned connections, confirmed a low parasitic draw of about 0.01–0.05 amps, and measured about 14.4 volts and 113 amps from the alternator; the belt was recently replaced and running voltage stayed steady. The expert recommended checking the belt, connections, alternator output, voltage regulator, fusible link, and a possible bad diode with a fully charged battery. No confirmed cause was identified.

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