1992 Pontiac Grand Prix LE Battery Drain

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BRIANEDWARDLAURENCE
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  • 1 POST
We have a 92 Pontiac Grand Prix LE wity 250,000km on it. We had to have the battery and alternator replaced and car ran fine for awhile then it just would not start one day. Told it was a bad battery and another new one put in. After that the service engine soon light would come on and the battery light would flicker on and off, other lights would dim-took it back to mechanic -told I had a short and it was supposedly fixed but now unless you start the car every day it has to be bbosted to get it going. If it sits for one day the following morning it will not go. We were told to just start car every day because mechanic did not know what was wrong. Obviously something is draining the battery. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks, Connie
Mar 20, 2006 at 8:15 AM
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RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
Disconnect the battery positive post,now connect a test light between the cable and the post, if the test lite lits, you have a short in the electrical system.

Keep the test lite connected now start removing all the fuses, the one that kills the lite is the problem circuit.

Your tolerance for parasitic drain is 0.20ma
Mar 20, 2006 at 10:49 AM
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Suggested Repair

Disconnect the positive battery cable and connect a test light between the cable and the battery post. If the light stays on, a parasitic drain is present. Leave the light connected and remove fuses one at a time; the fuse that turns the light off identifies the problem circuit. The stated acceptable parasitic drain is 0.20 mA.

Conversation Summary

A 1992 Pontiac Grand Prix LE had the battery and alternator replaced, then later received another battery. The service engine soon light came on, the battery light flickered, and other lights dimmed. A mechanic reported a short and said it was fixed, but the car still will not start after sitting one day and must be boosted. The owner was told to start it daily because the cause was unknown. The expert recommended a parasitic-drain test with a test light between the positive cable and battery post, then pulling fuses to find the circuit that turns the light off, noting a 0.20 mA drain tolerance.

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