Unknown battery drain

[dmhscorpio]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

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This is what I use. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/12V-23A-Digital-Car-Van-Current-Tester-Circuit-Fuse-Galvanometer-Diagnostic-Tool/222286533554?fits=Make:Checker&hash=item33c14f53b2:g:iTgAAOSw8gVYBwuz&vxp=mtr It works better than a test light. If the current draw is is less than the test light draw, the test light will not illuminate.
On my 1999 Tahoe, I found that occasionally I wasn't turning the ignition al the way off, as the key was worn enough to let me remove it without it being turned all the way off. The engine would stop, but something would remain powered. It was a struggle to find this!

 

[JV305]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

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Check your Onstar functions. It happened to my brother and he has an 04 Tahoe Z71. He had the system
disconnected and hadn’t had a problem since.

 

[machadosl]

I am having a problem like that with my 2004 Suburban, a few weeks ago I discovered that the instrument cluster was the culprit lighting the information of language, odometer, fuel consuption etc..
I think I will have to buy a new instrument cluster, until that I plugged a on demand battery charger.

 

[04yuke]

Yea, lots of times the corrosion builds under the insulation and if bad enough you can see the swell of the insulation itself but sometimes not, but it is there. When you replace the cable you can cut open the insulation of the old cable and it will be loaded with white corrosion covering the wire. That creates a major source of resistance to electrical flow.

A cabling/corrosion issue should present itself when I do the light test next week. Thanks!!

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[Jeff O]

This problem has come many times before on this forum. Ck the archives. Suggestions are all over the map as are many solutions found. I chased mine around for a few months. Disconnecting the battery at night each day was a pain. Sometimes the fuse removal can isolate the problem, but sometimes it is intermittent and you will go crazy. I believe my final fix was found to be some corroded pins on the lower connector of the engine computer. Stupid ass place for it to be mounted on left side of the engine in the engine compartment where it is poorly protected from water spray. Also, the body computer under the steering column is a culprit of some who have had this problem. A new OEM is big$$. There are online repair shops to be found with flat rate at about $200. Above, in another reply, is mentioned the heater resistor, also a problem in some cases, available on eBay ~$30. The suggestion it is a weak charging rate causing a slow deterioration in battery level is possible, but the rarest of causes. Easily eliminated by checking whether the voltage goes from 12 to 13.75 after starting. Overall battery condition could be doing it if there is some internal shorting in an older battery. Most part stores will do a load test free. Ck this first. Good Luck.

 

[Jeff O]

Forgot to mention some have found instrument cluster is a problem. 2000-07 all seem to have problems with gauge failure besides shorts. Again find flat rate repair service online. New is $$$.

 

[Mark Shipley]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I had a 2004 Yukon Denali and I chased this problem for a long time. And as it turns out that particular model has a problem with the Bose power amplifier and it's located at the very bottom of the console not very difficult to get to little time-consuming. If you unplug the The radio and then wait a couple of days to see if it discharges the battery. You'll find that it won't. . I've been to this movie. . A new power amplifier for the Bose stereo is about 600 bucks and I'm not even sure you can get him anymore. But there are companies out there that can rebuild them remanufactured them. And there's also companies that can sell you used one for about two hundred bucks. So disconnect The radio power plug and you'll soon know. But I'm telling you I'm having a Deja Vu experience here, dude.

 

[Mark Shipley]

Let me know if that works. And if you have any questions, let me know. It was a radio shop that's been around for 20 years in this area that told me right away. Oh, yeah, that's the problem that your truck is known for that and sure enough soon as I disconnected the Power cable for the radio the problem went away. . They ordered me a rebuilt reconditioned. Power amplifier for about two hundred bucks and life was good after that. . 1 shops only a battery and alternator and swore up and down. That was the problem there idiots

 

[UmmScott]

Lots of good points here.
Love it
[emoji106][emoji106]

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[04yuke]

Forgot to mention some have found instrument cluster is a problem. 2000-07 all seem to have problems with gauge failure besides shorts. Again find flat rate repair service online. New is $$$.

Thx Jeff O. I had the instr cluster rebuilt right after purchase and Led lights installed in it. Had the battery checked at parts store 1st thing when it 1st started having issues. Looked for obvious things (switch left on, etc)

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[Charles Land]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Had that problem with my 2011. WalMart tested it and said it was ok. It would discharge in 2-3 days. Replaced the battery and problem went away.
There are some inexpensive clamp on DC ampmmeters on Amazon. That was my next step to see if I could find the load if battery replacement didn't work.

 

[kgkoch]

I purchase a "new" Chrysler car that the previous owner and service shop continued to put batteries and alternators in because of a batter drain. I bought the car cheep and when cleaning it out I heard a him by the back seat. It was coming from the trunk. I listened in the trunk and determined it was the fuel pump in the tank that was running after the engine was turned off. I study the schematics and found that there was a relay under the hood which controlled the fuel pump when the engine was turned off. I took that relay apart and the small spring inside wasn't attached to the electro-magnet switch. I re-attached it. No more battery problems and I had a practically new car for over 50% off its value.
KGKoch

 

[pt1965]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

i had an 02 yukon that would eat a battery every 2 yrs. i got a gel to last 3 tho.

 

[mpyrol]

I have an 04 Yukon that has developed an unknown battery drain. The battery checks out good. I've changed nothing. This mystery drain started 2 weeks ago. I had an fm transmitter with USB charge ports plugged into the aux power outlet. It's been there for months but thought that maybe it was the drain source and unplugged it. No help.
It's a gradual drain. Takes about a week to drain enough to need a jump.
This is a project vehicle and not my DD. Any suggestions for isolating the power leach would be appreciated. TIA

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I used this to diagnose a similar issue in my 03 Yukon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D2X2JSH

I was able to monitor the battery and was able to notice when there was current flow. The best thing is that you can leave it installed on the dash and look at it periodically. I was able to notice the dash lights do not go out until the door is opened and shut. I think my door pin is sticky. The battery would die overnight. This unit uses a sensor and not a shunt to measure the current. You will notice how long it actually takes for the battery to charge. Mine would pull 20 amps for days after it died. this will give you an idea how well the battery is.

Batteries can kill themselves even though they charge all the way up to 13.8V. The battery can become partially shorted. I just replaced one last week that would charge fine crank all day and die to 6V sitting unhooked. You can check this without buying anything.

You can check for a shorted diode in the alternator if you put it on a oscilloscope and look at the DC. If you see spikes in the waveform, should be a flat line, a shorted diode is indicated.

Hope this helps

 

[04yuke]

Thanks everyone for the awesome suggestions, tips, and advice. Unable to find a source of a drain, I bit the bullet and did a battery replacement. No issues so far. This was a great exercise in me getting to know the 'personality' of the brand and will hopefully serve as a reference for future tahoe/yukon owners with this type of issue. This is a great group and happy that I joined!!

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[Phil Van Beveren]

Like what double said...

Get a test light, disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery. Connect one end of test light to the negative battery cable and the other end to the battery.

If the light comes on then start pulling fuses till the light goes out. The fuse u pull that makes the light go out is the circuit thats giving u trouble.
Note: ECM/BCM circuits always have some draw.

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This works but I don't think a test light is the tool of choice, I'd use an amp-meter. There is always a drain on the battery for things like the security system and radio/stereo presets so the test light will always be light albeit dim. Am Amp-meter will show you the actual drain amount.

 

[exp500]

Any drain over about 100MA will show up after 4-5 days. Some of the 97-99's were always or intermittantly showing 200MA.+. Amazon has a cheap 100 or 200 amp digital ammeter with a coil to go around battery cable.Not for starter cable! Minimum amps is about 20MA but that low accuracy is not good. Seems accurate around 100 MA on up. Hope this helps.