PhalC1

Well, it should be considered part one still because I haven't fixed it yet. Here's the details

https://maxima.org/forums/5th-genera...udio-fuse.html

I rode my motorcycle from April-last week, so my Max was just sitting pretty in the garage for most of spring-fall

New information:

As of Thursday night(two nights ago), the total draw with the audio fuse in, the interior lamp fuse and the hood switch unplugged was ~71 milliamps. I even took out my entire radio, cigarette lighter, change holder, climate control console in the center, and it still read 71. With the two fuses out, it reads 24 mA

I don't know where else to look. The trunk light isn't on, the glove box light isn't on. The sub and amp aren't plugged in/have no effect on it

george__

iTrader: (1)

do you have a aftermarket car alarm system?

PhalC1

No, sir. No electrical upgrades at all. The only thing that has changed in the last 2-3 years(I've had the car a little over 6 years, second owner) is a new starter summer of 2013

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

When you say interior lamp fuse, do you mean the one that is called ROOM LAMP on the label? This is the one in the middle row, 2nd from the left end. Iwill assume it is unless you tell me otherwise.

This fuse, called fuse # 13 in the wiring diagrams, powers a bunch of other things besides the interior lights. It supplies power the the SECU, which is the security/alarm module. So removing this fuse should cause a reduction in the draw. Also powered bythis same fuse are the door locks. While the door locks are not supposed to draw any power when not in use, there have been problems with the switches on the lock mechanism inside the door. The linkage mechanism sometimes keeps the switch in a semi-operated position that in turn could draw power.

But I am perplexed by the AUDIO fuse. As I said in your other thread, the only things that this fuse supplies power to are the radio station memory in the head unit and the speaker amplifier in the trunk on the passenger side of the parcel shelf. The sub woofer also gets power from this fuse, but the power is relayed through the speaker amplifier.

So if you have the head unit out of the car and the speaker amplifier un-plugged and are still getting a current draw, this circuit definitely has a problem. And when the current draw goes up when the units are plugged in, it's another indication of problems in this circuit.

Can you monitor the current draw and plug in only the speaker amplifier and then only the head unit? The head unit will cause the draw to increase by a small amount, unfortunately I don't know what that amount is. But 250 ma is too much.

PhalC1

I'll get those readings shortly. Now that I think about it, this problem started around when I got the new starter in my car. Is there any way these things can be linked? Or that the starter before was fine, just the drain started before that and it was misdiagnosed in to changing the starter

PhalC1

And yes, it is room lamp. What is everything that's connected to that? The locks do sound a bit weird when locking... But I may be making that up because you mentioned it. I'll have to check in a couple hours when I have some time to go outside

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

I cannot think of any way that the starter could be be causing this. The only thing I can say is that when changing the starter, you are working in the vicinity of the fuse block by the battery. When you screw up something in a fuse block, you will break a wire and something won't have any power -or- you cause a short and have smoke, burned wires and blown fuses. If you changed the starter because of this current draw problem, whoever convinced you to do it doesn't really know the Maxima electrical system.

As for what else is powered by the room lamp fuse, there are 3, maybe 4, things connected to fuse # 13. There is the trunk light lamp, the ignition key cylinder, the SECU module and maybe the OBD connector. The reason for the maybe is that one part of the manual says yes and another part says no. Yet another manual error.

The biggest, most important thing is the SECU module. You have 17 circuits that use the SECU. But in all cases, these circuits are using the SECU and the fuse is powering the SECU which then sends the power to the circuit. These circuits are: headlights, daytime running lights (Canadian Maximas), fog lights, tail lights, turn signal, interior lights, trunk light, NATS, car alarm, door chime, sunroof, side view mirror defrosters, windows, door locks, remote door lock module, homelink transmitter and maybe the OBD connector.

Since the fuse powers the SECU module, this unit is suspect. It does not have a very high failure rate at all, I recall reading only 2 threads where someone had a bad SECU module, so the possibility is there.

I don't know what the draw on the battery is supposed to be when the car is turned off. I'll either have to search the org here (it has been posted) or go measure my car. But still, 250 ma draw on the audio fuse is not right.

PhalC1

First, thanks for the help, DennisMik

Next- I've metered it again. The two fuses out, it reads 24 mA, which I've been sitting at for the last several months before I got around to digging in to this issue

I add the audio fuse and it jumps to 80 mA, which from what I understand is too high. Then the weird part happens... I plug in the room lamp and it drops to 71 mA

Those numbers alone shouldn't drain the battery in a matter of 24 hours, correct? It has to be something that happens while out and about with both fuses in.

I charged the batter on trickle are overnight. It read 12.7X when I left. I was cruising around running errands and stopped 5 or 6 times. It couldn't have been more than a 3 or 4 hour errand session. The battery with both fuses sat in the garage for ~7 hours before that. So in less than 11 hours, it dropped to the point of not being able to start the car... Luckily someone gave me a jump and I drove home

One thing I'll add, which I didn't before. When the battery was getting low with accessories on(car on and driving) the airbag light and the slip light would illuminate before the car tried to die. The car would get so low, while driving, that it would die

maxipower

check the clock,,not sure if that clock draws 71 ma...

george__

iTrader: (1)

PoS battery?

PhalC1

The battery is only two years old. Granted it does sit sometimes because the lady's 2012 Altima is better on gas so we take that 95% of the time, but still.

The clock still works with both fuses out. I can pretty much find everything that is connected to the fuses because when I try to turn something on and it is, the door and trunk light illuminate and it doesn't work

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

[QUOTE=PhalC1;8999101]First, thanks for the help, DennisMik

Next- I've metered it again. The two fuses out, it reads 24 mA, which I've been sitting at for the last several months before I got around to digging in to this issue

I add the audio fuse and it jumps to 80 mA, which from what I understand is too high. Then the weird part happens... I plug in the room lamp and it drops to 71 mA

Those numbers alone shouldn't drain the battery in a matter of 24 hours, correct? It has to be something that happens while out and about with both fuses in.

This is beginning to sound like the alternator is not fully charging or you have a bad battery. Or both.

It sounds like you have a volt meter, so check the voltage when the engine is running. A good alternator should be at 14 volts. The specs are 13.8 to 14.5 volts. And it should stay at that voltage regardless of what accessories you have turned on. I have tested my car with the headlights on, low & high beams, a/c, rear window defroster, radio, hazard flashers while operating the power windows with the engine idling and the voltage reading only dropped one tenth of a volt from 14.1 to 14.0.

I would suggest you have a current draw test done on the battery as well. Even though you say it is only 2 years old, when you have a problem like this, trust NOTHING. Check/test everything.

PhalC1

Assuming I'm doing this right(red tester on red terminal, black on black), at idle it reads 12.51 volts. It read 12.52 before I turned the car on

If I rev it, it goes up. It doesn't reach 14 until about 2500 rpm though

Have we just found our problem?

PhalC1

With my lights on and both defrosts on, it reads 11.7. Revving to 3500 brings it to 11.99. It won't break 12 at idle with all accessories on

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

This is a big step in getting your problem resolved!

Your alternator has decided to give up, more specifically the voltage regulator inside the alternator.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

I'm not certain about the 5th Gen but my bet is that it has to go into sleep mode similar to the 4th gen. If this is not happening your battery will be drained. I believe sleep mode only occurs if the vehicle alarm is properly armed. Does the OP's vehicle security system work properly?

https://maxima.org/forums/4th-genera...rain-help.html

PhalC1

It's on its way and will be here tomorrow morning. I happen to have tomorrow off too

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000EL...5733786&sr=8-1
I'll give that a read. It doesn't seem to effect it whether the alarm is engaged or not

If I Loco it with my keypad, engaging the alarm, and the n I disconnect the batter to test it, will it still read the same? I made the mistake of turning a couple things on while the multimeter was connected and popped a couple fuses lol

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

First just make sure your alarm works normally. If that is fine then I would still see if it goes into sleep mode. I don't think you have to arm the alarm to get sleep mode. Turn everything off. open the hood and remove positive battery lead. Put your meter in series with the lead and the battery post. Depress the hood switch and see if current drops after 30 seconds. I'm not certain 5th gens go in sleep mode but my 4th gen did and I think most modern cars use the function. For more details check the link I provided.

Best is if you compare your readings with a properly functioning vehicle like we did with my 4th gen in the link.

PhalC1

Everything was done after the car had sat for at least a couple hours. And I unplugged the hood switch so I didn't need to press it

I read somewhere that cars take up to 30 minutes to go to sleep, so I figured overnight would work haha

I will check the alarm tonight. Should I lock it with the keypad, wait a couple minutes, and then manually unlock whatever door I'm at to see if it works?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure if the hood switch is normally open or closed but best to hook up the switch and use use it as it was intended.

Just make sure your alarm arms properly and works properly. You don't have to open ever door if there is an issue it will not arm properly. Check out the FSM for your car. http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/nis...e-manuals.html

Like I said as far as current draw goes best to find someone with a properly working 5th Gen for comparison purpose.

PhalC1

The alarm works properly. The alternator will be delivered tomorrow. I'll install it and see how it goes

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

These readings with the engine running just scream ALTERNATOR. You should be seeing 14.2 volts at best, 13.6 at worst. Anything less and your alternator is starting its slow walk to death.

PhalC1

Alternator is in. Reading 14.22 with all of the accessories on again

nestorlugo

iTrader: (11)

PhalC1

The lights are so much brighter. I didn't even realize they were that dim. Time to go drive and check it in about an hour

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Congrats on the fix.

PhalC1

How tight are you supposed to make the belt? Is it possible to turn the tensioner too much? And how would you know?

Just questions. Nothing is wrong, running great

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

The alternator/ac belt should be pretty damn tight.

The service manual says that the section of belt between the crankshaft pulley and the a/c compressor should have 1/8 inch deflection when pulling on the belt with 160 pounds of pressure! But that is using some kind of special tensioner gauge.

Realistically, if you pull on that section of belt with maybe 30 pounds of force, it should deflect very little, almost nothing.