Battery drain problem

C BONNER

MEMBER
1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
115,000 MILES

I have a parasitic battery drain problem which lowers when fuse 31 is removed on the inside fuse panel. This controls the main light switch and the lighting control module how do I diagnose from here?

The draw is 5.8 amps it lowers to 2 amps when fuse 31 is removed under the dash. When I removed fuse 19 in the fuse panel under the hood the draw went down to.5 amps. This fuse feeds sub woofer, i/p fuse panel, fuse 23. I assumed this draw was due to the stereo coming on every time the battery is disconnected and reconnected or am I wrong.I tried unplugging the light switch and that blew the fuse in my multi-meter. I then tried hooking up the battery and the lights came on with no switch plugged in is this normal?

4 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

It sounds like you have a lighting control module that has shorted out. Here is the location so you can swap it out.

Check out the diagrams (Below)

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

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Thursday, December 27th, 2012 AT 2:59 AM

C BONNER

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Yep you were right once I unplugged the lighting module the voltage draw stopped. Thanks for the help I can believe this site is free.

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Thursday, December 27th, 2012 AT 5:44 PM

JOHN MILLER2

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I’m having same issue power draw ac cluster. I used a test light on the battery all fuse the problem is coming from #31. I don’t know to replace the switch or the unit. Also every time I start the car I have to use dimmer to raise brightness.

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Thursday, August 20th, 2020 AT 11:03 PM

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Okay, you never use a test light for a draw at all. That is checking voltage. A draw is caused by current flow, not voltage.

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

You need to remove the negative cable and put a voltmeter in line. Red lead on the cable and black lead on the battery post.

Then set your meter to DC amps. Let it sit for a couple minutes for the modules to go to sleep. Then read the current flow. It should be 50-75 milli amps. If it is more, remove the fuses one by one until the draw drop to within specs. That will be the circuit that is causing the draw.

Roy

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Friday, August 21st, 2020 AT 3:48 AM