Battery drain

There is a test that anyone can do for an electrical short. All you need is a multi-meter ($15.00 to $20.00 or so at AutoZone). Disconnect one of the battery cables from the battery. Take your multi-meter, turn it on, and set to 20 volts DC. Take one lead and connect it to the newly disconnected battery cable, and connect the other lead to the battery post. You may have to MacGyver it to keep the leads connected. You should see some sort of reading. Now start unplugging fuses, one at a time, until you see a significant drop in the meters reading. You have now identified the circuit. If the car has any aftermarket electronics (like a radio, for example), then start with checking that.

This is the multi-meter that I have: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-multimeter-digital-with-8-functions-and-20/p-03482141000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Let us know which fuse it was and I will personally look up what is on that circuit.

I just mean you will have to figure out a way to keep the leads connected to the battery and terminal. Tape, zip ties, something along those lines. That is all.

Yeah you can do that if you want.

Well it's been a while since I've had to run that process, but I don't think you should have a reading anywhere near that. Maybe I'm missing something. I'm thinking that you're supposed to connect the leads to the positive cable and the negative terminal. Also, that negative terminal looks pretty old and worn. That could be causing your problem itself. I say replace the terminals ($4 at the auto parts shops) and check the tightness and cleanliness of the battery cables on all ends.

No if I remember correctly you should be getting a very low reading. Maybe 1 volt or so. Basically, you'll only be seeing the drain on the system, and not the whole 12v available. It's either that you disconnect one terminal and hook up the multimeter leads to the other terminal and the disconnected cable -or- you hook it up the way you have it and turn the key on for a second and then back off and start looking for an issue.

Here's our official guide on fixing that. Look at step 3. We mostly had it right the first time, except I didn't have you wait between disconnecting the battery and starting the process. Also, there is more than 1 fuse box in the car, so make sure you're checking all of the fuses from both fuse boxes. If nothing turns up there, disconnect the pwoer cable coming from the back of the alternator (should be red colored) and see if there's a big drop. A shorted alternator is a possibility worth checking into.

Yes disconnect the cable and connect one lead to the cable and one to the battery terminal that you just took the cable off of. Basically, you're looking to see power going through the multimeter from whatever the drain is. I don't know exactly what the voltage is going to be, but you're basically looking for a huge drop I'm attaching images of the various fuse box locations that I was able to pull from ALLData. To me it seems unnecessarily complex, but it's all there. That information should also be in the owner's manual, if you still have it.

Put one on the battery, and one on the disconnected cable. So if you take the positive cable off, then put one lead on the positive (+) battery post, and the other lead on the newly disconnected cable.

Either one.