How To Fix A Car Battery That Dies Overnight
Vložit
- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- In this video I have a look at a Jeep that the customer complains about the battery going dead overnight. There are a few simple tests you can do to hone right in on the root cause of the problem. -Enjoy!
If an SMA Video has helped you out please consider giving using "Patreon" to help support us. The videos take real time to create and pull us away from real work that pays our bills. CLICK HERE: / southmainauto
CHECK OUT OUR "SMA SWAG" STORE! Go on Teespring and get your very own SMA merch!
teespring.com/stores/the-sma-...
If you don't like Patreon feel free to use the "PayPal Me" link: www.paypal.me/SouthMainAuto
The South Main Auto Amazon Store:
www.amazon.com/shop/southmain...
AES Wave Automotive Diagnostic Tools: www.aeswave.com/cart.php?m=af...
Thank you for all the continuing support!
--Eric & Vanessa O.
Feel like sending some swag to SMA because you love the videos but don't know where to send it?
Just ship it here:
South Main Auto Repair
47 S. Main St
PO Box 471
Avoca, NY 14809
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
"Classic tape over the engine light"...... 🤣😂🤣👍
SMA rocks!!!
Hey Eric, I guess this was a freebie job because the money life was not on haha great Diagnostics. Sometimes you get so wrapped up and diagnosing a problem and you don't go back to the basics
tape over the check engine light killed me xD
Eric have you ever thought to make little SMA stickers to go over the check engine light for customers that don’t want to fix the problem?
If Eric ever gets tired of turning wrenches, he'd make a hell of an instructor.
Yeah but I’m sure it doesn’t pay as well. Nothing against my vocational instructor he was great. Most of them were service technicians at one point
@@brianbrundage1598 my instructors make about 150k a year, and that’s at a community college
...or English teacher
Yes true.. other shops put me to sleep. And no hands on...
@@brianbrundage1598 .
For the first time in my life somebody was speaking electricity to me and I actually understand!
"I'm not a spellimatician." I laughed out loud.
Best Channel Ever!!
One of my top 5 anyway. (In the auto category he has to live beside ChrisFix.)
"Ivan would be proud." Love it!
That was your classic parasitic draw. Great Job. You are absolutely right in your approach to solving this.
Before this video I thought of fuses as just a closed switch with no (measurable) resistance so wouldn't have thought of measuring across them for a voltage drop... I guess now that I think about it it makes sense they have to have a small resistance as otherwise they wouldn't heat and melt when there is over-current. Today's random thing I learned.
Closed switches also have a measurable resistance, everything does (except for superconductors, but unless you start working on MRI machines and stuff, you'll never have to worry about that)
Every current causes a voltage drop, it’s just a consequence of the current flow to equalize charges between poles. It’s the electrical equivalent to water pressure being reduced when you open a valve.
Even the wires of the circuit have some resistance and cause a voltage drop. It's not big, but it exists. More current=more voltage drop.
Exactly right. The same principal is used for the precision measurement of current. A shunt with a very low but precise known resistance is installed in series with the load to be measured. The voltage across the shunt, which is directly proportionate to the current flowing through it, is measured using the appropriate voltmeter, and is converted to amperes using ohm’s law where the current to be measured is equal to the voltage across the shunt divided by the shunt resistance.
The classic “there’s your problem lady!”
Damn. You must be one of the best mechanics in the entire country. The speed, accuracy, and validation of your repairs are insane!
I am now smarter than when I woke up this morning.
And it didn’t make me mad or madder 👍
So, does that make Eric O. dumber now?
@@BobPegram Fortunately there is no conservation law for knowledge unlike for example energy, momentum or even dirt! Someone can get loads smarter without diminishing anyone else's capacity.
Squirrel!
@@peterkim5394 I was just kidding.8-))
Maybe you can find time to start a side hustle teaching the “other shops” mechanics basic troubleshooting techniques.
I do... and your watching it just like they can ;)
@@SouthMainAuto I thought it was a bite but he may be being genuine. WOW
@@SouthMainAuto So, at local garage owners meetings are you the guy who says: "Yup, I've got 3 You Tube videos on that, have your guys watch 'em."?
You have enough work as it is... Knowing my own limitations, similar to people everywhere, do you have a video on how to do effective You Tube/Internet searches? Like searching to find, say, those 3 SMA videos on parasitic current draws?
@@SouthMainAuto wooozzzeerrzz that's gotta burn
I'm still chuckling at the "...that's why I don't work at a relay rebuilding factory folks!" - good craich! - Best wishes from the Highlands of Scotland. :)
Trouble shooting is key to any diagnostic approach. This channel has made me a better tech in my field just by watching the approach to a problem.
Nice dianostic. However, without a fuse box wiring diagram and knowing how to read it, it would be a bit more difficult. Good tip measuring voltage drop across the fuse to determine current flow through it! I learned a new word today 'spellamagician'
The correct diagrams are usually the harder items to find in the process. Used to be a few free places but now it's a bit limited, unless you are near or have a library membership, many have access to places like Alldata, Motor or Mitchell. Or you can opt for the DIY side of those for about $30.00 bucks a year for single vehicle access.
Please never stop making content Eric. You rule.
There's your problem lady! There is something strangely satisfying about blurting that out once victory is achieved.
My 2012 Chevy Colorado has a similar problem since new, battery dies in a couple of days. When it was still under warranty I had GM tow it to the dealer for repairs. The dealer then tells me the battery was bad. The next weekend the same problem. Took it back to the dealer, they then told me I don’t drive the vehicle enough.😂🤪🤪. So that was a dead end. It ended up that it was the BCM. I installed a 70 amp battery disconnect relay, works great!😁
Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen did a great number about his time working at the Relay Rebuilding Factory, genuine blue collar all the way. Brings a tear to the eye.
After 20 years of doing my brakes wrong, I now do them like Eric tells us, result, I never have to touch them between pad changes, before I’d always have to disassemble and re assemble (making the same mistakes) every few thousand miles. Listen to him, he knows what he’s doing.
'And just remember folks, if I can do it , you can do it' Apparently not many auto mechanics in your region can though! I don't know what they would do without you Eric 👍
Eric .... YOU are the man. You said "I hope you learned something". I did which is almost always the case when watching your vids. Thanks once again. Btw, now that it's cold (even in Arizona) I stay warm by proudly wearing my South Main Auto hoodie!
So, ya' do some pullin, ya' do some pokin, and ya' do some deducktin, and that's how you fix a car? Bullseye. Thanks Dr. O!
Excellent diagnostic work, Eric! The customer is lucky to have brought the car into your shop.
A logical approach to a problem is always the best way.
Thank you Mr O for the time and effort you put into videos for us, I've thoroughly enjoyed learning more about cars from you, not to mention you're incredibly entertaining!
It's my car! Mines the older style. The starting in neutral is a sign that the neutral safety switch is going, then she's going to lose reverse lights when in reverse. I love this channel always a blast to see new content!
Thank goodness there are after market neutral safety switches out there. They cost North of $ 220.00 from a dealer.
@@machintelligence yeah, they are too expensive for the age. Luckily when I swapped my jeep from 2wd to 4x4, $400 got me a transmission, axles, lift kit, extra power steering pump, extra bell housing bolts, extra torque converter... You get the idea.
@@Kiktohero4 I might guess that you did the swap after 2008. After the cash for clunkers program there were a lot of Jeeps with (deliberately) seized engines in junk yards that had good running gear. Here in Colorado you almost never see a 2wd Jeep. Also the older ones don't rust out like in the Midwest.
@@machintelligence This year, actually. I've done a ton of work to it, I have done the rear disk conversion and the Big 7.
Dude Eric congratulations on having over 500k subscribers!!! That is amazing to see such a good humble guy achieve success and have the huge viewership you do entertaining, helping, and teaching the regular people, technicians, or fellow automotive enthusiast's who enjoy these videos very very much! Best wishes to you and the whole SMA family!
I really like this kind of video.
Mostly brain work and then testing to verify the thinking.
Bravo.
Point #1. The voltage drop across the fuse only works on a solid draw, not intermittent as you can get burned if you measure across a fuse when the draw is temporarily off. Be careful how you use this test
Point #2. How come you get the fuse and relay that's visible while standing?? I"m ALWAYS upside down in a underdash block (using my extra elbow due to yoga) to pull the component.
Point #3. It's always the last fuse... sure it is.. we don't find the problem fuse and then say... ok there's the problem, now let's keep looking ; ))
Honestly though Eric, your bulls eye approach is a great teaching tool and I truly appreciate the time you take for these vids... awesome!
During your white board explanation I norticed on its right side a decal for farmboy30117s CZcams channel for farming and automotive work and I figured if YOU like him enough to have that decal there then he is good enough for me and he now has me for a subscriber. This was another excellent video showcasing diagnostic techniques thus getting right to the source. 👍
Things like this keep me coming back. I try to use the same thought process you do, but I always over-complicate everything.
not necessarily over-complicate, just that people like you and me ANALYZE OBJECTIVELY these techy things....'it is what it is' not over-think the capability of a project, circuit, wireing harness, etc.
Great video Eric - this is one that many have trouble getting their heads around, you have shown us all how simple the testing can be if you do it right !
Your knowledge of electrical systems is downright scary smart .
Absolutely informational, I’m currently in my electrical class at UTI. My next class is my final so this was perfect timing and amazing to see it from you
Good luck brotha!
Good luck bro from a fellow alumni Avondale AZ campus
Good luck from a former Electrical Instructor from UTI Avondale!!
Good Luck; we're all counting on you. (Dr. Rumack, Airplane!)
I do believe that you just helped me fix my old Chevy plow truck. Thanks a ton!
Learn something every time I watch your videos. Especially liked the voltage drop test on the fuses to determine what circuit is drawing current. Thank you.
Of all the channels I watch, I think this has been the most helpful for myself.. nice job explaining...
Awesome channel ! One of the first you tuber channels I cut my teeth on, still the best .
You’re a great teacher as you have taught me to see things like you do. First thing I thought when there was the current spike was oxygen sensor heater! Thanks Professor O!
Being an EE grad, the first thing I thought of was "It's a capacitive load." I forgot that there would be no constant draw if that were true. I have much to learn Master O.! 8-))
Eric, the draw across the fuse is just awesome! I’ve watched just about 3ver video you’ve done and can say for the weekend mechanic that I am, this was the best thing I’ve learned yet!! Thank you! I would’ve started pulling fuses.
"Squirrel"🤣we can even have a good time repairing, you gotta love the life we live👍
Good diagnosis! I was betting on a stuck on brake light or tail gate switch...Soooo many possibilities that can cause that same battery drain.
You are a great teacher AND diagnostician!
My favorite kind of videos troubleshooting electrical current draws.
Great job. I really enjoy your sense of humor as you talk. Wish I had one of the fancy Snap-on meters, not necessary but very cool.
You are an excellent troubleshooter! Thanks for sharing!
As you probably already know, XJ's have a common issue with the neutral safety switches failing. I enjoyed watching the process and the white board discussion.
That switch failed on my 92 xj.
Two of the three I had ended up with an "emergency bypass" on them because of the switch.
Changed one out already on mine.
Yep, this is a common issue on all Jeeps with the AW4 transmission. Most of the time a good cleaning of the contacts inside will do the trick. The reverse lights are also controlled by that NSS, so if the reverse lights on an XJ or MJ don't work that's a good place to look.
Great class Eric. Thanks for teaching us your procedure for finding parasitic draws. I really appreciate your taking time to share your knowledge and skills with us. Great video.
Nice diag tricks for sure, always learning with every videos.
It does help.
You always have a JEEP hat when workin on everything and anything, now you work on a Jeep...
Thanks for "relaying" this repair experience.
Well done buddy. I thought for sure when I saw the stray wire coming off the battery
and the remote start fob that it was going to be an after-market accessory that was goofing up. Nope!
Eric your an excellent mechanic, I really like how you take time to explain what was going on with the car and how you repaired it.
Tools ! Having the right tools and knowing how to use them! Your Technique and process is spot on. Great Job and very entertaining. PS My porch Ferns are still alive. High tomorrow 65 Don't miss the snow. Franklin,TN
“Gimme a match book and a nail file”...brings back memories, but I never had a nail file. If they needed to be cleaned up, just use the striker on the match book!
Thanks as always, Eric. Merry Christmas!
I have a friend with a 98 cherokee that has the same problem and am going to look at it today.......this video was great. happy holidays to SMA and the family. Ivan too.
Great information as always Eric. I think every time I watch one of your troubleshooting videos that I learn something.
With 50+ years as a mechanic I can say I have never run into a defective fuse like that, good catch. 😂
Sherlock ( Mechanic of Auto) show his diagnosis can be understood by the common person. LOVE this channel.
Strange as it is I have had a fuse causing a draw, cheap fuse had corroded and the goo caused enough of a current path to another point in the box it created a drain. Was a pain to find because the drain didn't stop with the fuse out. Wasn't until I used a thermal camera and saw the heat under the fuse that it showed up.
How to fix battery that dies over night. Disconnect battery before night :-)
A 100% effective fix for sure haha
My first car was a 51 Studebaker and that is what we had to do every night-----unhook the battery. There was a dead short somewhere. My dad took it to three different mechanics, one that specialized in electrical repair, and they all said it was the voltage regulator (6v generator system) and so this car got three different voltage regulators inside of 4 months. The amp meter still pegged full discharge 50% of the time at engine shut down. We finally gave up and sold it to another teenager for $60. He inadvertently found the problem. Any guesses??
Intermittent short in the 6v battery!! He put a different battery in it and he said it never had the problem again. 9 months later he totaled the car. A fitting end to miserable automobile. I hated that car. Now, how did the battery develop a short?
Well, not all teenagers knew that at the time not all cars had the same voltage electrical systems. In the mid 60's there were still plenty of 6v cars on the road. I guess when you own a 6v car and try to jump start a 12v car it isn't so good on the electrical system of either car or, in this case, the 6v battery! Who would have thought!
The interesting thing to me is that none of the mechanics tested or suspected the battery. Every single one diagnosed it as a faulty voltage regulator. Actually, I am thankful for that because that meant I didn't need to drive that hog ever again.
@@jws3925 Not possible the cause of high-current meter reading was the battery. If the battery had a short, the high current wouldn't leave the battery (that's the *meaning* of "short"), therefore it wouldn't display on the meter. That short certainly would kill the battery quickly, but if you saw a pegged ammeter, it wasn't caused by a defective battery.
Possible the new owner inadvertently fixed the cause when removing the old battery and installing a new one.
@@davecc0000 Wiggle the right wire and anything is possible, good/bad, OMG its on fire lol
How to fix battery that dies over night. Conduct funeral in the morning.
I really like the infrared camera idea that you talked about at the end of the video ,A lot of great information in this video thank you
Think that was the best explanation on the parasitic draw by going along the fuses that I ever have seen. It certainly clicked more for me, and with newer and newer cars turning up that’s a big help
Greetings and Happy Holidays from Miami Florida!!!
Christmas
Congrats on a well deserved over 500,000 subs 👍🏽
This man Eric O is a bloody genius. Videos are informative, can't buy experience. Keep up the excellent work.
You do fantastic troubleshooting! I guess most of us would have ripped half the car apart trying to figure that out! Great information on how to verify relays.
Awesome sauce! Love it when you use the white board! Even a dummy like me can understand things! 😂
Not Ginger with relays. I'm a Mary Ann guy myself.
@mchlross3 noice!
Who doesn't like Mary Ann more? That actress had more sex appeal in her little finger than "Ginger" had in her whole body! Playing against her nature just enhanced it.
Mary Ann?
Dawn Wells!
@@BobPegram Gingerrrrrrrrrr! But I'd never kick Mary Ann out of bed for eating crackers.
By a sad coincidence, the actress who played Mary Ann passed away today. Covid19. RIP Dawn Wells, 1938-2020.
Your approach to finding parasitic draw really helped me find one in my wife's 1989 Ford Probe. Took the same approach you did to finding what fuse had current flowing. That allowed me to narrow it down to the radio. Turned out that the motor for her retractable antenna was drawing current. That antenna got broken off years ago so it didn't hurt anything to just disconnect the motor and problem was fixed. As a DIYer I would not have had a clue how to figure that out without watching your video.
It is amazing the amount of knowledge in different fields of knowledge Eric has. In order to be such a great mechanic he has to also be a master electrician. Jeeze louise, he knows a lot.
I like your trick to measure fuse voltage. I would have started pulling fuses.
Well, to a certain degree you would have been right, since Eric verified the draw by pulling the fuse. But it saves a little time just measuring on the fuse itself to start.
Once again, I have learned. Thanks for sharing!
Terrific video with a summary of the pinpointing process. Thank you for all your videos!
Thanks for pausing and letting your viewers think when you showed the increase jump when you reapplied the fuse in the circuit. That really helps.
“Classic tape over the engine light.” Why fix it when you can just cover it up🤣
Now I will lay awake nights wondering what the code(s) might have been on that.
Why not leave it on? The bulb will eventually burn itself out. Just curious Eric. Did you check the code to see if the relay tripped the mil?
Who wants to take bets that the code was set due to the faulty relay in the first place
And if you turn up the stereo all of the noises go away
I use it on my Subaru, I do not need to know if the seat switch is on or off all the time. A yellow light just gets irritating after a time.
I love my Ut210e clamp meter for parasitic draws, no battery disconnect necessary (and I know you can sneak the probes in under the terminal, but sometimes even the best intentions fail due to unforeseen circumstances!) and also - NO FUSES :)
Yeah I have several inductive clamps but I prefer the precision of the meter myself. Especially when dealing with less that 1 amp
@@SouthMainAuto totally agreed on the precision thing! I usually deal with draws that are either around 800mA or 20mA (aka, either normal or not haha)
Great diagnosis and fix. Knowing the fundamentals principles of electricity, will guide your way to a diagnosis and solution. Good work.
SMA is my favorite CZcams channel hands down
"Spella-magician" lol, able to make spelling errors disappear at the wave of a wand! 🧙♂️
I admit I can’t always follow your reasoning when it comes to electronics. Thank you for explaining this in excruciating detail for my benefit
belated... congratulations on 500k south main family!
It's amazing that these channels have the time to make videos for one car a day in their shops how do they make a business other places have many cars they have one car a day
Just for future reference. The DVM was easier to see without the backlighting.
"relay rebuilding factory" Otherwise known as Pine Hollow Diagnostics!!
Full Russian style!
yes comrade
@mchlross3 Yep. Ivan could repurpose that relay.
Ivan would have test drove the relay with the scope hanging out the window!
@@SouthMainAuto Erik! We was having a lean supply in former USSR - no access to NAPA or Autozone, Rockauto etc. As my grandma told: Time what You have equal money what You don`t! - Do not pay to Dorman - keep in Your pocket!
Gday Eric, your electrical theory is very impressive, I love the vids, especially the electrical ones. Cheers mate. Good on ya bloke.
You are so good and you have helped me so much in the last two years on troubleshooting and how to go about it you are good and you make sense on how to go about it
Scotty better watch his back and I’m not talking Kilmer, Jim Kirk would hire Eric in a heartbeat. There’s your problem lady.
I would love to see same problem on Honda that’s coming.
It will probably be something different.
Greetings from the upper peninsula of Michigan. Very informative, hope you keep doing what you do. Love the videos. Looking forward to next one.
Another excellent presentation! Enjoy watching your videos and learning new techniques for troubleshooting. Also, gaining knowledge on newer tools for automotive diagnostics and repair.
Ya know, I've heard of the 'tape over the check engine light,' but have never actually seen it before.
Haha! I once brought a van with tape over the brake light, turned out to be the fluid was low. I tell you, some people aren't meant to own vehicles.
@@tinytim9453 A friend mechanic told me of it, but I had never seen it. He said it was mostly women. I'm just saying what he said is all.
@@Joseph1NJ And mechanics! On a Chrysler product it is likely EGR. We just check once a year to be sure that is the only code, give it an oil change and general checkover, then give it back to the wife and daughter to drive for another year!
Yeap relay welded together latched closed across load side.
Dear doctor O, I hope you read this but I would like to thank you for your time and knowledge put into these videos. I went to a tech school in Morristown TN for almost two years I studied automotive technology and I learned ALOT but I have to say I learn something new every time I watch your videos especially dealing with electronics and diagnostics. Anybody can be a mechanic but it takes someone with skill and some “tricks from Mee-Maw” to be a true automotive technician. Thank you sir and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Learned to drive on a 2000 Cherokee it only had oil changes and a water pump with 200k + miles that was bought new. Would still probably have it if my sister didn't wreck it a couple years ago sliding out on wet deicer. Probably one of the best vehicles ever built.
Could that also have been why the "money light" was on because of the o2 sensors
I'm pretty sure OLF on your screen means Out-of-Limits Fella
I was thinking some kind of component with an element.
Being from a diesel background I didn't think about oxygen sensors.
I'm so glad I found this channel, your definitely helping my diagnostic skills.
Greetings from Australia.
I'm so glad you found the problem I felt like I was there with you trying to fix the problem. in so proud of you. I feel like they should change the name from auto mechanic to auto mechanic scientist