davelavelle
09-06-2010, 02:02 PM
Help! I have a problem on my 2006 Legacy (59k miles) whereby something is draining the battery, even with the keys out, doors closed,no lights on etc. About a week ago, my tail/license plates died. I changed bulbs, 15A fuse, nothing. My Subaru-owning buddy, suggested I replace the battery, as it was almost 4 years old. I did, still no lights!
We traced it to possibly the rotary stalk switch on the steering column, as the parking light on top of the column DOES turn on the lights, all work fine.
Problem is, since we did the above, the new battery is draining in a couple of hours. The connections look good, and it seems to be charging fine, as I have 12.6 v on the battery terminals (disconnnected) and 14.1v across battery terms with the leads connected and engine running. After only two hours of being stood, though, the battery voltage is down to 8 or 9 volts! I charge it up, starts fine, then 3 hours later, dead as a doornail again. My Subaru dealer seems lost, they ordered a new light switch, that didn't work, they are now thinking it might be a bad circuit board on the parking light switch. Any ideas, anyone? What circuits are powered without the ignition turned on? (I have also tried pulling the 20A lighting fuse in the engine compartment, but the battery still drained). I do get a pretty good spark when I connect the positive lead back onto the battery....
We traced it to possibly the rotary stalk switch on the steering column, as the parking light on top of the column DOES turn on the lights, all work fine.
Problem is, since we did the above, the new battery is draining in a couple of hours. The connections look good, and it seems to be charging fine, as I have 12.6 v on the battery terminals (disconnnected) and 14.1v across battery terms with the leads connected and engine running. After only two hours of being stood, though, the battery voltage is down to 8 or 9 volts! I charge it up, starts fine, then 3 hours later, dead as a doornail again. My Subaru dealer seems lost, they ordered a new light switch, that didn't work, they are now thinking it might be a bad circuit board on the parking light switch. Any ideas, anyone? What circuits are powered without the ignition turned on? (I have also tried pulling the 20A lighting fuse in the engine compartment, but the battery still drained). I do get a pretty good spark when I connect the positive lead back onto the battery....