Help with battery problem
 

Hi guys, I have a problem with the battery. For some reason after I shut off everything the car the lights, the battery dies overnight or in a couple hours, for some reason the car is consuming electric while its all off, I tried to replaced the battery twice its not the battery.

Any info or suggestions let me know thanks for your time!

Car info 2009 Nissan 370z 33k miles.

Have you installed any aftermarket electronics i.e. Stereo, lights?

Any CELs coming on? Any idea what the volt meter is saying when the car is on? Based on that number you can narrow it down to or rule out the alternator which is a likely culprit.

Some people have "double tapped" the start/stop button, leaving the car in accessory mode by mistake.

Is the alternator putting out enough juice? Check the voltmeter on the top of the dash - should be reading at least 14 volts. Doesn't guarantee the alternator is OK, but it's a good sign if 15 volts or so.
Some auto parts stores will still check your alternator and battery for free. Grab the Yellow Pages and start calling.

Check the fuses and fusible links immediately next to the battery terminal. Use an ohmmeter or voltmeter; don't trust your eyes.

As per TreeSemdyZee, have you added anything electrically powered that is not turning off?

Check the water level in the battery. Add distilled water as needed.

Check battery connections and grounds for corrosion.

That's all I can think of right now. Good luck.

Might want to go to the dealershit to see if your car has loose wiring anywhere

This, could be bad alternator not charging the battery while its running.

No i did not everything is stock.

Alternator is giving between 14 and 16, the battery replaced two times, the car is not being forgotten in ACC mode, Ill check some fuses today.

Any specific fuses that might be connected with this that would be a good idea to check?


Thanks for help to all much appreciated.

Hmmmmmm... Seems like you're shorting something somewhere... And with a high draw, because even if I leave a map light on for a few hours or even overnight, my car will still start, and I'm on the 3 year old OEM battery...

Did you buy the car used? Or, sorry to state it like this because it's a bit personal, but are you a "high risk" loan customer? Sometimes if your car was used, or you are a "high risk" customer the previous owner or dealership or loan company will request to have a GPS tracker installed which could be drawing power.


(My last car, a 2009 Maxima, was a rental car and it had a GPS tracker/remote locking device)

Look through the FSMs (available on this site at Nissan 370Z Owners Manual / Service Manuals - Nissan 370Z Forum), especially the PG (Power Supply & Ground) section. The fuse/fusible link box I was referring to is shown on page PG-85.

One other thing to check: battery voltage when car is turned off. Should read ~13.2V immediately after killing the engine.
Let sit for a few hours and take another voltage reading. If it reads below about 12.3V (~75% charged), then the battery has a problem, you have a drain somewhere, or you are not charging.

LOL, me and SouthArk went over battery issues and voltages a lot, the man knows what he is talking about

I bought the car used yes, where would the gps tracker be located if a loan company had it?

Thanks SouthArk370Z I will check the battery again. i didn't check the battery voltage before but it seems that the car is consuming power while its completely off, takes the power from the battery. I replaced it two times, Ill replace it again since the battery is under warranty.

Any more suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks to all!

Don't just start swapping parts yet. If the battery will take a charge, there is no reason to return/replace it.


If you are sure that the alternator is in spec and that the battery is taking a charge, then you need to track down the "ghost" load.

When the car is off, do you see any lights or hear any noises? Ie, is something on that shouldn't be on?

Get an ammeter and insert it in place of fuses until you find an abnormal current draw when the car is off.

Can you feel (an IR temperature monitor will work better/faster, if you have one) any warm spots in the wiring, relays, and control modules? This will be a PITA to check as you will have to remove misc covers and panels to get to everything. For the IPDM-E/R and other parts under the hood, wait until after the engine compartment cools to ambient temperature before probing.

There are several videos on youtube that show you how to test for parasitic loss.
Automotive Repair: Locating Battery Drain Using Voltage Drop - YouTube

Thanks for reply!
when the car is off there is no noises no lights on, nothing i even locked the car stayed in couple minutes maybe it does something while its locked, nothing happened.

where do i get a ammeter?
Which fuses do i check for any unusual power draw?
thanks for help!

Thanks for reply!
when the car is off there is no noises no lights on, nothing i even locked the car stayed in couple minutes maybe it does something while its locked, nothing happened.

where do i get a ammeter?
Which fuses do i check for any unusual power draw?
thanks for help!

See link in prev post by DR__
heehee. It didn't occur to me that fuses would have enough resistance to easily measure the voltage drop. You can check for parasitic losses with a voltmeter. It has the added benefit of not having to pull fuses and killing power to things like the ECM that require some power at all times. :)

If your next question is "Where do I get a voltmeter?", or you don't understand the video, get thee to a professional (eg, dealer).

If you made it this far, look in the Owner's Manual or the FSMs for fuse specs and physical locations. I'd start with the fuse block in the footwell, just because it's easy to get to. Then the block connected to the battery terminal. Then the IPDM. Then any other fuses/fusible links I found in the manuals.

It'll be connected to the main wiring harness and most likely connected to the start switch as well.

In my Maxima I had the shop that installed my foglights look into it, and they guy showed me that it was connected to the main wiring harness of the car, it was connected to the window switches and door locks as well as the start button.
He said that it was installed in such a way that they would lock you in, roll the windows off and shut the car down. Uninstalled it in maybe an hour from start to finish?

I don't know the details of the Nissan "comfort access keys" but by any chance do you park in a garage and leave the key in the car? I ask this bc the car has to know when the key is in range so you can lock/unlock/start the car. If you leave the key in the car or in range it can cause the car to constantly recognize the key and be a draw on the battery.

Now I can't say for sure this is true for Nissan but I have seen this at work with BMW comfort access systems and when the key is left in the car it never goes into sleep mode. But batteries on BMW's are wired into many systems and even have to be programmed in newer BMW's so what I'm talking about may not mean anything on our cars but its worth a look. Always start with the easiest most inexpensive things first before you start spending any serious money.

Problem solved with the battery!

What happened: I checked fuses and came across the alternator fuse and it was missing.

What caused the problem was the the alternator didnt give power according the its computer because it wasn't connected, it gave overpower to the battery on its own.

Installed new fuse new battery since the other one was overpowered and died after two three hours.

Car runs fine no battery issues again.

Thanks for any ideas you guy gave me.

kinda makes you wonder where in the heck did the first fuse end up at???
since it wasn't there. anyway glad you got it figured out................