2002 Ford Maverick 2.0 XLT suspected parasitic draw

[Fridaysniper]

Good evening all, 

I have an issue with my dive truck (a Ford Maverick 2.0 XLT 2002 model). A while ago some useless little ***** bashed out the passenger side window just for laughs and giggles it seems. Nothing stolen - radio etc left inside unmolested. I have had the window replaced by PG Autoglass (two attempts as on their first attempt the battery was completely dead and they couldn't open the door).

Anyhoo, window was successfully replaced but now the battery doesn't last more than a day or two before being too weak to start the car. As I use it mainly on weekends to go diving (lots of diving equipment and tanks to carry around). I have installed an aftermarket solar trickle charger to try and keep the battery topped up but to no avail. I still have to jump start the damn thing whenever I actually want to use it. Alternator and battery was new (replaced just before the break-in or vandalism whatever you want to call it) so that's good.

I am thinking that the factory alarm is thinking the window is open and therefore won't go into sleep mode thus running down the battery. 

Any ideas for an easy fix? I don't want to spend thousands of pounds having an auto electrician look at it. I bought it for 900 pounds and spent a few hundred fixing it up so it passes the MOT and I can use if t for diving. I am at the point of calling it quits and getting rid of it (don't really want to but can't be arsed with a vehicle that isn't mechanically and electrically sound).

Any help would be much appreciated 

[Luke4efc]

Have you out a multimeter on and measured how many amps the car is drawing when the engines off, all the doors are shut etc.

If it's showing current, start pulling fuses one by one and see which one causes the amps to drop off. You can then take it from there rather than guessing at things.

[Fridaysniper]

Thanks. I am planning on doing some investigating tomorrow and will report back. I guess I was hoping there was an easy fix. It started just after the window was smashed and I was thinking there is some way to reset the alarm system so it realises that the window has now been repaired and will go into sleep mode. I am not an auto electrician but it seems to me the alarm is constantly checking to see if everything is closed. Nothing else was broken and window replacement is pretty straightforward so I doubt the guy who replaced the window screwed it up. The window works perfectly. The only other symptom that there is something wrong is that the door doesn't unlock with the remote fob. All the other doors and tailgate etc unlock with the fob so I know the fob works fine.

In a worst case scenario I'll just have to remove the fuse for the errant circuit every time I ark it up for more than a day. At least until I get it to an auto electrician. Looking forward to spending some time with a car rather than sitting around in the house working remotely or having the wife dream up DIY for me on weekends..

[Kevin#95]

Unplug the battery negative for 1 hour and then connect it back up and leave it for 10 mins. Then turn on the ignition only for 10 mins. Then turn off and back on and start it up. Might just need a battery reset to fix it.

[Fridaysniper]

A little update. I started this morning and got all the tools etc ready for a long day ahead. Multimeter, spare cables with alligator clips etc etc. Sat in the car and checked the battery status since I left it standing overnight. 9.6 volt. Not great. Started the car (thankfully without needing to jump start) and while I let the engine run a bit to recharge the battery I gave the situation some long and deep thought. Checked that all the door ajar switches work properly by opening the door/ tailgate etc and checking if the light on the dash comes on and goes out when I close the latch manually using a screwdriver. All work properly so I'm sitting there thinking when I realise that even though I lock and unlock the car the passenger side is not locking or unlocking. If locked it stays locked and if unlocked it stays unlocked. Can't believe I never thought to check something so basic. I turned off the car and locked with the remote fob. Went around to the passenger side and the door is not locked :) I unlock the car and manually lock the passenger door. Lock the car remotely and check again. Passenger door locked and remains locked when I unlock manually.

I have now locked the car (including the passenger door) and have left it stand. I'll check how the battery has fared overnight. I am hoping that the problem was that the alarm system could sense the door was open and kept checking. Now that the door is locked hopefully the alarm system will see that too and go into slumber mode. Pretty sure that the alarm is (or hopefully was) draining the battery because it couldn't go into slumber mode. Before the break-in the car was perfect and could stand for two weeks or even longer without moving. First try it would start right up. SInce the break-in if I don't start it every day it is very debatable if it will start on the second day - even with a solar charger plugged in. 

If there is still an issue then I shall have to open up the door and see if I can fix it so the door locks and unlocks remotely. You can unlock all four doors using the switch above the window buttons on the passenger door so I know the switch has power and works. It  could be something isn't properly connected to the door latch mechanism or something so I'll do some research on that next.

Once I have resolved the issue I'll report back again. Hopefully this post will help someone who has a similar issue in future.

[Fridaysniper]

1 hour ago, Fridaysniper said:

You can unlock all four doors using the switch above the window buttons on the passenger door so I know the switch has power and works.

Sorry, that statement is confusing. What I mean is the switch on the passenger door to lock/ unlock the doors works. It locks and unlocks all the OTHER doors but not the passenger door. I have been thinking about this while doing DIY chores and either there is no power getting to whatever solenoid or switch operates the door lock on that door, or the solenoid itself is faulty (unlikely). I'll check the battery voltage after it has stood overnight and if it is still draining I'll open up the door and start checking wires etc. In fact I may do that just to be thorough.

[Fridaysniper]

23 hours ago, Kevin#95 said:

Unplug the battery negative for 1 hour and then connect it back up and leave it for 10 mins. Then turn on the ignition only for 10 mins. Then turn off and back on and start it up. Might just need a battery reset to fix it.

Thanks, I meant to reply earlier. i have had the battery off the car when it completely discharged and I had to recharge overnight on a plug-in charger. Putting the battery back on the car then made no difference unfortunately.

I've been scratching my head thinking and wondering if there is an alarm reset or something that needs to be done. I think (I hope!) I have been overthinking this and that the solution is just to lock the passenger door manually.

[Kevin#95]

The cause of a problem is likely the last thing that was changed. Either the break in or glass change has caused the door lock problem. Might be a bit of broken glass jammed in the door open close mech or a loose electrical wire.

[Fridaysniper]

On 4/10/2020 at 4:36 PM, Kevin#95 said:

The cause of a problem is likely the last thing that was changed. Either the break in or glass change has caused the door lock problem. Might be a bit of broken glass jammed in the door open close mech or a loose electrical wire.

Well, it seems to be holding a charge in the battery and not running down overnight anymore so for now I'll keep locking the door manually. I do think you're right though. I have taken the door card off and have inspected but all the wiring seems good. I cannot hear the latch mechanism running or even attempting to lock the door when I use either the remote fob, or when I use the switch on either the passenger, or driver's door. I know it used to attempt locking it even after the break-in so either the solenoid is toast on that door, or something is properly jammed in somewhere. I'll take it apart on the weekend and see if I can see anything. If it still doesn't work, and there is power on the wires to the latch then I guess I'll have to get a replacement. 

 

Doing DIY in the house today 😞

[Fridaysniper]

So, just a final update if anyone else has this problem in the future. I opened the door card again, carefully checked everything inside the door and ran a few test locks and unlocks remotely, and with both the driver's side, and passenger side door lock buttons. All the doors work and lock perfectly, with the exception of the passenger door. I figured that seeing as there doesn't seem to be anything fouling the mechanism I should look at a new latching solenoid or something. Put the whole thing together again with the plan of getting online and ordering parts etc. Locked the car remotely, forgetting to lock the offending door manually. Realised that I had forgotten and opened the car to do so. Then I realised that the passnger door works! Tried it a few more times and whatever was causing the issue seems to have gone away :) No idea what I did but it's working again. I am still not taking any chances and am still locking the door manually before I lock the car with the remote, and when I unlock remotely all the doors unlock. Great stuff. I think Kevin was right and some bits of glass were still stuck somewhere and me fannying about in there may have loosened it from wherever it was. At least now the battery lasts more than 5 minutes 😁