nmm123

Hey y’all, I have a 2005 EX Coupe. This has been a consistent issue for at least the past year, possibly longer.

If I let the car sit for 8-10 days, the battery is completely drained. The subwoofer and head unit are both draining power while the car is off, but the battery is also losing voltage while nothing is connected to it (besides the cable wires).

I should also mention the battery that is currently in the car is only 6 months old. Prior to this the car sat for as much as 4 weeks without being run (I was in the process of moving, it couldn’t be helped), over a 6 month period — and that battery has since been replaced with the new one that is now 6 months old.

I can only assume there’s a shorted wire somewhere, but I wouldn’t even know where to start. Would I be better off taking it somewhere? What’re y’all’s thoughts? Thanks.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

take to a car part store and have them also check if the alternator is charging.
before that, check if alternator bolts are not loose

Colin42

Start pulling fuses until the drain stops. Then inspect the wiring of the components in that circuit

nmm123

Hey y'all. So I ended up taking it to the dealership and this is what they had to say. When I asked the technician to show me what they meant, they refused and said they didn't feel comfortable messing with aftermarket stereos. Which is crazy because I just paid $130 for him to tell me something I don't understand.

This isn't something I had an issue with with my last aftermarket stereo. The fuse in the back of both is the same (10A), so I honestly can't understand why this radio is a new issue.

The only reason I changed the stereos was because the volume **** on the previous one was giving me issues. When I turned it too fast it would kick back down to 10, and anything above 25 would cause it to kick back down to 10. For reference, the highest setting for both radios is 35. Also, for some odd reason, this new stereos actually louder than the last one. Again, don't understand why. If it helps, this is the new and old stereo models: (new) JVC KD-T91MBS ; (old) JVC KD-R97MBS. They're both advertised as marine stereos, and I used them because I can't see LED backlit stereos in my car, in the sunlight.

Also, here's the diagnostic report from the dealership.

Thoughts? Thanks.

Colin42

Do you have just an aftermarket deck? Or an amp and subs?

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

they don't want to deal with mess ups from other people. If whoever installed the deck damaged the wiring... Did it start after you installed the deck?

nmm123

To answer both your questions, I have an aftermarket deck and sub with a built-in amp. I installed the deck myself. I bought an OEM harness online and crimped the wires using blue clips (see photo below). This started after I installed the newest deck. The previous aftermarket deck didn't have any issues.

BrotatoChip

Man, I hate those splice connectors.

Colin42

Agreed those are garbage.
Why didn't you just buy the proper adapter harness?

nmm123

I’m not sure I understand your question. The unit itself came with a harness and plug for the back of the radio, but I needed another harness to plug into the OEM harness. Those two harnesses are connected via those clips.

Also, what would you recommend I use alternatively to those clips?

Colin42

So you did buy the proper adapter harness?
so either solder the connections, or use good crimp connectors. You have your signal wire for the amp hooked up properly so it only turns on when the deck is on?

123Krash

You should be able to prove the technicians diagnostic by unplugging the Head Unit and Subwoofer. one at e atime.

Just a guess if the sub-woofer has its own amp, what turns on this amp ? What Powered Sub are you using ?
Amps usually require a power feed and also a power-on signal. Is it possible the sub-amp is powered on all the time even when the car/radio is turned off ?

nmm123

As far as I know I did. I crimped the connectors to each other as each harness designated, and taped off the remaining wires (steering wheel controls). I bought a factory harness adaptor from eBay that plugs into the OEM harness fine. I could always buy a new one off eBay or Amazon for like $15, too.

I’ll look into a soldering kit, though.

nmm123

When I tried to do that though the battery still drained, that’s why I was confused he said that was the issue. The drain wasn’t much, but it still existed.

The subwoofer does have its own amp, yes. The sub has direct power to the battery, and is also plugged into the back of the radio. It’s my assumption that the sub and it’s amp don’t turn on unless the car and the radio are on, but I’m not sure how to check if it’s pulling direct power while everything else is off. The sub is a JBL GT-BassPro12.

When the key is out of the ignition and the car is off, I can’t turn on the radio so that’s what initially led me to believe it wasn’t draining power. That is, until I checked the battery voltage daily.

123Krash

There is always some minimal battery drain.. If you have remote lock/unlock, security system even the factory (led blinks on dash and radio). But not enuf to drain a good battery in a week or so.

I understand the dealer tech's not wanting to diagnose wiring that is not factory installed. There are many ways to wire things some very good, some good, some funtion, and some are really hack jobs.

Good luck. I had a battery draining issue on my '08 Cpe. I chased it for weeks. Had the battery jumped, checked, replaced twice, pulled all fuses, disconnected stuff. but never could figure it out.. and I have a electronic background. Ended up taking it to the dealer, although my car is factory stock. The dealer had the car for 3.5 weeks, after about a week and ahalf the said the problem had been found and was the fuse box under the dash.. replaced it but a few days later called and said there was still another problem causing it to drain the battery, a week later they called and said the figured it out and it was the dash, speedo cluster, that was the problem, replaced it and a week later said it was fixed. Go to pick it up and they wanted to charge me $2k, I argued and argued, called my salesman who I'v bought 5 Hondas at this dealer form in the past 20 years, spoke to managers, and the agreed to get the price down to $1500.00. My main argument was they probably mis-diagnosed teh fuse panel and I did not feel I shoudl pay for that, they insisted that both components were bad .. not something you can prove either way so I had to pay $1500 to get the car back.
As an engineer that has worked on electronic devices since the 1960's its not likely that both parts were bad..
When I go the car back they had cracked the plastic dash piece that covers the radio & climate controls, had to be removed to replace that dash cluster, I went off on the service rep and after a loud argument they agreed to replace that at no charge, then as I drove away at the corner I realized the turn signals did not work, turns out the rear lights were all out, back to the shop, they had left the light harness unplugged.. I think diagnosing the problem they unplugged most everything.... then get home turn off car, remove keys, get out and while talking to a neighbor heard the car lock.. strange. tested it a few times and realized that when you unlock the car open doors, get in . out it will lock itself automatically., as if you unlocked it and did not open a door. The interior lights also did not come on when you unlocked or opened doors. Back to the dealer, turns out the had left the door sensor switch removed so the security system did not know the door had been opened or closed.
Summary, electrical problems can be hard to trace.

How to be sure its not the sub. I looked at the manual onlie for that sub and it has 2 wires on the back one for power and one for remote turnon.. unplug both and that will eliminate the sub from the problem list, but not the wires back from the sub to the power source or the remote turn on switch.

nmm123

That’s insane, that you had to go through that much trouble… only to spend all that money and ultimately have more issues. That thing with the car locking itself though, I’ve noticed my system does that too. If I unlock the doors, walk away, then come back it’ll lock itself. It won’t if the car is on, but that’s it. It’s weird.

I wired up the sub with my dad like 4 years ago. We ran the wires under my trim panels, next to the seat, and through an existing hole in the firewall (with a grommet). It’s zip tied anywhere necessary, to hold it in place. At first I was worried that maybe the casing was grounding somewhere, but I followed all the exposed wire and found that not to be the case. Taking out all the door trim is a pain in the ***, so I opted out from that.

When you say unplug them, and not from the back of the sub, I assume you mean at the battery and the radio? I previously only did it from the sub, at the battery, but I didn’t consider the back of the radio too. That’s probably why it was still draining power. I’ll give that a shot this week and see how the power difference looks on Friday.

I was hoping it would be an issue solved easily, but the car has been through a lot so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it’s thrown another curve ball at me. I’m only planning to keep the car for another year, or year and a half at the most anyways. I was looking at those new Crosstrek’s, and I’m saving up for it. Decided to get something with AWD, since I’m planning to move somewhere that snows frequently.

Colin42

That's by design, so that if you accidentally unlock the car and walk away it doesn't stay unlocked.

123Krash

Yes that is correct, I understand that function.
My issue was a bit different, if you unlock it and then open the doors it should not relock itself automatically. I do this all the time when loading up to go fishing. Un;ock, open drivers door, open trunk and sometimes throw the keys in on the seat while securing the canoe/kayak/sup to the roof racks, Close trunk.. then now the keys are inside and if it locks I'm locked out sometimes in remote areas with no cell service or other people around... very much a PITA !

The dealer fixed all the little issues after the fact pretty quickly, but was a pin going back and forth. I kind of understand the cost issue, as they probably spent many many hours trouble shooting, and the small after the fact issues with lights and lock's shows me they unplugged everything trying to find the short. I'm pizzed about saying it was multiple non related parts, first saying it was the fuse panel, then days later saying that only partially fixed it, and then finding the real problem. IDK how they could have not noticed cracking the radio bezel when pulling it out of re-installing it.

I;ve had all those trim panels around the seat out. To get the kick panel out, you have to first remove the trim panel along the door sill, to get that one out you have to remove the seat belt from its mount... did not remove rear trim panel. Its a PITA. I'm not sure, I had a health delay not long after all that work was done, and did not drive much. 6 months later I realize my rear speakers and sub are not working, it could be unrelated to the work they did, but I was pulling everything thinking they left something unplugged, but I coould not find the cause. The one connector I did not get to is behind that trim panle in the rear seats below the window from B-pillar to C-Pillar, that requires more work like pulling out the rear seat top half.

Colin42

Yeah that's a problem, leave a window down?
Maybe there's still something unplugged related to the doors/locks

123Krash

The problem was supposedly the switch in the door.. they fixed it but cost me yet another trip,