LED interior lights killing my battery?

[Yipeekayea]

I recently did led bulbs for the front 2 square lights and the 2 round lights behind the sunroof. Now I'm aware of people having issues with them staying on sometimes, however mine isn't doing that but I have an issue where if I don't shut the doors within 5-10 minutes of exiting the car, my battery is nearly dead. Was working on the car today after just maybe 10 minutes car nearly needed a jump. Battery is a nearly new high CCA AGM and everything tests good on charging system. So are the interior leds the culprit?

 

[SHOdded]

could be. a parasitic draw test would be more definitive. do you see them staying on dimly after the doors are closed, more obvious at night?

 

[Johnbigdog]

You could pull them out and retest.

 

[Jeff2017]

5-10 minutes? Sounds like a bad battery. Nothing should drain it in 5-10 minutes.

 

[Bill1426]

I also installed LED lights (interior), and saw that the back center dome light stays on (very dim). I installed a 470 ohm resistor to that bulb.
No issues since. Here is a youtube video on the issue, and the fix.

But, just like Jeff2017 said, the battery shouldn't drain in 5 - 10 minutes.

 

[Yipeekayea]

I had two seperate places test the battery and both said it was good. Its less than a year old and is a $180+ AGM sealed batter. I'm at a loss here. Even if the LEDs stayed dimly lit (which they don't appear to be) the car should keep a charge for hours with that little of a draw.

 

[Yipeekayea]

On a side note............today the temperature in MO where I'm at was around 20 degrees. Car sat outside for over 20 hours in this temperature...............started right up just fine. But I suspect had I left a door open for 10 minutes it would have been dead. This is the weirdest electrical problem I've encountered yet.

 

[SHOdded]

Aftermarket equipment?

 

[limited02]

How old is your battery? Mine would start my car just fine, but if I left the doors open for 5/10ish min, the battery would almost be dead. Replaced the battery and all was good.

 

[Jeff2017]

I would definitely start with the battery and then go from there. My bet is on the battery.

 

[Yipeekayea]

Battery has been tested by 2 different parts stores and they said it's good.

 

[Lostneye]

My bet is still on the battery. I've had them test good before but a new battery fixed the issue.

 

[Yipeekayea]

I'll be headed back to the autoparts store today. I'm getting really tired of resetting all the seat settings after the battery dies every night. There's no way LED lights have this big of an effect on the battery.

EDIT: and on a side note......I have the car hooked up to a digital battery tender, and it never gets to the "floating" phase, just stays on "charging." More evidence I guess that the battery took a ****.

 

[Yipeekayea]

I took the car back to the auto shop just now, and they still say the battery is good even tho the cold cranking amps tested over 300 below whats its supposed to. I swapped the factory bulbs back in and I guess I'll charge the battery up overnight and take it back again for a retest. They refuse to warranty it unless its fully charged. Good thing I paid over $190 for this battery (can you feel the sarcasm?)

 

[Johnbigdog]

Do you have a multi meter?
Drive the car. Use every function possible. Park the car where stuff is easy to acess. Open the drivers door and latch it with a pocket screw driver. Open the hood and do the same? Or tip tie the hood ajar switch closed.

After 45 minuets hook up an am-meter set to MiliAmps without breaking batter connection. The ground terminal is preferred. If you want to, before the draw test hook up a fuse holder to the negative terminal and wrap it below the terminal on the post to insure connction is not lost. A 10 amp fuse will work perfect.

Once the meter is conncted you should not have a reading over 50 MiliAmps. .05 amps. If you do remove fuses from the body control module. (Above and to the left of the foot pedals.) Then the batter junction box. (Under hood fuse box) then the high current junction box.

Once you isolate it to one fuse you have to figure out what is on the other end.

 

[Jeff2017]

Lot's of the battery makers have shifted manufacturing to Mexico. My experience is that any battery from Mexico is suspect and will not last. I just replaced an Interstate Battery that cost $175. It lasted 10 months. In the back of an XC90 where it never gets hot. Made in Mexico.

 

[Yipeekayea]

I think I need a new multimeter or learn how to use it. I get 0.00 when I do this test but it has four thingys to plug the leads into and I'm not 100% they are plugged in right. And of course I can't find a manual for it online, old dinosaur craftsman multimeter the size of a rotary phone. All the YouTube videos say plug one into COM and the other into A. Their is nothing labeled A. The other three are labeled in like ancient Aztec algebra symbols.

 

[SHOdded]

Post a pic of the multimeter, that should clarify for us I have an analog one as well, I think from Radio Shack ... Easy to pick up a cheapo one from Harbor Freight, and it does come with instructions, has been reliable so far over 2 years for me.

 

[Yipeekayea]

Well, car started without an issue today after sitting for 2 days in near zero degree temps, so I guess the LEDs were to blame. It seems crazy to me that installing LED bulbs in the dome lights makes such a huge battery draw. And I've sat in the car with the door closed and KEY OFF position and they were NOT glowing or dimly lit. So I guess the SHO just can't handle sylvania LEDs.

 

[Johnbigdog]

I didn' research this like I usually do, but I think that rear lamp is a module or at least module controlled. I'e seen weird things with led replacement lamps.

The best one is older ford truck with an led 3rd brake lamp can cause the converter to not apply.