Battery going flat overnight

[Hobojo]

First my ABS unit started playing up... Alarm went off, light went off and dash instruments cut out intermittently. Disconnected the ABS which stopped dash instrument cut outs. Now I am finding that the battery is going flat after 24-48 hours. :lock: Checked the current draw on the battery with a multimeter and found a 40 mA drain which intermittently drops to 2 mA after a short time. Tried pulling each fuse and relay but the draw did not change. Firstly is a 40 mA drain normal and secondly, what else could be causing the drain if not found by pulling the fuses and relays. I have also noticed each time the battery is initially connected, the antenna goes up and down. Have thought maybe the alternator is causing it but it charges the battery once the engine is running. Checked if the interior lights, boot light and glove box light are causing it but don't think so. Any ideas?

 

[hotrod]

nope , have you tested your battery is it holding charge , bit hard to diagnose some think like this , does it have a amp to stereo , only thing that be on is your alarm system , if you think its the globes pull em out to see. good luck with it , sounds like an auto elect problem to solve.

 

[Tasmaniak]

40mA is ok. To be honest, it sounds to me like an old battery.

 

[Hobojo]

Have only just replaced the battery with a new one. Also noticing the antenna going up when I put it in reverse so I am beginning to suspect the stereo as it has a reverse camera integrated into it.

 

[mpower]

Have only just replaced the battery with a new one. Also noticing the antenna going up when I put it in reverse so I am beginning to suspect the stereo as it has a reverse camera integrated into it.

So it's aftermarket?

Sounds like there might be some suspect wiring at play.

 

[wortus]

Do you have your headlight switch set to auto? If it switch it to off when you park the car overnight and see if this solves your problem. I had a dead flat battery a few years ago, it was a recently new Exide battery.
I charged the battery up, had it tested and also load tested the car with everything turned off, all was OK. One night I was down in the garage, heard a click and the headlights just turned on. The headlight switch was on auto, since then I don't use the auto mode and have never had another flat battery overnight.

 

[Hobojo]

SOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! feeling pretty goooood!!! For anyone who has the same problem all I have to say is alternater...alternater...alternater !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tasmaniak]

antenna going up when in reverse is alternator?

 

[Hobojo]

OH and thankyou to those who had input for my problem