QuestionQUESTION: I have had reoccurring problems with the car acting like it had an electrical short then upon not driving the vehicle, finding the battery dead. I had the car in multiple times to a local dealer who could find no problems. Finally it happened while it was there and they replaced the computer or parts of the computer. It is now a year later and the same thing has happened. I had gone to a local store and upon reentering and starting the car, the entire electrical system was dead, however the car started with no problems. The next morning the battery was dead. I got a battery charge and while connecting and disconnecting battery cables, a test was made of the charge, it spiked like it was charging then acted like it was not charging. The battery cables were disconnected until the next morning when the cables were connected and the car started with no problems. No electrical problems were seen. The car was given to a repair facility overnight for them to try to recreate the discharging battery. They could find no problem. I do not want to have to replace a computer, etc. I had heard that there could be a bad relay delay switch. Can anyone help?
ANSWER: Intermittent faults are very hard to diagnose unless it is doing it at the time that it is in the shop.
There are numerous relays in the electrical system.
You could have an intermittent short in the digital speedometer cluster, The computer, The RAP relay, Possibly the blower fan for your inside air is coming ON overnight or the air puump for the shocks is running all night due to an air leak in the air lines going to the shocks. If you smike it could be an intermittent short in the cigarette lighter..
There is an endless amount of possible faults that will drain a battery overnight.
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QUESTION: Hi again and thanks for the info... my brother who is a pretty good diagnostician had found something on the internet regarding relay or delay switches. I have been searching for two days and find nothing. Does anyone out there have any idea of what he had come across? I think it gave a more definitive answer to the problem.
AnswerHe could be referring to the RAP module (relay) which stands for Remote Accessory Power that remins ON for a short period of time AFTER you shut off the ignition.
But I have yet to see one that failed. If you want to replace this component on a chance that it could be faulty, It is entirely up to you.
