Ok, the wire that runs the guages odometer and the park drive reverse lights. Found it hooked up directly to the battery a while back. Took it off and moved to fuse box. Found out I hooked it to an always on fuse. moved it an accessory fuse. Gonna try it and see how it goes. Can't find a reason for this to be always on. Comes on once the guages are set now. Looks like it was pulling a little over 3 amps continually. Car sat Monday without moving and Tuesday it was dead.

 

Update

On Saturday dead again. Jumped it and took it to Auto Zone. Battery was shot. Dead short. Less than 80 amps. Since I just bought the 7 yr in January got a free one. Maybe this was part of the problem all along.

 

Glad it looks like you have it figured out. I was curious about the battery but you had said it was new(er). I guess we can never rule out the battery. Keep us posted.

 

Either you have really bad luck with batteries (according to your post 4 batteries in as many months - you stated 3 batteries in 3 months and now this other new one makes 4)... or you're exaggerating the battery issue. As I stated in post 3, a bad battery can be your problem in which I said you need to diagnose this problem. However if you have truely gone thru 4 batteries already, then you MUST have some other electrical problem I can't beleive someone is just that lucky!!!!

 

Well we bought the car 2 yrs ago. It had a new battery. since then 2 walmart batteries and now on 2nd Auto Zone battery. Hopefully bad batteries but I wonder guess we'll see and revisit the probem if it rears it's ugly head in the future.

Thanks for the help folks.

Dave

 

so 5 batteries in 2 years and 4 in 3-4 months according to your story. WOW, you have a serious problem either the van has a major problem or there's a short circuit between the wheel and the seat

 

How are u doing a battery off draw test? how are u hooking the leads up give it to me in exact order u do it.

 

Disconnected the negative, clipped on the meter to the negative and then to the negative wire. Set meter to dc amps. was pulling 3+ amps. began removing fuses 1 at a time. never got below 3. found the wire that runs the guages and the alarm panic horn directly connected to battery. unhooked it and amps went to near zero.

 

First step is wrong when u did that U made what ever was drawing down the battery to reset and stop the drain. Plus when u hooked back up the meter and made a completed circuit the cars system came back to life and that's why U got 3 amp draw.

U must disconnect the batter cable and also have the meter already attached so it wont loose contact at any time. and keep the same connection. Also u must wait at least 10 min for the system to go to sleep and then at best it should be drawing 35 mili amps. Then see what the meter says if u are at or below 35 mili amps u are good if not do the fuse pulling deal.

 

Ok will do it that way this weekend. Thanks