# Parasitic draw on 2014 CTD



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

I’m on my fourth battery. And to be honest, I’ve gotten into the habit of putting a charger on it once a month. Seems like CTDs are tough on their batteries.


----------



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

bjg89 said:


> hello all, looking for information. ive had some issues with my electrical system several times over the years in the form of a parasitic drain. alternator works fine, battery is only 2 yrs old. I performed a parasitic draw and found that after all the other relays turned off i was drawing .71 Ma on average. i feel like thats very high. sometimes the circuit would turn off after a few minutes sometimes it was 10 or 50 minutes or not at all. I have isolated it to the A/C cabin fuse. its a 15a i think #17 if memory serves me. am i right in assuming the .71 draw is excessive? and if it is then should i be looking at the A/C control module or possible a thermostat issue? i guess im talking out my ass at this point and trying to find out where to look next to fix my issue as Im not a electrical guy. im a paramedic an organic mechanic if you will. any help would be greatly appreciated.


Welcome aboard!






Some good info here for related issues.
Post in thread 'Radio shuts off and turns on randomly.. Service Stabilitrac, Service TC, etc..'

Don't forget to introduce yourself and your Cruze here.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Seems like mine was about that too. Although I'm gas. The only battery I've had so far was 3 months in. The car sat for 13 months beforen I bought it.

You've got a ecm, bcm, tcm, radio, onstar. And whatever else pulling a drain.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

Tomko said:


> I’m on my fourth battery. And to be honest, I’ve gotten into the habit of putting a charger on it once a month. Seems like CTDs are tough on their batteries.


oh i totally agree. i have had 3 but ive figured its a parasitic draw somewhere. i just am not sure how much is "normal"
but i feel like it either needs a larger battery or something.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

yah im beginning to think they under spec'd the battery.


----------



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

bjg89 said:


> yah im beginning to think they under spec'd the battery.


At the time, it was the most powerful battery that would fit into the tray. And the highest rated in that size is NorthStar, that I’m currently using with a NoCo 26 amp charger.


----------



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

bjg89 said:


> oh i totally agree. i have had 3 but ive figured its a parasitic draw somewhere. i just am not sure how much is "normal"
> but i feel like it either needs a larger battery or something.


For me the issue is more likely the fuel-saving charging strategy of the alternator. IIRC the alternator really only goes to 90% duty when the brakes are applied or the powertrain is coasting, as in to a stop. So if you do a lot of highway trips, with almost no coasting, then the battery never gets the recharge that you’d expect. Similarly, my understanding is that the alternator stays at only 10% duty if the engine is accelerating or otherwise put under load, like driving up hill or into the wind.


----------



## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

bjg89 said:


> ... i was drawing .71 Ma on average.


Assuming you mean milli-amps, mA, I wouldn't worry about 0.71 mA.

A typical car battery has on the order of 70 amp-hours of capacity. By my calculations, it will take approximately 11.25 years for yours to run down.

I can't see 0.71 mA being a problem.

Doug

70 Ah / 0.00071 A = 98592 hours = 4108 days = 11.25 years

.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

You didn't account for battery drain. 

It'll be dead within a year with nothing hooked up. 

Also. 

How clean is the battery. Dirt or dust make a conductor also. That's another drain. Voltage seeping across from positive to negative.

Don't beleive? Measure it. One meter lead on a battery terminal. The other lead on the top of battery.


----------



## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Tomko said:


> I’m on my fourth battery. And to be honest, I’ve gotten into the habit of putting a charger on it once a month. Seems like CTDs are tough on their batteries.


Owned mine since new in 15. Had factory batter internally short at 10k miles 1 year into ownership. Now at 40k I haven’t had a failure. So far for a diesel I’ve been through less battery then I thought I would.


----------



## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Tomko said:


> For me the issue is more likely the fuel-saving charging strategy of the alternator. IIRC the alternator really only goes to 90% duty when the brakes are applied or the powertrain is coasting, as in to a stop. So if you do a lot of highway trips, with almost no coasting, then the battery never gets the recharge that you’d expect. Similarly, my understanding is that the alternator stays at only 10% duty if the engine is accelerating or otherwise put under load, like driving up hill or into the wind.


Guess all my mostly city driving is coming in handy.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

Tomko said:


> At the time, it was the most powerful battery that would fit into the tray. And the highest rated in that size is NorthStar, that I’m currently using with a NoCo 26 amp charger.


Interesting. Im learning a lot here. This is just a frustrating thing, its happened 3 times over 6 years


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

snowwy66 said:


> You didn't account for battery drain.
> 
> It'll be dead within a year with nothing hooked up.
> 
> ...


 Battery terminals are clean as the day they were made. I already clean them pretty often.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

Tomko said:


> For me the issue is more likely the fuel-saving charging strategy of the alternator. IIRC the alternator really only goes to 90% duty when the brakes are applied or the powertrain is coasting, as in to a stop. So if you do a lot of highway trips, with almost no coasting, then the battery never gets the recharge that you’d expect. Similarly, my understanding is that the alternator stays at only 10% duty if the engine is accelerating or otherwise put under load, like driving up hill or into the wind.


Do most alternators work in that fashion or is it just the stock alternator for the cruze?
If it is just for the cruze I feel like I should replace my alternator. I'm due for a timing belt change anyways so do it all at once


----------



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

bjg89 said:


> Do most alternators work in that fashion or is it just the stock alternator for the cruze?
> If it is just for the cruze I feel like I should replace my alternator. I'm due for a timing belt change anyways so do it all at once


IIRC some people have tried replacing the alternator and actually gotten into worse problems. Again, IIRC the alternator’s charging strategy is controlled by the ECM. I would advise against changing your alternator as a means to address this phenomenon.

Your time and money is better invested in a high quality charger.

I’ve been right through the charger business and have several in the house: 

1) A classic, 1970s, Made in Canada, six amp that is of little value on an AGM battery.
2) Four, 1990s, Deltran Battery Tender Plus, 1.25 amps. Decent maintainers, that have also resurrected many flooded batteries, but of little value on an AGM. 
3) A 2015 CTEK POLAR 4.3 amps. A great little charger but at 4.3 amps it’s not enough to revive a flattened AGM. A terrific maintainer, otherwise. The key advantage of this model is that it’s rated for use as cold as -22f or -30c.
4) A 2017 NOCO Genius G2600. At 26 amps this will bring an AGM back from the dead. It was recommended to me personally by a VP at NorthStar Battery. Aside from price, the disadvantage of this NOCO is that it is only rated for use to 32f or 0c. 

There is a new NOCO Genius G10 that gives 10 amps at the correct voltage for AGM batteries, and is rated for as low as -4f or -20c. It seems to be the best compromise between power, usability and price.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

bjg89 said:


> Battery terminals are clean as the day they were made. I already clean them pretty often.


Dirt accumulation on the battery. Not the terminals. 

Battery voltage seeps along the top from terminal to terminal. With dirt being the conductor.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

Tomko said:


> IIRC some people have tried replacing the alternator and actually gotten into worse problems. Again, IIRC the alternator’s charging strategy is controlled by the ECM. I would advise against changing your alternator as a means to address this phenomenon.
> 
> Your time and money is better invested in a high quality charger.
> 
> ...


Yah with


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

bjg89 said:


> Yah with


Yah now that im armed with all this knowledge and the fact a high amp alternator will cost 500 or so before install the chargers are the way to go.


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Tomko said:


> For me the issue is more likely the fuel-saving charging strategy of the alternator. IIRC the alternator really only goes to 90% duty when the brakes are applied or the powertrain is coasting, as in to a stop. So if you do a lot of highway trips, with almost no coasting, then the battery never gets the recharge that you’d expect. Similarly, my understanding is that the alternator stays at only 10% duty if the engine is accelerating or otherwise put under load, like driving up hill or into the wind.


im on 2nd battery

i do literally 75% highway as in, drive 8hrs and then park for 3wks at work, drive 8hrs home, then maybe drive the car once or twice in 2wks at home, then 8hrs back to work, rinse repeat

i had the blindspot sensors go bad and while parked the mirror would be lit up, i got that figured out and stopped, but after having to jump the car many times, got a new battery 2 winters ago


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

plano-doug said:


> Assuming you mean milli-amps, mA, I wouldn't worry about 0.71 mA.
> 
> A typical car battery has on the order of 70 amp-hours of capacity. By my calculations, it will take approximately 11.25 years for yours to run down.
> 
> ...


Hi doug s


----------



## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

If you do mean 0.71 milliamps that's nothing, and your parasitic draw test procedure is flawed or your meter is failed. 

If you mean 71 milliamps (.071 amps) this is in the range of normal for a vehicle that hasn't gone to sleep fully.

If you mean .71 amps, that's too high, and will discharge your battery too quickly 

Fuse 17 in the dash should only be a 10amp fuse according to my schematics...but regardless yes it powers the HVAC controls, but it also feed the HVAC module. If you have an actual significant draw after vehicle is asleep, through that fuse, then you'll need to disconnect the controls to determine whether it's them or the module using the power


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

As others have indicated, the units on your draw is a major issue.

I recall hearing that the radio will not go to sleep if you shut off the car while on a Bluetooth call.


----------



## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

ChevyGuy said:


> As others have indicated, the units on your draw is a major issue.
> 
> I recall hearing that the radio will not go to sleep if you shut off the car while on a Bluetooth call.


I can confirm that as I was on a call in my 2012 Holden Cruze diesel and the call didn't disconnect when I opened the drivers door. About the battery going bad, I just replaced my battery for the second time in 8 years and the battery guy told me you have to put a particular type of battery in or it will fail. The 2009-2011 Cruze diesel was Korean built and the battery guy told me they won't service them because of too many warranty claims for the battery. The company was the NRMA Australia's larges road side/break down service company.


----------



## bjg89 (Sep 6, 2020)

Ma v e n said:


> If you do mean 0.71 milliamps that's nothing, and your parasitic draw test procedure is flawed or your meter is failed.
> 
> If you mean 71 milliamps (.071 amps) this is in the range of normal for a vehicle that hasn't gone to sleep fully.
> 
> ...


Yah I meant .71 amps but it was the A/C I replaced the fuse on that circuit and the draw went away. Maybe a partially broken fuse. Idk. But I did that and the excess draw went away but I also found a bad cell in my battery. So its all fixed now.


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Aussie said:


> I can confirm that as I was on a call in my 2012 Holden Cruze diesel and the call didn't disconnect when I opened the drivers door. About the battery going bad, I just replaced my battery for the second time in 8 years and the battery guy told me you have to put a particular type of battery in or it will fail. The 2009-2011 Cruze diesel was Korean built and the battery guy told me they won't service them because of too many warranty claims for the battery. The company was the NRMA Australia's larges road side/break down service company.


The radio manages its own power. There is a seperate RAP relay, which you can hear click if you have good hearing.

For the battery... The BCM should be configured for standard charging.... There is absolutely 0 reason why it shouldn’t be. And it's the same system as the NA Cruzes. The standard setting should be safe for pretty much any battery.

There is a dedicated flooded configuration but I have never seen it used. Then there is an AGM configuration, used only in EVs, and a Li Ion configuration which I have also never seen.


----------



## LizzieCruze (Feb 17, 2014)

Hello. I have a 2014 gas cruze. Had battery that came with car until nov 2019. Never a problem. Nov I had a AAA battery installed before the winter. Car has gone dead twice now, if I leave it in driveway for 4 days without starting. I have done this since I've had the car. Why with the new battery? Any ideas?


----------



## LizzieCruze (Feb 17, 2014)

LizzieCruze said:


> Hello. I have a 2014 gas cruze. Had battery that came with car until nov 2019. Never a problem. Nov I had a AAA battery installed before the winter. Car has gone dead twice now, if I leave it in driveway for 4 days without starting. I have done this since I've had the car. Why with the new battery? Any ideas?


Almost 6 years!


----------

