dgw

There are hundreds if not thousands of posts about this problem in the 964 forum. It seems like I have read hundreds of them. My answer is probably in there, I just couldn't identify it.
I have a 93 RSA. Using my multimeter with DC amps set to 20 ma, and nothing disconnected, I get a reading of .84. If I remove fuse 11 (interior lights), I get a reading of .14. If I disconnect the wire for the trunk light near the hood latch, I get a reading of .04 with fuse 11 in or out. This car does not have an engine compartment light.

If I set my interior lights to go on with the door open and off with it closed, they do not go off. I have just turned them off for years to solve that. This is true if the trunk light is connected or not.

The power windows do not work unless the key is in accessory position, this with the trunk light disconnected. Probably also true with it connected.

The obvious solution seems to be to leave the trunk light disconnected, but I would like to know what the problem is and how to fix it, plus that doesn't solve the interior light issue. I have not tried to start or drive the car with the trunk light disconnected, I don't know if leaving it disconnected impacts any other systems or not.

I have examined the door switches for the interior lights, and other than the rubber boots needing to be replaced, they seem to be fine except of course they have no affect on the interior lights.

Any ideas on what to do or look for?

crg53

I don't have an answer to your post, but you do not mention anything regarding your glove compartment light, if that is not working as it should, it can cause all kinds of problems.
Your EL windows should only work after you turn the key to aux. they will work for a short while after you shut down the car or open the doors.
Check your glove compartment light/switch and report back.

dgw

the glove box light works as designed -- off when you push the switch, on when you don't. If you open the glove box slowly you can see when the light comes on.

tbennett017

I am having similar issues... I get a complete battery drain overnight... but a meter only shows .022 amp drain... very vexing. Though I haven't checked the glove box light.

It would be great if we could create a list of things to check in an increasing order of complexity.. simple things first like lights and door switches all the way up to CPU and Alternator issues...

JasonAndreas

You may have sticking relay? Turn on the car, turn it off, put the multimeter inline with the battery, THEN disconnect the battery and check the current draw.

Diagnosing a Discharged Battery

boxsey911

What happens when you remove the bulb from the hood but leave the wiring in place? i.e. what drain do you get and do the interior lights behave normally?

jody stowitts

Look thru the engine lid grill on the driver's side at night














Look down thru the engine lid grill in dark garage or at nite on the driver's side for the light to be ON. Sometimes rubber boot over the switch is so hard from yrs. of engine heat that it becomes inoperant, and will leave its lite on. Sounds illogical, but give it a shot.








9

Earlydays

....you can also tell if the front hood light is on when it's closed by touching the hood on the outside above the light, there will be a "hot" spot.

rsscotty

There is a function that allows you to operate the sunroof and power windows after the key is shut off. As soon as you open your door, the relay is deactivated. It would be interesting to know if you can operate the windows or sunroof after the door is open. If you can, then this relay would be the current draw from the door switch not functioning properly, and deactivating the relay.

dgw

Thanks for all the input. Answers to various comments are:
boxsey911--As far as I can determine, there is no way to remove the bulb for the trunk light. This was my first plan. Even the owners manual is wrong, it says to remove the screws to remove the lens, there are no screws. I would like to hear If anybody has an idea how to remove it.
jody stowitts--there is no engine compartment light
Earlydays--I didn't think of that, I will give it a try
rsscotty--power windows do not operate with the key off and the door open. They do operate before you open the door so the relay seems to be functioning correctly.

Since originally posting I have driven the car with the trunk light wire disconnected and it seems to have no effect on any other systems, so that should save my battery from going flat until I figure out the real problem.

Thanks for all the ideas so far, I wish one of them was the solution.

robt964

>would like to hear If anybody has an idea how to remove it.

put a bit of tape over the end of a small flat ended screw driver and carefully lever the light unit out from one end. It requires very little effort and should just pop right out.

ToreB

dgw, are you using a amperemeter in series with the battery? I don't know how the RSA is equipped with electronic units copmpared to normal versions, but normal battery drain is 25 to 50mA in both the 964 and the 993, depending on equipment. (aftermarket alarm/radio etc) If you measure 0.84mA there must be something wrong with your measuring method.
If I assume you measured 0,8 and 0,4 ampere you have a too high current drain, and could be caused by many things. Main suspects are a CCU fault or an activated door lock/alarm control module due to non-functioning door switches. The 993 has a door lock/alarm control module, but this was also fitted to some late 964's.
I would start with using a ohmmeter to check the door and trunk switch operation, but would start with measuring the battery current.

Cheers,
Tore

tbennett017

Thanks Jason, This is very helpful information.

dgw

I never would have tried this without someone saying it could be done. That lens looked like it was in there permanently. This did work, thanks for the tip.

dgw

ToreB,
I am using a multimeter across ground and the negative post on the battery. I don't know if I am measuring .84, 8.4 or 84. That is the reading with the multimeter set to the 20 ma scale on the DC amps setting. The car is stock except for an aftermarket radio which probably draws something.

Now that I can remove the trunk light bulb I took a couple more readings. With the bulb removed I get a meter reading of .14. With the wire near the trunk latch disconnected I get a .04 reading. Maybe that implies something to do with the alarm system. The door switches do not work at all to activate the interior lights. Maybe that points to the alarm module as well. I guess that is the next thing to look into. The car is an early 93 but it does have a factory alarm.

What is CCU, is that climate control? The car does not have air conditioning.