New stereo install, battery drained

[mase123987]

I have a 1998 Cutlass that had a broken tape player in the stereo. I found this to be a good excuse to put a new stereo in it. I bought a Alpine cde-133bt. I used the follow for the install: Metra 40-GM10 GM Antenna Adapter, Scosche GM03B 32-Pin Connector for 1994-Up GM, Scosche GM1583B 1992-Up General Motors Oversize Radio Multi Kit with 2 CD pocket.

After I soldered the connections that read the same from the harness to the stereo's wires and plugged in the antenna, I bolted it in place and put everything back together. The stereo worked well. I also drove the car later that night, parked it and then drove it home 3 hours later. Again, there was no problems.

The next day, I install new speakers. Once again, everything sounded good when I turned the key to accessories to test. I didn't drive the car that night.

The next morning, I went to my car to go to work and it wouldn't start. It wouldn't even get to the point where the starter would click. Eventually I brought my battery to an auto store to have it checked and they said it was a goner, so I bought a new one. I installed the new battery and the car started right up. I drove it around for awhile and then parked it. The next day, it started fine going to and from work. The day following, it was back to be dead.

Given that I never had this problem pre-new stereo, it is safe to say I didn't do something right.

Currently, when the battery is connected, I get a fast paced ticking sound somewhere around the glove compartment. There is also some type high pitched soft hiss coming from the stereo and sometimes clicks coming from near the rear, passenger-side speaker. When I take out the fuse labeled "Interior lamps, Body Function Control Module," all the different sounds stop. They start right back up as soon as I put it back in. I also took out the stereo and the ticking continues with the fuse in.

I can only imagine that I screwed the ground up. I am more of a hobbyist installer than a knowledgeable one.

HERE IS MY QUESTIONS: Could improper grounding do what I have described? Could I have destroyed anything (besides the battery)? Also, does the ground from the stereo go to the chassis ground coming from the harness?

I am hoping I can get an answer here before I bring it into a shop. Thank you so much for any help.

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

very good troubleshooting so far.

pull the deck out from the dash, leave it connected, use your DMM and measure the following:

DMM set to DC voltage.

Black lead on HU ground.

Red lead on the following:

Ignition off:

Ignition (red) wire: ___ DCV

Battery (yellow) wire: ___ DCV

DMM set to AC voltage

Left Front Speaker (+) ___ ACV

Ignition on:

Ignition (red) wire: ___ DCV

Battery (yellow) wire: ___ DCV

DMM set to AC voltage

Left Front Speaker (+) ___ ACV

basically, you want to verify that the head unit is off when the ignition is off. this is verified by having 0.0 DCV on ignition and 0.0 ACV on a speaker output when the car is off. i'm measuring speaker output also so you can verify the HU isn't faulty.

likely, it isn't the stereo and you just happened to affect other wires or it is a coincidence.

use the DMM, set to measure DC Amps, and see how much current that Body Control fuse is pulling when the ignition is off.

sometimes, power seats will fail causing a current draw. not sure if those are on that fuse or not.

 

[mase123987]

Thank you for the reply! Does HU mean head unit? Also, my battery is totally dead; won't charge. I only get some sounds/lights when the key is in the ignition. Will I have to get a new battery before I can properly do these tests?

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

HU is head unit. You might be able to take the battery back to where you purchased its dead. I would also try a current draw check at the battery to see if its other things in the car that are drawing on the battery. Make sure all doors lights and everything is shut down in the vehicle. DMM's will have a max DCA about 10 amps, so more than that could blow an internal fuse in your meter. More than .05 milliamp draw and you have an issue. Unplug the gm03b from the factory plug and test the draw, if still more, than your issue is somewhere else in the vehicle.

 

[mase123987]

So I was able to finally do a successful parasitic draw test. When everything was plugged in, .7A was being pulled. It finally went down to acceptable level after pull a fuse labeled "left-handed electrical center-stop lamps, hazard lamps, body function control module, cluster, climate control system" which was in the engine compartment fuse block.

I tested what you had mentioned with no unusual results. Given this, I am thinking it does have something to do with the BCM. I think I will be taking it to a shop at this point.