Electric leak on 3200

[Padyom]

Hi there,

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for this brilliant forum. I've been reading it a lot and have to say it's been useful plenty of times.

Now to my problem : I've had on my 2001 automatic 3200 an electric leak for about 6 months now. It causes the battery to deplete in about 4 days if I do not use it.
I've measured the current flowing out of the battery when the car is closed and everything switched off (including all the lights), and the result is about 0.50A.
I've found that when I remove the fuse number 17 (on the panel which is below the passenger's feet) the current drops to 0.20A. My local Maserati mechanic told me this was the normal value to get on that car.
In the owner's manual is written that the fuse 17 feeds the "sound system, multifunctional indicator on central panel and Bridge Can control unit".
I've tried to disconnect the car radio but this has no effect on the current.
Do you have any idea how I could check which one of the multifunctional indicator or the Bridge can control unit is the faulty one? Or any other hints?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Contigo]

The classic battery drain culprit is the tracker which was fitted to a large number of cars. I would start with this route. There is a location list somewhere on this forum but for obvious reasons best not to make it too obvious when disabling trackers is concerned

 

[2b1ask1]

I'd agree, tracker has a lead acid sealed battery that when dead will just eat your main battery as it constantly tries to charge itself... Don't know hidey holes on the 3200 but mine was spread around the boot behind the liners, mostly in the left arch.

Maybe best to start by whipping the lining out and looking for the 'alien' parts spliced into the loom, the GPS head is most likely to be under the parcel shelf no matter where the rest of it is and at least then you can trace it back.

 

[mjheathcote]

It will be an old tracker most likely.
Sensitive subject on an open forum!

 

[tom27]

But not "too" sensitive, because a large part of 3200 user's dismount the tracker .

Anybody know a person who use this old tracker system ?

Myn isn't at the habitual location. I don't whant to dismount all the car to find it... but this alien is sucking all the battery !

 

[CatmanV2]

Phone them up. They'll remove it for free

C

 

[mjheathcote]

Phone them up. They'll remove it for free

C

Phone who though?!
How do you know who the tracking company is when it was fitted maybe 12 years ago, and you have no paperwork...a tracker may not even be fitted, it's just an assumption that one is and draining the battery.

 

[Contigo]

Phone Navtrak!!!!

The tracker is fitted at the factory (by Navtrak rather than Maserati) for all cars destined for the UK market. Whether they were ever activated is a different question, as this depends on the choice of the future owner, but the equipment is in there. Call them up and ask them about it once providing them with the chassis number. A few on here have had them removed FOC.

 

[Contigo]

http://www.cobravehiclesecurity.co.uk/cobra-home-.aspx

From previous forum thread.

1. Warning: Initially, the NavTrak people told me that there is no separate battery in the tracking unit. After much insistence, I eventually spoke to someone who knew that there was.

2. NavTrak offered to send an engineer out free of charge. The engineer will do one of 3 things (you can decide on the day):
(i) Replace the tracking unit's battery. The cost of the new battery is not on their system (they don't offer this unless you ask specifically) but they suggested it will either be free or up to £50.
(ii) Install an entirely new unit. If your unit is out of warranty, like mine, this will cost £320.
(iii) Disconnect the unit entirely. No charge for this but you'll need to inform your insurance company if you go down this route...

3. There are two NavTrak subscription services offered:
(i) NavTrak ADR: Insurance companies call this a Category 6 tracker. It costs £270 for a 1 year subscription although you can extend it up to 3 years.. You are supplied with a fob which must be present when you start the car up. If the fob's present you hear 3 beeps from the dashboard. If not, 5 beeps. If you start the car without the fob, NavTrak call you up to see why. The service will use GPS to locate the car constantly even if the engine hasn't been started e.g. if it's being towed or if the car battery is flat/disconnected.
(ii) NavTrak Std: Insurance companies know this service by this name. It costs £153 for 1 year, again with the option to extend to 3 years. Unlike NavTrak ADR, it is your responsibility to inform NavTrak if your car is missing. NavTrak will then loccate the car using the GPS signal.

3. Lastly, the car must be parked off road for a NavTrak engineer to work on it (their insurance requirements). NCP car parks don't count but a garage or service sentre would be fine. You do not need to be present.

The UK number for NavTrak Customer Service is 01619 245403.

 

[Padyom]

Hello,

And thanks for your replies.
I ruled out the tracker option because I identified the aforementioned number 17 fuse as allowing to get 0.30A less of current when removed.
I understood that the tracker was directly linked to the battery, and not to any of the fuses located in the standard fuse boxes. Am I right?

I however looked under the rear parcel shelf to see if any tracker was to be found there, and only found a disconnected wire. Here's the picture, is it possible that this was the connector to the tracker, and that the latter has already been removed?

 

[Contigo]

Are you in the UK? Call them.

What is on fuse 17?

 

[Contigo]

Check for damp or water ingress around the ECU and bridge can. I had a similar current draw and parasitic drain on another car and it was due to water ingress at bulk head affecting the LCU on the car. Once dries out everything was fine...

 

[CatmanV2]

Phone who though?!
How do you know who the tracking company is when it was fitted maybe 12 years ago, and you have no paperwork...a tracker may not even be fitted, it's just an assumption that one is and draining the battery.

There is only one, really, and they keep the records. When I called they checked and said 'No sir, not standard on yours, and no record of it being fitted'
Now granted that doesn't mean they get it right all the time, but see Contigo's experience...

C

 

[lasco]

Hello Padyom,

Sorry for the late answer but I wanted to check the values on my car before writing anything.

I suppose you meant 0,02A with the fuse 17 removed. A 0,2A standby current is still too high.
On my car the standby current is 0,026A.
As far as I know on a car any value below 0,05A is normal.

I have a 78Ah battery so theoretically:
78Ah / 0,026A -> 3000 h -> 125 days until it is completely empty.
with 0,2A it would be 16 days.
It does not tell you when you still can start the engine.

One hint to measure correctly: After ignition off and closing all the doors, the car ECUs still need around 3 minutes to go to standby.

To my measurement today:
Open driver s door (activates the ECUs), open boot, connecting multimeter. Then closing the door (boot still open). -> 2,8A
After around 20 seconds it goes down to 0,58A.
After 3 minutes it goes down to 0,44A.
Then if I close the lock or latch??? of the boot (with boot still open to be able to measure) it goes to 0,026A (the standby current).
If the boot is open the light in the boot and perhaps other ECUs are on. I do not know how long you have to wait until it automatically goes off (if it does).

Same measurement with boot locks closed from the beginning:
open and close driver s door -> 2,4A
after 20 sec -> 0,17A
After 3 minutes 0,026A

If the door stays open and the boot lock is closed the current goes from 2,4A down to 0,3A after 2,5 minutes but than stay of this value (I gave up after 10 minutes).
If the door stays open and the boot lock is open the current goes from 2,8A down to 0,7A after 2,5 minutes and stay on this value.

I noticed this behavior as I had an issue with electrical leak (empty within a week) and I did not remember the values so I wanted to measure it again today.
In my case it was the becker radio which stopped to go to standby. According to becker forum a known problem.

Hope this might help.

 

[davy83]

You could try trial and error, remove the fuses one at a time and work out which one takes the power? I mean what does the book say fuse 17 if for? The accelerometers are also known for failing and drawing a lot of current, might be worth a look. any noise when the car is of and locked? if it s a motor or device it might hum or buzz? Do the separate alarm systems have the same issue as the tracker, where the internal battery goes flat? rear drivers side seat under the armrest - separate alarm possibly?

 

[Padyom]

Hi,

Sorry for the late answer, and thank you for your replies.

I found out than unplugging the Bridge Can unit (left of the steering wheel column) leads to a normal current consumption : 0.03A doors closed and after three minutes.
I also noticed that when the bridge can unit is plugged, even after some waiting time and all doors closed, a light high-pitched sound comes from it. It's discontinuous for about 25 seconds, then continuous for about 20 seconds, then again discontinuous, etc... and every time it goes from continuous to discontinuous, a snap (like the sound coming from en electrical relay) is hearable.

Do you think the bridge can unit itself is to be blamed for that current draw, or something connected to it? In other words, replacing it would it help?

Thanks for your help!

 

[allandwf]

I have heard of seats not going into standby mode and draining the battery, was a reasonably common Mercedes problem for a while.