Cadillac Repair/DEAD BATTERY

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Expert: - 7/14/2009


Question
My battery seem to go dead after it sits overnight. I have to recharge the battery every morning> I have already replaced the battery. What could be draining the battery. I runs fine during the day I can come and go, but when it sit over night the battery goes dead. I drive a 2003 Cadillac CTS.

Answer
Hello,

It sounds like you have a parasitic draw. Could be a dome light, cigarette lighter problem, shorted circuit.

You need to find out what circuit the draw is on. You can disconnect the positive battery cable and put a test light in between. Start pulling fuses one by one until the test light goes out. That will be your trouble circuit and you will need to get an electrical service manual for your car, possibly on Ebay or Craig's list to determine what all is on that circuit until you find the problem.

Rob

Cadillac Repair

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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