Homer14

Honda Accord 2004. The under hood fuse #15 (40A) "back up /acc" is drawing current (enough to make an old 15A test light up bright and constant). So under the driver side kick i pulled one fuse at a time and found that the inner fuse box fuse #7 (10A) "back up lights" fuse is the one doing it. When I pull the inner #7 out, i see the normal pulsing light from the radio memory or whatever does that normally, so that confirms it.

ok so #7 inner is "back up lights". Well I pulled every light ( 6 total ) from the back of the car on both sides and all inner trunk wirings like the plate light, brake light, trunk switch, etc. The test light is still lit strong when inner fuse #7 is still plugged in and all of those pulled out

what the heck? why didnt it change anything?

the only odd thing i noticed was a 7th wire connector that had a single brown wire going into it which was plugged into nothing that was sitting in the wire harness of the back left tail light compartment. There didnt seem to be anything to connct it to either so i figured it was some bonus option i didnt have?

Any ideas why my inner fuse #7 (backup lights) is killing my battery constant draw?

-Homer

onepoint6i

Fuse #7 is not "back up lights"

its just the "back up" fuse

this supplies power to several components including your MICU, gauge cluster, immobilizer etc

get an etm and start unpluggin components that are in that circuit..i'd start off by unplugging anything "aftermarket" those are the culprits to 98% of all electrical problems.. imo..

Homer14

Thanks for your feedback thus far.

That's what I thought too but inside the book/manual that came with the car, it literally says "back-up lights" in one of the back pages with a diagram of the fuse box, which really threw me off (honda defective manual?).

At first though, I looked up the wiring schematic online but could only find it for a 2007 accord so I didnt trust that it was the same. The 2007 diagram said it controlled:

- micu
- power window master switch
- comhbination switch control
- gauge module control
- immobilizer

I have no aftermarket stuff. I unplugged the window switch on the drivers side door but the test light stayed lit strong. I reset the window switch using some honda procedure and did the same on the combination switch and still the light stayed lit.

I have no idea how to test the immobilizer or guage control module, or micu.

I will try to find an ETM for it. Would be nice if there was some online in pdf like the 2007 one i found. (attached).

-Homer

onepoint6i

i would unplug your stereo..i've seen oem stereo's cause a draw..

also unplug, navigation(if it applies),combo switch and wiper switch

it could also be a bad micu(multiplex) that would be more difficult to diagnose..

onepoint6i

youre best bet would be to buy a oem honda etm...if you plan on keeping the car for a while it could be very handy...

Homer14

its not the stereo. unplugging fuse #7 stops the draw and fuse #7 isnt related to the stereo.

know a good place to get honda etm's at a decent price? my local friend at a dealer gave me a printout of the power distribution circuit but it doesnt tell me which connector color and locations there are so i know which to unplug.

id love to disconnect what you mentioned if i knew where to disconnect it.

-Homer

Homer14

Summary:

1. Old Battery was actually bad and wouldnt accept a charge.

2. The test light lighting didnt really represent a draining of the battery for I tested the amperage draw with the car off (using a new better working multimeter) and it showed only 20 mA.

Draining issue never really existed, spent a lot of wasted hours troubleshooting. Appreciate everyones help!

-Homer

MSchu

are you saying you are using a continuity tester?

Homer14

Yeah it could probably be called that too, same end purpose. I was using a test light (alligator clip on one end, pen style device with a light in it on the other end). An old school one.

Then when I bought a new multimeter that actually worked, it showed 20mA draw with fuse #7 in, which is nothing, and I never had a problem (just a bad battery in general).

KWayRacing

THe old and best rule Keep it simple. It usually is just that.

shw4

I am having a mysterious battery drain issue with a 2004 accord as well. The battery was tested good and the alternator as well. The stereo is doing something weird but nobody seems to think that is the problem.