1996 Mustang GT Convertible with a SHORT :/

[mh_jenkins]

I have a 1996 mustang GT convertible with over 270K miles, odometer stopped working so probably over 300k. Yesterday the new battery was dead, I charged it to where it would start and run and ran fine. But the battery keep getting drained. I removed the red battery cable and checked that amperage between the red bat terminal and red bat cable with the car powered off and setting and no lamps on. There was an initial 0.7 amp draw and within a couple seconds dropped down to 0.33 amps. My plan is to have my wife watch the amperage and I pull one fuse at a time under the dash to see if the amperage drops to zero or close to it and find the circuit. If that fuse box does not have the issue, try the Fusebox under the hood. I will post when I have narrowed it down to an electrical circuit. ChatGPT says alternators could cause this too so last will check that.

Anyone care to take a guess? Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

 

[mh_jenkins]

It is not the Alternator I checked it first...Disconnected the Thick wire, The multi wire connector and single wire connector. Very easy to get to for a change.

 

[mh_jenkins]

It is fuse 8 - Pulled fuse 8 under the dash and the amperage goes to 0. Hmmmm according to the manual it could be one of the following:
Chime for Keys in the ignition - My ignition keyhole thingy is quite loosie goosy without a key in it.
Courtesy lamps
Engine compartment lamp - I pulled the bulb when testing.
Glove Compartment lamp
Power mirrors
Radio (MCM) I have an aftermarket radio installed myself, very well installed.
Instrument cluster (MCM)
Clock - that thing on the dash stopped working 2 months ago
Trunk Lamp
Anti-theft (door open sig)

maybe I will test each by activating each and see if the current draw increases. It is hot outside will try more tomorrow.

 

[mh_jenkins]

Okay, I got a 2nd wind. Found it. The glove box light switch was not switching off when the glove box is closed. Crappy Ford plastic again for the win. I pulled the bulb and we are now running at 0.07 amps. That amperage is from the radio as it has a cd player in it. Hope this helps someone!

 

[ttocs]

Sorry I missed this till just now when I read the circuit my first thought was to check the glove box as the plastic switch tends to break.