Parasitic Drain on Mazda 3 GT 2005

[Cero21]

Hi guys,

I'm having a problem with my 05 and was wondering if you guys could help.

It seems to be there same as the OP here:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?70299-Advice-needed!-Battery-drain-problem

In the past I did have my alarm randomly going off. I disconnected the hood latch alarm connector to make it stop then I brought it to the dealer to have it checked out. They didn't find any problems (who knows if they looked hard) and they reconnected it saying that the whole alarm system would be turned off without the connector connected. Ever since, my car's alarm hasn't gone off randomly.

Now for the real problem.

If I let my car sit for about a 5-7 days, the battery is dead and the car won't start without a boost. If I drive for a bit after the boost, it'll last for another 5-7 days (approx.).

The drain on my battery is .15 A (150 mA) with the car off. Pulling each fuse one by one revealed that when both fuses 50 and 51 are pulled, the current drops to about 0.015 (15 mA). Both fuses have to be pulled for the current to drop. Only pulling one does nothing.

The fuses in question are marked: - in brackets is what it is supposed to be protecting
50 CPU PWR (Control unit)
51 HAZARD (Turn signals, Hazard warning flashers)

Any ideas? The old post from 2013 seemed to indicate PJB(?) but there was no post following it to say if it was resolved or not. It sounds like replacing the PBJ is very expensive.

Thanks in advance!

[peterm15]

Double check the connections at the PJB

how is the battery all around. I was having a dying out issues last season that was fixed by replacing the battery.

I'm no electrical engineer but if I'm not mistaken there would always be a draw coming from any item that needs to work without the ignition on. (Hazards, constant power for radio and clock ect)
What that draw is actually supposed to be I haven't a clue.

[Booter22]

two things.. why is the car sitting so often for 5-7 days.. 2 how new is the battery.. 3 I suspect its the BCM or body control module on the passenger side. had a few of those go in my mazda days in gen 1s

[Cab0oze]

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?74746-Parasitic-Draw-on-my-2005-Mazda3-hatch&p=1166771&viewfull=1#post1166771

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?74746-Parasitic-Draw-on-my-2005-Mazda3-hatch

[Cero21]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

My battery is less than a year old and was recently tested as good. It's not being driven for a week at a time because I'm in school right now and taking the bus in everyday (parking rates for terrible).

I'm looking into replacing the PBJ as other threads have suggested that it might be the problem. Crossing my fingers!

[Cab0oze]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

My battery is less than a year old and was recently tested as good. It's not being driven for a week at a time because I'm in school right now and taking the bus in everyday (parking rates for terrible).

I'm looking into replacing the PBJ as other threads have suggested that it might be the problem. Crossing my fingers!

Just FYI - when I had similar issues my <6mo old battery battery it "tested good" at canadian tire. Either way, hope you get to the bottom of it.

[thesober]

Same thing happened to me, I am an occasional weekend driver, leaving my car parked for 5 days, and would come out with a dead battery.

I had the alarm go off randomly and unplugged the connector to the hood latch, this stopped the alarm from arming or randomly go off BUT it also doesn't allow the car to go in sleep mode. If I can remember correctly, if you lock your car and test your amp draw, it should would show a high mA (150mA, I'm just taking your numbers because I cant remember what it was), too high to leave it for more than a few days. The system should go into sleep mode and drop to 15mA after 30 minutes. If you have the connector unplugged, it will always draw 150mA and will not go into sleep mode.

Try testing it with the connector plugged in and it should drop to 15mA after 30min, and testing again with the connector pin unplugged, after 30min it will stay at 150mA. If that's the case, then you have your draw.
This was my experience, I bought a new hood latch pin after that and it's been working fine for a few years now.

[Cero21]

Same thing happened to me, I am an occasional weekend driver, leaving my car parked for 5 days, and would come out with a dead battery.

I had the alarm go off randomly and unplugged the connector to the hood latch, this stopped the alarm from arming or randomly go off BUT it also doesn't allow the car to go in sleep mode. If I can remember correctly, if you lock your car and test your amp draw, it should would show a high mA (150mA, I'm just taking your numbers because I cant remember what it was), too high to leave it for more than a few days. The system should go into sleep mode and drop to 15mA after 30 minutes. If you have the connector unplugged, it will always draw 150mA and will not go into sleep mode.

Try testing it with the connector plugged in and it should drop to 15mA after 30min, and testing again with the connector pin unplugged, after 30min it will stay at 150mA. If that's the case, then you have your draw.
This was my experience, I bought a new hood latch pin after that and it's been working fine for a few years now.

That sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a try. Also, where did you buy your new hood latch pin?

Thanks!

[ptr123]

Hi guys,

...

The drain on my battery is .15 A (150 mA) with the car off. Pulling each fuse one by one revealed that when both fuses 50 and 51 are pulled, the current drops to about 0.015 (15 mA). Both fuses have to be pulled for the current to drop. Only pulling one does nothing.

The fuses in question are marked: - in brackets is what it is supposed to be protecting
50 CPU PWR (Control unit)
51 HAZARD (Turn signals, Hazard warning flashers)

Any ideas? The old post from 2013 seemed to indicate PJB(?) but there was no post following it to say if it was resolved or not. It sounds like replacing the PBJ is very expensive.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Cero21
I have the same problem with drain and with the similar symptoms (200mA with 50&51 fuses and 40mA without both of them). Could you tell me how did you finally solve this problem? What was a cause of the drain?
Best regards, Piotr

[Cero21]

Hello Cero21
I have the same problem with drain and with the similar symptoms (200mA with 50&51 fuses and 40mA without both of them). Could you tell me how did you finally solve this problem? What was a cause of the drain?
Best regards, Piotr

Yeah, turns out it was before the hood alarm was unplugged.

[ptr123]

Yeah, turns out it was before the hood alarm was unplugged.

Thanks.
I've just checked again and after half hour the drain drops down to 0,04-0,05mA. So before I didn't measure it properly.