Hi everyone, I have a 2002 Monte Carlo SS, and have had a parisitic draw since ive owned it. Ive done a draw test, and pulled all my fuses. My amperage dropped to an acceptable reading once I removed the PCM fuse in the driver side fuse box. I believe this fuse is connected to the alternator regulator, and the instrument cluster.
I then believed I must have a faulty regulator. I replaced the alternator and the draw is still there.
Then I started thinking and remembered that in my instrument cluster, my Illumination lights between 0-40 are burnt out, and there is a sort of sizzling or shorting sound that comes from the guage cluster.
What i am wondering is has anyone run into an electrical draw in the instrument cluster, or could this be what is wrong? Is this issue common? If anyone could please help id really appreciate it.

 

Very common. I have 2000 Monte SS. 1.6. Amp draw. The instrument cluster needed replaced. This happened twice in 6 years. Chevy dealer said this is common with these clusters. With mine it seems intermittent which drove me nuts. It would go all summer fine then in Fall it would have dead battery. Or it would drain 3-4 times over summer.
They initially thought it was a PCM and replaced it but now they know it is an instrument cluster. Drains battery to 4 volts and can happen in overnight randomly.