Battery Drain- I think it's remote start- how to disable?
#1
02-14-2017, 12:48 PM
Battery Drain- I think it's remote start- how to disable?
I have an 05 monte carlo and have had a battery drain problem. It's not the alternator because once I get jumped I can drive around for 30 min. Then next day go to start it , dead. Battery was just replaced under a year ago. So I highly doubt it's the battery.
Guy I bot it from had aftermarket stuff in it like subs , disconnected all those wires from battery already and any extra wires I could see in fuse box in the driver cabin or under hood.
It has an astrostart remote start system in it and from reading on the web it seems that is the most likely culprit. Will putting this in "valet mode" correct the issue or am I going to have to take this sucker out. Is there any simple thing I can do to disable this? Need a manual on how to get this thing out of my car but I don't want to butcher electronics either.
Any help appreciated thank you.
Guy I bot it from had aftermarket stuff in it like subs , disconnected all those wires from battery already and any extra wires I could see in fuse box in the driver cabin or under hood.
It has an astrostart remote start system in it and from reading on the web it seems that is the most likely culprit. Will putting this in "valet mode" correct the issue or am I going to have to take this sucker out. Is there any simple thing I can do to disable this? Need a manual on how to get this thing out of my car but I don't want to butcher electronics either.
Any help appreciated thank you.
#2
02-14-2017, 10:25 PM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,153
Just because the car drives and charges does NOT mean the alt is not related. I had a parasitic drain on my Monte and all the electrical gear was bone stock. Turned out to be a combo of a bad battery and a bad alt.
As for all the aftermarket gear, hard to say generically how to disable all of it. For the remote start, you may have to rip part of the dash apart, but if you can find it, unplug it. That is your best bet to disable and rule it out. My limited experience with remote start kits is that they have their own wiring harnesses that you splice into the factory wiring. If you decide you want to rip it out all together, trace the wiring to where it's tied in and remove it.
Some of the other components may have inline fuses, if they do, remove the fuses.
As for all the aftermarket gear, hard to say generically how to disable all of it. For the remote start, you may have to rip part of the dash apart, but if you can find it, unplug it. That is your best bet to disable and rule it out. My limited experience with remote start kits is that they have their own wiring harnesses that you splice into the factory wiring. If you decide you want to rip it out all together, trace the wiring to where it's tied in and remove it.
Some of the other components may have inline fuses, if they do, remove the fuses.
#3
02-18-2017, 04:05 PM
I guess I don't want to rip it out completely since wires are spliced together, I just need to find the way to disconnect it so it's not a drain on battery.
I figured out how to put the remote start in valet mode, (which some have reported stopped their drain) and I put it in that mode, I'll see if that helps it. I have the battery hooked up to a charger and maintainer right now so going to let it charge.
See a couple fuses under the dash where the remote start unit is. , will pulling those fuses disable it all together? Just need to disable the remote start from draining the battery. If I find a ground wire and disconnect it would that stop it? Im a newb with car electricals.
I figured out how to put the remote start in valet mode, (which some have reported stopped their drain) and I put it in that mode, I'll see if that helps it. I have the battery hooked up to a charger and maintainer right now so going to let it charge.
See a couple fuses under the dash where the remote start unit is. , will pulling those fuses disable it all together? Just need to disable the remote start from draining the battery. If I find a ground wire and disconnect it would that stop it? Im a newb with car electricals.
#4
02-19-2017, 05:28 PM
#5
02-26-2017, 01:38 AM
There is a couple of things you can do. However I am sorry I don't care what anyone says there is 0 likehood that your power drain issue is because of a bad RS or alarm. It is most times a bad trunk light switch or something other that is not related to rs/Alarms. With it being an Astrostart, I would almost say for sure it isn't your issue. However if you want to you can remove the fuses that will make it so it don't work anymore. Or you can find the brain and take out the main harness from it. Problem is that there are a few and if you pull the ones connected to your starting wires you won't be able to start your car.
If you don't have a DMM I would buy one and test your car for a Draw. Start with your Stereo and look over all other things that put a draw on your car normally. You can do this a couple of ways. However the safest way is to just take your DMM leads and test over your fuse at each fuse. SO you know this works, Take your DMM and test the Interior light fuse across your fuse. It will show a draw of 2 to 6 volts depends on how many lights you have in the sockets working...
If your car has a hood pin, remove the lead from it so the computer can go to sleep. If it sees power to much of anything your computers may not go to sleep. When your doing these test make sure you also test your BCM fuse. It should reason almost no voltage. Also when your doing this test if your DMM isn't auto ranging you may want to lower the voltage range on your meter to 2 volts there should never be any kind of power over your fuses like that. However it will help when testing for draw.
Another way to test this and is used still by many. (Before you start I would remove the Interior light fuse) Take your DMM that has the ability to test AMPS. Take the Lead from your VOLTS slot and move it to the 10amps. If your meter is of better quality (Cost loads more) set it to the 20amps setting. 10 is fine just be sure to take out your Interior fuse because it could go over 10amps and may damage the meter. Anyway you can do either ground or positive side of battery but I would say for safety reason use the ground side for these test. Take the ground post off your battery and now you need to have the black side of the meter on the battery and the red side of the meter on your cable. What your doing is making the connection to your battery though your meter. DON'T try and start your car with your meter in this testing phase. You will most likely melt your meter or leads. Once connected to the battery and cable you will see a number on your meter. If your computer isn't sleeping because you connected your battery up this way it may show a good amount of draw 1 or 3 amps. Once the computer goes to sleep it should drop down to less then 0.05 and 0.03 or less is best. IF your over 0.05amp you will want to start out under the hood and pull each of the fuses in the fuse box. If you pull one and you see the meter drop in draw you have found a area that needs more testing. However if it don't drop it under 0.05 you could leave that fuse out and pull the next one. If no change put it back and next one and so on. ONce you have done all the fuses under the hood move to the fuses in the car. Starting with the drivers side. It can be hard and is best to have another set of eyes. Or hands, However again removing each fuse one at a time until you see the draw drop. If it drops then you know it is your problem area and will need more testing there.
Once you are done with this test, Connect your battery back up and first thing you want to do now is make sure you change your meter back to the Normal testing area so it is connected to check for Volts and Ohms. You don't want to connect your meter in the AMPS mode and try and test for volts it can kill the meter and most likely will damage your cars computer(s).
So it is not as easy because the fuses are small and so are the little testing spots. However it is the safest way to test for drop because your meter never changes the way it is connected and this gives you less chance of damaging something.
I am going to think it is a issue with your Trunk lid, or light in glove box or maybe the radio. If you have changed your cars bulbs in the car or around the car to LED it could also be the issue. Infact if you do the last test type and don't get any draw when your testing. Like it is already at 0.05 or less when you start the test, It is a good idea that the issue is in the Interior light area because that testing started with the fuse removed. The reason you remove that is because with all the lights in the cars these days when you open your door to check the inside fuses it could be over the AMP draw of the meter and damage it if not just blow the meters fuse.
Also in the first testing with your meter still in Volts testing the Fuses, If you can get the leads on the RS/Alarm I would test that brain. You shouldn't see much draw from it. Testing on this isn't going to be easy. You need the doors closed or it will show draw because of the door open. However doors closed, lights off testing the Alarms fuses, I am sure it would be under 0.001v If it is not an alarm only a RS then there is not much that it would be staying alive for other then to check if your transmitting to it. An alarm then there may be little more draw but not much because only things added would be like shock sensor and if not armed it wouldn't matter anyway. so draw is very low.
Hope you find some of this info helpful and your able to find your problem
James
If you don't have a DMM I would buy one and test your car for a Draw. Start with your Stereo and look over all other things that put a draw on your car normally. You can do this a couple of ways. However the safest way is to just take your DMM leads and test over your fuse at each fuse. SO you know this works, Take your DMM and test the Interior light fuse across your fuse. It will show a draw of 2 to 6 volts depends on how many lights you have in the sockets working...
If your car has a hood pin, remove the lead from it so the computer can go to sleep. If it sees power to much of anything your computers may not go to sleep. When your doing these test make sure you also test your BCM fuse. It should reason almost no voltage. Also when your doing this test if your DMM isn't auto ranging you may want to lower the voltage range on your meter to 2 volts there should never be any kind of power over your fuses like that. However it will help when testing for draw.
Another way to test this and is used still by many. (Before you start I would remove the Interior light fuse) Take your DMM that has the ability to test AMPS. Take the Lead from your VOLTS slot and move it to the 10amps. If your meter is of better quality (Cost loads more) set it to the 20amps setting. 10 is fine just be sure to take out your Interior fuse because it could go over 10amps and may damage the meter. Anyway you can do either ground or positive side of battery but I would say for safety reason use the ground side for these test. Take the ground post off your battery and now you need to have the black side of the meter on the battery and the red side of the meter on your cable. What your doing is making the connection to your battery though your meter. DON'T try and start your car with your meter in this testing phase. You will most likely melt your meter or leads. Once connected to the battery and cable you will see a number on your meter. If your computer isn't sleeping because you connected your battery up this way it may show a good amount of draw 1 or 3 amps. Once the computer goes to sleep it should drop down to less then 0.05 and 0.03 or less is best. IF your over 0.05amp you will want to start out under the hood and pull each of the fuses in the fuse box. If you pull one and you see the meter drop in draw you have found a area that needs more testing. However if it don't drop it under 0.05 you could leave that fuse out and pull the next one. If no change put it back and next one and so on. ONce you have done all the fuses under the hood move to the fuses in the car. Starting with the drivers side. It can be hard and is best to have another set of eyes. Or hands, However again removing each fuse one at a time until you see the draw drop. If it drops then you know it is your problem area and will need more testing there.
Once you are done with this test, Connect your battery back up and first thing you want to do now is make sure you change your meter back to the Normal testing area so it is connected to check for Volts and Ohms. You don't want to connect your meter in the AMPS mode and try and test for volts it can kill the meter and most likely will damage your cars computer(s).
So it is not as easy because the fuses are small and so are the little testing spots. However it is the safest way to test for drop because your meter never changes the way it is connected and this gives you less chance of damaging something.
I am going to think it is a issue with your Trunk lid, or light in glove box or maybe the radio. If you have changed your cars bulbs in the car or around the car to LED it could also be the issue. Infact if you do the last test type and don't get any draw when your testing. Like it is already at 0.05 or less when you start the test, It is a good idea that the issue is in the Interior light area because that testing started with the fuse removed. The reason you remove that is because with all the lights in the cars these days when you open your door to check the inside fuses it could be over the AMP draw of the meter and damage it if not just blow the meters fuse.
Also in the first testing with your meter still in Volts testing the Fuses, If you can get the leads on the RS/Alarm I would test that brain. You shouldn't see much draw from it. Testing on this isn't going to be easy. You need the doors closed or it will show draw because of the door open. However doors closed, lights off testing the Alarms fuses, I am sure it would be under 0.001v If it is not an alarm only a RS then there is not much that it would be staying alive for other then to check if your transmitting to it. An alarm then there may be little more draw but not much because only things added would be like shock sensor and if not armed it wouldn't matter anyway. so draw is very low.
Hope you find some of this info helpful and your able to find your problem
James
Last edited by Imp42017; 02-26-2017 at 01:47 AM.
#6
02-26-2017, 11:52 AM
It's actually a "crimestopper" remote start system I guess, perhaps with alarm not sure. Anyway, read the owners manual online and put it in Valet Mode which other people have said disables it and stopped their drains. Once I did this, It hasn't died since. So If anyone else has this issue try putting your remote start in Valet Mode. Perhaps the installer butchered something wrong with the wires to cause the drain, not sure but I have seen this as an issue for others and valet mode fixing it.
Everything fine now! Battery and alt are good.
Thank you for replies and advice nonetheless! A lot of good tips should I find a drain at a later time.
Everything fine now! Battery and alt are good.
Thank you for replies and advice nonetheless! A lot of good tips should I find a drain at a later time.
Last edited by blox87; 02-26-2017 at 11:56 AM.
#7
02-26-2017, 02:28 PM
Well it is hard to say. I Can say that Crimestopper has been in business for many many years and has brought many innovations to market. Now about 4 years ago they were bought by Rockford INC and so the people that make Fosgate Amps is the owner of Crimestopper.
If you take out the system and still have the 2 remotes, I would be interested in the system if you looking to ever get rid of it.
There could have been an issue with the system I guess. I am not sure if they have it setup as a 3 tap on your factory remote to start or if it came with its own 4 or 5 button remote. If 3 tap to start the car wouldn't have much issue with drain. Full system with it own remotes may be a issue if the installer didn't install the system right. There is an issue with some GMs of some years that has 7v resting power on the door locks So aftermarket RS/Alarms can be hard to install if added door locks. With everything there is ways past this issue.
So in that case I guess it could been an issue. However putting it in Valet mode wouldn't remove that part of the system so to me I think the problem wasn't the alarm. I say this because when any alarm or RS aftermarket system is in Valet mode the remotes can still work the lock and unlock of doors if Door locks was installed feature.
Glad so far there hasn't been any other issues.
James
If you take out the system and still have the 2 remotes, I would be interested in the system if you looking to ever get rid of it.
There could have been an issue with the system I guess. I am not sure if they have it setup as a 3 tap on your factory remote to start or if it came with its own 4 or 5 button remote. If 3 tap to start the car wouldn't have much issue with drain. Full system with it own remotes may be a issue if the installer didn't install the system right. There is an issue with some GMs of some years that has 7v resting power on the door locks So aftermarket RS/Alarms can be hard to install if added door locks. With everything there is ways past this issue.
So in that case I guess it could been an issue. However putting it in Valet mode wouldn't remove that part of the system so to me I think the problem wasn't the alarm. I say this because when any alarm or RS aftermarket system is in Valet mode the remotes can still work the lock and unlock of doors if Door locks was installed feature.
Glad so far there hasn't been any other issues.
James
