I drove it today and it fired right up and have had no issues. I will turn off my shaker every time now before I turn off the car but I know that when you open the door it kills the power to the shaker so I don't really think that is the problem. There is definitely some parasitic power drain somewhere. I ordered a Ctek 3300 just to keep it charged. That won't fix the problem but it will keep it fresh when it's time to start the car.

 

I got a new battery today from my dealer under warranty. It's the higher amperage stock replacement that was standard with the anti-theft option on my car. I asked about the Shaker 500 drawing power if it's on when the car is shut off and they said they hadn't heard of that being a problem. I'll have the car looked at more thoroughly if this battery dies too.

 

Once again, the shaker 500 is not the issue. It's the active security system's motion sensors, which are responsible for parasitic power drain. The best solution is. Do not use the keyfob when locking the vehicle, as this automatically arms the security system's incline/motion sensors. But instead, just use either the key in the door lock, or manually push the door locks down. This way, all your activating is just the basic alarm function.

The latest TSB also covers parasitic draw.

 

Rocky: I have the active anti-theft system with the motion sensors. When I arm the system, I can leave the car uncharged for 6 months without it discharging the battery. When I have the battery maintainer, it rarely actively charges the battery. When I stored my vic in the summer, the maintainer was working overtime to keep my battery charged.

 

Well since my car sits in the garage with the alarm system not activated and the battery still drains, I don't think this is the problem.

 

That's what I do. Lock the garage, not the car.
I have no problems at all.
No Shaker either. I keep thinking this has to be the difference.

 

Other than the active security system, what else could draw enough parasitic power drain to kill these batteries under a 30 day period.

And if the shaker 500/1000 is responsible. What I still don't understand, is even if the shaker isn't turned off manually. It's just as Rich pointed out, once you open the driver or passenger side door, It shuts down the power anyway. So how would the shaker end up coming back on by itself ?


It seems to me, these battery related issues didn't become a factor, until after the S-197 went into production.

IIRC I don't believe the SN-95 models had the security incline/motion sensors, and if they did. Why weren't these very same battery issues a factor in 2003/04

 

I think it's come down to a wiring issue on the gauges and the raptor shift light. I will find out for sure this weekend.

 

For what it's worth, my DashHawk does pull enough current when the car is off to kill the battery, but it takes about a month. The other day, it was sitting on my counter when the battery went bad, and the problem started long before I ever did any mods. I'm sure the Shaker is one of not the major culprit.

 

There's always the smart junction box...

 

I have had this same problem going on for almost 2 years. I have replaced the battery with a 700 amp compared to the stock 500 amp one. After several checks I have found that the battery only drains down when I leave the radio on then turn off the key. The draw on the battery will be about 2.5 amps after the key is turned off and the door shut. When the interior lights go out the draw will drop to .48 amps, which is ok. But this does not always happen. About half the time the amp draw stays up at 2 amps after the interior lights go out. I have pulled every fuse from the car I thought it might be coming from and the only one that will stop the draw is pulling the radio fuse. Pull the fuse and the 2 amp draw goes away. You can also go in and just put the key back in and turn it off and on to stop it also. But I am not sure this will keep it from coming back later.
The head unit and only the head unit is staying powered up. Not the amps or anything else. I have pulled these fuses also and the drain stays.
If you turn off the radio first it NEVER happens. I have had my car in to the dealership for this 4 times. It is in the dealership now and getting ready to get its third shaker 500 head unit. The second one did not cure the problem. I doubt the third one will either. Some thing is causing the shaker 500 head unit to stay powered up even when it appears to be off. Something so simple to stop by turning off the radio first should be able to be found. I has to be told to be stay powered up from some source ( PCM) maybe. The logic has to have a fault in it somewhere.

 

Another reason not to buy the Optima is that your alternator will undercharge it in the winter, and overcharge in the summer. While the AGM may last longer in a desert environment, there's a good chance the alternator will also overcharge the battery. The regulators in the alternator were designed for flooded lead-acid batteries, not AGMs, which require slight adjustments in the temperature compensation.

 

Charlie,

Hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question, but let's assume the smart junction box is the culprit.

Would you happen to know if the 03-04 SN-95 models, were equipped with smart junction boxes ? And if they were, why weren't these very same battery issues reported

 

If I understood your post correctly, are you saying that even if you manually turn off the radio, there is still a 2 AMP power draw ? and if there is. Would pulling the radio fuse, stop the 2 AMP power drain

 

I don't think they had SBJ or Shakers.

 

I'm with you on the Shakers, as the SN-95 models were equipped with Mach 460 units. I just wasn't sure as to whether or not, they were equipped with smart junction boxes.

So it would seem as though the culprits, are either the Shaker 500/1000 units, or the smart junction boxes, as Charlie pointed out. Or perhaps it could be even both

 

Check this thread and in particular, Post #43. Turned out to be the driver's side window relay.

http://www.mustangforums.com/m_23123..._1/key_/tm.htm

 

No. If you turn off the radio before turning off the key. The draw will go away when the lights go out. yes pulling the fuse always stops the draw down

 

Bad relays and such can cause any battery to die, not Mustang specific.

 

I just finished reading over post # 42 in Mustang Forums.com, and it appears that after the owner checked every fuse. He determined it was the driver's side window relay, that was faulty.

So I suppose we can also add the window relays, to our list of possible culprits as well.

At any rate: thanks for posting the thread Doctor Q, as I found it as very helpful