Hi,

On my 2008 E150 cargo van, the battery is being drained by a 0.7 amp power leak when the key is out of the ignition and everything is off.
When fuse 22 is removed, the amp meter reads 0. This fuse 22 is “Audio, Instrument cluster, Courtesy lamp relay, Accessory delay relay”.

When I insert the fuse 22 (after removing it and ignition is off, key out), I hear this whirring sound for 7 seconds from somewhere behind the instrument cluster . The sound happens each time fuse 22 is re-inserted, it’s almost like a power antenna winding but of course it isn’t.

I assume I have a short circuit on one of
-radio
-Instrument cluster,
- Courtesy lamp relay,
-Accessory delay relay

Any suggestions as to which is the most likely culprit? Is that whirring sound a clue ?

Thanks !

 

Remove the two relays and see if the draw is gone, if so reinstall one and see which has the it is.

 

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, I finally got back to this.

First, I removed both relays from the 4-relay holder in front of driver’s right knee, the draw dropped to 0.383 amps

Next I installed the lower relay (1 of 2) and the draw changed to 0.531 amp

Finally, I put in the top relay ( both in) and draw is 0.669 amp.

Both relays clicked when I replaced them.

Just wondering what is the normal battery draw when a e150 is off.

Thanks.

 

It's the instrument cluster. I had all the exact same readings, as soon as I remove the instrument cluster, the draw goes to 0.04 Amp draw for about 5 to 10 seconds and then goes to 0. Anything above 0.05 amps (50 milliamps) is too much. The cluster is easy to remove, just take out the radio with a radio removal tool, or cheat it with a couple skinny screw drivers, unhook the connector and antenna, take the headlight switch out, just pull the know off then untwist the retainer Grey plastic piece and pull it hard to get it off with the triangle metal clip. Then unscrew the 2 7mm screws above the steering wheel. Have the battery hooked up long enough to put your key in and put the shifter down as far as it will go. Make sure you have the parking break on first! Then pull the cover off working around it, I had to use a pry bar to get one side up and then I did the rest by gently pulling it away. After it's undone, unplug the 2 cigar lighter plugs. Remove the cover completely and unscrew 4 7mm screws that hold the instrument cluster down. Pull it towards you, pull the 2 tabs on the bottom of the cluster that hold the shifter indicator in and pull it down and out. Then pull the 2 connectors off the top of the cluster. Replace in reverse. While it's out, test the current draw, should be less than 50, though the first 10 seconds after hooking up a meter may be close to that limit. Hope this helps.

 

@Stewie159, Thank for the update on the e150 battery drain.

Following your suggestion, if After getting the instrument cluster out and if the battery drain stops and the culprit is the cluster, then which option do you suggest to resolve the bad instrument cluster:

1. order a replacement cluster from eBay where they match the vin and set the odometer

​​​​​​…or:

2. send the instrument cluster off to one of these “console medics” who for $150-200 claim to be able to fix them.

or ??

Thanks !

 

Hey man I’m wondering if you every got that fixed! I’m having the same issue with the clicking noise and battery being drained!

 

Unless you can prove the inst cluster is the problem, you could be on a false path and still have the same problem after going thru a lot of expense and work.

 

Did anyone ever figure this out? I’m literally have the SAME exact issue…

 

I posted that question 3 years ago and the van is still running, it’s our carpentry van. The issue was traced to the radio and maybe the instrument cluster. I couldn’t justify anymore money being spent on it so I put a $15 battery switch on it and that solved the problem. Recently the other folks here liked the van so much that they invested $100’s in getting brakes etc repaired and maybe they resolved the parasitic battery drain , I’ll ask and update this posting. Meanwhile try a battery switch.

 

okay gotcha. If that’s gonna help my problem for a few years without dumping money into a cluster and other stuff I don’t NEED then I’ll do that. Thanks and let me know