Finding a bad earth / short circuit

AmDaMan

AmDaMan

AmDaMan

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
4,023
Location
Wellington, NZ
Hi, i've got a dodgy earth or something somewhere on my car that causes some of the dash lights to remain dimly lit after the car is off (handbrake light, oil warning light and temp light). It's causing my battery to go flat withing 2 days if I don't use the car.

Now if I have a volt meter what would be the best way of locating the fault? I've checked all earths to engine bay and chassis and they are fine!

Anyone got some tips?

cheers.
 
aside from resistance testing there isnt a lot you can do, grab a jump lead and try earthing from battery neg to a engine and then chassis see if the lights go out on the dash. an earth lead itself may be fine, the bolting points can go rusty unbolt them and attack the contact points with some wd40 and emery paper.

unbolt earths one at a time until the lights go out if a voltmeter isnt helping you.
 
Set it to measure current, and one by one replace the fuses with the meter, when you find a reading in the order of a few hundred mA to a few A, you've found the circuit that's likely causing it.

Is there a park setting on your ignition?
 
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