I am having the same problem on my 1998 Grand Cherokee

Hello teddysmith1952,
I just joined the forum yesterday and I am having the exact same problem. I posted a thread here as well. Maybe someone has gone thru this problem and has a resolution. I still haven't found an answer yet to fix it.
quarkdude

 

Hello teddysmith1952,
I just joined the forum yesterday and I am having the exact same problem. I posted a thread here as well. Maybe someone has gone thru this problem and has a resolution. I still haven't found an answer yet to fix it.
quarkdude

****************
Hi quarkdude,

Interesting we have the same issues. Driving me nuts so let's keep our fingers crossed that "our hero" soon chimes in with the solution!

Jim

 

I have my fingers crossed as well, someone has to have had this problem as well.
I re-read your post and realized that I too have had door lock issues. My Jeep door locks would "buzz" or I call it "Stall" when the door lock button was pressed to unlock or lock. I fixed that by going to our local U-Pull-it place and getting a $10.00 electric door lock module and installing it. Seems like the door lock modules eventually quit working, just have to replace them. After I replaced the passenger rear door lock module, the Jeep seems to have a little bit longer now before it drains the battery. Not sure if those are related but worthy to note.
quarkdude

 

Thanks for that. Where exactly is the door lock module located?

I actually own a 1997 grand cherokee ( with 48 hour battery drain) as well as a 1998 (holds a charge fine). I just got back from doing some testing on both cars to see if there were differences in the volt and milliamp readings. They are almost identical so now I'm really puzzled and not convinced I have a drain.

I disconnected the negative cable on both jeeps. I put my multimeter, set to 20V and connected it to the negative detached cable end and the negative battery post. I hot a reading of 12.10 on both jeeps.

I then put the neg cable back on and removed the positive cable to do the milliamp test again. I put the multimeter probe (set on 200MA) on the positive battery post and the positive cable end and got a reading of 182MA on the "good jeep" and a reading of 190MA on the jeep with the problem. I then removed the 50A fuse on both jeeps and checked again. I got a reading of 12.11 on both jeeps. Again, yesterday after removing all of the fuses one at a time, the 50A fuse (for the power window, locks etc) was the only one that dropped the milliamp reading on the multimeter.

Almost identical readings on both jeeps!!! Crazy. Again the battery on the "bad" jeep was replaced 6 months ago and I took it back to walmart last week and they tested it and gave me the computer read out that it was as strong as new!

Hope this helps out in the troubleshooting department.

 

Well. Not much activity. Thanks anyway. On to another place i guess.

 

did either of you guys get to the bottom of this 188mA drain? I have exactly the same issue and am very interested that you got the same drain on the good and 'bad' jeep! I'm wondering if I'm chasing an issue that every jeep has! here's my post:- http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/power-drain-50a-fuse-relay-box-drawing-180ma-985846/

 

does the ZJ have a security system on them?

IF YOU CAN, try leaving the vehicle un armed on the system

when i removed my passenger door panel on my WJ, i left it off for a few days and the battery died.

also does the VIC display anything about the alarm or doors being open?

its a SWAG but hope it helps

 

Just for the heck of it, charge your battery, and then disconnect your negitive battery terminal for two or three days then reconnect it and see what you got .

I have a Caddy that was driving me crazy with a slow drain and I finally tried that and figured out that I had a bad battery cell.

 

It could be a bad diode in the alternator. If a diode in the alternator is bad, the battery will charge fine and hold a charge but for no more than a day or two. Try bringing it to your local Autozone or whatever and having the alternator tested. It's the easiest way to figure out if that's the problem.

 

Very good point Sir, I have some cool toys like a load tester and so such and I struggle at times to make it more simple here for y'all by assuming that you don't.

Please, don't ever believe guys that if Vato-zone tells you that your battery or alternator is good or bad that they are right.

Oops my bad ... Edit: add the starter too..

 

battery drain in 48hrs

Hi I to have the same problem with the draw 188ma on the 50 amp fuse under ther hood for memory functions I have narowed it down to the d/s door master door switch or the d/s mirror when I plug the mirror in to the door switch the draw comes on. Could it be the mirror or is the master switch thanks .

 

Hello wrenchenfool

You are the second person who has mentioned the d/s master lock module or power mirror module as the possible culprit to the mystery Grand Cherokee battery drain. I will set up my test light again and try pulling those connectors and see if the drain goes away. If it does I bet you have nailed the drain that I have been trying to figure out for a couple of years now. I will post results after I try it.
Thanks wrenchenfool, quarkdude :thumbsup:

 

188ma draw

You are the second person who has mentioned the d/s master lock module or power mirror module as the possible culprit to the mystery Grand Cherokee battery drain. I will set up my test light again and try pulling those connectors and see if the drain goes away. If it does I bet you have nailed the drain that I have been trying to figure out for a couple of years now. I will post results after I try it.
Thanks wrenchenfool, quarkdude :thumbsup:

I belive in my situation the heated pwr mirror is the drain I have one on order as soon as it arives i will inform you thank you

 

If it helps, I found that pulling the Passenger side door module plugs dropped my drain from 180mA down by 80mA...

The other 100mA was being drawn by the BCM.

As my post says - I gave up!

 

Any news on the battery drain? Did the mirror fix the problem?

 

drain

got the mirror in just got to get some time i will let you know

 

ill go with the alarm thing as well. i installed a python 1401 keyless entry and remote start and it killed the batt once.....but i would also recomend that you check on the stereo as well. if youve got the factory amp it may be pulling a draw on your battery as well if its not turning itself off. just my 2 cents.

 

Have a 98 Grand Cherokee and from day one have had battery drain issues. Pretty much found out that it is the factory security system that drains the battery. So setting the alarm or using the keyless remote even to open doors was a no no... Have read dozens of posts, other sites, etc. but have not found a foolproof way to disconnect the alarm without causing other issues... I am told it is intergrated with the ECM so I am just SOL... I don't use the keyless remote or set the alarm, but lock the doors manually and open them that way. This pretty much does the trick, but if it sits for a month or so I pull the battery cables off as it will still be drained by this alarm system... but it works good for days on end... hope this helps as work around...

 

battery drain 188ma

Hi the mirror was not the problem I was 99% sure it was but I was wrong good thing I was not charged for the mirror. like I had first posted when the mirror was pluged in to the d/s master door switch is when the draw would take place . As of now I still have the door panel apart and leaving work on friday I pluged the window switch in and the mirror when I got home I noticed the window switch was very hot when I went to unplug it so one of buides is going to get a hold of one to try. I have went threw the proper steps leading to the d/s door went thew all fuses all one at a time finding draw on 50amp fuse (for memory functions ) I have seen many post over the net on this problem but have not herd of any cures at work we have A site similar to this one were all techs post problems they have on different kinds of automobiles there was nothing for this same problem we all have so must keep diging deeper thanks

 

power drain

well guys same thing was happening to me so ... after a bit i narrowed it down to my front seats yes seats , heated with power lumbar ect i pulled overload J in the fuse box... gess what my draw in off cycle 208 went down to 013 no more battery drains !!!!! :cheers2: it was a faulty lumbar switch switch !! in the deflate poositin it was stuck..hense battery draw , the seat control no matter what pocket the keys are in are workable any time , good luck jeepstters nelson

 

I know this is a old post... But for anyone that happens to research this problem, I want to add my experiences with this.
I've had the same amp draw "problem.". It may not be a problem! Remove your negative battery cable. Hook up your meter between the battery post and the cable. Be sure your meter is set to the proper setting before doing this. Also, before connecting be sure everything in your Jeep is turned off. No lights, doors closed, etc. Attach the meter probes as directed above using zip ties to hold them to the cable and battery post. Positive to the cable, negative to the post. Then wait. My initial reading was around 190 milliamps as everyone has noticed on their jeeps. After several minutes, as the jeep control modules power down, you should get around 20 milliamp draw. Just give it time. I believe this behavior is normal. Hopefully, you'll notice the same pattern. If not, then you may have one of the problems others have posted here. I thought my first reading was a problem until I waited about 2 or 3 minutes.

 

I sure hope this helps someone. I to have a 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the battery will not hold a charge. After too many trips to my mechanic we finally found the culprit!! It was the rear defrost! It was draining the battery. ALSO…that fuse had been pulled so we don’t know how exactly the battery was able to pull juice from the battery.