Repair Lane

Battery Drain (Parasitic Draw) Diagnostic

Finds out exactly what is secretly draining your battery while the car sits parked.

Difficulty: moderate~11.5 hrsHalf a day
Estimated total
$115–180
Parts$0
Labor$115–180
Labor time11.5 hrs

Diagnostic pricing covers testing and identification of the problem. Repair parts and labor are quoted separately.

Repair costs are not included unless separately selected.

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What's involved

What this repair actually is.

When a battery keeps dying overnight even though it tests healthy, something in the car is staying awake and drawing power. We measure the current draw with the car asleep, then isolate circuits one by one until we find the exact module, accessory, or wiring fault responsible. The vehicle may need to stay with us for several hours so the electronics can fully power down between tests.

Symptoms

How you can tell.

  • Battery dead after sitting overnight or a few days
  • New battery keeps dying too
  • Needs a jump start after the weekend
  • Clock and radio presets reset
  • Interior or trunk light staying on
Educational estimate. Real pricing depends on your vehicle, the inspection, parts availability, taxes, and shop rates. Use this as a guide while you shop quotes.
Related

Often done together.