Spent 4 hours chasing a parasitic drain that turned out to be a glove box light

Ended up pulling fuses one by one on a 2012 Civic and the stupid little plunger switch was just stuck in the released position, has anyone else had a simple interior light cause that much headache?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_hayden15d ago

Had a similar thing happen with the dome light in an old Forester. Turns out the door switch was just slightly corroded and staying open. Spent a whole Saturday afternoon swearing at wiring diagrams and testing relays that were perfectly fine. That little 5 cent switch made me feel like a complete moron when I finally found it by accident while leaning on the door jamb. Sometimes the simplest stuff causes the most grief because you just don't expect it.

carter.joseph15d ago

Buddy of mine spent two days chasing a parasitic drain on his Tacoma, replaced the alternator and everything. Turned out the little light in the center console cup holder was staying on because a dime got wedged against the switch.

ward.kim15d ago

And there I was thinking I was a real mechanic, pulling out my multimeter and checking every fuse like some kind of electrical genius. Turns out the biggest brain teaser of the year was a little light bulb in the glove compartment that decided to stay on and slowly drain my battery overnight. I felt pretty silly when I finally found it, but at least now I know more about my car's electrical system than I ever wanted to.