Just spent 6 hours chasing a parasitic draw on a 2012 Civic

I had this Honda come in with a dead battery every morning. Customer said it started fine during the day. I checked the alternator and battery first, both tested good. Then I pulled the fuse box and started testing each circuit with my multimeter. Found a 0.5 amp draw on the interior light circuit but all the lights were off. I checked the door switches, the glove box light, everything. After 3 hours I was ready to pull my hair out. Turns out the trunk light switch was stuck partially closed from some junk piled in there. Took me 6 hours total to find a 50 cent fix. Has anyone else spent way too long on something that simple?

2 comments

2 Comments

harperschmidt4d ago

Did you at least charge them for the full 6 hours? I've been there with a stupid simple fix that took forever to find. It's always the cheap plastic parts that make you want to throw your multimeter across the shop.

oliver_anderson4d ago

Right, and the worst part is you know it's gonna be some dumb 50 cent piece of plastic before you even start digging in. @harperschmidt I totally feel you on the multimeter thing, I almost yeeted mine into the trash can last week over a cracked plastic vacuum line. Charging for the full six is the only way to keep your sanity, even if you feel a little bad handing that bill over. They're paying for your brain, not your time bent over the engine bay.