Originally Posted by
pizzaguy
My car sits for three weeks at a time with no issue. The manual specifies no more than .06 amp (60 mA) but you measure this by the exact procedure:
1) Disconnect battery ground cable
2) Insert an ammeter/DVM inline
3) With doors and trunk closed and key off and removed from the ignition, wait at least 3 minutes. (This allows the security system and other 'stuff' to get to it's "resting" state, looking at the meter too quickly will make you think you have a problem you do not really have)
4) Observe the meter - ANYTHING over 60mA is a PROBLEM.
My "gut" feeling is that your battery is on it's way out. The spoiler acting up is a good sign of either a bad battery, weak/flaky alternator or battery/ground cable in poor shape.
Awesome tutorial! People seem to be in a hurry a lot and never wait for the car to settle down (all the electronics).
I always wondered if the hood switch ever set a higher current draw when testing for this condition. In other words, is there some circuit that keeps a higher draw when the hood isn't latched and the BCM/SKREEM/alarm is monitoring that condition? Just wondering (a curse sometimes but then again I am always questioning things).
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