Flat Battery caused by Power Seats

[The75Lady]

I have a 2002 75 Tourer with full electric seats. I noticed on a drive back from Wales there was a clicking sound within the car like an electrical relay. I didn't take any notice but the following day the car had a completely flat battery. The RAC came out said the battery was U/S and replaced it with a new one. The following day this battery was also completely flat. The RAC came out again and replaced the battery as it was possibly faulty. Next day completely flat again. I have now had the battery recharged and car works OK, I have had all the fuses checked for current flow and Fuse number 21 shows a current draw of 8.1 Amps which is intermittent, switching on and off constantly. This corresponds with the clicking noise I hear within the car (I think around the centre console), does anybody have any idea what is causing this battery drain? Could it be a faulty relay?. Can anybody tell me the location of the relays for the electric seats? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[jordimussol]

If there's a clicking relay then yes, this relay is being fed current to either close or open a circuit where it shouldn't do.

For the time being you should take this relay out and try it with a new one. If the same happens, then figure out why there's current going to it in the first place where they shouldn't. You'd need to find out if it's electric or electronic. If it's electronic there's an ECU somewhere sending it current where it shoulnd't. If it's electrical, it could just be a faulty relay or something simpler.

Then again I'm no car electrics expert, I just get by.

[COLVERT]

Have you checked the Plenum chamber for water ??

Water in here can flood the ECU and give you the kind of problems you are having.

I hope the RAC didn't charge you for your first battery as there was nothing wrong with it. The high current drain made it go flat. Recharging would have restored it back to normal.


There is lots of info on the forum about how to access and clean the Plenum chamber.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by The75Lady

... Fuse number 21 shows a current draw of 8.1 Amps ...

Good work Jill and to the club by the way.

The function of fuse number 21 in the passenger compartment fusebox depends upon whether your car has the early or later type of fusebox.

The early type has two long rows of 18 fuses arranged symmetrically.
The later type has the fuses in a staggered pattern in two squarish blocks.

Fuse no. 21 is 30A (early design) and feeds the memory seat ECU.
On the later design it is 10A and feeds the ABS ECU.

Can anybody tell me the location of the relays for the electric seats?

According to MG Rover, if you have a non-memory seat it is below the seat cushion. If you have a memory seat they are within the memory ECU.
The fault is unlikely to be a faulty relay.

Simon

[COLVERT]

Simon.
Knowing which fuse does what is handy but it doesn't explain why there is an intermittent current draw of 8 amps.

What is making this happen is the problem.---

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by COLVERT

What is making this happen is the problem.--

I agree. I am trying to establish which circuit is responsible before making a premature diagnosis.

Simon

[trikey]

I would be pulling the fuse until the issue is sorted, the last thing you want is a hot relay underneath the seat.