I have a 96 astro. Last 2 years its just draining brand new batteries in 2 weeks then i have to jump it every single time to get in it. I have taken to 4 different places. Cables and connections are fine, Parasitic draw test good. Alternator/starter good. Not glove box light. fuses fine. I have spent so much in mechanics that cant find the problem. One said he fixed but dead within 2 weeks again. They even cut the wire to my remote start. Im at my wits end. No where to take it. Now sometimes u hear a static like sound right around your left knee is around dash board or further under. thought headlight switch but no. Ive done so much on my own by googling. But my son got in major accident n of course dead van after i drove it for a hour before accident. I cant afford new vehicle. My van is in pretty good shape with 80000 miles. I keep her clean n waxed and had her since 98… But these mechanics even chevy dealership are idiots. So far they busted my side pouch on housing, scratched the hood up, have bolts missing and found parts in van they for got put back on. one place put dash back on crooked. My dome will flicker also when that static sound starts but no one know why even when I show them a video of it. Trying to find an electrical place here is impossible for vehicles. Any ideas please. Ty Helen
Also dome lights and static dont do it everytime I drive it
I can only suggest another parasitic draw test by a competent mechanic. NOT a dealer, an independent in your area. Search on Google, Yelp, YP.com, ask friends ect. for references.
You admitted to a remote starter, often a problem, it should be removed. If the van has a non-factory radio, assume that, too, is a problem.
It IS a 96, a 23 year old van. Electronics go bad on their own. Some of their pieces fail with time. It may still be possible to get good re-manufactured parts for this van, it might not.
Good Luck.
Hope he is OK. But if the accident was with this problem van then I disagree about not affording a vehicle. I would not spend anymore money on the thing .
Sounds like your van has an intermittent problem with a door ajar switch, the door ajar switches on sliding doors can be problematic. From inside the vehicle with all of the doors closed apply pressure to each door and see if that causes the dome light to turn on.
im sorry didnt mean to sound like he got in accident with my van. he got in one with his car and when i went to get in my van to go see him it was dead again
**UPdateeee Fingers crossed. I found the static sound. I started moving the fuses myself and the fuse the operates the courtesy lamps, power mirrors,glove lamp, dome n reading lamps, n vanity mirror. This fuse made the exact sound when lights flickered. So got a new fuse but did the same. . But removing that fuse should cut out the short right? Im not a mechanic by any means. Doing this on the fly on my own by research and questions at 54 years old lol. So far I ran it for half hour and waited 1/2 hour n started right up. But since its just inside lights and this fixes it I probably just say yippee it starts. But remarkable how that kills a brand new battery in 2 weeks time n then dead every day . No way I could do wiring in a van when one fuse runs that many controls. Read its a pain to mess with wiring
You’re really only going to be able to confirm that with a digital multimeter . . . using the ampmeter part of it, to be specific
There could be a connection problem in that fuse box. Sometimes the easiest fix and still a good one is to bypass that one fuse position: cut the wires going in to and out of that position in the fuse box. Connect those wires to a separate in-line fuse holder. But first you need more diagnosis to pinpoint the troublesome connection.
Fuses don’t make noise.
Power mirror motors do.
Remove that fuse and see if the current draw is gone.
Tester
Leave the fuse out. You can live without those electric features for a while and see if the static noise goes away and if the van now starts reliably. If it does you can either live with it forever or go to an auto electric specialty shop and tell them what you have learned. Sometimes a body repair shop has leads to good electricians.
You say you hear a sound by your left knee and the dome light flickers at the same time. I don’t know about Astro vans but on most vehicles that is where the door switch that turns on your dome light that opens the door.
That is also the switch that gets used the most. Those switches are cheap and easy to replace.
the wire bundle in driver door flexs and cracks the wires on my equinox. common issue. possible some wires are shorted there?