current draw

[adam75dfw]

My GF's Cobalt\s battery doesn't seem to hold a charge. It has to be jump started every time. Sometimes it cranks and doesn't start, but it never dies once it's running. The alt puts out 14V and tests good according to Auto Zone.

The battery tests "charge and retest."

The engine light comes on, but there are no stored codes.

I started to change the battery, and I noticed that the neg cable was hotter than the positive. I d/c'd the neg cable and hooked up and amp meter. There is a 3A draw.

I don't usually work on GM cars. Some cars I have worked on have a big draw when you first hook up a new battery while all the systems check themselves, hen the draw goes away after a few minutes.

Does the Cobalt have a draw at first when you hook up a new battery, then a "sleep" mode after a few minutes? Or should it be a close to 0 amp reading with the key off when I connect a battery?

How many amps should I read if I hook the ammeter up to the battery neg with the key off?

Are there any common causes of current draw on this car?

Thanks!

[adam75dfw]

I pulled all the fuses, and I still had a draw. Now the car won't start even with a jump. It cranks, just doesn't start. It did this once to my girlfriend earlier today and then did it again to me coming back from auto Zone, before I pulled any fuses. Both times we managed to start it, but not this time.

There is no security light. Only an engine light. It flickers a little bit, but the power source is good.

I pulled the cooling fan II relay to get easier access to the fuses. When I put it back, it started squealing and the fan came on. I tried other relays, and they all did the same thing. I checked to see if pulling the relay stopped the draw, but it did not.

[cobalt123]

bump

[camopaint0707]

you try replacing the battery? Those machines at autozone could be wrong ya know.

[adam75dfw]

Yeah, I love easy, No easy stone goes unturned if I'm around. I put in a new battery as soon as the draw didn't dminish with all the fuses pulled.