Summary of "You Might Have This In Your Vehicle & This Is Just One Reason Why You Need To Get Rid Of It!!"

Identifying and Resolving Excessive Battery Drain in Vehicles

The video focuses on diagnosing and fixing excessive battery drain (parasitic draw) in vehicles, using an Infiniti i35 as an example.

Identifying Battery Drain

Normal parasitic draw should be under 50 milliamps.
The example vehicle showed around 800 milliamps, which is excessively high.
To check for draw, use a multimeter set to measure current (milliamps) between the battery terminals.

Using an Infrared (IR) Thermometer

An IR thermometer helps quickly locate the source of the draw by detecting hot components.
In the example, the vehicle’s radio was notably hot, indicating it was pulling excessive current.

Fuse Pulling Method

Pull fuses one at a time to identify which circuit is causing the draw.
Removing the radio fuse dropped the draw from 820 milliamps to about 120 milliamps, indicating the radio circuit is a major contributor but not the only one.

Hidden Cause: Insurance Telematics Dongle

A common overlooked cause is insurance company telematics devices plugged into the vehicle’s OBD2 (DLC) port.
These devices constantly communicate with the vehicle’s network to collect driving data such as speed, braking, and G-forces, transmitting it via cellular networks.
Such dongles can cause intermittent battery drain spikes (e.g., beeping every 1.5 minutes and drawing 300+ milliamps).
Removing the dongle brought the parasitic draw back under 50 milliamps, resolving the issue.

Considerations and Advice

These telematics devices were never designed to be permanently plugged in and can potentially cause battery drain or other network issues.
Weigh the benefits of insurance discounts against the risk of battery and vehicle electrical problems.
The presenter personally advises against leaving these devices plugged in long-term.

Notable Tools and Products

Infrared thermometer (handheld preferred over phone-connected versions)
Multimeter with milliamp measurement capability
Fuse probe tool to test current draw across fuses
Progressive Insurance telematics dongle (example of insurance tracking device)

Summary

If your vehicle’s battery keeps dying, check for parasitic draw using a multimeter and IR thermometer. Don’t overlook insurance telematics dongles plugged into your OBD2 port, as they can cause significant battery drain. Consider removing these devices if you experience electrical issues, balancing the pros and cons of insurance discounts versus potential vehicle problems.