3 amp draw on fuse 7

[Gothstone]

Working on a 2005 Legacy with turbo with my brother on law. We picked it up used and have most of its issues sorted except the 3 amp draw that kills the battery. Narrowed it down to cabin fuse 7 which lists as "Combination meter, Integrated unit". Without fuse 7 the trip meter/odometer doesn't light up, and the shifter won't move. I'm failing miserably at reading the electrical diagrams. What else is on this circuit? Any suggestions what might be causing such a high draw? Any help is very appreciated!!!

[whitexc]

Bad cluster? Does everything work as it should with the fuse in, even with the draw? Radio, heater controls, etc?

 

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[Gothstone]

Best i can tell so far everything works with the fuse in except the dome lights, which i haven't played with yet but think are on a different fuse. I did specifically check the radio and hvac controls since thats a common failure, but they are all fine and work with out fuse 7.

[JMack]

Can you unplug the Combination meter? The wiring goes from FB-17 F/B Fuse #7 through the fire wall and plugs into A1 and A2 on the Combination meter. If the current draw remains, you will have something on that side.

After that, or possibly before, does the tach / trip stay on when the key is off and the door is closed and / or open? If I remember correctly, some cars had the trip / odometer turn on if you opened the door. I think this was so you could get mileage without the key?

 

Fuse #7 goes straight from the FB in the engine bay to the fire wall disconnect R167/i102 and then to the Combination Meter. The logic / path in the book shows that it goes into the power circuit and then the micro computer. then out a couple of ways (or distributed).

 

**Edit

Upon looking again, the wiring from Fuse #7 also goes to the TPM control module (if you have that). The security / immobilizer light. The wiring is simple but they complicate it by adding in the Combination meter logic information in block diagram form.

Edited April 28, 2022 by JMack

[Gothstone]

I'll try unplugging the combo meter today, but for clarity, this is fuse number 7 under the dash, not in the engine bay. I did check the dome lights, they are fine just burnt out. I also found some aftermarket BS tapping the mirror for power and ending in a phone jack? Removed that and fixed the wires. Didn't help, but makes me hope there is some addon garbage elsewhere causing the issue.

[JMack]

I'll try unplugging the combo meter today, but for clarity, this is fuse number 7 under the dash, not in the engine bay. I did check the dome lights, they are fine just burnt out. I also found some aftermarket BS tapping the mirror for power and ending in a phone jack? Removed that and fixed the wires. Didn't help, but makes me hope there is some addon garbage elsewhere causing the issue.

 

I just assumed the R167/i102 was a firewall connector (I work on Jets for a living, not these cars). When I see disconnects, they are normally because of a replaceable unit or a physical obstruction (firewall or bulkhead).

 

I would try the Cluster, or the BIU first. They both suck to get to, and may make it difficult.

 

In the 90's on jets, there was a similar "phone jack" type of electrical connector used. They could be for something like an old Radar detector or something similar.

[Gothstone]

Got it fixed. It was either a bad connection at the BIM/BIU which i unplugged and put back durring testing or more likely the courtesy door light which had a bad connection and was arcing. Killed the light and fixed the door to close all the way.

[whitexc]

Thanks for following up.

 

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[JMack]

NICE!!! Congrats!