[kingpoop92]

Hey everyone,

I'm new here and I'm in desperate need of some help. I have a 2009 Versa 1.8L that has been dealing with a major battery drain! I had my battery replaced no more than 3 months ago and the drain is still there (so much so I have to boost my car everytime I want to drive it!). I had Canadian Tire check it out and they identified it as the BCM draining my battery. I called my dealership and they quoted me at over $2k for the assessment, repair, and part! My car is only worth $5k now so it's a hard pill to swallow. I've been on the hunt for a BCM from auto wreckers but am having no luck. I just called another Nissan dealership and they said it's most likely the IPDM and that Versas don't have a BCM (???)

I'm not sure what to do! Has anyone else encountered anything like this?

 

[Desert Rodent]

I just poked around on ebay and there are quite a few (used) BCM modules for under $100. There were only a few (used) IPDM modules under $100.

You'd have to check with the seller (on ebay) to see if they would ship them to Canada (before you purchase) and there may be an additional shipping charge. Again, something to ask before you purchase.

 

[PoMan]

I would want to know what troubleshooting was done on it. I would personally start by making sure simple stuff like visor lights, trunk lights, glovebox lights, etc.. aren't stuck on all the time. I would unplug or disable all aftermarket electrical items. Then I would pull one fuse at a time to see if the fuse you pulled stops the drain.

You could at least identify the circuit that is causing the drain that way, then dig into each item on that circuit.

 

[SlickVersa]

OP, do you have anything aftermarket installed, like alarm or audio system? And provide a little bit of a history for this drain, did it just happen out of blue, or after some event you can link it to? Are you the original car owner, or you bought it with this drain being present?

 

[tutti57]

I agree that I'd want to know how this was determined. It's pretty common for people to point to the BCM for this during testing because sometimes it take like 40 minutes for it to go to sleep. If you have DMM I can tell you how to test it for yourself.

 

[Ecate]

if you change the BCM you will have to reregister the keys otherwise the car won't start.

 

[Keith Wagner]

www.car-part.com has both listed at or under $100 CDN. Just make sure to select the proper country.

As stated earlier, make sure you have the source identified. Any BCM will need to be taken to Nissan for programming, just an FYI.

 

[kingpoop92]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Here's a bit more history: I'm the original owner and it hasn't failed me until now. In 2018, my car battery died and it was replaced. In 2019, I installed an aftermarket audio system. I made no other modifications. In late 2020, my car had difficulty turning over. I ended up buying a booster pack in case it wouldn't start when I was away from home. Although I had only used it once in 2020. Earlier this year (2021), my car wouldn't turn over unless I boosted it. I took it straight to a shop to have it looked at. I wasn't satisfied with the answer so I took it elsewhere. They did a full system check. They took out all the fuses and they checked the aftermarket audio system. They identified it to be the BCM to be the drain.

I live in a condominium which doesn't allow me the space to check over the vehicle myself. Should I take it to the dealer to have it reassessed?

 

[Keith Wagner]

I have heard stories that Canadian Tire isn't the best. I would get another opinion.

What did the first shop you didn't like the answer have to say?

 

[Desert Rodent]

Should I take it to the dealer to have it reassessed?

I would ask (in advance) what the dealer charges for a "diagnosis fee" and see if you are willing to spend that money as a "sunk cost".

As an example, (recently) my girlfriend's Dodge could not be fixed by her local mechanic nor could I figure it out. We decided to pay the Dodge dealership $148 (US) to diagnose the problem. Upon completion of the diagnosis, the repair was beyond what I can do (as a shade tree mechanic) and we authorized the Dealership to do the repair. The $148 was applied to the repair, because we let them to order genuine Dodge parts and complete the repair.

 

[SlickVersa]

OP, before you take it to a dealer, disconnect the power supply to your aftermarket audio system and see if it has any impact on the battery drain.

About living in a condominium without the space to do anything - that what large parking lots of big box retailers are for...

 

[tutti57]

9/10 parasitic drains are from aftermarket add ons. My money is on the stereo. It could be intermittent. The car has to be off for a long time for the BCM to go to sleep, which throws people off thinking that it's not shutting down, when they just have to wait longer while doing the test. Some vehicles can take hours to shut down. Having an ikey in the car can also mess with this test. I'd hold off on the BCM.