2006 Avalon Limited with draining battery issue

[Toyota916]

So I am looking to purchase an 06 Avalon with 66k on it. The guy says the battery has drained on him twice. He took it to the dealership and said the amp was the issue or something like that so they took the fuse out that belongs to the amp and ever since then, the car has not drained on him. Any help on how to fix this problem?

[grandpapa]

at least the seller is willing to tell you about the problem so it's a good start.
So sounds like some fuse was pull to avoid the draining issue. Can you tell which fuse? Without a fuse, certain thing might not work correctly.
Again, I don't think that's a deal breaker for me, worst case is to take it to the dealer and have them fix it. If the selling price is right, I will buy it.

[Toyota916]

The couple selling the car seemed to be very nice people so that's a plus. And I am getting the car at a very good price in my eyes. They did take the car to the dealership and that is what they did for them. I should have asked more details, but I will be seeing the car this Saturday and I will get more information on it at that time.

I'm thinking the dealership said it needed a new amp...but why would that cause parasitic drain?

[Glenn8963]

Originally Posted by Toyota916

The couple selling the car seemed to be very nice people so that's a plus. And I am getting the car at a very good price in my eyes. They did take the car to the dealership and that is what they did for them. I should have asked more details, but I will be seeing the car this Saturday and I will get more information on it at that time.

I'm thinking the dealership said it needed a new amp...but why would that cause parasitic drain?

what kind of "amp" are you talking about...a stereo amp..??

if so, then something inside is defective, and causing it to stay hot/on or going directly to ground.

[Toyota916]

From what he said...I believe the stereo amp is bad, but he wasn't really sure because I could hear his wife in the background telling him about it. They are an older couple who don't know much about cars.

How much could the amp be if I needed a new one or something compatible. The car is a Limited.

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by Toyota916

So I am looking to purchase an 06 Avalon with 66k on it. The guy says the battery has drained on him twice. He took it to the dealership and said the amp was the issue or something like that so they took the fuse out that belongs to the amp and ever since then, the car has not drained on him. Any help on how to fix this problem?

Looking at the most basic potential cause, is this the original battery that would be 5 years old now (maybe over six if you include installation at the factory and the intervening time until purchase)? If so then have the battery checked. At 5 to 6 years it is getting long in the tooth and may well be unable to hold a charge anymore.

[Mike Murrell]

Does an '06 Avalon have a factory stereo amp?

If so - where is it?

My '06 battery lived exactly 4 yrs. - lots of "memories" and that little blinking red light on dash chew batteries faster. My '04 Tacoma 4 banger battery lived 7 yrs. - less gadgetry to sink a battery.

[Toyota916]

So I bought the car. 06 Avalon limited. The car is pretty darn nice...except for the stereo. The paper work he provided stated that the dealership did not find any issues with the amp and disconnected due to owner's request. The owner said the battery died. Charged it, battery died. Bought a new battery and died over night.

I will reconnect the amp and see what happens. But where is the amp located?

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by Toyota916

So I bought the car. 06 Avalon limited. The car is pretty darn nice...except for the stereo. The paper work he provided stated that the dealership did not find any issues with the amp and disconnected due to owner's request. The owner said the battery died. Charged it, battery died. Bought a new battery and died over night.

I will reconnect the amp and see what happens. But where is the amp located?

Just making sure, but did you check and clean your battery connections? Also, did you tighten them thoroughly? If not a loose/weak connection can cause local arcing that will drain a battery overnight.

[inov8]

The audio amplifier is located under the right front seat, and is wired directly to the battery. If it draws excess standby current, it certainly can run down a battery overnight. The dealer probably removed the fuse to disable it (fuse locations are in the owner's manual). Replace the fuse and see what happens (make sure the car is parked in a location where you can jump-start it).

A new amplifier retails for $660, including ODP**. An online discount OEM parts supplier quoted $600. Assuming it is depleting the battery, a more elegant (and less costly) solution would be to add a power relay so the amplifier is only connected to battery when the ignition is on.

**obscene dealer profit

[grandpapa]

remember, it's an used car so one or two problem? probably not a big deal as long as you like the car. Just spend some $ and get it fix, you got a great ride for sure.