Ecometer warning

[birdman]

I went through a couple of bad Ecometers that killed 2 batteries before I found info on this site about excessive power drain from Ecometers and the new improved version that fixed the problem. I sent mine back and they replaced it with their new improved version that didn't function at all. After haggling over the phone they sent me another one 4 months back and it drained my battery so low it barely started yesterday after sitting for 4 days without the alarm on. The dealership did a test proving that this new improved Ecometer still pulls way too much charge when the car is turned off. In fact it pulls the same charge as the earlier one. There is a very good chance if you buy anything with Made in the USA on it these days you are really taking a gamble. Autometer has had every opportunity to make things right but they replaced my old bad unit with 2 new bad units. Maybe some of you out there got replacement Ecometers that are good but if you are having problems with your new one you are not alone. I met a retired businessman from Toyota USA a few weeks back who gave me an interesting statistic. Toyota cars that are assembled in the USA have a 14% higher chance of problems than the same models built in Japan. It's our American pride in our workmanship that is sliding off the cliff. Is it any wonder why our companies are manufacturing over seas. My 4th and final Ecometer is going to the dump where it rightfully belongs. When I was a kid most of the junky products were Japanese now they're becoming American.

[R2D2]

That's a bummer birdman-I sent mine back and they very promptly sent me a replacement that has been fine. I'm sorry to hear you weren't so fortunate.

[CTScott]

Did the dealer tell you how much current the Ecometer is drawing when the car is off? The Yaris has a very high self discharge rate by itself. Add an alarm or remote starter and it gets almost 50% worse. So, it really can't afford anything else that draws more than about 25 mA or else you will be down to less than a week of not starting it before the battery is dead.

[birdman]

The first two Yukometers were tested by the dealer and found to be drawing way over the limit and enough to kill the battery. I do not use the alarm system 95% of the time because it's in the garage. The first two killed 2 batteries and the first new improved one nearly killed my 3rd battery so I had it tested and it drew the identical amount as the first 2. I got a second free new and improved one and put it on and immediately had it tested both at the dealership and a good auto electric shop and it was drawing the same amount as all the others. My experience with these things is that there is no difference between the old ones and the new ones and that all Autometer is doing is giving phony lip service to give the public the false impression that the new ones are improved. This is why I try to steer clear of cheap American goods like this when ever I can. I love my American designed Mac Mini computer so I'm not completely anti America. If some of you out there have been satisfied with your meters over several months of ownership then that's great. At the very least Autometer has terrible quality control practices. So if you thought you were all alone with your battery eating Yukometers you are not alone. If something seems to be too good to be true it usually is. I'm off to Scangauge 2 land.

[ezhacker1]

My Ecometer has done the same thing to my first battery and now my second one is pretty bad. I just unplug it when I turn off the car, I'll check the draw (now that I have a multimeter)

[Mikeey01nzl]

Originally Posted by CTScott

The Yaris has a very high self discharge rate by itself. Add an alarm or remote starter

Scott does it matter if it is locked or un-locked? and what is the static draw do you know?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Mikeey01nzl

Scott does it matter if it is locked or un-locked? and what is the static draw do you know?

Locked vs. unlocked doesn't matter. The static draw is about 100 mA for one with manual locks and about 150 mA for one with an alarm or remote starter.

[Bluevitz-rs]

1.25W - 1.875W

[pennyracer]

hell my remote start draws power when its just sitting around when i put in a boulding when i go out of town 4 days my yellow top optima battey done zero voltage that the onlt thing that could be drawing power when car is shut down yes i have a little stereo in it but i even pulled both 100amp fuses out of amp power lines thinking maybe the amps were drawing power but same problem when i got back from a two week trip has anyone has this problem with there remote start ?

[YarisSedan]

After being late to work one day because my car wont start after sitting only 2 days over the weekend i finally figured out the next following weekend when i was late again that it was my ecometer. I chucked it and i havent had dead battery issues since.

[ezhacker1]

Just unplug it when you turn off and plug before turn on. Least I have a Costco warranty on the battery.

[xnamerxx]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the ecometer is made in china not the USA.
Also hate to be another bearer of bad news but just because a car was assembled in the USA doesn't mean the parts were made here. Toyota sources a very large amount of parts in China as a simple was of staying competitive how do you think they can make a 2009 Camry for as cheap as they can. Now the 14% less reliable is a dubious statistic because toyota's most popular model is the Camry which is made in Kentucky but its by and far toyotas most popular model. So as production goes up quality tends to go down toyota has done a good job but is one model of car. I work with several ex-toyota engineers and the staggering amount of engineering that goes into their products is amazing but everything can be ruined by an accountant. Cars are built 90% by robots anyway its the quality of the materials going into it that matter to me and those materials can be very poor when they come from 3rd world nations where competition is fierce.

Everything I've ever owned that was truly made in the USA has been fine. Chinese made products generally don't match whats made here.

[auxmike]

Chinese products are garbage and DANGEROUS....

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by auxmike

Chinese products are garbage and DANGEROUS....

Guess it's time to move then. The US just loves that made in China label; we'd be lost without it.

[birdman]

Actually it says it's made in the USA by American Craftsmen right on the box and by their customer support reps. But what do they know? More than they're telling us apparently. I wouldn't bash China when the US is their biggest consumers. Warren Buffet invests in Chinese cars not US ones. You think he might just know something? The USA has the lowest standards in the entire world when it comes to fuel efficient vehicles and we're the highest producers of green house gasses. That's something worth bragging every time we go riding around in our filthy gas guzzlers.
As far as plugging it in and out goes I was warned this would ruin the diagnostic ports ability to function properly. It's a free country so do as you like at your own peril. As for me it's off to the recycle bin.