Where is this guy located? Hoping not buried in the column somewhere. It controls the courtesy light that comes on when the door opens so you can find the ignition key, and keeps the lamp on for 10 seconds after the door closes.

I start this car maybe once a month... its been fine until the last time - 0v across the battery. Literally, 0.0. I pulled a battery cable and the voltage started to slowly come back up, making me think there was some parasitic load coming from the car. Wanted to continue working but it started raining so I yanked the battery and went inside.

It charged up and seems to be holding fine, didn't fall below 10.5 when cranking for 15+ seconds. Next day, put an ammeter in series with the battery with me out of the car and the door closed. No current flow, as expected. Opened car door - hmm, why's there current flowing? 3/4A... and yes, the dome light was removed, key in off position. Remembered the ignition switch light... I closed the door, approx 0.13A flow until 10 seconds later, then 0A. Only thing I could have figured is perhaps this module stuck on last time I started and light drained the battery. No aftermarket accessories or radios, it's pretty much stock electrically except the upgraded alternator.

try unplug the wires on the door switch and see if there is
still 3/4 amp flowing. if no current, then you found the problem

If you have only 10.5 volts after cranking for 15 seconds, starting with a fully charged battery, you have a dead cell. The battery needs to be replaced.

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Open circuit voltage was 12.6x with no load after surface charge was removed. I just used the starter as a load since I didn't have a carbon pile within reach. The 10.5v was after 15seconds of cranking, while I was still cranking. Starter was drawing in the neighborhood of 200a as shown by the clamp. This points to the battery being healthy. It's capacity could have been reduced but for now it will do. I'll measure the OCV tomorrow after it sits overnight.

After the door's closed and the 10 second delay, there is 0 current flow.

My only guess was that delay module may have been stuck and kept the light on, draining the battery. Now it's unstuck and working fine. That's why I want to find and inspect the doohickey.

There's nothing else in that car that can provide a parasitic load. I suppose the ignition key switch could have got stuck (the oil/brake dash light would have been on) but hat just doesn't seem likely.

They changed a bit over the years, my Feather Duster has that lamp and the module is placed behind the lower left of the instrument cluster panel above where the fuse box sits.

1974 Dodge Dart Custom 5.2. Custom package seems to have a few doodads - fender turn signal lights, map and ignition switch light, trunk light...

I removed the left kick panel and didn't find it there. The horn relay was clipped to the fuse box. Found another small plastic (half the size of a playing card, probably smaller) white module with only 2 wires... unknown... it was rectangular and sure didn't look anything like this though.