The box does have fins in a circle about the size of a quarter. The box is about 2"x1 1/2"x1/2" with 2 yellow wires going in and 2 yellow wires going out. The wires are bundled with wires going to the flasher, interior light and something else. I put a 2/6 AMP charger on the battery last night for about 3 hours. I did have interior lights but when I tried to start the car, the engine just barely bumped over and it was dead again. I think I have a dead cell in the battery. I'll try to take it out today and get it swapped out under warranty since it was purchased back in April under warranty.

 

3 hours might not be enough.  I think I plugged mine for more than 10 hours on a slow charger (slow is the key...).

Might not be related, but while being close to the subject, take a few minutes to clean the main ground (back of the car, near the antenna). Disconnect battery, unscrew ground and wire brush both the frame and the cable.

If the 8 wires you saw were gray, it would be the light bulbs on the middle console, but since it looks like you only removed the passenger dash and the cables have different colors (probably green for the speakers & brown/yellow connecting to the radio), I think what you found is the radio amp.

Also, if I remember correctly, the whole middle console is grounded through the radio ground (I could be wrong here..)

After you resolve this one, get yourself a quick disconnect. It sure fixed my battery problems!

I had a drain that I could not for the life of me find.  I put in a quick disconnect.  I found the drain months later when I fixed my wipers.  The over-ride switch under tha dash that stops the wiper blades for maintenance was on.  That switch didn't mean anything to me until I fixed the wiper motor.  I know that 75brown c3 is a different problem, but just goes to show how complicated these cars can be.

JR

I was thinking along the same lines as Joel. The radio amp has cooling fins on it. That's why I asked. I thought maybe there was a bare wire that might be grounding to something after you were behind the dash.
Good Luck,
Scott

Had the battery charger on all night and most of this afternoon. Still nothing comes on. It is like someone took the battery out the car. The connections to the battery are tight and clean. I even tried to jump it with my deisel truck which has 2 batteries and still nothing. Now I can't even get the interior light to come for a second. Where on the frame is the negative cable attached? Here are a couple of pictures of the part I was trying to describe earlier. Can anyone tell me what they are? I really appreciate everyones help.

75BrownC338944.6390625

The bottom photo is definitely the radio amplifier heat sink. The top photo looks like it might be the buzzer/tone generator for headlights on or key left in the switch. Just a guess on that.

I went and got a battery tester and the battery tested out good. I finally jacked up the car and looked around. The front ground cable looks to be in real good shape. Then I went to the back to see where the ground cable is coming from the battery. I found that while the cable appears to be in good shape inside the car, where it comes from the car to the frame is real dry, split and corroded. I'll have to see about getting one of those cables and replacing it.

Thanks for all your help getting me through this adventure.

 

Gunslinger got it! The top photo is a "buzzer", probably for the door ajar/key warning/seatbelt.
The bottom is the radio amp.

The ground from the batt. goes to just behind the seat, on the frame(chassis), under the car. Then, you will have a ground cable from the frame by the starter over to the engine. Make sure that cable is OK, too.

BTW...that thing is too clean behind the dash. There should be much more rust there!!!

sounds like a ground cable to me. if larger in diameter, full of corrosion replace.

You could consider pulling the battery and having it tested at a local parts shop. Their tester will give you a full charge and full load test. My battery was only 6 months old and when they tested it would take the charge and seemed good but when I had them leave it on for the full charge it failed completely. Replaced free under warranty, then no problems. Another area of battery drain for me was (and still is) my passenger vanity mirror, it sometimes wiggles enough to leave the light on when it looks closed from the seat. It is on my list of things to get to. Hope you find your problem.