Battery Going Dead

[jasons060]

If I let my truck set 3 or 4 days the batterys will be dead. The dealership thought it was my instrument cluster so they replaced it and its still doing it. Just wanting to see if anybody else has had this problem.

 

[Ken F]

Just curious, are you leaving the keys in the ignition? ( off position, but still in the ignition. )

 

[jasons060]

yes they are left in the ignition.

 

[rbattelle]

Why would you leave the truck 3 or 4 days with the keys in the ignition?

 

[jasons060]

Its in the garage and I have a work car. I like to keep my truck clean. So if its raining out I drive my old car.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Put in 2 Optima batteries and leave the keys on the seat.

 

[Kamenick]

Joe,



what color top or does it really matter?

 

[bighammer]

I'm curious how/why keys in ignition would drain power.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I like red top Optimas in the Rams, and blue or yellow in RVs. Get the 800 cca not the 720. You have to put the plastic adapter on either to fit the tray and hold downs on the 2003-4. The little battery uses one adapter across the bottom and that spaces it up so you can't put one cell right over the battery temperature sensor on the driver's side box.

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by bighammer

I'm curious how/why keys in ignition would drain power.

I still don't understand the purpose of leaving the keys in the ignition, especially if that's what's draining the batteries.

 

[bighammer]

If it's in a locked building in decent neighborhood, why not? Parts of Dayton OH might not seem safe for that, but there are places where it's probably fine. (out in the country where risk of getting shot is much greater than the odds of getting away, for example)

 

[jasons060]

Its in the garage locked. Why should I have to take the keys out? Furthermore paying this much for a truck, leaving keys in the ignition should not drain the batteries.

 

[Ken F]

My wife has gotten into the habit of leaving her keys in her car when it's in the garage. She recently bought a new Grand Caravan. In the first few days, we had trouble with the battery going dead. I charged it once, the second time we took it back to the dealer. Dealer said there was nothing wrong, it just needed a charge. I thought for sure we would be going back in a day or two. To my surprise, everything was fine . . . but only for a month or so.



Then it happened again. Dead battery after sitting less than two days. We took it back to the dealer again. They put in a new battery. That evening, I was talking to a friend that works at the DCX Proving Grounds. He asked if the key had been left in the ignition. The answer was yes. He said that in some cases, they have seen a battery drain from the key simply being in the ignition. He wasn't sure about the root cause or what action was being taken.



Try leaving the key out of the ignition for a few days and see if they retain their charge. Then put it in for a few days and see if they go dead.



Sorry for the long post.



Ken.

 

[wyosteve]

Don't know if this applies to others, but on my 04. 5, when the key is in the ignition, the odometer is lit up. I realize that small a draw shouldn't drain the batteries, but there could be some other circuits open that aren't as visible. fwiw

 

[jelag]

I have a 04 3500 and a 03 Intrepid... . they are in a locked garage and we'd like the fire department to remove them if theres a fire... so the vehicles sit in the locked garage with the keys in the switch... my wife's car sat for 6 week while she was getting better from surgery... . and the car started fine... . In the summer I ride a motorcycle so the truck might sit 2 or 3 weeks... .



If you pull both ground cables..... and insert an amp/volt meter between the post and one cable..... you'll see on the amp/volt meter if there is a drain..... You'll see 3-4 mili-amps... . if you see 2 or 3 amps you have a problem and you simply pull fuses one at time till the draw goes to zero and you know which circuit is giving you problems... . if you raise the hood or open a door, make sure you bypass the under hood light or the dome lights in the cab... ...



I don't know if a vehicle made that won't handle at least 2 months of sitting and still start...



Jim / Spokane Wa

 

[Ken F]

Jim,



I agree. I had thought about doing the amp meter test as you suggest, but I haven't had the time. Not to mention the fact that it's a new car and I shouldn't have to mess with it.



I would also agree that the entire theory sounds a little unbelievable. But that's what my friend at the proving grounds told me. If it's true, I would imagine there will be a TSB in the near future.



For what it's worth, every time my wifes battery was dead, the keys were left in the ignition.



Ken.

 

[rbattelle]

Let's examine the facts here, people:



1. Battery drains dead after 3-4 days.

2. Key is being left in ignition during this time.

3. There is a body of evidence supporting the notion that the keys being in the ignition are causing the battery to die.



Any chance of leaving the keys on the passenger seat instead? [Please don't take my "tone" wrong here... I'm not being condescending, I'm just trying to offer some suggestions other than major electrical work/diagnostics].



Can anyone who's a fireman verify that if they're trying to put out a fire that's engulfing your home they'll take the time to drive your vehicles out of the garage for you?

 

[Ken F]

Just curious ...

Jasons060, what was the resolution?

 

[jasons060]

As long as I pull the key out until the door bell goes off it does not go dead. The dealership is scratching there head. They said there should be a bulletin out on it.

 

[HOBrian]

Okay that does make sense. If the key is in enough for the chime to come it must alert something that the key is in the ignition. Don't these keys have a chip in them that does not let anyone drive off without the right key? I thought this was weird because I leave the keys in my truck every night but not enough to set the chime off. I hat the chime. . The key must trip something when it is in all the way