battery saver mode

[nukegm]

comrades!

2018 2500 cummins tradesman. sat for a week. very cold. now i get the above message on the dash. put a battery tender on it 5 hrs ago. have to admit, a little dissapointed in the batteries on the new truck. have a 2001 2500 5.9 that can go months without a start or a charge. 2001 has interstate batteries. i guess it the computer garbage that drains the new truck...

should i put a tender on this truck if it sits for a week? seems a short time to sit idle to me.

cheers!

 

[sag2]

It isn't the batteries, the truck has much smarter load shedding so the batteries do not go dead as quickly. It is a normal message under the circumstances.

 

[Rickard]

Battery Saver mode was not part of your 2001 Cummins. This is plaguing my 2018 3500 as well. Anytime the temperature gets below 30 deg it seems this comes on. The computer shuts down various things from the radio, to lights to compensate and protect the engine.
Check your connections. I read, in another site, where the alternator cable was slightly loose and tightening that fixed the problem.
Others report that the two heater blocks that are Cummins' glow plug replacement, one may have a short. Check across the electrical points to see if that is a problem.
Finally, the factory batteries may need replacement. There are reports of a cell being out on one battery or both.
I'm going to replace both batteries with AGMs as I have light bars and a winch. If that helps I'll report it.
3 trips to the dealer and a whole bunch of "everything checks out so you are good to go".
Finally, yes, there are enough electronics on these new engines to warrant having a charger running when not using your truck. I do not know if 1-2 days require a trickle charger, but the small inconvenience of hooking it up seem to outweigh the big inconvenience of a battery not able to start your engine.

 

[CoastyAV8R]

I've never seen this on my 2016 with the original batteries. It was below zero this morning and it fired right up. I do keep mine on a trickle charger but no block heater. I"m sure my batteries will crap out at some point but I think the trickle charger helps extend their life especially with all the electrical demands this truck puts on the batteries. I never trickle charged any of my 5.9's but as was stated earlier, these are different animals.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

NukeGM - do a search here - there was a discussion on this a while ago.

I've had it happen once - didn't run / move the truck for a month. And yes the batteries were low. No problem since then and if I don't run it for a 2 weeks or more, I stick a charger on it (smart charger).

What Rickard said - check connections.

 

[chelan41]

i have this now on my 16 ,2500 .its in the shop with a dead DEF pump so ill find out when i pick it up.the truck only has 24.000 miles and its 13 out side

 

[nukegm]

comrades - thank you for the replies. appreciate the suggegestions! will check connections too....cheers -

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

I got the battery saver inductor last Winter when it was below freezing, and the truck had sat idle for a few days. I charged the batteries up, and so far this Winter I haven't received the message. I put a trickle charge on it a couple of times a week now.

 

[Ozymandias]

It's all about how the truck is used, if it is a grocery getter in winter he will never charge the batterys to top.

Older vehicles just starved then from an empty battery, today's cars are smarter and try to help the driver maintain a charged battery.

Each way seems wrong.

 

[smittyd174]

Its a normal function of the truck . The grid heaters draw a massive amount of power combine that with the starter thats alot of juice used. If you dont drive very long or frequent starts the batteries never get fully charged. Also turn of heated seats and steering wheel on startup reduces draw. If you get the message dont panic go for a drive next start it should be gone.