dead battery mystry

[howardt]

I have an 08 3500 with 60000 miles. About every six months or so (more or less) I go to start the truck and the batterys will be completely dead. This truck has been to the dealer to have this problem repaired about 16 times and they can never find a problem that would cause two large batterys to discharge over night. I have contacted Dodge many times trying to get this problem resolved . The last time it happened Dodge pretty well told me to get lost. Iam currently filing a lemon law complaint with the Wa State attorney general . Has anyone else had a similar problem and if so what did you do to fix it . Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[cerberusiam]

Grid heater relays are a likely source of the problem if it is a random event and the batteries are good.

Do you drive it frequently or does it sit for long periods? If it sits you need a batteyr tender or the electronics will drain the batteries, ther eis a constant drain to kepp the integrated systems alive and functioning.

 

[howardt]

It is driven regulary. Sometimes sits for several days. This event has happen one day after being driven. It is a random event . I have asked the dealer to check the grid relays but they are never acting up when they check and refuse to replace them unless they can find a problem.

 

[mwilson]

It is driven regulary. Sometimes sits for several days. This event has happen one day after being driven. It is a random event . I have asked the dealer to check the grid relays but they are never acting up when they check and refuse to replace them unless they can find a problem.

I'm a little confused, in your first post you say that it won't start after 6 months which in my opinion is completely normal if the batteries are not disconnected or you have not installed some kind of battery maintainer.



Now in this post you say that it is driven on a regular basis which is a whole different issue. Can you elaborate a bit more for us??



If it is as described in your second post (and if it is, those kinds of drains are very hard to find during a half hour session at the dealership) then I would offer the truck to the best diesel tech in the dealership for a week or so to run back and forth to work. He will be right there when it malfunctions and if he is any good at all will have his scanner and meter right in the truck with him. Sometimes that is the best approach, plus it gives you an advocate inside the dealership as the tech has seen it happen himself.



Also, are these the original batteries??? If so you may have a broken plate or cell connector inside one of those batteries.



MIke.

 

[howardt]

sorry for the confusion. The truck is driven on a fairly regular basis. The dead battery event happens on a random basis. sometimes few days, sometimes a few months. Each time the batteries are completely dead. I am on my third set of batteries.

 

[sag2]

If it has an amplifier you might pull the amplifier fuse when shutting down for a few weeks. If it makes the problem go away it could be the problem. It's a bit inconvenient but far less than going out and not having it start. The only way to diagnose it for sure is to disconnect the batteries every night and put an amp meter in series to detect the draw. Then you pull fuses one at a time until the draw goes away. It isn't difficult, just kind of a pain because it does not happen all the time. Also do not overlook the glove box lamp. Even if it isn't actually on, if the cluster thinks it is it will keep the bus awake and pull down the batteries.