2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission key off current draw

[grant1]

Take the bulb out of the glove box socket and then check it again. I have found several trucks where the lite stays on even though the door is closed.



Good Luck

 

[LSchick]

Ncostello & Grant 1

Have been keeping up with the posts,checked the glove box lite its OK. As I posted earlier Dodge tech. spent 2 hours and couldn't locate the problem either and I haven't been able to locate it. Now am looking for advise... . thoughts are to mount a H. D. knife switch on each neg. battery post and cut power off that way or use one H. D. switch between the P. C. M. and battery ,looks like a # 4 wire? if I did this I could wire my security system direct to the battery as it has hardly any draw. Now what problems am I going to encounter by turning this switch off all the time???? I know this is not the answer,cant find the problem, Dodge cant and with pulling the I,O,D. still isn't solving it. Your thoughts>

 

[Josparkz]

Check them there bat trees

Originally posted by l. schick

Have been keeping up with the posts,checked the glove box lite its OK. As I posted earlier Dodge tech. spent 2 hours and couldn't locate the problem either and I haven't been able to locate it. Now am looking for advise... . thoughts are to mount a H. D. knife switch on each neg. battery post and cut power off that way or use one H. D. switch between the P. C. M. and battery ,looks like a # 4 wire? if I did this I could wire my security system direct to the battery as it has hardly any draw. Now what problems am I going to encounter by turning this switch off all the time???? I know this is not the answer,cant find the problem, Dodge cant and with pulling the I,O,D. still isn't solving it. Your thoughts>

I put a pair of those knife switches on my batteries a year or so ago. Negative posts.

No problem with them as far as handling the current. They can have a tendency to open up on you if they are able to flex.

As far as opening them , I have to reset my clock and radio. But , I have a 96 , not quite as computer dependent as it's owner

 

[illflem]

Neil, at this point it may be less of a headache to just replace the belts with good reliable manual ones.

 

[Ncostello]

I'd replace them with reliable manual ones in an instant... but I dont think Club Cab belts will work in a Quad Door truck because I have a moving B post. Plus I'd have to get a different seat.



I read an article discussing the differences in the 2000 model year vs my 1999. The article stated the 2000 models no longer use the SCTM but rely on a manual type modified pendulum design. Can someone with 2000 or 2001 look under the middle of the front seat (towards the front area of the seat) and let me know if you have a SCTM black box? Or disconnect your batteries and see if you belts lock up.



If true, a late model seat swap would be too easy. Never the less, I would have to leave the SCTM hooked up, albeit without the solenoids, if the new seats are solenoid-less. The Air Bag Control Module will set off a code if it does not see the SCTM.



Another problem is the ACM knows my VIN and bases my deployment force on my trucks options... such as body mount seat belts (regular cab)... or structural seat mount type belts (quad cab). So if I dont have a functional SCTM and solenoids, the ACM could see that as "the seat belts did not lock" so "I must inflate the bags extremely hard". At least thats what the manual makes it sound like. Its really complicated with the ACM involved.



My drop dead solution would be to buy a 12V relay that is triggered by a 12V source. Much like the pusher pump relays. At the SCTM I have constant B+ voltage and run-acc key on voltage. But I would have to have my key on to put my seat belts on... sometimes I buckle up before I start my truck.



My only problem with all this is that if I personally modify my safety restraint system... and something goes wrong in a collision because of something I did... It would be all my fault.



Thanks for the help and suggestions everyone. Maybe I should take it too Dodge and just say fix it and dont call me till its fixed. If they say they cant fix it, maybe a lawyer would like to hear about my faulty seat belt system . "Mr. Lawyer... how can I feel safe in a truck that has a malfunctioning seat belt controller... I'm scared to drive the truck I'm paying for because Dodge cant make it work right?" hehe. Just kiddin.

 

[CumminsAholic]

How frusterating. My 98. 5 has/had a battery drain too. But it took 3 weeks in the cold before they'd go low enough to not start it. More than likely just the cold and my accessories drawing current. But I never had that problem before. It happened after I put in the high idler and system saver, neither of which work without the key on. I just put in new batteries and heard that click too. I'll have to check mine to see if they're going off after 30 min. I hope so, I don't want to be stuck in NCostello's position. Good Luck.

Corey

 

[Zoochy]

I had a parasitic draw on my IOD fuse of about 0.5 amps. Turns out the seat belt release was not timing out after 20 min, therefore there a problem with the black box under the console between the seats. To fix it, I wired the black box so that it only gets power when the ignition is on.

- Unplug the wire harness that goes into the Black Box and pull the tape and plastic guard back a few inches.
- Cut the Pink wire (hot all of the time)
- Splice the pink wire that goes into the connector to the Blue wire (hot only when ignition is on)
- Plug the connector back into the Black Box

This is what it looked like before I soldered and taped up the exposed wires:

Parasitic drain is gone and seat belts work. The only downside is that you need to have the key in the ignition to put on the seat belts.

A simple, cheap fix for such a difficult problem to troubleshoot. I hope this helps somebody else.

 

[Regcabguy]

A friend finally found his current draw. After checking everything he could think of he looked into the cab at dark and saw that the glove box light was staying on.

 

[JMcCoy]

Can I believe this thread is 15 years old, without any true resolution. Maybe someone can update us. I have had it intermittent parasitic drain. My seatbelt ABS and brake lights are all on. They may be unrelated though.