2013 - Dead Battery

[VdubBry]

Hey all,

Anyone with a 13 or I guess the Uconnect setup have a dead battery yet? I am not sure where to start hunting for the issue but, I did just add a LOC and an amp to drive a sub.

The amp and LOC are shutting off when I turn the truck off but I guess there could also be a drain? The weird thing is, I've had the amp/LOC installed for a week now and no issues until this morning.

There were no cabin lights on or cigarette lighter plugs left in etc.

Where should I start, I'm guessing there has to be a way to test if the amp or loc is pulling current even though the LED lights on them are off?

Thanks!

 

[kkreit01]

What kind of LOC? Where did you tap into for the REM? It may be a tough warranty case now that it's been modified. If your battery goes dead again, pull your fuse from your amp/LOC &/or disconnect them. That will eliminate them from a suspects.

 

[VdubBry]

It is an audio control LC2i loc. I tapped the cig lighter at the rear console for the remote turn on.

I figure what I will do when I get home is do an amp draw at the battery with the truck off and the amp/loc still connected. Then see what the draw is, then pull the main fuse that feeds the 12v power to the loc/amp and see if the amp draw changes etc.

If it doesn't and the battery still dies the next day ill just pull the amp and loc if I have to take it to the dealer.

 

[kkreit01]

Good plan. Is the rear cig light for sure switched? I know the front one is. I haven't checked the rear.

 

[VdubBry]

The rear is switched, I checked all those sources. I did a battery amp draw too and nothing from the amp/loc. I think it's the dang Uconnect trying to update, ever since I did that firmware upgrade it's been wonky and Uconnect said now I have mis-matched versions.

They said it tries to do over the air updates when the truck is asleep or something, well I think thats what is drawing. Not for sure, more testing to follow lol. The battery was in fact dead again this morning.

 

[OriginUnknown]

I know after I shut my truck off I can hear like a small servo type motor clicking around behind the dash underneath the stereo sometimes. Very strange that things are still operating after the truck is "off", does anyone know what this is?

 

[VdubBry]

I did some amp draw checking and something is pulling almost 4 amps even with the truck off, its none of the dome lights or hood light etc. I disconnected the amp and LOC and no change.

I have a sneaking suspcion it has to do with the dang Uconnect / Heat Unit. It all started when my update went wonky. The Uconnect tech said that the system will attempt to download/update itself etc.

Problem is I can't find anywhere in the fuse book which fuse controls the headunit/Uconnect System.

 

[BlackedOutHemi]

The fuse is built into the radio somewhere I believe. So you won't be able to pull it. But considering a radio being on can draw battery power quickly. Get it to the dealer and have em fix it.

Also, on my last truck, when I disconnected and reconnected my battery my head unit would come on when the truck went off. About a minute after. Never figured out why, but if I did it again it would be fine.

 

[VdubBry]

Ok thanks, I think that has to be it, I pulled every single fuse in the fuse block under the hood and the draw never dropped off from around 4amps. I know 4amps all night will definitely kill the battery.

 

[Yo Nadz]

I've never owned a vehicle that had a mind of its own like this one. I notice **** all the time that worries me. Weird noises, sometimes the headed set lights/4wd lights don't glow, sometimes my evic flashes. I just hope all these things are gone once the warrenty is up. I'm sure shop rates on this thing are mucho moolah!

 

[VdubBry]

I will have to take note of the heated seat and 4wd lights. I've never paid much attention to that.

I took all the aftermarket amp/loc stuff out. This morning. Dead battery!

 

[dsw1519]

I had the same problem with 2007 Tahoe I used to own. Turned out the stock radio head unit was bad and drawing power even though the ignition was off. They replaced the head unit and that fixed it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[VdubBry]

Yeh I think that has to be it. I pulled every fuse in the compartment and the amp draw didn't drop. I couldn't find one for the radio so it must be in the radio itself. Ill take it out and see if that changes it.

 

[VdubBry]

Ok so I did some tests and also opened the radio. It's the damn Sierra 3G card inside the head unit that's sucking up the battery. It must be trying to update since the Uconnect upgrade went awry! Pics below show milliamp draw when I disconnect the head unit then back up to over 3A when connected. I even made sure to wait for the truck to go to sleep etc.

With radio


No radio


Sierra Air Card inside head unit


Back of head unit

 

[garner]

Go to the dealer ASAP if you have the 6 speed and have them do a quick learn on your transmission. The clutch values get all messed up if the battery dies on these trucks and it'll kill your transmission

 

[VdubBry]

Oy ok thanks. I do have the 6 speed. I hope they know what that means when I tell them.

What does a learn mean? The battery has been dead past few days in a row so the values may all be lost so what would they do then reprogram everything?

 

[garner]

Oy ok thanks. I do have the 6 speed. I hope they know what that means when I tell them.

What does a learn mean? The battery has been dead past few days in a row so the values may all be lost so what would they do then reprogram everything?

From my understanding is that the starscan or whatever tells the tcm to make all the clutch values similar and within range. They should know what you mean when you say a transmission quick learn

 

[LoveMyRam]

I started seeing similar behavior over the last week. I have not modified anything inside my 2013 Ram, but the battery has been drained multiple times now with everything turned off. I have noticed that the dash and evic screens sometimes take a lonnng time to turn off and eventually come back on which is what I suspect is draining the battery. Did the dealer confirm the problem was related to the 3G link?

 

[VdubBry]

In my case it was due to the update, it doesn't seem that it was the 3G link but it was definitely due to the radio, the radio wasn't going to sleep for one reason or another and it would cause the evic to light up etc and drain the battery. They flashed the radio with the latest software and that fixed the dead battery.

Flashing the radio also messed up my Uconnect subscription so in the end they had to put in a completely new radio. Good to go.

 

[Stflorian]

I've got a 2013 and my wife left the light on and ran the battery down. I jumped it and not the radio screen will not respond to my touch, no climate, radio or volume? Any ideas?