2013 Ram Laramie dead battery

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Michianaguy

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Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Hello all and thank you for allowing me to join in your discussions. This is my first post and I’m hoping to be here often. Anyways, I have a 2013 Ram Laramie with a Hemi 5.7 and 20,000 original miles. Other than getting the original radio replaced for free I haven’t many problems with the truck…..until today. I want to preface this by saying that I drive the truck once or twice a week. I work an hour from home and have a fuel efficient car that is driven strictly to and from work. Anyways, the last time I used the truck was last Thursday to pull my bass boat to go fish. Everything ran fine and the truck started as normal. Today my wife went to drive the truck and it wouldn’t do anything when she tried to start it. At first there was just a “click” and the “immediate air suspension service/repair required” message came up on the dash. When I got home I tried to start it myself and the battery was so dead that I couldn’t even get that message to come back up. All of the interior lights in the truck would come on and I could still lock/unlock with the key fob but that’s it. I put a voltmeter on the battery and it was reading 9.3 volts. It’s currently on a charger in the garage but my question is this: Could the battery have just been limping along and finally died after a week of no use? Could the air suspension system be going bad and draining the battery? If indeed the battery IS bad would that cause the air suspension system to fully “relax” and give me that warning message? Thank you to everyone and anyone’s answer in advance!!!
 

Dodge 1500 4X4

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+ 2 on replacing the battery, the air suspension should clear itself, but do check the 60 amp fuse for the compressor.
 

mb33458

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Not sure where you live, but in Fla batteries last about 3 to 5 years. The heat kills them.
 

averageguy

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hemi
1. Remove and charge battery. 2. Test battery. 3. (More likely than not) replace battery. Low voltage will cause lights and warnings to pop up that are unrelated to the problem.
 

2012RAM1500RT

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If a battery makes it 5 years I change it regardless. Been caught with a battery being good one day and dead the next, especially after 5 years!
 

GTyankee

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As soon as you mentioned the short drive to work & back, i know that its battery related.
When your battery is fully charged & then you start it without driving it at least 10 miles & you start it to go home & don't drive at least 10 miles & you do that day after day.
All you are doing is drain the battery.
Then one day you take a 200 mile trip & build the battery back up.

A battery is not designed to have a life like that
Many owners would run a trickle charger, to help the battery out

So i will say, that if your Battery is the first battery that has been in that truck, you have been having unusual luck.
 
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Michianaguy

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2013
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Hemi 5.7
Thank you for all of the replies! It was indeed the battery. I took the battery out Friday night and hooked it up to my charger and let it go all night. Saturday morning when I got up it was only up to 10.4 volts so I replaced it. Problem solved. It was the original factory installed battery, also.
 

Badger 13

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North Idaho
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2013 Dodge Ram 1500
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5.7 Hemi
That battery sure didn't owe you anything. I replaced my 2013 battery last fall. It was still good, but I just didn't want to take a chance and figured I was lucky at that point. Maybe a suggestion, you might want to consider a "battery tender" since you only drive it once or twice a week. And, welcome to the forum.
 

Treburkulosis

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Wow you got lucky on getting 8 years out of a battery.
 

mikeru

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Impressive battery life, espeically for OEM.
 

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