Another P1DCA with battery drain issue.

[Beaniam]

It seems like no one ever resolves these threads. My 2016 1500 5.7 recently threw the P1DCA-00 code. At first there were no symptoms. The past couple of days it has also caused a battery drain. Dies after a day or over night. Originally the first issue I noticed was one day I started the truck and the tire pressure light would just randomly go on and off also chiming as well. I have a tire machine, autel ts508, sensors are less than 2 years old. It's not the sensors. There was also no TPMS related code. So I went in alfaobd and disabled the tpms system to try and narrow it down. This stopped the flashing and chiming. Second time driving it threw the P1DCA park sense circuit open code which it continues to throw(however it does say intermittent). I don't have parking sensors on this express package so I'm assuming it's something related to the rf hub not communicating to the TCM that it's in park? Not parking sensor related? Alternator puts out mid 14V's charging and the battery tests good before you ask. I'm going to test for a draw on all the fuses in the TIPM after work today to try and narrow it down. I have another 10k miles on a drivetrain warranty on the truck but I'm sure the dealer will claim this is not covered if I drop it off so I'm doing my best to figure it out. Not currently but I did also have a P1DDE-00 code pop up. Truck did have an aftermarket remote start which is tied into the canbus which I temporarily removed to also eliminate that as the issue.

 

[SitKneelBend]

It seems like no one ever resolves these threads. My 2016 1500 5.7 recently threw the P1DCA-00 code. At first there were no symptoms. The past couple of days it has also caused a battery drain. Dies after a day or over night. Originally the first issue I noticed was one day I started the truck and the tire pressure light would just randomly go on and off also chiming as well. I have a tire machine, autel ts508, sensors are less than 2 years old. It's not the sensors. There was also no TPMS related code. So I went in alfaobd and disabled the tpms system to try and narrow it down. This stopped the flashing and chiming. Second time driving it threw the P1DCA park sense circuit open code which it continues to throw(however it does say intermittent). I don't have parking sensors on this express package so I'm assuming it's something related to the rf hub not communicating to the TCM that it's in park? Not parking sensor related? Alternator puts out mid 14V's charging and the battery tests good before you ask. I'm going to test for a draw on all the fuses in the TIPM after work today to try and narrow it down. I have another 10k miles on a drivetrain warranty on the truck but I'm sure the dealer will claim this is not covered if I drop it off so I'm doing my best to figure it out. Not currently but I did also have a P1DDE-00 code pop up. Truck did have an aftermarket remote start which is tied into the canbus which I temporarily removed to also eliminate that as the issue.

Does your Express have a premium 7" cluster? Did you buy it used?

 

[Beaniam]

Yeah bought used but it has the standard basic cluster.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Yeah bought used but it has the standard basic cluster.

Ok, looking up the codes both are referring to a faulty TCM in your vehicle (since it's not equipped with park sense). Do you have AlfaOBD?

 

[Beaniam]

Yes I have alfaobd. Still learning it. I also have an autel mp808pro that also lets me check individual modules. Not sure if this is coincidence or not but I pulled the battery out when I got to work, tested it with an analyzer and a load tester, passed. Sat for about 3 hours (out of the vehicle) and went back to check it and it had dropped to 10.5V on its own. it's from 10/18. Bought a new battery at lunch and installed it. Cleared the codes. I stood there watching the amps load on it after I installed it (multimeter in series with ground) and after about 10 minutes it settled to about 13ma. Most I saw was 60ma. Definitely not enough to drain a battery.
I'm not totally convinced that was the whole issue yet but I will update. I'll keep driving the truck to work instead of my car to get some miles and drive cycles on it. I also need to reactivate the TPMS system and see if that starts going crazy again.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Yes I have alfaobd. Still learning it. I also have an autel mp808pro that also lets me check individual modules. Not sure if this is coincidence or not but I pulled the battery out when I got to work, tested it with an analyzer and a load tester, passed. Sat for about 3 hours (out of the vehicle) and went back to check it and it had dropped to 10.5V on its own. it's from 10/18. Bought a new battery at lunch and installed it. Cleared the codes. I stood there watching the amps load on it after I installed it (multimeter in series with ground) and after about 10 minutes it settled to about 13ma. Most I saw was 60ma. Definitely not enough to drain a battery.
I'm not totally convinced that was the whole issue yet but I will update. I'll keep driving the truck to work instead of my car to get some miles and drive cycles on it. I also need to reactivate the TPMS system and see if that starts going crazy again.

Batteries can definitely make you think you think there are gremlins in the truck...my suggestion if the code returns is to clear it, then reset the adaptive values and initiate a quick relearn. If it still comes back, I think you may have to have the valve body replaced as the TCM is part of that on these trucks. A dealer might have access to some other reset to b e done first though, but anytime I've brought a transmission problem to them they have performed those two things I mentioned (and that's all).

 

[Beaniam]

I'll do that. I'm not sure where the relearn is in alfaobd but I'll search. I have another 10k miles of drive train warranty so it'd be nice if the tcm is covered under that if it comes down to it.

 

[SitKneelBend]

I'll do that. I'm not sure where the relearn is in alfaobd but I'll search. I have another 10k miles of drive train warranty so it'd be nice if the tcm is covered under that if it comes down to it.

Definitely take it in. I'm pretty sure that's covered...those options are pretty much the only ones you see when you connect with Alfa to the transmission.

 

[Beaniam]

3 days later and about 150 miles the p1dca code has remained inactive. Hard to believe all the issues were from a dying battery. Considering for a week before the battery died I had no starting issues. Guess dropping to 10v or high 9v at cranking is enough to **** with everything. I haven't re-enabled the TPMS, I have no use for that ridiculous system anyway. I did notice 2 SLIGHTLY dirty/corroded pins on the closer to engine side PCM harness. Cleaned them and dielectric greased everything. Probably unrelated.

 

[SitKneelBend]

3 days later and about 150 miles the p1dca code has remained inactive. Hard to believe all the issues were from a dying battery. Considering for a week before the battery died I had no starting issues. Guess dropping to 10v or high 9v at cranking is enough to **** with everything. I haven't re-enabled the TPMS, I have no use for that ridiculous system anyway. I did notice 2 SLIGHTLY dirty/corroded pins on the closer to engine side PCM harness. Cleaned them and dielectric greased everything. Probably unrelated.

Honestly, technically all related and that kind of voltage drop is more than enough on modern vehicles to create all sorts of weird issues...glad you got it sorted though.

 

[RamDiver]

Another potential lesson from this incident would be a false positive reading using a digital battery analyzer.

I've heard many people swear by them but a toaster-style battery load tester never lies and they're very inexpensive to own.





$20 at HarbourFreight.

100 Amp, 6/12V Battery Load Tester

Amazing deals on this 100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

And, congrats on solving the issue.

.

 

[Beaniam]

Another potential lesson from this incident would be a false positive reading using a digital battery analyzer.

I've heard many people swear by them but a toaster-style battery load tester never lies and they're very inexpensive to own.


View attachment 541879


$20 at HarbourFreight.

100 Amp, 6/12V Battery Load Tester

Amazing deals on this 100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

And, congrats on solving the issue.

.

I have one, and I used it. Tested healthy about half hour within getting to work. It was after the battery sat a few hours out of the truck that it died on its own.

 

[RamDiver]

I have one, and I used it. Tested healthy about half hour within getting to work. It was after the battery sat a few hours out of the truck that it died on its own.

That's unusual.

Is the load tester a 100A or larger type unit?

.

 

[Beaniam]

It's the exact harbor freight tester you posted.