Bobby_M
Junior Member
2021 RAM Laramie 4WD
I'm on my second battery with the stock one lasting exactly 3 years. This one is an Everstart AGM Platinum and I THINK it's 3 years old also, but the typical sign a battery is going or went bad is the first really cold morning of the winter you have a stubborn slow turnover.
This time, it was the first morning and our first snowy day. Hmm... jump charged it and got it running, no problems for a couple weeks.
Snowfall. This time, I drove to work in the snow on a Saturday and then the truck sat all day Sunday. On Monday morning the battery was so stone cold dead, the dash didn't light anything, the door locks didn't work, no ding, nothing.
What I realized is the commonality between these two dead battery mornings was that I had left the 4WD controller in 4WD/Auto mode. I'd drive to work in the snow on 4WD high and then by the time I drove home the roads were half cleared so I'd put it in 4WD/auto. Then I'd just get out of the truck at home.
Why would leaving it in this mode drain the battery?
I've been watching the battery voltage to see if its age has any contribution and the morning voltage is about 11.7v give or take and that's at 32F. It starts up fine if I don't use the 4WD/auto mode and leave it on overnight.
I'm on my second battery with the stock one lasting exactly 3 years. This one is an Everstart AGM Platinum and I THINK it's 3 years old also, but the typical sign a battery is going or went bad is the first really cold morning of the winter you have a stubborn slow turnover.
This time, it was the first morning and our first snowy day. Hmm... jump charged it and got it running, no problems for a couple weeks.
Snowfall. This time, I drove to work in the snow on a Saturday and then the truck sat all day Sunday. On Monday morning the battery was so stone cold dead, the dash didn't light anything, the door locks didn't work, no ding, nothing.
What I realized is the commonality between these two dead battery mornings was that I had left the 4WD controller in 4WD/Auto mode. I'd drive to work in the snow on 4WD high and then by the time I drove home the roads were half cleared so I'd put it in 4WD/auto. Then I'd just get out of the truck at home.
Why would leaving it in this mode drain the battery?
I've been watching the battery voltage to see if its age has any contribution and the morning voltage is about 11.7v give or take and that's at 32F. It starts up fine if I don't use the 4WD/auto mode and leave it on overnight.
