Battery is dying...

[1stHEMI]

I've used so many dry cell batteries that lasted for several years, I didn't think about how long my RAM battery would last. It's a 2017 1500 Sport, and the other day I noticed the starter was a bit labored. Yesterday, it started but it was the same... then I saw that the alternator was definitely charging (volts), but it was further up the scale than it usually is. So I ordered an Odyssey replacement battery; I've had a lot of success with them. Optimas have basically sucked and failed prematurely on me after owning 8 of them. One of them overheated (on Optima's own top of the line charger) and nearly exploded... it was spewing some nasty gas/liquid out of the vent plug and I had to pull the charger off the battery. Three days later, that battery was still warm...

Hopefully, the demise of the battery is the only culprit, I'll have to see when the new one arrives, which may take a week or two... I hope the current battery lasts that long. I checked it this morning, it's at 11.7 volts after sitting for a day... so it's still got some juice.

 

[RamCares]

Hey there,

If you decide to take this into your local dealer for diagnosis and repair, please reach out to us. We're available via direct messaging and would love to get you in contact with a case manager who can advocate for your while your vehicle is being looked at.

Callie
Ram Cares

 

[1stHEMI]

Hey there,

If you decide to take this into your local dealer for diagnosis and repair, please reach out to us. We're available via direct messaging and would love to get you in contact with a case manager who can advocate for your while your vehicle is being looked at.

Callie
Ram Cares

Thanks, but I wouldn't dare take it to a local dealer for this. For starters, I'd have to leave it for 3-5 days leaving me with no other vehicle to drive; secondly, they are horrible in my area and I have no faith or trust in the local dealers. I'll replace a $300 battery before I bother with them on (yet another) warranty issue. I'll save my extended warranty for matters that require it. The last warranty matter, I had to make an appointment and drive over 100 miles to get a RAM dealer to address it, because the local dealership blew it off and wouldn't look into the matter.

 

[Daw14]

Thanks, but I wouldn't dare take it to a local dealer for this. For starters, I'd have to leave it for 3-5 days leaving me with no other vehicle to drive; secondly, they are horrible in my area and I have no faith or trust in the local dealers. I'll replace a $300 battery before I bother with them on (yet another) warranty issue. I'll save my extended warranty for matters that require it. The last warranty matter, I had to make an appointment and drive over 100 miles to get a RAM dealer to address it, because the local dealership blew it off and wouldn't look into the matter.

Wow ,someone with some common sense . It is to bad most dealers aren’t capable of doing basic work. Congratulations on not being held hostage over a small warranty claim . You should send the receipt to them for reimbursement,it may work.

 

[1stHEMI]

Wow ,someone with some common sense . It is to bad most dealers aren’t capable of doing basic work. Congratulations on not being held hostage over a small warranty claim . You should send the receipt to them for reimbursement,it may work.

LOL... I learned my lesson. I'm not sure that a five-year-old battery would be admissible as a warranty claim, since the life expectancy is about that.

I was done with Lake Elsinore CDJR when they found a blown fuse during another warranty matter where they had my truck for 5 days. They removed the fuse to discover it was, indeed, blown; then re-installed the blown fuse, and called me to say they would replace it with a new fuse for $78 - because it's not a warranty issue. They could have simply charged me the buck for the fuse or replaced it under the guise of good PR, but somehow thought I'd pay $78 for it??? Poor decision making skills.

 

[1stHEMI]

Hey there,

If you decide to take this into your local dealer for diagnosis and repair, please reach out to us. We're available via direct messaging and would love to get you in contact with a case manager who can advocate for your while your vehicle is being looked at.

Callie
Ram Cares

Well, now the replacement battery has died on me. So apparently there IS a problem with my truck that's drawing on the battery when I shut it off. Everything is stock, no modifications were ever made, and now my $320 battery won't last more than a few weeks before it's dead. I hate the fact that I might have to take this into a dealer for yet another warranty issue (I have the 99k mile extended warranty). The only thing I can think of that might be drawing is whatever box it was the dealer installed under the dash, like a tracker or something, but I haven't done anything to the electrical. This bites!

 

[RamCares]

Well, now the replacement battery has died on me. So apparently there IS a problem with my truck that's drawing on the battery when I shut it off. Everything is stock, no modifications were ever made, and now my $320 battery won't last more than a few weeks before it's dead. I hate the fact that I might have to take this into a dealer for yet another warranty issue (I have the 99k mile extended warranty). The only thing I can think of that might be drawing is whatever box it was the dealer installed under the dash, like a tracker or something, but I haven't done anything to the electrical. This bites!

Hey,

We can totally understand why this would not be frustrating. Once you have your appointment in place, please reach out. We'd be happy to get you an extra layer of assistance to your vehicle repair.

Callie
Ram Cares

 

[RamDiver]

Well, now the replacement battery has died on me. So apparently there IS a problem with my truck that's drawing on the battery when I shut it off. Everything is stock, no modifications were ever made, and now my $320 battery won't last more than a few weeks before it's dead. I hate the fact that I might have to take this into a dealer for yet another warranty issue (I have the 99k mile extended warranty).

There are lots of electronics on these trucks that could be responsible for the unexpected current draw on the battery, after shutting off. Try searching this site for battery drain mystery, parasitic current draw, or parasitic battery draw.

The only thing I can think of that might be drawing is whatever box it was the dealer installed under the dash, like a tracker or something, but I haven't done anything to the electrical. This bites!

What is this dealer-installed device and why is it on your truck if you didn't ask for it?

Do you own or lease this vehicle?

If it were my truck, I'd be quick to learn about any additional equipment added and most likely to remove it pretty fast too.

If you knew what it is and how it works, disabling or disconnecting shouldn't be too difficult unless the vehicle is leased or owned by another.

.

 

[pacofortacos]

Well, now the replacement battery has died on me. So apparently there IS a problem with my truck that's drawing on the battery when I shut it off. Everything is stock, no modifications were ever made, and now my $320 battery won't last more than a few weeks before it's dead. I hate the fact that I might have to take this into a dealer for yet another warranty issue (I have the 99k mile extended warranty). The only thing I can think of that might be drawing is whatever box it was the dealer installed under the dash, like a tracker or something, but I haven't done anything to the electrical. This bites!

Is this a few weeks of sitting or after a few weeks of normal driving?

 

[1stHEMI]

Hey,

We can totally understand why this would not be frustrating. Once you have your appointment in place, please reach out. We'd be happy to get you an extra layer of assistance to your vehicle repair.

Callie
Ram Cares

Will do. The only thing that sucks is I have no other vehicle and most of the time they want my truck for 3-5 days. I work from home, so it's not horrible, but still not great. Like yesterday, I needed to get to the store to pick up medication, truck wouldn't start... so I sat in pain for three hours charging a new battery. lol

 

[1stHEMI]

There are lots of electronics on these trucks that could be responsible for the unexpected current draw on the battery, after shutting off. Try searching this site for battery drain mystery, parasitic current draw, or parasitic battery draw.



What is this dealer-installed device and why is it on your truck if you didn't ask for it?

Do you own or lease this vehicle?

If it were my truck, I'd be quick to learn about any additional equipment added and most likely to remove it pretty fast too.

If you knew what it is and how it works, disabling or disconnecting shouldn't be too difficult unless the vehicle is leased or owned by another.

.

I looked at a few entries that others have posted, I don't even know where to start. LOL

On that device, I just looked at it more closely: it's a StarGard GPS tracker that the dealer installed. I noticed one night that there's a flashing LED on it, but didn't figure that would be too much of a draw. I have zero info on it, so I have no way of knowing how it works.

 

[1stHEMI]

Is this a few weeks of sitting or after a few weeks of normal driving?

When the first battery died, I had driven the truck every day or every other day, so it's not sitting for a real long time. This time, the truck does sit for a couple days since I work from home full time, but I drove it for a couple days in a row, and then one day - just like the other battery - I noticed the starter was a bit weak, then the next day... click. It's sitting at about 10.8 volts now, after driving it for an hour last night to get a charge on the battery.

 

[RamDiver]

I looked at a few entries that others have posted, I don't even know where to start. LOL

On that device, I just looked at it more closely: it's a StarGard GPS tracker that the dealer installed. I noticed one night that there's a flashing LED on it, but didn't figure that would be too much of a draw. I have zero info on it, so I have no way of knowing how it works.

So, do you own this truck?

I have heard of dealers financing a vehicle and in the fine print of the loan agreement, the borrower has agreed to allow the installation of a low jack type of GPS device to be installed on the vehicle.

This allows the dealer to know where the vehicle is, if they don't receive a payment. So they know where to go to repossess, if necessary.

I'm not familiar with the device they have installed in your truck but I do recall some of the GPS units installed in company vehicles (where I worked) were known to go rogue and eat batteries.

Maybe this GPS is the problem and the dealership owes you a refund, if you bought the battery from them.

This is just a possibility, the fault could just as easily be one of the many onboard electronic systems.

I'd check the GPS for a serial number or other identification, take a picture of it, and make sure they don't try to pull a fast one on you.

I don't trust very many businesses but I trust in myself.

.

 

[1stHEMI]

So, do you own this truck?

I have heard of dealers financing a vehicle and in the fine print of the loan agreement, the borrower has agreed to allow the installation of a low jack type of GPS device to be installed on the vehicle.

This allows the dealer to know where the vehicle is, if they don't receive a payment. So they know where to go to repossess, if necessary.

I'm not familiar with the device they have installed in your truck but I do recall some of the GPS units installed in company vehicles (where I worked) were known to go rogue and eat batteries.

Maybe this GPS is the problem and the dealership owes you a refund, if you bought the battery from them.

This is just a possibility, the fault could just as easily be one of the many onboard electronic systems.

I'd check the GPS for a serial number or other identification, take a picture of it, and make sure they don't try to pull a fast one on you.

I don't trust very many businesses but I trust in myself.

.

I worked for a dealer years ago, and these companies used to install them for free in the vehicles in the hopes that the new owner will sign up and pay the monthly fees. I bought the truck new from a dealer where I know the GM and the sales person, and it was a dealer trade to get this specific truck, so it was likely the trading dealer that had it installed. I might just contact the GPS company and ask them what I need to know to remove it, I'm not interested in paying monthly fees to them to keep it active.

This is no different than the company that had their guys install all the wiring for a security system in my home, which was a new build when I bought it. It was done at no charge in the hopes that if the new owner (me) wanted a security system they could easily sell theirs because they knew exactly where to install all of the sensors without having to do any extensive drilling and routing. They would eat the install cost to get the monthly fee and a contract for so many years to cover the initial install. It's sneaky, but it's been done for decades.

 

[GTyankee]

Stargard GPS

Corporate Headquarters​

7373 Mohawk Street
San Diego, CA 91942
1-800-443-5535

They claim to be the best, but
Ravelco has never been defeated

 

[pacofortacos]

When the first battery died, I had driven the truck every day or every other day, so it's not sitting for a real long time. This time, the truck does sit for a couple days since I work from home full time, but I drove it for a couple days in a row, and then one day - just like the other battery - I noticed the starter was a bit weak, then the next day... click. It's sitting at about 10.8 volts now, after driving it for an hour last night to get a charge on the battery.

at 10.8 volts you might just have a bad battery also - that's close to what a bad cell voltage will read.
I have found AGM batteries do not like to sit and combined with short trips - they are only lasting for around 2 years for me in that situation.

It's also possible that there is a draw, can you just unplug the GPS and start there?

 

[1stHEMI]

at 10.8 volts you might just have a bad battery also - that's close to what a bad cell voltage will read.
I have found AGM batteries do not like to sit and combined with short trips - they are only lasting for around 2 years for me in that situation.

It's also possible that there is a draw, can you just unplug the GPS and start there?

I'm going to have to try something... this is getting old. I'm used that happening with Optima, I've had two Odysseys that this didn't happen to. But that is possible, seems to always drop to that point, but lasted for a couple months. The good news is it's under full replacement warranty, so I'll start there. I'm going to check to make sure that GPS is just power/ground and not integrated.. there's a few wires on it and I don't want to risk cutting/disconnecting something incorrectly.

 

[RamDiver]

I'm going to have to try something... this is getting old. I'm used that happening with Optima, I've had two Odysseys that this didn't happen to. But that is possible, seems to always drop to that point, but lasted for a couple months. The good news is it's under full replacement warranty, so I'll start there. I'm going to check to make sure that GPS is just power/ground and not integrated.. there's a few wires on it and I don't want to risk cutting/disconnecting something incorrectly.

I searched 'how to remove Stargard GPS' and had many hits. It's either integrated into the ignition or not. If not, it likely only has power & ground. If integrated, that's no biggy. I've read several sites that present how to remove them too.

It looks like they splice into the 12 VDC from the ignition switch and it should be pretty obvious, after removal, just reconnect the cut ignition wire with an inline crimp connecter.

Look for a YouTube video if you prefer visual instructions.

.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

I'm going to have to try something... this is getting old.

Hi, your avatar looks like a character from Killer Klowns from Outerspace!!!

 

[1stHEMI]

at 10.8 volts you might just have a bad battery also - that's close to what a bad cell voltage will read.
I have found AGM batteries do not like to sit and combined with short trips - they are only lasting for around 2 years for me in that situation.

Well, I'm guessing from what I discovered today, that my brand new $320 Odyssey battery is bad. I had bought a cheapie, $115 battery, while waiting for the Odyssey (since my OE battery was completely dead after six years) and we put that cheapie battery in while they're testing the Odyssey. I drove home, and let the truck sit for two hours. Checked the voltage and it's reading 12.68 volts. With the Odyssey, same test would net me about 10.8 volts after sitting for a couple hours. So the good news is they'll replace the Odyssey under warranty, pretty sure they'll find a bad cell.

Hi, your avatar looks like a character from Killer Klowns from Outerspace!!!

haha... it's "IT" from the movie I was going to paint the RAM emblem on my truck like this, haven't gotten around to it yet. lol