battery drainage

[Aj Demming]

how's everyone doing.
so i tried to unlock my truck today. battery completely dead. entered via the key. turn key no lights on dash..no response. while sitting my alarm light would starting flashing temporarily. i also notice the the cabin air circulation fan (like for the heat/ac) would turn on temporarily. and then they'll both turn off for a bit. this kept happening until i was able to get a jump start. Any idea what might be happening? thanks

 

[Fless]

How old is the battery? What sort of trips do you take with it: short, long, etc.?

I would say to pull the battery out, charge it fully, and take it to an auto parts store or a shop that can properly load test it.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As @Fless suggested, start with load testing the battery at a local auto parts store with a bench battery load tester. That is the best starting point for your issue, as these trucks hate weak batteries and associated low voltages.

 

[Aj Demming]

Thanks. I mostly take short trips. Battery is about 3 yrs old. But also while the truck was completely off the fan would run independently once a little power would return to the battery this is after I opened the door with the key. I’m assuming that’s what drained the battery overnight. What can cause cause something like that?

 

[mikez71]

That's GM's "Kill the battery real good, when low" feature!

3 years is the typical warranty period for new batteries...

There is an 'afterblow' feature, and others have had issues with it before.. @j91z28d1 ?
It's not supposed to keep running obviously, so most likely cause is the battery as others mentioned.

BUT you can turn it off at the dealership or with a tech2 scanner.
BUT it's supposed to prevent mildew from growing in your A/C.

 

[homesick]

Thanks. I mostly take short trips. Battery is about 3 yrs old. But also while the truck was completely off the fan would run independently once a little power would return to the battery this is after I opened the door with the key. I’m assuming that’s what drained the battery overnight. What can cause cause something like that?

Does it ever sit for long periods between uses?

Mine does, sometimes 2-3 weeks. Modern vehicles have constant battery drain built in; and are much pickier about the voltage they're willing to start at.

If this is your issue, I suggest these guys. I've used them for nearly 20 years. If my bike or truck are parked here at home, they're plugged in.

Battery Tender® Battery Chargers and Portable Power

Battery Tender® is the most recognizable and trusted brand in smart battery chargers, lightweight portable power jump starting solutions, and battery accessories. Shop trusted, high-performance charging solutions today.

www.batterytender.com

joe

 

[Foggy]

After a couple new batteries, and not finding any drain.....
I installed a Noco on board battery charger. It's made for installing in
the engine bay. I ran a short outdoor rated extension cord so I can plug
it in with out opening the hood. It's been wonderful...
I don't drive my Yukon everyday.. If I do, I have no issues..
Sometimes it sits for a week at a time
(I did lots of probably unnecessary stuff trying to solve drain over a year's time)

 

[homesick]

After a couple new batteries, and not finding any drain.....
I installed a Noco on board battery charger. It's made for installing in
the engine bay. I ran a short outdoor rated extension cord so I can plug
it in with out opening the hood. It's been wonderful...
I don't drive my Yukon everyday.. If I do, I have no issues..
Sometimes it sits for a week at a time
(I did lots of probably unnecessary stuff trying to solve drain over a year's time)

I did a similar deal. A short cable from the battery to hanging in front of the grill. A longer cable plugs in there, and runs to the actual Battery Tender. It's a weatherproof model, tied up under the top of the carport. Then an extension cord, fastened along the rain channel, to the garage.

joe

 

[GMCChevy]

Thanks. I mostly take short trips. Battery is about 3 yrs old. But also while the truck was completely off the fan would run independently once a little power would return to the battery this is after I opened the door with the key. I’m assuming that’s what drained the battery overnight. What can cause cause something like that?

Did it go dead over night or has it been sitting? Listen for the fan when the battery is fully charged or replaced and working properly. Newer vehicles do strange things when the battery is very low. But that could also be a sign there's something else wrong.

 

[Fless]

Year? Make? Model? Engine? Consider adding that info to your signature so it's always there to reference.

 

[homesick]

Year? Make? Model? Engine? Consider adding that info to your signature so it's always there to reference.

You forgot to tell him that listing 2 dozen that he's already sold is optional.

joe

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I did a similar deal. A short cable from the battery to hanging in front of the grill. A longer cable plugs in there, and runs to the actual Battery Tender. It's a weatherproof model, tied up under the top of the carport. Then an extension cord, fastened along the rain channel, to the garage.

joe

Since I mostly use my truck, because my dogs demand to go everywhere with me, my 2 cars don't get used very often. Fortunately, they are both garaged, so I have AC power and battery tender chargers on both of them.

 

[homesick]

Since I mostly use my truck, because my dogs demand to go everywhere with me, my 2 cars don't get used very often. Fortunately, they are both garaged, so I have AC power and battery tender chargers on both of them.

View attachment 480645

I can't post home-made pics anymore.

ATT made a change that disabled my ability to send pictures between emails and texts.

joe

 

[Aj Demming]

Did it go dead over night or has it been sitting? Listen for the fan when the battery is fully charged or replaced and working properly. Newer vehicles do strange things when the battery is very low. But that could also be a sign there's something else wrong.

It went overnight. Thanks I’ll try that once i change the battery.

 

[Aj Demming]

Does it ever sit for long periods between uses?

Mine does, sometimes 2-3 weeks. Modern vehicles have constant battery drain built in; and are much pickier about the voltage they're willing to start at.

If this is your issue, I suggest these guys. I've used them for nearly 20 years. If my bike or truck are parked here at home, they're plugged in.

Battery Tender® Battery Chargers and Portable Power

Battery Tender® is the most recognizable and trusted brand in smart battery chargers, lightweight portable power jump starting solutions, and battery accessories. Shop trusted, high-performance charging solutions today.

www.batterytender.com

joe

Sits for about a week sometimes in between use.Thanks for you help I’ll look into it