Battery Drain? Help Needed!

[Butler]

So seeing I never got any responses from the other post I hijacked ( http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=140871 ) I figured I would start my own. So here is my issue. Let me know what you think! tks!

 

My truck is a 2004 GMC 2500 WT w/6.0L. I checked for draw through negative battery cable and got a similar reading of 1.26 amps average. I pulled every fuse and relay (and let me tell you that it takes a while when you do it by yourself and have to check each one individually!!!) and narrowed my readings to the following (listed as apparent current draw after fuse removed and left out):

 

Starting current draw - 1.26 amps

remove radio fuse - 0.58 amps (radio appears to draw 0.68 amps)

remove IPC/DIC fuse - 0.13 amps (0.45 amp draw)

remove TBC Batt fuse - 0.07 amps (0.06 amp draw)

remove Stud #2 fuse (large 30amp) - 0.04 amps (0.03 amp draw)

At this point there was still a 0.04 amp draw that I could not pinpoint with any fuse or relay in either fuseblock.

 

So, what does this tell me? I scanned for DTC's (before disconnecting battery with help from booster pack) and only got a low voltage code which was expected. Are any or all of these abnormal? I'm thinking some maybe ok, but the radio and cluster seem a bit high to me??

[Doug_Scott]

How clean is the battery case? Not unusual to get very minor "leakage" across a dirty battery case. Generally more common with top post batteries. Put a light bulb in place of the ammeter. If the light comes on, there is enough "leakage" to kill the battery. If it does not come on, chances are good the leakage is not enough to worry about.

Does your truck have the retained power stuff on it? Are you waiting the 10 minutes for that to time out before checking?

[sonjaab]

There are a couple TSBs out there for a battery drain issue on 03-07 GM fullsizers.

 

My 07 had a BCM/PCM reprogram to cure this issue.

[Butler]

Thanks for the replies. I've been too busy to have another look it lately, but will check again soon. Where can I find out about the TSB's?

[waumo1]

When you were checking the curent draw, did you wait a few minutes with everything turned off? I noticed that my 2011 current was high for much longer than I would expect after shutting down. But eventually it dropped to 30 mA or so which is expected.

[sonjaab]

Google "silverado battery drain"

02066 DEC 02 Campaign - BCM Reprogramming for Battery Drain

 

 

 

General Motors has decided that certain 2003 model year Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban; 2003 model year GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL; and 2003 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade EXT, and Escalade ESV vehicles equipped with Quadrasteer (NYS), Autoride (Z55), or Vehicle Stability Enhancement/StabiliTrak (JL4) may have the potential of exhibiting a battery drain condition. An anomaly in the operation of the steering wheel position sensor may keep the Body Control Module (BCM) from shutting down when the key is in the OFF position. The resultant 3.5 amp draw/load on the battery could possibly discharge the battery to the point where the battery will not have sufficient amperage to start the vehicle.

 

This is one of SEVERAL and various years. Same TSB for my 07!

 

 

Edited July 24, 2012 by sonjaab

[Butler]

Well, I had a chance to have a quick look tonight and my battery is toast! I left it disconnected and charged it slowly a couple of times to try to revive it, but after sitting fora couple days it was down to 10-11 volts. I didn't wait very long when checking the draw, so it might drop out. I'll check when I get some more time. I just hope that it was the battery all along as I don't want to kill a new battery if there is a phantom load on it.

[ATMINF]

I got one of those solar chargers plugged into the cigerette lighter and my Battery has always been good. My truck has sit for long periods of time and then when I get in, no issues, it starts right up.

[GMCustomerService]

Thanks for the replies. I've been too busy to have another look it lately, but will check again soon. Where can I find out about the TSB's?

 

 

If you would like, PM me the last 8-digits of your VIN and I can check if there is any additional information, regarding battery drain issues, available for your vehicle.

 

I look forward to your reply.

 

Louis

GM Customer Service

[ckward]

My father's 2003 has the same problem. Pull the IPC/DIC and the draw reduces to 3.22 mili amps. I have been trying to fix it for the last two days. I was hoping that the instrument cluster itself wasn't the problem. He bought new and it only has 50,000 miles on it. If Louis /GM Customer Service is still available the last 8 of the VIN is 31185462.

 

Thanks for any help or suggestions

[Prokopchuk_9]

Get a voltmeter, set it up at the battery see how much amperage draw you are getting. Start pulling fuses till it goes away...

[suburban76]

for those of you that have a rear radio control in the back seat monitor the draw then unplug the rear control head on this 05 chevy silverado the draw was gone no more dead battery.

[dbrakeman]

Battery Draw in today's vehicles especially Light GM trucks is pretty common. The ECU is active and so is On-Star as well as parasytic drains like headlight run-on, etc. 1999 - current production use a pretty small battery to begin with. Mine died 2 days after the 36 month prorata warranty ran out. I decided to do something about it bought a battery back-up system from ATC-Guardiansys.com. It was easier to create a defense by giving nyself an extra battery that is isolated from everything until I decide when to use it. Works gret and allows me to add auxillairy equipment without worrying about my starting battery any more. 300.00 later I don;t worry about it any more.

 

http://www.atct-guardiansys.com/

 

dbrakeman

[ckward]

The instrument cluster IPC turned out to be my problem. It came out very easily and I sent it to a Speedometer Shop in Sallisaw, OK for repair, believe it cost a little under 100.00 dollars. A little difficult to diagnose because the excess draw/short was not always consistent. The install of a back up battery pack is a great idea, but I would still get the problem fixed.

[kaufmankdk]

I eventually tracked my problem down to a "headlight / dome light switch". problem solved. It was intermittent and I chased it for the past 4 years.