Battery dead after a week?

[Dartboy]

I went on vacation, left the truck in the garage for a week. Tried to go to work this morning, dead battery-not even a crank. Luckily my jumper pack was handy and charged up, started right up, display shows ~14v while running, turned off Auto start just in case and drove to work. Started fine at lunch ~12.3v while turned on, but before starting.

Taking to the dealer is such a PITA, but this seems like a ridiculously short tome to kill a battery thats only 2yrs/25K miles in well above freezing temp

Sponsored

 

[Jeeperjamie]

Was it getting any power at all or just wouldn't crank. Like did everything light up and get good power but it just wouldn't turn over.

 

[Dartboy]

Dash lit up, I could hear it make some “effort” to crank, but no turn over

 

[LaterGator]

I have had the same problem after two weeks of inactivity. But I have a dual battery so just switched to the backup and started right up. The backup battery is isolated when the truck isn't running. All the computers have a significant draw on the main battery thus leaving it flat after a short time. Unlike a 60's car that could sit for months at a time with no problems.

 

[Jteakus]

Try leaving a battery tender on it when not in use. I have them on all my nondaily drivers and they are always ready to go when i'm ready to drive them.

 

[Dartboy]

I get that there's more draw while shut off then the 60's, but dead in a week is unacceptable. Thinking back now, the truck sat for two weeks while I was away over the Summer and started just fine.

I should add that the truck is electrically unmodified- stock stereo, lights, etc

 

[SpeedNeed]

telling you what you already know: it shouldn’t be dead in a week under normal circumstances. That’s crazy.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I went on vacation, left the truck in the garage for a week. Tried to go to work this morning, dead battery-not even a crank. Luckily my jumper pack was handy and charged up, started right up, display shows ~14v while running, turned off Auto start just in case and drove to work. Started fine at lunch ~12.3v while turned on, but before starting.

Taking to the dealer is such a PITA, but this seems like a ridiculously short tome to kill a battery thats only 2yrs/25K miles in well above freezing temp

12.3 is quite low.
14 isn't very high for charging a low battery.
Sitting for a week and voltage that low it's going to take a heck of a lot of driving - over an hour - to get the batteries back up.
Personally, I'd separate the batteries at the ground, charge each battery independently with an AGM charger, disconnect the IBS and leave it disconnected for 10-15 minutes, then after both batteries are charged, put it all back together.
Only charge with the negative charger cable on the top of the IBS or a ground stud on the chassis, never directly to the battery post.

 

[Dartboy]

Before start this morning, read 12.3 Key on engine off, dipped to 11.8 momentarily after starting, 14.4 at idle and while driving. Drove to work, Stop/start says not ready, no reason given, 12.5V showing after a 20 min drive. Feeling like its time for a dealer visit, need to have them look at the rear axle seal anyway

Last night I found and started reading your 18page thread regarding your charging issues, ShadowsPapa

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Before start this morning, read 12.3 Key on engine off, dipped to 11.8 momentarily after starting, 14.4 at idle and while driving. Drove to work, Stop/start says not ready, no reason given, 12.5V showing after a 20 min drive. Feeling like its time for a dealer visit, need to have them look at the rear axle seal anyway

Last night I found and started reading your 18page thread regarding your charging issues, ShadowsPapa

I hope you have better luck with the dealer - electrically - than I had with my first dealer visit, the one that usually does good work and knows stuff.
I finally talked to the shop guy where I bought my 2020 (and this 2022) and he just had this look......
But do get it to a dealer. At the very least for the axle seal, but hopefully they'll know their stuff o batteries and these charging systems.

Did you see the part where they told me my winch was draining the batteries - ignoring that big honkin' RED switch sitting next to the battery that said OFF? And then they "fixed it" by moving my winch ground cable from the top of the IBS over to the body ground next to the battery, electrically the exact same thing, still connected to the same point on the battery. (also ignoring the fact that a winch shell is bolted to the winch plate and the winch plate is bolted to the frame and the frame is grounded to the body via a cable and the body is grounded to the top of the IBS via a cable. So - technically speaking, the winch is still connected to the battery ground via frame.
I guess like the psychologist said years ago - I get irritated with, and impatient with, those who can't keep up LOL

Anyway, the most important part - good luck!

Sponsored