[collazo98]

Hi guys, my problem started when I left the switch on listening the radio and the battery completely drain (well I left the switch on for 2 days :|). Now the lights on the dash flash all the time, the gauge goes up and down, and make a ding sound all the time. The battery also drain everyday. All the fuses are good. There is around 12 amps eating the battery when the car is power off, I identify 3 fuses using the 12 amps, so I think the issue is with the ignition switch. Thoughts?

I don't have any issue starting the car. For now I have the battery charger connected all night to avoid the battery drain.

Jeep Patriot 2009

Thanks for any help.

 

[RacinePatriot]

Welcome to the forum!
How old is your battery? Perhaps it was old and you killed it. Do you access to one of those testers you can connect to your diagnostic connection.

 

[jack.allwardt]

How old is your battery? Perhaps it was old and you killed it. Do you access to one of those testers you can connect to your diagnostic connection.

That would be my question, too. 4-5 years is about max, depending upon the temperature extremes. When I lived in Central CA, we had a couple of months of below freezing, and many above 100F. I, too, killed my battery by listening to the radio and having a aux. blower on for the animal. All it took was a two hour ferry ride to completely kill the battery--to the point I couldn't shift out of park (had to use the mechanical override...) So, the "boat people" jumped me and got me started, I drove to the closest autoparts store, then decided to check the fluid level in the battery--it was far below the tops of the plates--as a matter of fact, it took TWO bottles of drinking water to refill. I decided to leave the engine running and drove another 50+ miles to where I was to stay that night and parked next to another autoparts store, where I'd buy a battery if needed. My battery charged up enough to complete my 1,000 mile trip, but I replaced it when I got to home base with a COSTCO battery, and it was right at 5 years old.

So, I'd suggest checking the fluid level, then giving it an overnight charge and see how it works out, then decide--shop around--where to buy the replacement battery. I believe my Costco battery was the next larger capacity battery that would still fit into my battery box. While your battery is out, remove the battery box and check under it--lot of wiring there and I believe a few common ground points. Check for and remove all corrosion before proceeding. Poor grounding coming from this area has caused a myriad of intermittent electrical issues.

Good luck!

 

[collazo98]

The Battery is new, I just changed like a month ago. I took the battery over Pepboys and they tested, the battery is good. thanks

 

[Flamewave]

Car batteries don't like being drained down to nothing. I had the same thing happen on another car, drained it down to nothing just once and that was it, wouldn't hold a charge for more than a day ever again. So even if it's testing fine, it's probably not fine. :/

But, if you think there's a problem with those fuses, what I would try is to pull them out overnight, plug them back in in the morning and see if it still does it.

 

[Ignatz]

Your problem sounds similar to a problem I had. My battery kept running down because the computer would not shut down. It only take a few hours to run it down, and an older battery will not survive it. For that matter, neither will a new battery. One of the first things I did was to replace the battery, but 1/2 dozen more run-downs did in the new battery. Eventually the problem was found and my dealer replaced the battery (freebie under warranty).

Normally the ignition will shut down within a few minutes of turning it off, but not immediately. You can tell by opening a door. If the lights dim out in 5-10 seconds, then your ignition is still up. If the lights stay on for most of a minute then the ignition has shut down.

In my case the computer was staying on because of a bad spot in the wiring harness directly below the battery. Once I knew where to look it wasn't hard to spot -- wires were definitely corroded. I can't say that's your problem, but it might be worth a look see.

 

[collazo98]

Thanks for the suggestions, I tried my wife car battery and also was drained during the night. I will be looking for corrosive cables and the computer. thanks

 

[moparado]

....... All the fuses are good. There is around 12 amps eating the battery when the car is power off, I identify 3 fuses using the 12 amps, so I think the issue is with the ignition switch. Thoughts?

I don't have any issue starting the car. For now I have the battery charger connected all night to avoid the battery drain.
Jeep Patriot 2009
Thanks for any help.

Sounds like a parasitic short or some device left on or won't turn off.
All fuses are good is not the problem, one 'good' fuse is allowing the 12 Amp drain.

First hook up your amp meter with engine off and all doors closed each time you do this.
Remove a fuse one at a time until you see the 12 Amp drain drop.
Thats the problem circuit.

Also a shorted alternator diode is notorious for parasitic short circuits causing battery drains. Here's how to test.
First disconnect the wire from the (-) battery post (important).
Then disconnect the (+) lead at the alternator and make sure the lead is not touching anything metal on the car. Might want to tape the terminal just to be safe.

Replace the (-) wire back on the battery and see if the 12 Amp drain is still there.

 

[collazo98]

Thanks everyone, the issue was the Remote starter, there is a box that has the keys codes, that box lose the codes. So the Car computer think is a stolen car and is trying to power off the car but the Remote starter box doesn't allow the car to shut down.

all is fixed now after the replace the remote starter.