k0ua
Epic Contributor
yes...
Battery Drain 2008 Chev
- Thread starter downslope
- Start date
- Views: 5923
yes...
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 16,316
- Location
- Daleville, IN
- Tractor
- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
Stimw
Elite Member
I had a similar issue with my 04 Silverado about 5 years ago.
I started removing fuses and found the passenger seat fuse was drawing power.
I cycled the seat and it was OK after that and I haven't had a problem since.
I love my Chevy!!
I started removing fuses and found the passenger seat fuse was drawing power.
I cycled the seat and it was OK after that and I haven't had a problem since.
I love my Chevy!!
Bird
Rest in Peace
I remember from years ago when a fellow who worked for me bought a new Chevrolet sedan to drive to work. He soon found out that the battery would be too dead to start the car on Monday mornings if he hadn't used it over the weekend. But no problem if he didn't leave it parked for more than one day. Since it was new and under warranty, he took it back to the dealer multiple times before they found that low current draw was a problem with the cigarette lighter.
Blaneypark
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2012
- Messages
- 154
- Location
- Charlevoix Mi
- Tractor
- JD 790, JD4100,JD318,JD216 Grasshopper 322D,Wright 52 Stander
Take the battery to the local auto store and have them do test on it. They don't make them like they used to.
crashz
Veteran Member
Does the truck plow snow? My fathers 2011 would be dead after a few days because he would leave the plow controller on.
Do you ever use a power inverter? My 2004 was cooked due to the use of one. I replaced the alternator and chased electrical gremlins from their until I traded it.
How clean are the trailer connections? I've heard of power loss when corrosion on the truck side plug is severe. The same goes for clean battery tops, but 3 amps is way more than I would expect de to dirt or corrosion.
Do you ever use a power inverter? My 2004 was cooked due to the use of one. I replaced the alternator and chased electrical gremlins from their until I traded it.
How clean are the trailer connections? I've heard of power loss when corrosion on the truck side plug is severe. The same goes for clean battery tops, but 3 amps is way more than I would expect de to dirt or corrosion.
crashz
Veteran Member
Does the truck plow snow? My fathers 2011 would be dead after a few days because he would leave the plow controller on.
Do you ever use a power inverter? My 2004 was cooked due to the use of one. I replaced the alternator and chased electrical gremlins from their until I traded it.
How clean are the trailer connections? I've heard of power loss when corrosion on the truck side plug is severe. The same goes for clean battery tops, but 3 amps is way more than I would expect de to dirt or corrosion.
Do you ever use a power inverter? My 2004 was cooked due to the use of one. I replaced the alternator and chased electrical gremlins from their until I traded it.
How clean are the trailer connections? I've heard of power loss when corrosion on the truck side plug is severe. The same goes for clean battery tops, but 3 amps is way more than I would expect de to dirt or corrosion.
OP
downslope
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 642
- Location
- NY
- Tractor
- MF TO-35, Ford(s) 2000, 8N, 9N, White 2-70, NH TD75D, JD 5045D
Re: Battery Drain 2008 Chev--Solved??
OK, problem is located but not fixed. Appears the malfunction is with the Sirius/XM radio and/or OnStar system. When I pulled the radio fuse current dropped much lower, maybe around 1 amp or less. Hard for me to tell exactly as I only have an analog ammeter. I also pulled the DIC fuse which supposedly also powers the OnStar. I was hoping for a simple problem like alternator, but apparently no luck.
These things are very hard to pinpoint without the right equipment and/or a lot of time. The diffferent modules (PCMs, BCMs, etc) continue to draw power even after you turn the key off. And then they will restart/reset after you disconnect the battery cable when you put the ammeter into the circuit. You have to get the ammeter in before you break the circuit, ie. you have to parallel the ammeter with a switch so that you never lose power to the modules. Some of the modules can require several hours to power down completely and go to "sleep". And then, even after they power down they can start up again, either by design or due to malfunction. Like OnStar, which will try to "call home" with your diagnostic report. This is all way too complex. Or the radio is designed to continue to play after you turn the key off until you open the door or a certain amount of time passes.
If you have the Verizon calling option with the OnStar it has to switch the speakers to the phone unit and silence the radio. It may be just a coincidence, but my battery trouble started right after I let the OnStar subscription lapse a month or so ago; who knows?
So now I'm completely frustrated and annoyed. I'm paying for a sat radio subscription but I can't leave the radio fuse in overnight. I was considering starting the OnStar up again, but now I'm thinking why bother.
Sorry this has been so long-winded but I feel I spent a lot of time on this and still no real solution.
I found and old TSB from back in June 2009 and they have you performing what seems like hours of testing with DVM and osciliscopes and then either reprograming the ECM or replacing the XM module. And this is only for the radio, similar things can happen with power memory seats, dual zone HVAC, fuel pumps, lift gates, etc, etc. I'll keep looking for more up-to-date repair documents.
How is the average guy supposed to fix something like this at reasonable cost? Have these systems gotten more reliable in the past 8-10 years, I hope so? Maybe those were lean times for GM designers back then?
OK, problem is located but not fixed. Appears the malfunction is with the Sirius/XM radio and/or OnStar system. When I pulled the radio fuse current dropped much lower, maybe around 1 amp or less. Hard for me to tell exactly as I only have an analog ammeter. I also pulled the DIC fuse which supposedly also powers the OnStar. I was hoping for a simple problem like alternator, but apparently no luck.
These things are very hard to pinpoint without the right equipment and/or a lot of time. The diffferent modules (PCMs, BCMs, etc) continue to draw power even after you turn the key off. And then they will restart/reset after you disconnect the battery cable when you put the ammeter into the circuit. You have to get the ammeter in before you break the circuit, ie. you have to parallel the ammeter with a switch so that you never lose power to the modules. Some of the modules can require several hours to power down completely and go to "sleep". And then, even after they power down they can start up again, either by design or due to malfunction. Like OnStar, which will try to "call home" with your diagnostic report. This is all way too complex. Or the radio is designed to continue to play after you turn the key off until you open the door or a certain amount of time passes.
If you have the Verizon calling option with the OnStar it has to switch the speakers to the phone unit and silence the radio. It may be just a coincidence, but my battery trouble started right after I let the OnStar subscription lapse a month or so ago; who knows?
So now I'm completely frustrated and annoyed. I'm paying for a sat radio subscription but I can't leave the radio fuse in overnight. I was considering starting the OnStar up again, but now I'm thinking why bother.
Sorry this has been so long-winded but I feel I spent a lot of time on this and still no real solution.
I found and old TSB from back in June 2009 and they have you performing what seems like hours of testing with DVM and osciliscopes and then either reprograming the ECM or replacing the XM module. And this is only for the radio, similar things can happen with power memory seats, dual zone HVAC, fuel pumps, lift gates, etc, etc. I'll keep looking for more up-to-date repair documents.
How is the average guy supposed to fix something like this at reasonable cost? Have these systems gotten more reliable in the past 8-10 years, I hope so? Maybe those were lean times for GM designers back then?
skipmarcy
Veteran Member
Re: Battery Drain 2008 Chev--Solved??
I've been having to diagnose these very same issues on a daily basis for over 30 years now - people don't really realize the true cost of all these bells n' whistles. People don't understand the hours it takes to do a diagnostic on some of this crap, and the cost of the equipment to do it. We had an early 2000's Cadillac that took us 3 days to pinpoint the culprit causing the drain - ended-up being the multi CD changer in the trunk . We simply had to unplug it to eliminate the problem. It wouldn't "go to sleep" and it kept the BCM from going to sleep as well. The repair cost virtually nothing, the time to find it was extremely costly. Lots of problems with factory security systems nowadays too - the ones that are about 10+ years old are starting to go south on a frequent basis. These hack mechanics trying to install aftermarket equipment tap into critical wiring under the dash or hood and cause really weird problems too.
Just read in a trade magazine today where there have been cases where cellphone use (RFI) have set air bag fault codes, and some of the chargers that you plug into the cig lighter have oscillators that cause RFI (radio frequency interference) and cause no-starts in some vehicles. And they want to have these self-driving cars on the road here soon ...
I've been having to diagnose these very same issues on a daily basis for over 30 years now - people don't really realize the true cost of all these bells n' whistles. People don't understand the hours it takes to do a diagnostic on some of this crap, and the cost of the equipment to do it. We had an early 2000's Cadillac that took us 3 days to pinpoint the culprit causing the drain - ended-up being the multi CD changer in the trunk . We simply had to unplug it to eliminate the problem. It wouldn't "go to sleep" and it kept the BCM from going to sleep as well. The repair cost virtually nothing, the time to find it was extremely costly. Lots of problems with factory security systems nowadays too - the ones that are about 10+ years old are starting to go south on a frequent basis. These hack mechanics trying to install aftermarket equipment tap into critical wiring under the dash or hood and cause really weird problems too.
Just read in a trade magazine today where there have been cases where cellphone use (RFI) have set air bag fault codes, and some of the chargers that you plug into the cig lighter have oscillators that cause RFI (radio frequency interference) and cause no-starts in some vehicles. And they want to have these self-driving cars on the road here soon ...