My sentiments exactlyI have a 2019 Big Horn 5.7 and am currently battling the battery issue. Factory battery died on me a couple weeks ago. I jump the truck and limp it into the dealership. Aside from hating the limp mode (should be called strand mode), I now have a recurring issue. The dealer replaced the battery, two weeks later it's dead again. I disconnect the ground, let sit for 30 minutes, reconnect and jump it. All but the check engine light are ok, so it's not in limp mode. I drive to the dealer...again. This time they keep it overnight to do leak down testing. They say there is no draw when it's off and the alternator is fine. So they're blaming a faulty battery, which is highly unlikely to begin with, but with all the same issues I hear from the 2019 Ram crowd, my feeling is something is intermittently drawing power and the dealer didn't catch it. I'm at the point where if this second new battery dies quickly and I get stranded yet again, the truck unfortunately has to go. It's really too bad, I absolutely love the truck otherwise.
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Dead battery issues
- Thread starter Dominacb
- Start date
My sentiments exactly
bigdodge
Happy Ram Owner
it will help if you tell us what kind of 1500 ram you have.
jrodgerslvnv
New Member
Interested if this is going to be common. I just returned from a 3 day trip and my battery was dead. It is 3 years old, but charged ok overnight, and load tested ok at Autozone. Not sure what drained the battery while I was gone. And I don't know if others have experienced the same thing, but when I tried to start it, there was a pop, and then I swear, there was a heartbeat sound through the speakers.
RamCares
Spends too much time on here
Hi jrodgerslvnv,
If you decide to have your vehicle diagnosed by your local dealer and would like additional assistance, feel free to send us a PM. We'd be happy to help.
Sarah
Ram Cares
sbish
New Member
Any update on this? My 2019 Laramie 5.7 (non e-torque) was sitting for about 5 days and when I went to start it barely started. I moved it out of the garage and shut it off, tried to start it 15 minutes later and it wouldn't turn over. I put a charger on it and it took a charge very quickly and was able to start up. This has happened a couple of times now, and I've made sure there are no lights left on or any devices plugged in. I am wondering if anyone else has found a solution before I spend time taking it to the dealer. The truck was built in June 2019 and only has 29k on it, so I really don't believe that the battery is the problem.
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GerryS
Active Member
My truck was built a month before yours. Battery failed in just over two years, but I had 36001 miles on it. I read on this forum that Ram got a bunch of bad batteries back then, and it was so bad that they had to go to a different supplier for their batteries.
Gerry
Happiicamper
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I have a 2021 Limited. Mine has done the same thing twice. I replaced the battery the first time. I was on a trip (of course) and couldn’t wait for them to test the battery. Takes hours. That was about 2 months ago. Did it again this week. 
. Luckily it was at home this time. Have an appointment on the 28th. On a trip again until then. Let’s hope it doesn’t do it again before then.
Soo dang frustrating on a new truck. ESP with others having the same issues.
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. Luckily it was at home this time. Have an appointment on the 28th. On a trip again until then. Let’s hope it doesn’t do it again before then. Soo dang frustrating on a new truck. ESP with others having the same issues.
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Minnie Pearl
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Long read, but it looks like I'm part of this dead battery club too. 
Bought the July 2019 Ram Laramie Longhorn crew cab 4x4 August 8th, 2020, with <90 miles on odometer. Had my daughter drive it 20 miles home, then 55 miles into San Antonio, to my handicap equipment installers shop that Sunday afternoon. He calls me a few days later said the battery was dead, he had used a charger & the charger indicated 'bad battery' with it's integrated testing circuit. Doors had been open so he charged it overnight and truck started, he then disconnected battery to continue his install process. Following completion of install, I brought it home, swung by the dealer and we did a quick battery load test and alternator check - all good. A few days later I had doors open, radio on, screen display on as I wiped all the shop dust out of it. Battery drain function (or something) shuts down radio every 15 to 20 minutes. So, each time, I reach over reset ACC and keep cleaning (doing it from a wheelchair is time consuming). Finally, 4 to 5 hours later, I tried to start the engine and nothing happens. Call road service, an hour later he arrives & jumps it off with his jump box. Half the stuff not working, other half funky. Drive it down the road 7 miles with headlights on (now dark out) slowly stuff starts coming back to life as battery capacity rebuilds. Essential stuff first, then AC, cameras, sensors etc. transmission never did lock up (smart plan RAM guys). Drive it home 7 miles, all good. Starts fine in the morning. Week or so later I swing by the dealer, we throw another load and alternator test on it - all good. Fast forward a few months March 2021, and my Bruno Turney seat starts hanging up & throwing low voltage alarms. My battery charger shows battery good then bad, charges 100%, the an hour later after 'resting', battery down to 69% but won't charge past 80%. The installer and I both troubleshoot, and make a few changes to seat. Still low voltage alarms, add a power port voltage display, it does not show same low voltage as seat pendent, but does indicate battery sometimes below 12.5 v. Back to dealer, test again all good. Back to installer we remove seat base, install another one. Again, the voltage issues return. June 2021; Radio, navigation system starts going flaky. Back to dealer, re-flash radio works about 10 miles flakes out again, back to dealer - he orders a radio after keeping my vehicle to run diagnostics as per RAM. Radio install - all good. Fast forward to August 19, going to doctor, battery dead as a hammer, haven't driven truck in over a week. My little charger doesn't phase it, grab the shop floor charger 20 minutes on boost and truck starts. Make it to doctor, truck starts so I can leave, drive to dealer - all good again, he thinks maybe the pendent display is adding parasitic drain, pendent is supposed to 'sleep' and does because I have occasionally had to open door to reactivate and move seat. Reposition contact switch for pendent, can't tell if it sleeps cause I can't see over window sill (hahahahaaaa). I don't know how you guys have gotten your dealer to replace your battery, mine sat for a year with minimal starts and/or use, yet I am told it tests good & can't be replaced. (personally they are buying a lot of bad advertising for the price of a battery). Sadly, I traded a trouble free chevy that used oil like a waffle house fry cook, for a dead battery, radio issues and dash delamination. Love the truck, not the problems, I've got enough of those sitting in this wheelchair. Thanks for letting me rant.
Bought the July 2019 Ram Laramie Longhorn crew cab 4x4 August 8th, 2020, with <90 miles on odometer. Had my daughter drive it 20 miles home, then 55 miles into San Antonio, to my handicap equipment installers shop that Sunday afternoon. He calls me a few days later said the battery was dead, he had used a charger & the charger indicated 'bad battery' with it's integrated testing circuit. Doors had been open so he charged it overnight and truck started, he then disconnected battery to continue his install process. Following completion of install, I brought it home, swung by the dealer and we did a quick battery load test and alternator check - all good. A few days later I had doors open, radio on, screen display on as I wiped all the shop dust out of it. Battery drain function (or something) shuts down radio every 15 to 20 minutes. So, each time, I reach over reset ACC and keep cleaning (doing it from a wheelchair is time consuming). Finally, 4 to 5 hours later, I tried to start the engine and nothing happens. Call road service, an hour later he arrives & jumps it off with his jump box. Half the stuff not working, other half funky. Drive it down the road 7 miles with headlights on (now dark out) slowly stuff starts coming back to life as battery capacity rebuilds. Essential stuff first, then AC, cameras, sensors etc. transmission never did lock up (smart plan RAM guys). Drive it home 7 miles, all good. Starts fine in the morning. Week or so later I swing by the dealer, we throw another load and alternator test on it - all good. Fast forward a few months March 2021, and my Bruno Turney seat starts hanging up & throwing low voltage alarms. My battery charger shows battery good then bad, charges 100%, the an hour later after 'resting', battery down to 69% but won't charge past 80%. The installer and I both troubleshoot, and make a few changes to seat. Still low voltage alarms, add a power port voltage display, it does not show same low voltage as seat pendent, but does indicate battery sometimes below 12.5 v. Back to dealer, test again all good. Back to installer we remove seat base, install another one. Again, the voltage issues return. June 2021; Radio, navigation system starts going flaky. Back to dealer, re-flash radio works about 10 miles flakes out again, back to dealer - he orders a radio after keeping my vehicle to run diagnostics as per RAM. Radio install - all good. Fast forward to August 19, going to doctor, battery dead as a hammer, haven't driven truck in over a week. My little charger doesn't phase it, grab the shop floor charger 20 minutes on boost and truck starts. Make it to doctor, truck starts so I can leave, drive to dealer - all good again, he thinks maybe the pendent display is adding parasitic drain, pendent is supposed to 'sleep' and does because I have occasionally had to open door to reactivate and move seat. Reposition contact switch for pendent, can't tell if it sleeps cause I can't see over window sill (hahahahaaaa). I don't know how you guys have gotten your dealer to replace your battery, mine sat for a year with minimal starts and/or use, yet I am told it tests good & can't be replaced. (personally they are buying a lot of bad advertising for the price of a battery). Sadly, I traded a trouble free chevy that used oil like a waffle house fry cook, for a dead battery, radio issues and dash delamination. Love the truck, not the problems, I've got enough of those sitting in this wheelchair. Thanks for letting me rant.
sbish
New Member
I was able to get my truck into the dealership and they determined the battery to be bad after load test. It was replaced under warranty and has been working fine since. Must have just been a faulty battery like GerryS mentioned above.
GratefulDenglish
Member
I was out of town last week and the truck sat for 5 days. 2019 Ram Limited with 56,000 miles. Drove it this morning and early this afternoon. Came out when I was leaving work (4 hours of sitting) and it wouldn't start. Had the popping noise out of speakers. Used my lithium booster to get it started. I have (traction control, trailer brake, and suspension warning) service lights on dash and its in limp mode. Drove home (a few miles) and will get a new Interstate battery in the morning. I don't blame the battery as I know they fart out about this time considering age, miles, cooler temps. Hope lights/service warnings will go off without a trip to the stealership. Any advice on process this evening? Should I go ahead and remove old battery and let it sit until morning? New battery will hopefully do the trick, but damn.
Neil McCauley
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Do you have a charger you could put on it overnight? This happened to me a few weeks ago, used my trolling motor battery charger and fixed the lights and limp mode. Still getting a new battery though.
T. Stan
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Well, first time posting. Got 19' Bighorn Lonestar etorque 5.7 4x4 Rambox with 45,000 miles. Long story short, came out of work, truck won't start but all dash lights on. Amperage read 8.5 on dash gauge(digital). Jump battery truck starts. Check engine, traction, and battery light on. Limp mode on and Truck won't shift out of 3 gear. I say screw it and drive 25 mile home at 30 mph. Could have went faster but I deleted muffler and it screems over 3000 rpm. Half way home I for the hell of it put it in neutral then back in drive at 30. Wouldn't you know it, the transmission will find the right gear for the speed of Truck. It's shifts into 6 gear. Then I pick up speed shift back to neutral then back to drive it finds 8th gear. So I drove at normal speed rest of way home manually shifting limped mode truck. I get home turn off truck read amp guage says 10.5. try to restart and it won't kick over. Truck three years old. Usually I tend to get 4 or 5 years out battery. Guess all the electronics put a strain on it.
T. Stan
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Well, first time posting. Got 19' Bighorn Lonestar etorque 5.7 4x4 Rambox with 45,000 miles. Long story short, came out of work, truck won't start but all dash lights on. Amperage read 8.5 on dash gauge(digital). Jump battery truck starts. Check engine, traction, and battery light on. Limp mode on and Truck won't shift out of 3 gear. I say screw it and drive 25 mile home at 30 mph. Could have went faster but I deleted muffler and it screems over 3000 rpm. Half way home I for the hell of it put it in neutral then back in drive at 30. Wouldn't you know it, the transmission will find the right gear for the speed of Truck. It's shifts into 6 gear. Then I pick up speed shift back to neutral then back to drive it finds 8th gear. So I drove at normal speed rest of way home manually shifting limped mode truck. I get home turn off truck read amp guage says 10.5. try to restart and it won't kick over. Truck three years old. Usually I tend to get 4 or 5 years out battery. Guess all the electronics put a strain on it. Think
No air suspension.
did you get this resolved? I'm having the same issue, replaced the battery and now throwing the 3 lights, no CEL though.
vintage
New Member
Been reading through the previous messages, I too was having a dead battery issue but at the same time my radio would cut in and out occasionally...long story short, the radio was diagnosed as "looping" even when truck was off creating a parasite draw and killing battery. Still waiting for a ordered radio replacement, but have pulled radio fuse (f44) so that there is no draw on battery. 2019 Dodge Ram DT 5.7 1500 Bighorn.
Just adding to this thread.
My original battery died today...I actually was thinking yesterday about this as I had to replace the battery in the Miata....so I must have given myself bad Karma.
So after filling up with gas the truck would not start. Speakers popped as I tried and re-tried. When these batteries die they die HARD. It took about 15 minutes of being hooked to my wife's car with jumper cables to get it to start. Went down to local O'Reileys and got their premium 36 month battery and good to go on the starting.
However now I am waiting on all the crap to start working again (backup camera, infotainment icons, favorites, etc.).
Also now the check engine light is on. Does that eventually go away?
Thanks!
My original battery died today...I actually was thinking yesterday about this as I had to replace the battery in the Miata....so I must have given myself bad Karma.
So after filling up with gas the truck would not start. Speakers popped as I tried and re-tried. When these batteries die they die HARD. It took about 15 minutes of being hooked to my wife's car with jumper cables to get it to start. Went down to local O'Reileys and got their premium 36 month battery and good to go on the starting.
However now I am waiting on all the crap to start working again (backup camera, infotainment icons, favorites, etc.).
Also now the check engine light is on. Does that eventually go away?
Thanks!
Parked it at work around noon...started it back up around 3pm and most everything worked but check engine light still on. Parked it at home around 3:30...started it back up around 6pm and all was back to normal and no check engine light...so there.
