Sudden battery death

[StuartV]

I have the truck in my sig. 67K miles on it now. I drove it last Wed and it was fine. It was parked until yesterday (Monday - 5 days).

I went to go out to lunch yesterday and when I unlocked it, the power locks did unlock, but they sounded "soft". My power running board did deploy. Instrument cluster display powered up as normal.

I pressed the Start button and heard a loud click from the dash area, then nothing. Still had the instrument display. But, pressing Start no longer did anything. Got in and out a few times. Power locks and running boards worked a few more times, then quit. Instrument cluster would still display the message about pressing the brake and Start button to start engine.

I figured somehow my battery was dead. No doors had been left partly open. Headlights were still set in Auto position. So, no idea how my battery could have gotten depleted in 5 days of sitting.

I tried to jump it (from another running vehicle). Still not even a click when pressing Start.

I pulled the battery out and put it on a trickle charger overnight. Roughly 16 hours. The charger still showed that it was charging at its max rate of 0.8 amps when I took it off the charger this morning.

This morning, I put the battery back in. It started - but turning over sounded really weak. Once running, it gave me a CEL and a message that said "Electronic stability control error" or something like that.

I drove a few laps around where I live. It would not shift out of 1st gear. The battery meter on the EVIC said my battery was at 14.0V.

I parked it and shut it off. Got out. Closed the door. Locked it. Waited about 30 seconds. Got back in and it (weakly) started back up. Still showed the CEL and error message. Still wouldn't shift out of 1st when driving. Yes, I did try using the manual gear limiter buttons to make sure it "knew" it was allowed to use more than 1st gear. No difference.

I parked it again and called Mopar Roadside Assistance. The tow truck showed up 2 hours or so later. It tried to turn over and start, but it was so weak it failed the first time and then wouldn't even try again. The tow truck driver got out a Jumpstart Pack and we used that to get it started, so he could pull it out and get it lined up to go up on the flatbed. It has just arrived at the dealership, where they say they are backed up and will TRY to diagnose it sometime this week. Of course, my warranty provision for a rental car only kicks in once they diagnose it, so I am without any transportation for an undetermined amount of time, but I digress.

I'm just wondering if any of y'all have any insight as to what might be going on?

Is it possible that it's just a battery (the factory original) that developed a bad cell or something? And this truck is so sensitive that a bad/weak battery will keep it from even shifting out of 1st gear?

Or is it more likely that the battery pack in my e-Torque system has taken a sh!t?

Or what?

 

[djevox]

If it’s the original battery, it’s likely it needs to be replaced. There’s numerous threads on here about weird issues from the OEM battery going bad.

 

[StuartV]

If it’s the original battery, it’s likely it needs to be replaced. There’s numerous threads on here about weird issues from the OEM battery going bad.

It IS the original battery, and I see NOW that my issues are not uncommon. Wish I would have looked on here before I had it towed to the dealership. I could have swapped out for a new battery today and hopefully been done with it. Instead, the dealership is going to have my truck for (probably) a week. They say they are totally backed up and booked up.

Oh, well. Live and learn...

 

[GreatWhite]

My 2019's battery went out hard in February. New AGM battery, and she's been alright ever since. Mopar must've had a bad batch of them.

After turning off the truck, I watched the battery drop to like 8v in a matter of 5 minutes. My truck also threw a code, and I got warnings for multiple systems that dropped off due to the low voltage.

 

[rws1944]

As you have seen this is a well known issue with the OEM batteries. The OEM battery in my 2019 limited died and was replaced by an Interstate AGM H8 battery. No problems since. The factory batteries are H7 but the battery tray is sized to H8. Some of the OEM batteries were lead acid and some were AGM. Mine was lead acid. There is also lengthy threads on this forum devoted to types of batteries but the consensus seems to be AGM H8, only the brand name is a hot topic.

 

[StuartV]

As you have seen this is a well known issue with the OEM batteries. The OEM battery in my 2019 limited died and was replaced by an Interstate AGM H8 battery. No problems since. The factory batteries are H7 but the battery tray is sized to H8. Some of the OEM batteries were lead acid and some were AGM. Mine was lead acid. There is also lengthy threads on this forum devoted to types of batteries but the consensus seems to be AGM H8, only the brand name is a hot topic.

I found some of those threads on batteries dying and switching to larger AGM batteries.

I can't help but wonder if changing to a larger battery is just putting a band-aid over whatever real problem exists.

I also saw where some people had their batteries replaced by dealers at no charge. At this point, that is what I am HOPING for - since they already have my truck. If the dealer says the only problem is the battery and it's not covered by warranty, then I'm guessing I will get a much larger bill than I would have had if I had just bought an AGM battery and put it in myself.

I'm well past factory warranty mileage, but still less than 3 years old. I doubt they'll replace the battery for free - unless they find some covered defect. At this point, just have to wait and see, I guess.

 

[gHiDoRa]

I found some of those threads on batteries dying and switching to larger AGM batteries.

I can't help but wonder if changing to a larger battery is just putting a band-aid over whatever real problem exists.

I also saw where some people had their batteries replaced by dealers at no charge. At this point, that is what I am HOPING for - since they already have my truck. If the dealer says the only problem is the battery and it's not covered by warranty, then I'm guessing I will get a much larger bill than I would have had if I had just bought an AGM battery and put it in myself.

I'm well past factory warranty mileage, but still less than 3 years old. I doubt they'll replace the battery for free - unless they find some covered defect. At this point, just have to wait and see, I guess.

Just go buy a AGM H8 battery, bring to dealer to swap it out yourself and call it a day. They won't charge you if they did do anything to your car yet.

 

[StuartV]

Just go buy a AGM H8 battery, bring to dealer to swap it out yourself and call it a day. They won't charge you if they did do anything to your car yet.

I was seriously thinking about doing just that. I guess they might charge me for towing it to the dealer...?

 

[gHiDoRa]

I was seriously thinking about doing just that. I guess they might charge me for towing it to the dealer...?

tell them, ya take too long just to look at the car.

 

[bigdodge]

I found some of those threads on batteries dying and switching to larger AGM batteries.

I can't help but wonder if changing to a larger battery is just putting a band-aid over whatever real problem exists.

I also saw where some people had their batteries replaced by dealers at no charge. At this point, that is what I am HOPING for - since they already have my truck. If the dealer says the only problem is the battery and it's not covered by warranty, then I'm guessing I will get a much larger bill than I would have had if I had just bought an AGM battery and put it in myself.

I'm well past factory warranty mileage, but still less than 3 years old. I doubt they'll replace the battery for free - unless they find some covered defect. At this point, just have to wait and see, I guess.

there is no "real problem" that exists
factory batteries are known to be crap
think about it this way, ram has built almost 400K trucks this model year, if you can save a few dollars on a battery that will get you through the warranty that is what you do.

I never take my dead batteries back as if is not worth my time I just go with an interstate at their store or costco and always the largest size that will fit

there are a few threads here and everyone has said what I posted.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Go buy a new battery. Take it to dealer and tell them you want to pick up your truck. Install new battery and drive off. 60k miles and almost 3 years in factory battery is pretty good considering the average lifespan of car batteries is 3-5 years.

 

[Cbty2050]

If you are capable, just go get your truck and install a new battery. Go with a name brand that offers a good warranty, Mopar batteries have a 36 month free replacement, as do other brands.

 

[Pertzbro]

I'm on the original battery from 2015..... I feel like the quality of everything is just running down the crapper. Everything breaks down significantly prematurely. I'm thinking de-globalization will change this in the future - hopeful thinking anyway

 

[bigdodge]

. I'm thinking de-globalization will change this in the future -

not going to happen

 

[bigdodge]

I'm on the original battery from 2015.....

you are lucky
my 2014 honda went through a battery in 2 years.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I'm on the original battery from 2015..... I feel like the quality of everything is just running down the crapper. Everything breaks down significantly prematurely. I'm thinking de-globalization will change this in the future - hopeful thinking anyway

It's not a newer model year thing. Had the factory battery in my 99 Dakota R/T die out of nowhere with only 30K miles in the truck and less than 2 years. It just happens sometimes.

 

[StuartV]

As of this morning, dealer still had not looked at it. I told them to hold off.

I rode my motorcycle to Costco and got an Interstate AGM. They only had the H7 AGM, no H8, so that's what I got. It fit in the side case on my bike. LOL Ratchet, extensions, and 10mm socket were the only other things I needed, which I took with me.

I went to the dealer, got they key, and put the new battery in right there in their parking lot. It cranked right up, but still showed the CEL and error messages. I drove it around in their parking lot for a few minutes. I shut it off, got out, locked it, waited a minute, then got back in and cranked it up again 2 or 3 times.

It shifted normally from the get-go. No more stuck in 1st gear. On the 3rd or so restart, all the error messages were gone and the CEL was off.

But, I still had the following issues, all with my 12" Uconnect:

- no backup camera (shift into R and Uconnect screen did not even change away from the media/radio screen).
- no 360 degree view camera
- no ParkSense braking (though the regular backup and front collision sensors still worked)
- Sync button in A/C did not do anything. I.e. on Auto, I could adjust the temp to any number I wanted, but the Sync button would not work to make the 2nd climate zone temp stay synced with the driver's temp setting.
- no controls for the power running boards

All of the icons for all those things were missing in the Uconnect display.

So, I left it at the dealer. But, they said that the reason they had not looked at it yet was they had it in the work queue for their transmission line (because it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear when I had it towed to them). I updated the service writer and he changed it to a new queue and they had it back in a service bay within an hour.

I suspect all it needs now is the Uconnect stuff reset. If all goes as expected now, they should have it done today.

Earlier, I had wondered if I would get charged for a tow if I just went and get the truck, but I realize now that was not a concern. The tow was covered by my Mopar warranty's roadside assistance deal. There is no charge for the tow on my ticket at the dealer. So, if the battery had 100% fixed it, I could have just left in it, with no charges at all.

 

[djevox]

@StuartV I got very close to suggesting what you did, but figured the dealer would stop you. Around here, dealers are strict about customers working on vehicles on their lots. (For liability reasons, I guess)

 

[bigdodge]

according to some posters here the issue you still have will correct themselves in a few hours or by the next day.

happens anytime the battery is disconnected.

 

[Idahoktm]

As of this morning, dealer still had not looked at it. I told them to hold off.

I rode my motorcycle to Costco and got an Interstate AGM. They only had the H7 AGM, no H8, so that's what I got. It fit in the side case on my bike. LOL Ratchet, extensions, and 10mm socket were the only other things I needed, which I took with me.

I went to the dealer, got they key, and put the new battery in right there in their parking lot. It cranked right up, but still showed the CEL and error messages. I drove it around in their parking lot for a few minutes. I shut it off, got out, locked it, waited a minute, then got back in and cranked it up again 2 or 3 times.

It shifted normally from the get-go. No more stuck in 1st gear. On the 3rd or so restart, all the error messages were gone and the CEL was off.

But, I still had the following issues, all with my 12" Uconnect:

- no backup camera (shift into R and Uconnect screen did not even change away from the media/radio screen).
- no 360 degree view camera
- no ParkSense braking (though the regular backup and front collision sensors still worked)
- Sync button in A/C did not do anything. I.e. on Auto, I could adjust the temp to any number I wanted, but the Sync button would not work to make the 2nd climate zone temp stay synced with the driver's temp setting.
- no controls for the power running boards

All of the icons for all those things were missing in the Uconnect display.

So, I left it at the dealer. But, they said that the reason they had not looked at it yet was they had it in the work queue for their transmission line (because it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear when I had it towed to them). I updated the service writer and he changed it to a new queue and they had it back in a service bay within an hour.

I suspect all it needs now is the Uconnect stuff reset. If all goes as expected now, they should have it done today.

Earlier, I had wondered if I would get charged for a tow if I just went and get the truck, but I realize now that was not a concern. The tow was covered by my Mopar warranty's roadside assistance deal. There is no charge for the tow on my ticket at the dealer. So, if the battery had 100% fixed it, I could have just left in it, with no charges at all.

Go back to the dealer and get your truck. All of the UConnect stuff will repopulate in less than 24 hours.