Truck goes dead when it sits

[drjjj]

I will try to keep this brief. I ordered and took delivery on a 2105 Ford F350 SuperDuty 4wd long bed Platinum in April of 2014. It is my third Ford-I keep my trucks a long time. My last Ford was a F250 Lariat 1999 that I kept for 16 years, paid $21K drive out, put 135K miles on it and sold it for $16K in May of 2014. I love this truck. I really didn't need a new truck as my 1999 pulled the Monty fine, but DW felt I deserved a new one. I have "pimped it out" so that now I have close to $100K invested. In a nutshell, starting in April of 2015, every time the truck "sits" for more than 7-10 days it is as dead as a doornail. The dealer has replaced the batteries three times and the starter once. I have been to two dealers now, and what they have both told me is: "because these new trucks have so much electronics on them that draw from the batteries even when the truck is turned off (radio, AC, etc, etc) that my only choices are: 1) make sure I drive it every 3-5 days; or 2) install a trickle charger on the truck and plug it in whenever it is going to "sit". I forgot to mention that I retired at the end of 2016 and the truck has "died" no less than six times since then. I think I am being fed a line of BS, but I want to warn anyone who owns a late model truck with all the computers, etc. that are on them that they "might" experience a similar issue. As long as I drive this truck every couple of days it is faultless. Just frustrated!

[dieselguy]

I'd think you have a current draw from something(s) that isn't right. There are relatively straight forward ways to check for that and your dealer's techs must be those that just throw parts at it and never diagnose the problem. There are lotsa new trucks that sit for weeks between runs that spin right up. It would be pretty embarrassing for a dealer to have dozens of dead trucks on his lot needing the lot boy to wheel out the jump start cart.

[Mr Pachu]

My 2017 F350 with the 6.7 sat for a month in -20 to -30 degree celsius temperatures without being plugged in and fired right up when I went to start it. No issues with the batteries at all and no battery charger on them either.

[Carl n Susan]

My 2015 often sits for months between trips. I have never had a problem starting after sitting.

[AZ Traveler]

Yes, you are getting a line of BS. It is not that hard to detect a drain on the battery but not always easy to determine what is causing the issue. Keep pressing your dealer or if its no longer under warranty consider another shop.

[catskiner]

My 06 dodge ctd can only sit for about 21 days before the 2 batts. are too low to crank over the starter! It says something about it in the owners manual.

[twindman]

You Ford and Dodge guys need a Chevy! My silverado duramax sits in the garage for 2-4 months at a time and has always started right up!

[Slufoot733]

I agree that your dealer is giving you a line. They either don't want bothered or don't know.
Modern vehicles do have constant drain on the batteries with all the computers. They draw to maintain memory and various other things. However, that drain is very minor and those batteries should last a couple months at least. My 2008 F350 died a couple times after sitting for about two months straight but the batteries were 6 -7 years old. After I got new batteries I never had that issue again. My 2016 has been left idle for up to 5 weeks and showed no problems when I went back to start it.
I think you need to find someone who knows what they're doing.

[1retired06]

Agree with all, my truck sits for weeks at a time and fires right up.

[BuilderBob]

The dealer is feeding you a line BS! you have a draw some wear in there when the key is off the only thing on in the computers is the (KAM) keep alive memory that draws so very little not even half an amp and if you have an alarm it doesn't draw much either. you said you have it pimped out what have you add to the truck as far as needing battery power?

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by AZ Traveler

Yes, you are getting a line of BS. It is not that hard to detect a drain on the battery but not always easy to determine what is causing the issue. Keep pressing your dealer or if its no longer under warranty consider another shop.

X 200.

[scottz]

I have almost the same truck as you. There have been times when it has sat for more than a month; once it sat for over two months. It has never failed to start.

Find someone else to look at it. An amp meter in line with the battery will measure any current draw; the trick will be finding out what is drawing the current.

[Phil P]

Hi

If you brought your truck to me with that complaint I would do the following.

After letting the truck sit for 2 hour test the battery draw using the meter in the picture below.

If unacceptable I would remove the glove box light bulb and any other light bulbs that could burn without you being able to see them like the under hood light if equipped. Then check the draw again and see if it changed.

If no change then I would start pulling fuses until I find the circuit that clears the excessive draw.

I have several Ford trucks that we have remove the above mentioned bulbs to correct the problem you have reported. Because it is a fleet we don’t repair interior dome lights and under hood lighting systems.

One last thing on these new cars and trucks because the computer system do draw some currant all the time you should find in your owner’s manual a recommendation about letting the truck sit in storage for extended periods of time.

On our Silverado I believe it is 30 days or more to support the system with a batter maintainer charge system or disconnect the battery.

Also the Silverado OEM maintenance manuals have a procedure for checking this residual draw that requires some equipment and amp meters and math calculations to determine if the residual draw is within limits and this takes about 3 hours to perform.

Phil P

[Dave W]

Phil P hit it as far as a diagnosis method.

There is a light or other component that is drawing down your battery and the only way you will find it is by using a meter and measuring the current draw while shut down.

As far as dealer mechanics troubleshooting, these guys are shotgunning it based on some level of training or experience - but are not spending any time trying to really run down the cause. They are paid Ford book rate or piecework and there are more vehicles in the parking lot just waiting for them to round out their pay check.

You may have to find a trusted interdependent garage (if such a thing still exists) and spend a few bucks instead of hanging around a Ford waiting room.

That glove box light - if your Ford even has one, my last 3-4 Lariats haven't had one, is a typical battery killer. Also things like a GPS have killed the battery more then once in our vehicles. Then there are your add on 'gadgets' - are they wired correctly if powered?

My current 2011, 6.7 truck sits occasionally for 2-3 weeks and has the original 8 year old batteries is still starting in very cold weather (but am concerned at their age)

Good luck - and let us know how you make out

[waynemoore]

Just one quick thing. I had the same problem with DW Toyota and the dealer said the same thing to put a charger on it when leaving it for a long time. This went on for several months, changing batterys just like you.

I finally fingered it out. To get a lower insurance rate from AAA they had me install a device in the port just below the dashboard. (Forget what it is called) well that device was defective and would kill the battery in less that a week. The one in my F350 was ok but I removed both and sent them back to AAA.

This may not be your problem but just throwing it out there so everybody will know these things can have problems.

[mazboy]

brief:-)
some trucks are just that way. if i leave my '06 for a week or two the batteries are dead too.

i just disconnect them.

[rmthelen]

I believe you said that you have it "pimped out". Could some of the pimp accessories be at fault?

[Beau2010]

You say you have "pimped out" this truck. In my experience with folks putting all kinds of lights, etc on their Goldwings, I would guess that one or more of those add-ons is the problem. My '16 CTD 3500 Laramie sits for month or more at a time with no problem. It is completely stock though.

[Ram Montana High Country]

Lemon Law - ask dealer to bring in Rep from ford or give you a new truck.

[footz1941]

Originally Posted by drjjj

I will try to keep this brief. I ordered and took delivery on a 2105 Ford F350 SuperDuty 4wd long bed Platinum in April of 2014. It is my third Ford-I keep my trucks a long time. My last Ford was a F250 Lariat 1999 that I kept for 16 years, paid $21K drive out, put 135K miles on it and sold it for $16K in May of 2014. I love this truck. I really didn't need a new truck as my 1999 pulled the Monty fine, but DW felt I deserved a new one. I have "pimped it out" so that now I have close to $100K invested. In a nutshell, starting in April of 2015, every time the truck "sits" for more than 7-10 days it is as dead as a doornail. The dealer has replaced the batteries three times and the starter once. I have been to two dealers now, and what they have both told me is: "because these new trucks have so much electronics on them that draw from the batteries even when the truck is turned off (radio, AC, etc, etc) that my only choices are: 1) make sure I drive it every 3-5 days; or 2) install a trickle charger on the truck and plug it in whenever it is going to "sit". I forgot to mention that I retired at the end of 2016 and the truck has "died" no less than six times since then. I think I am being fed a line of BS, but I want to warn anyone who owns a late model truck with all the computers, etc. that are on them that they "might" experience a similar issue. As long as I drive this truck every couple of days it is faultless. Just frustrated!

I had a Chevy PU doing the same thing Finally traced it down to the light under the hood not going out when the hood was closed mercury switch Took the light bulb out No more problems