Battery looses Charge - I’m at a loss

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65 Dartman

65 Dartman

1 of None 65 Dart Sedan Delivery
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Not an A Body but a 93 Dakota. Over the course of 5 to 7 says, the battery will basically die. The truck is a basic, no frills truck - no AC, no cruise, no underhood light, not even a glovebox light, and OEM AN/FM/Cassette radio. The battery is about 5 months old and has been checked several times, every time checked good. I can disconnect the battery and hook it back up a month later and the truck starts right up. I’ve done the test light/battery cable test which immediately indicated a drain. Using the FSM and pulling fuses, I think I had it narrowed down to the dome light circuit which also includies several other components. With no fuse the test light went off. Since other components use the same fuse (radio memory, clock (within the radio) and the ignition switch lamp, I removed the dome light bulb. problem solved? Nope - days later not enough juice in the battery to even crank. Checked the battery again and they said the battery was nearly to low to even charge it. Said there must be something turned on to really cause such a battery discharge. No **** Sherlock - tell me something I didn’t already know. He suggested it could be the alternator if I knew no lights or other accessories were on. So had the original alternator checked which indicated possibly a bad diode or something internally. So replaced it, hopeful my problem was solved. Nope still same problem. So I’m at a loss. What am I missing here?
 
your test light theory is correct, keep tracking the ground down on that radio/dome circuit but I think the radio memory function is a non issue.
 
65 Dartman said:
Not an A Body but a 93 Dakota. Over the course of 5 to 7 says, the battery will basically die. The truck is a basic, no frills truck - no AC, no cruise, no underhood light, not even a glovebox light, and OEM AN/FM/Cassette radio. The battery is about 5 months old and has been checked several times, every time checked good. I can disconnect the battery and hook it back up a month later and the truck starts right up. I’ve done the test light/battery cable test which immediately indicated a drain. Using the FSM and pulling fuses, I think I had it narrowed down to the dome light circuit which also includies several other components. With no fuse the test light went off. Since other components use the same fuse (radio memory, clock (within the radio) and the ignition switch lamp, I removed the dome light bulb. problem solved? Nope - days later not enough juice in the battery to even crank. Checked the battery again and they said the battery was nearly to low to even charge it. Said there must be something turned on to really cause such a battery discharge. No **** Sherlock - tell me something I didn’t already know. He suggested it could be the alternator if I knew no lights or other accessories were on. So had the original alternator checked which indicated possibly a bad diode or something internally. So replaced it, hopeful my problem was solved. Nope still same problem. So I’m at a loss. What am I missing here?
Click to expand...


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAGzm9e_liY7ko1PBhzTHA

Eric O is the real deal. If you take a little time and scroll through his videos he will have more than one clip of finding battery drain issues. He goes about it in different ways however the Thermal imaging is at the top of my list. Moving current has heat and that's how I would now approach your problem. Others may chime in however this is just my opinion....

JW
 
Thinking about the dome light, I’m wondering if the wiring to the housing or even the housing could be the problem. To get at it, the inside panels of the truck needs to be m removed to remove the headliner. Oh Joy!
 
I was having the same issue with my explorer. New Interstate megatron. If you leave it sit it dies. Took it back they told me my truck had a drain. They gave me a new Megatron. sat for one week it wouldn't start. I towed a wrecked explorer in and it had a new DieHard. I put it in my explorer. Have not had a problem since. Some of these new Batteries are junk. I bought my last Interstate I will never go back there again.
 
Anything over about 15-20 m.a.is too much. A bulb on is about 250-300. Popular bad spots on those Dakotas were the harness by washer fluid jug(spilled fluid corrosive to wires,voltage cross tracking) and under floor matting/carpet. Also make sure trailer light plug-in is clean and dry. Thats where checking with a DVOM can help, as 100 ma draw can indicate a pregnant wire type situation.
 
Do you have relays in the box under the hood? I have had a couple stick in the on position and drain the battery. Hook up your test bulb and take them out one by one.
 
mechanicmark said:
Anything over about 15-20 m.a.is too much. A bulb on is about 250-300. Popular bad spots on those Dakotas were the harness by washer fluid jug(spilled fluid corrosive to wires,voltage cross tracking) and under floor matting/carpet. Also make sure trailer light plug-in is clean and dry. Thats where checking with a DVOM can help, as 100 ma draw can indicate a pregnant wire type situation.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I will check those areas; no trailer light plug so good to go there.

Mike69cuda said:
Do you have relays in the box under the hood? I have had a couple stick in the on position and drain the battery. Hook up your test bulb and take them out one by one.
Click to expand...

All the relays (5 or 6 IIRC) are in the PDC. Will check them as well
 
Changing parts is not an option, waste money and time. Try to get a wire plan.
You detected the fuse that draws the amps, perfect.remove the fuse box and check the wires coming from the fuse. One of them is the bad guy. If you get luck, you can remove each of the wires coming from the fuse connector screwed on or plugged, cutting is the worst option. When the amps drop you got it. Then check the functions on the car. The amps thief is not working now. Try to narrow, a wiring plan will help you.
A dome light can have electronics by the way.
 
I too had that same problem in a Dakota years ago. I'm trying to remember what it was and what I did to cure it. Seems to me it was in the interior light circuit also.....
 
Have you checked out the glove box lamp? I could not see mine was "on" through the crack in the joint of the door, but it was.......pulled the bulb, problem solved. Have you actually disconnected the radio memory, or the radio completely? Also some of those whether "in the radio" or an auxiliary box, have the transistors connected to power at all times. They are supposed to "cut off" when the radio is off, but they can "leak"--just like an alternator diode.

Just for info, the alternator could have been easily checked........by you. Hook a test lamp in series with battery ground and unhook the alternator output wire

As someone mentioned, you seem to be on the right track. Test lamp/ current mode meter is your friend, you seem to already know the fuse

Search online for a shop manual for your Dakota, I've downloaded a few here and there. Links come and go, you have to spend some time
 
65 Dartman said:
Thinking about the dome light, I’m wondering if the wiring to the housing or even the housing could be the problem.
Click to expand...

I'd probably look to the door jamb switches first.... but anything that makes it to ground should surely blow a fuse???

Also, you have already said it really points to the radio correct??? Isnt the radio dead 100 percent without ignition key?? or wire is just to keep clock alive? if so, surely you can lose that and try again??
 
67Dart273 said:
Have you checked out the glove box lamp? I could not see mine was "on" through the crack in the joint of the door, but it was.......pulled the bulb, problem solved.
Click to expand...

This truck was lucky to have a radio! Not even a glove box lamp!

“67Dart273 said:
Have you actually disconnected the radio memory, or the radio completely? Also some of those whether "in the radio" or an auxiliary box, have the transistors connected to power at all times. They are supposed to "cut off" when the radio is off, but they can "leak"--just like an alternator diode.
Click to expand...

Actually no, as according to the schematics it appears only the memory and clock portion receive power when the radio is off. I will check it though.

“67Dart273 said:
Just for info, the alternator could have been easily checked........by you. Hook a test lamp in series with battery ground and unhook the alternator output wire
Click to expand...
At the battery place that’s exactly what the guy did - definitely an old guy like me. So I replaced the alternator and no change.


As someone mentioned, you seem to be on the right track. Test lamp/ current mode meter is your friend, you seem to already know the fuse

Search online for a shop manual for your Dakota, I've downloaded a few here and there. Links come and go, you have to spend some time[/QUOTE]

The first thing I did probably 15 years ago was buy the FSM for the truck. Already knew they are invaluable for doing any kind of repairs and especially for electrical.

thanks for your insight on this issue.
 
Lefty71 said:
I'd probably look to the door jamb switches first.... but anything that makes it to ground should surely blow a fuse???

Also, you have already said it really points to the radio correct??? Isnt the radio dead 100 percent without ignition key?? or wire is just to keep clock alive? if so, surely you can lose that and try again??
Click to expand...

according to the electrical schematics the basic radio when turned off is dead. However there’s some current going in to the memory and clock portion. I’ll pull any fuses for the radio and see what happens
 
There was a time back when, that if a certain fuse was blown it would cause a battery drain. Was for the seat belt.
In the one i found, fuse was missing. Pretensioner fuse.

check the wiring in your drivers door jamb. They are like hair, could be crossed to another wire.
 
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