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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2009
16:55:29
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 Subject: battery draining
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Message:
OK this has me scratching my head. I have a 1998 Dodge Dakota v6 3.9L. I have 2 problems but I do not know if they are the same cause.
The major problem is I am getting a current drain of around 7Amps with everything shut off and the hood lamp unplugged. Not point 7Amps. I can pull fuses but once I get to about 3 fuses left it stops. It does not matter the order of fuses. I've started with the large and worked down to the small and reverse. When I pull then replace them one at a time it does not stop.
It does stop when I pull the red cable for the alternator. I thought aha the alternator took it and had it checked. No problems. They even checked the diodes in it. I even had the battery checked to see if I'm going insane. (No trouble with the battery)
The other trouble is it will being going along fine and just shut off. Not sputter and die but like the ignition is off. After a few minutes I can get it to start again. Seems to be worst in cool but not cold weather but did do it in 20degree weather. I don't know if they are related or separate issues but has me parked
Gang I need some help here.
Thanks
David
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Jimmy9190
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2009
23:11:46
| RE: battery draining
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It's definitely some sort of parasitic drain on the battery, probably caused by a bad component somewhere. Try removing the negative battery cable and connect a volt meter with the black lead to the negative battery cable and the red lead to the negative terminal on the battery. This will give an accurate amount of voltage that is draining. Then maybe try the pulling fuses one at a time and see if you get the same results as when you removed fuses before.
This is just a guess but the battery drain and the stopping while running problem could be related and I might just guess the ignition switch is bad. Try disconnecting the molex connector at the back of the ignition switch then see if the voltage changes drastically on the voltmeter between the negative cable and terminal.
If that's not it, 7 amps is a really big draw. Did it just start happening out of the blue? Do you have any electrical components, stereo, fog lights, CB etc that could be defective and causing the drain? Are there any codes stored? It could also be the voltage regulator in the PCM gone bad. That's just a guess too. Some Dakota's from that year had the bad corroded 3-wire splice in the harness under the PDC about 10 inches back in the harness. Maybe open the harness up and see if you have it too, but I don't know if that causes a battery drain. I thought it just caused weird driveability issues. Maybe someone else here will have info on that. My Dakota is a 2001 and does not have the wire splice problem.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Jimmy
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its the
Dodge Dakota
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3/25/2009
23:44:38
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
its the automatic headlight shut off relay ...its stuck....gl
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2009
09:02:14
| RE: battery draining
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If you have 3 fuses left and pull one, and it stops, it's in that circuit, *or the maxi circuit feeding that fuse*. If it doesn't matter which of these fuses goes back in first to produce the short, then they are both being fed by the same maxi fuse, and you need to look upstream of the smaller fuses.
If you disconnect the alternator and it goes away, but the diodes test good, then the short is something being fed thru that alternator circuit by the battery with engine off. So look upstream of the mini fuses and downstream of the alternator. A factory service manual would help you immensely, as they have every circuit in the car diagrammed.
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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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3/27/2009
03:49:33
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
OK some answers:
First yes I am measuring with an ampmeter between the neg cable and neg battery post.
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Did it just start happening out of the blue?
For the battery draining - yes.
The other No. Itstarted as a hiccup and got worse.
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Do you have any electrical components, stereo, fog lights, CB etc that could be defective and causing the drain?
No.
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Are there any codes stored?
No
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its the automatic headlight shut off relay ...its stuck....gl
Pulled all of the relays. Short persisted.
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If you have 3 fuses left and pull one, and it stops, it's in that circuit, *or the maxi circuit feeding that fuse*. If it doesn't matter which of these fuses goes back in first to produce the short, then they are both being fed by the same maxi fuse, and you need to look upstream of the smaller fuses.
Tried pulling all of the small fuses then maxi fuses and have the same result. On I get down to 2 it stop. it does not seem to matter which one I put back in it returns.
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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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3/27/2009
03:52:37
| RE: battery draining
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What is the module that attaches directly to the alternator? Could it be the cause? It is hard wired into the harness.
Also, I have not tried disconnecting the molex connector at the back of the ignition switch then see if the voltage changes drastically on the voltmeter between the negative cable and terminal.
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boo
Dodge Dakota
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3/29/2009
20:57:24
| RE: battery draining
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Starter!!!
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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2009
17:52:23
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
OK. I'm bonehead. I thought the red lead from the battery to the fuse box was just a fused lead to the alternator. I did not realize it is also the power lead to the fuse box. Long story short, I removed all the fuses and re-inserted one fuse in a slot and then moved it form slot to slot until I found the short. I have a short in the 20A fuse for the fuel pump. Ouch! I know the fuel pump is in the tank.
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Jimmy9190
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2009
18:32:57
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
Glad to know you figured it out. I have heard from others that as long as your truck is not a quad cab it's a whole lot easier and less trouble to replace the fuel pump by removing the bed and removing the bolts from the gas tank filler neck then just move the bed out of the way. I hear this is a lot easier than dropping the tank.
Jimmy
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2009
22:24:13
| RE: battery draining
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jimmy, why would it be harder on a QC?
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well
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2009
02:13:11
| RE: battery draining
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any update for us?
get her fixed or what?
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Jimmy9190
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2009
09:46:59
| RE: battery draining
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I read you can't get to the fuel pump on a QC by removing the bed because the tank is further up under the back of the cab so you can't get to the fuel pump on a QC with the bed removed.
Jimmy
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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4/07/2009
11:14:46
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
i'll have to check that out on my QC. i want to be prepared in case the need arises.
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Da Bumper
Dodge Dakota
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4/08/2009
22:20:14
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
Bump
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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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4/20/2009
15:48:59
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
Worked on the truck some more. The short is still proving to be elusive to isolate. I am seeing it across the ABS, Fuel Pump, Horn/AC and Hazard ckts. I am wondering if it could be a problem with the aftermarket alarm.
The truck does seem to run fine when I run it for 30-40 minutes to maintain the battery now.
Testing is being done with all fuses pulled inside and outside.
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hey
Dodge Dakota
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4/20/2009
22:17:59
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
by chance
do you have an aftermarket amp
on the stereo?
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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4/21/2009
08:48:43
| RE: battery draining
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"I am wondering if it could be a problem with the aftermarket alarm."
One way to find out. Disconnect that sucker and see what happens.
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DavidinAtl
Dodge Dakota
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4/21/2009
14:42:31
| RE: battery draining
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No aftermarket stereo. Going hunting for the alarm after I have my tea. And a bite to eat
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Jimmy9190
Dodge Dakota
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4/21/2009
15:37:02
| RE: battery draining
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If it's an aftermarket alarm, it may have its power and ignition connections at the harness connecting to the ignition switch. You might try looking there for the fuses and/or the wire connections for the power to the alarm. It would be a lot easier than finding the alarm unit and completely removing it. Or, if the alarm unit is easily accessible, you can simply unplug it.
If the alarm is OK it should not draw more than 300 milliamps when it is armed.
Jimmy
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Da Bumper
Dodge Dakota
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4/24/2009
23:10:23
| RE: battery draining
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Bump
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DavidInAtl
Dodge Dakota
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8/23/2011
12:38:55
| RE: battery draining
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Message:
Well I did finally solve the battery draining problem. Rather it just went away.
My other major problem, and it got worse, is the truck just shutting off while running. before we launch into all the EGR and alarm system lines of thought.
I did find a piece of heat shield on the driver's side nearest the firewall that had broken off and slid down and wedged under the manifold.
I managed to work it loose and looked at it. there is a spot on it that appears to have "arcing" on it. Bear in mind I did get shocked once while touching the metal in front of the steering wheel while it was acting up.
Question is: Is there anything down under there that this could be shorting on or pushing on that would cause this problem, especially considering how heat sensitive (ambient and engine) it seems to be?
thank you in advance as all of your advice has been both informative and useful.
david
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