How to drain a battery on a GMC Truck?

With key off, unhook your positive battery terminal. Put one multimeter lead on the battery terminal and the other on the positive cable. You’re basically making the multimeter part of the circuit. Set the meter to read amps. Now, since its being drained I assume you’ll see some kind of amperage draw.

Is it normal for a car battery to drain overnight?

Slightly more than that won’t kill the battery overnight but you don’t want to see 200 milliamps or more. Typically when there is a drain, it’s really a drain. You won’t have to guess. You’ll likely find an amp or more, especially if the battery goes dead overnight.

How can I tell if my car battery is draining?

Use a voltmeter to measure battery voltage. A fully charged good battery will measure close to 12.6 volts. If you charge it with a battery charger, then let it sit overnight and it holds a charge, suspect the generator, not a drain. If you find closer to 12.0 volts, the battery is good but discharged.

Why is the battery draining on my 2001 F150?

Hi, I’m having a problem with my 2001 F150, the battery is being drained overnight, and there is a clicking noise (maybe a fan) behind the dash under the radio. Also, there is a clicking noise under the hood. I also noticed the overhead console display flashes off and on while the truck is off.

What does Phantom battery drain on Chevy Suburban mean?

I have had my 1999 Chevy Suburban in to the dealer 4 times for phantom battery drain. We’ll wake up in the morning and intermittently the battery will be dead. No lights left on, no doors left open. the dealer replaced the 4X4 panel once and the battery twice to no avail.

Why does my Buick Enclave battery drain while driving?

If the battery is draining while you’re driving, that is probably going to be the alternator or battery. There are other situations as well. We’ll cover those for you below.

How do you know if your GMC truck battery is dead?

One by one, pull each fuse in your fuse box. Check the multimeter after each fuse pull to see when the amperage draw goes away. Once you find the fuse that causes the amperage draw to go away, you at least know what circuit the draw is coming from.

Why does my Mercedes medic draw so much battery?

A radio receiver in the car continuously listens for wake up signal from the key. As the car receives a signal in the assigned frequency it wakes up to validate the key. This causes current draw for several seconds. If the car is left parked in high pedestrian traffic areas this could be a problem.

Why does my GM Truck have a dead battery?

After digging between the seats and center consol I found the remote and as I thought it was in the on position, if the radios on the CD player still works and for some reason unknown to me now 12 years ago I wired it through a battery hot instead of the fuse box. Turn the remote off and no more dead batteries, amazing how that works.

What can cause a car battery to drop?

The vehicle’s computers, clocks and the like will cause the battery state of charge to drop (For example; 30 days in a parking lot and the vehicle may not start because of a dead battery or a vehicle which is driven only a short distance once a week may end up with a discharged battery to the point where the vehicle may not start).

Is the G 20 conversion van a good car?

The body is completely free of any rust and is very straight. The interior is very nice and is original as well, the seats have some wear but not horrible (see Pictures). It could use a detailing but is very nice as it is. It has a functional electric bed/bench seat in the rear.

When does a car battery start to drain?

If the battery drains when the vehicle sits for three or four days, that’s a lower amp draw than one that drains the battery overnight. Discovering the source of an electrical draw is a process of elimination. First, check the easy stuff.

Is there a bench seat in a Chevy G 20 conversion van?

It has a functional electric bed/bench seat in the rear. My 85 year old dad had intended to use it for some short retirement trips that never materialized, and kept the van around for our Autistic son who like to go in the van and watch movies but has not used it for the last 2 years, hence the low mileage.

Why is the battery draining on my Mercedes medic?

If the car is left parked in high pedestrian traffic areas this could be a problem. It may cause the battery to drain within a couple of days in some models. Try to turn off the proximity key function in your car by looking up the instructions on the owner’s manual.

What happens to the 12 volt battery in a Chevy Silverado?

Our 2004 Chevrolet silverado 1500 doesn’t kill the 12 volt when the truck is shut off, which means if we forget about the radar detector, it will stay on until will either unplug it or the battery dies (hasn’t died yet). Was this answer helpful?

How can I find out if my car battery is draining?

In most cases, the only way to track down a parasitic drain is through a process of elimination. The easiest way to go about this type of diagnostic is to leave your multimeter or test light connected and remove individual fuses until the drain disappears.

How can I tell if my car battery needs to be replaced?

You can also test your battery with an inexpensive tool called a hydrometer, which allows you to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each cell. If one or more cells is very low after fully charging the battery, that’s a sign that the battery needs to be replaced.

How does the battery drain on a Chevy Tahoe?

Install the ammeter between the battery and the battery cable. A jumper wire needs to be connected in parallel to the ammeter to reconnect the battery at the same time the meter remains installed. Both the ammeter and a jumper wire are connecting the battery cable to the battery at this time. This allows the vehicle to power down (go to sleep). 3.

What kind of battery do I need for my Chevy?

Should you need a new battery, Chevrolet proudly offers a wide range of ACDelco auto batteries for the best combination of longevity, power, and price. Your vehicle requires a specific battery that’s the right size, has the correct reserve capacity, and produces the necessary cold cranking amps to start up the engine.

What should I do if my car battery is draining?

Wait 30 minutes. Turn the ammeter on. Remove the jumper wire, being sure that the ammeter does not come disconnected. This is now the actual vehicle’s battery drain. 4. If the draw is more than 50 mA (.050 Amps), remove the fuses one at a time to locate the source of the drain.

What to do if your DVOM battery drains?

Remove the negative battery cable from the battery and attach a jumper from the negative battery post to the positive lead of the DVOM meter set to Amps. Next attach a jumper from the negative meter lead to the battery cable.

Who is the owner of the GMC Sonoma?

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the GMC Emblem and the name SONOMA are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice.

Do you need a multimeter for a GMC truck battery?

You need a multimeter. With key off, unhook your positive battery terminal. Put one multimeter lead on the battery terminal and the other on the positive cable. You’re basically making the multimeter part of the circuit. Set the meter to read amps.

What causes a Chevy truck battery to die?

On my 04 1500 I had a short in the instrament cluster that would kill the battery in a few days if the truck was not driven. If I pulled the fuse to the cluster, the battery would be fine.

What causes a car battery to drain while the car is running?

Parasitic Drain If your ignition is turned off but the electrical devices such as your radio presets, security alarms or clocks continue to run, it can drain your battery. This type of drain is called a parasitic drain. A faulty charging system will drain the battery while the car is running.

Why does my car battery discharge after shutting down the engine?

He has certifications in automation and control technology. When you car battery discharges soon after shutting down the engine, it’s commonly caused by one of three things: Your battery may have reached the end of its service life (often 4 or 5 years). A parasitic drain is depleting battery power.

How can you tell when your car battery is draining?

This includes lights, radio, air conditioning, and more. You may be able to tell when your car battery starts to die if you find it difficult to start, have flickering lights, or a weakening alarm system. Your car battery may begin to drain for 8 reasons:

Why does my car not start when I put the key in?

Putting the key in the ignition switch and starting the car feels like second nature. However, if your car has ignition switch problems, you may not be able to start the car at all. Ignition switch problems can also cause issues on the road, such as unexpected shutdowns or electrical problems.

How long does it take to remove a radio in a 99 Chevy?

Removing a radio in a 99 (or 98) full size Chevy pickup takes all of 30 seconde. Do you know how?

Is there a problem with my Chevy truck battery?

Truck is still driveable, just no gauge info. Work is guaranteed. There are a bunch of outfits rebuilding these on ebay and various other sites, so it must be a big problem with the clusters. I had a similar problem with the battery draining. Spent hours and hours researching it, more hours trying to diagnose.

Start by connecting a digital multimeter to the negative battery terminal of your vehicle. Then, remove the fuses one at a time while watching for changes in the multimeter’s reading. Once the reading drops, you’ve found the culprit and can take steps to repair it.

What to do if your Chevy Cruze battery is draining?

If you didn’t see a battery light, and now the vehicle is dead when you go to start it, the first thing that you need to look at is the battery. You can take it up to the local parts store and have it tested.

Why does my Chevy Silverado battery drain while driving?

If it is draining while your Silverado is off, it’s usually caused by something that is drawing current that shouldn’t be. If the battery is draining while you’re driving, that is probably going to be the alternator or battery. There are other situations as well.

What should the voltage be on a GM Charger?

The system voltage is below 12.56 V When any one of these conditions are met, the system will set targeted alternator output voltage to 13.9-15.5 V, depending on the battery state of charge and estimated battery temperature.

When does a Chevy Silverado 1500 battery drain?

I have the annoying battery drain when my 2003 chevy Silverado 1500 is sitting for three to four days. I did the amp test and found a 2.17 amp draw with everything shut down and key out of ignition.

Can a battery be drained in a truck?

It had been so bad that ?I could charge the battery, start the truck and let it idle for 10 minutes and the truck would not start again unless I charged the battery again. So the battery was able to start the engine, but the alternator could not charge the battery back up because because of resistance in the corrosion. 1 people found this helpful.

Why is the battery draining on my C / K 1500?

New alternator, new battery, new cables. When idling, the turn signals almost drop the voltage to the lowest on the meter. I think I have found and fixed this issue. On my ’91 k1500 there is a distribution block on the passenger side firewall. The terminals on this block was corroded.

What should the voltage drop be on a GMC Truck?

The voltage drop should be performed with the fuel injectors disabled and while cranking the engine. The voltage drop should not exceed 200 mV. If the voltage drop is above 200 mV, replaced the effected cable. Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step.

Why did my Duramax lose power to my trailer?

I have a 2013 Duramax. Yesterday I had my Toy Hauler hooked up to the truck and the truck was running. I was retracting the slides on the trailer and than suddenly they stopped and I lost all power to my trailer.

Why is the battery on my truck not working?

If they are grounded to the neg battery post, then I would say the Battery is probably not grounded to the truck due to corrosion or loose wire. Or I don’t know if there is a main fuse that could have popped…someone else might know if there is a main fuse on these trucks kind of like the main breaker on a house.

How can you tell if a Chevy truck battery is dead?

Category: Chevy are you 100 % sure both battery cables are clean and tight at the battery ? even removing both cables and sanding them down with sandpaper or a scotch pad then reconnecting both cables clean and tight it still is dead ? does the horn work ?

Where is the battery going in my truck?

I re cleaned all the battery cables and retested the fuse panel the only big wire coming from the battery is going to the bottome left of the fuse box and that’s showing zero and the ground on the engine is clean and tight at this point then the big wire from the battery to the under hood fuse box is bad

What kind of engine does a GMC 3500 have?

Requires properly equipped 3500 Regular Cab DRW Long Box 2WD model with available 6.6L Duramax Turbo Diesel engine and gooseneck hitch. Before you buy a vehicle or use it for trailering, carefully review the trailering section of the Owner’s Manual. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow.

Are there any problems with the LLY Duramax?

In terms of LLY injector problems, GM had sorted out the internal failures with the 2004 ½ redesign, but the LLY Duramax would occasionally exhibit a trouble code for the injectors, but in most cases it turned out to be an issue with the injector harness rubbing through and causing a short or open in the wiring.

What happens when a Duramax engine goes down?

Not only does this mean game-over for the engine, but it results in a truck that’s down for weeks (if not months) and a huge chunk of change missing from your wallet. The failure is most common in higher horsepower engines, but can still occur in moderately modified and even stock power plants.

Why does my battery drain while the van is off?

They put a new battery in and within two weeks of the van not being used the battery was dead. I did a bit of research online and learned that something may be drawing power while the van is off, and that I could do a fuse test with a multimeter. After performing this test I narrowed down the drain to being related to the following fuse:

How long does a Chevy siverado battery drain?

From buying research to owner support, join 1.5 MILLION GM Truck Enthusiasts every month who use GM-Trucks.com as a daily part of their ownership experience. My 1994 Chevy Siverado has a slow parasidic drain. If I leave the battery connected it will drain in 3 to 4 days. The multifuntion switch is giving me problems too.

What to do if your car battery is draining?

Assuming that the cause of the battery drain is not human error, you will need the assistance of a qualified mechanic who can diagnose your car’s electrical problems and determine if it’s a dead battery or something else in the electrical system.

Why is my GMC Sierra battery draining while driving?

If it is draining while your Sierra is off, it’s usually caused by something that is drawing current that shouldn’t be. If the battery is draining while you’re driving, that is probably going to be the alternator or battery. There are other situations as well.

What’s the problem with my Chevy Astro battery?

Battery Drain – 2002 Chevy Astro Maintenance/Repairs astro, chevrolet dmf July 4, 2016, 9:51pm #1 Hi, I’ve recently been having battery drain issues with my 2002 Chevy Astro. After taking it to a local garage I was informed that nothing was wrong with it other than it needing a new battery.

Is there a problem with the Chevy battery?

Called 3 Chevy dealers, they deny that any problem of this nature exists. I have replaced the battery twice and two new alternators installed. I find that I still have a 3.5 amp draw even with alternator cable disconnected. Again, the dealer denies that there is any existing or documented issue regarding parasitic draw on these vehicles.

Why does my car battery drain when I turn it off?

The resultant 3.5 amp draw/load on the battery could possible discharge the battery to the point where the battery will not have sufficient amperage to start the vehicle. We’ve sent a new BCM calibration to your dealer so that your vehicle can be reprogrammed to ensure that the BCM shuts down when you turn the vehicle off.

What causes a GMC truck battery to drain?

This will indicate which circuit is causing the drain. Refer to Power Distribution Schematics in Diagnostic Aids to diagnose exactly which pan of the suspect circuit is causing the parasitic drain. In some cases a non-fused circuit or component, such as a relay, is the cause of excessive parasitic current drain.

Is the Chevy LS 4×4 battery completely drained?

I sure would appreciate some advice. My 2003 Chevy LS 4×4 with only 29,000 miles has a serious issue. The battery is completely drained after setting approx 4 to 5 days. I have pulled the battery and alternator….both check fine a couple of times.

What causes a car battery to drain while parked?

A battery discharging for no apparent reason while the vehicle is parked can be caused by an intermittent draw, such as a module waking up, or a continuous draw, such as a dome light or stuck relay.

When does battery go dead after 7 days?

After 7 days sitting battery goes dead – I have noticed a slow (low voltage) crank after a long sit. After about 60 seconds it drops to 0.230 Amps (230mA) – Isn’t that a bit high????

Why does my GMC Savana Van not start?

Lately I have had this problem: Go to start the van and if fires up for about one second then quits. Try and try it will not start. Dealer at first said it was the fuel pump. Replaced it. Months later still doing the same thing.

How often does a GMC Savana stall on the road?

GM Dealer has no idea as they can’t get the van to stall on the road test. Sometimes runs for 3 or 4 days. Sometimes stalls 3-4 times a day. Dosnt matter if its raining, cold, sunny, snow makes no difference. Fustrating as hell.

Is the Chevy Savana running out of fuel?

It ran fine for some time after that, but then would begin to cut out, acting somewhat like it was running out of fuel. If you shut down for an hour or so, you could sometimes drive 100 miles before it would hesitate again. Often I could use it for short trips for days with no problems whatsoever.

After 7 days sitting battery goes dead – I have noticed a slow (low voltage) crank after a long sit. After about 60 seconds it drops to 0.230 Amps (230mA) – Isn’t that a bit high????

Why does my Chevy Silverado battery keep draining?

My 2007 Chevy silverado battery keeps draining. I thought it was from the radio not shutting off when I open the door but I shut the radio off and the battery still drains. What can be draining it? Clicking this will make more experts see the question and we will remind you when it gets answered.

How often does a Chevy Silverado battery go dead?

Dead battery 5 times per year since new. Dealer cannot fix. Nobody can help. Do not buy a Chevy Silverado, burns oil. All this started at about 10,000 miles. I have had this problem with my 2009 Silverado since I purchased it used with about 36000 miles on it. The battery won’t have enough power to start the truck.

How to drain a battery on a GMC Truck?