I have a 99 Durango. New off the show room floor. I am on my 5th Battery. The last 4 just failed. No questions, buy a new batt. I am beginning to have problems with my present batt. It has died twice in the last month. Both times I have taken it in, got it charged and they tell me there is nothing wrong with the batt. Down to the Batt exchange, they check the elec sys free. Says there is nothing wrong with the altenator or EVR. I put an amp meter on the ground of the batt, showed 8 milliamps, well within the range. Now what.

This afternoon, I got home and thought I would have a look see at a couple of things. When I parked the Durango in the garage, for some reason I put it in park and applied the parking brake. When I went back out, about 30 mins, I notice the Brake light was dim... and the four gages, fuel, voltage, heat and oil press were moving up slowly and then dropping off. I sat there looking at these movements and brake light sort of amazed. The key was not in the ignition. How could this be happening. I started the engine, turned it off and still the same movements and light. Took off the parking brake, light went out but movement of the instruments continued. Now knowing what was going on or what to do, I turned the radio on, turned the head lights on, nada. Then I turned the AC/heating switch on and it stopped. I could not duplicate the action with the AC/heating sw in the on position. I turned it off and could duplicate the brake light and movement of the gages. I got to thinking about the two days the thing had died. I had driven somewhere early in the morning and turned off the AC/heating(I live in AZ) and had not turned it back on. The vehicle had sat for about 8 hours before I got back in it and found the batt dead. I can duplicate this problem, but my mind asks. what connection does the AC/heating switch have with the instrument cluster and why would it be coming on and shutting off. Don't know. But I'll bet is is one of those cheap parts like the CTM or PCM,.

My present solution: Don't shut engine off with AC/heat switch in off position.

HEELLLLPPPPPP????? TOOO???

 

Well, have you check all fuses and relays? Was this problem happening the entire time you owned your vehicle? Have you checked to make sure your altenator is charging correctly? There seem to be multiple problems afoot here. First, find where the drain is coming from. This means breaking into your electrical with a meter while the light and guage problem is occuring. Find that problem first. Once you do and fix it, then figure out if your altenator is working correctly.