The above listed truck recently had the battery go dead. It had been about a week since I drove it. The Optima battery is less than a year old.

I charged the battery yesterday and suspecting some kind of parasitic current draw, checked the amperage being drawn with nothing on, and making sure nothing was in the 12 volt outlets.

The truck is pulling 39.4 milliamps. Is this normal?

 

How long was the car sitting before you tested?

You're very close to spec = 5 to 35 milliamps

If you have an aftermarket audio system that can change the value a bit.

 

if the battery died charge it with a charger not the alternator especially an optima, they will never get full charge off the alternator. I'd watch it and see if maybe the dead battery was a fluke, but wouldn't hurt to take it and have it load tested (charge it, and then let sit off charger disconnected overnight) I've seen a few optima batteries do that, one I warrantied out, charged it on a dedicated charger, and put in my car it lasted another 7 years

 

only a few minutes, and I did not leave the amp meter on it.

 

I charged it over night with an Optimate Pro-S that verifies the battery is maintaining charge.

I will have to take the battery in to have it tested.

I'm in Arizona, and so far the longest I can get an optima battery to last is 5 years. A standard battery maybe 3 if I take really good care of it.

 

might just be a one time thing, and you'll never see it again

 

From what I have saw the new optimas arent near as good as the older ones.. You are in a constant temp region so make sure they can keep the battery full with water. I realize that the optima's you cant but you should be seeing nothing less than 5 years out of any battery. Here in pa we go from 80° down to -20° in the winter and cheap regular batterys last at least 5 years.. Just replaced ones in my diesel last year that were going on 8 years.. I paid 98.00(ea) for my napa batteries very happy with them. Let me down once this winter but was my fault. -20 out truck sat unplugged and I cranked it for a few mins before the batts gave up. 15w-40 doesnt like cold weather lol

 

After spending several weeks trying to find the lokack I had installed 15 years ago I finally found it. Once it was removed I tested the amp draw of the battery with everything off. When the amp meter is first connected the draw is about 39 milliamps after 30 seconds it drops to about 9 milliamps.

It appears the lojack with it's 15 year old Lithium Ion battery was the cause.

I will continue to monitor to be sure.

The lojack was in the headliner powered by the rear cab light.

In trying to find it I had:
removed the kick panels.
removed the dash panel.
removed the radio.
removed the glove box.
removed rear seats.
removed the Instrument cluster.
looked inside the drivers and passenger quarter panels.
Looked under or behind every other panel I could.
looked inside the door panels.
looked behind the liner behind the rear seats.
looked under the front seats.
searched the engine compartment.
looked for any splices in to the cigarette lighter and other 12 volt outlets.
looked for wires added to the fuse box, both inside the car and under the hood.
looked up behind the dash as much as I could with a bright light and mirror as best I could.
Removed the cup holder on the floor in the center front of the truck.
I felt around under the carpet as best I could.

 

Glad you found your Lojack unit. Still, it's not really drawing that much over the book spec.

Keep an eye on it.