Hey y'all, I've got a 99 1500 4x4 with the 5.9 I just bought a couple months ago. it's got 214,000 miles. I'm having an issue with something draining the battery in about a week. I bought a new battery and put it in, checked voltage with it running and the alternator is working (13.7 volts @ the battery ) problem is I drive a company vehicle during the week and mine just sits parked. By the weekend my brand new battery was completely dead to the point that nothing worked!! I've fixed, the interior "map" lights (the ones you push to turn on and off, in the over head console), I have a short in the fog lights somewhere (when I pull the switch out to turn them on the don't always come on, and will flicker on and off) but whatever is draining my battery is doing it with the truck off and sitting?!?! I can't seem to get my multi meter to show any amp draw off the battery, and I'm assuming I'm doing something wrong because I can't even get an amp draw reading across any of the fuses even with the truck running!!

ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

 

the usual culprits are remote starts, security systems, audio equipment, glove box light, under-hood light.

if your meter won't show a millli-amp draw, you may have to play the one-by-one remove the fuse game to see which one eliminates the problem.

since your draw is with ignition off, its either an aftermarket accessory, or something factory pulling from the IOD fuse (ignition off draw)

 

Check to make sure the fuse in the meter isn't blown. If it's showing no current draw from the battery, it's likely blown. With the battery fully charged and the truck off (including lights, key out of ign, etc.), pull the neg battery cable and hook one lead to the cable and the other lead to the neg battery post. Your meter should obviously be set to 10 or 20 amp setting to start with and the leads in the correct terminals. Proper spec is <.05A anything more is considered more than normal parasitic draw.

As mentioned, likely culprits are aftermarket installed things like alarm and remote start as well as factory circuits which can be tested by pulling the fuses.

 

Thaknks guys, I appreciate the tips. This truck has no aftermarket components installed, so it's got to be something factory installed thats gone bad. I wansn't able to test anything today thanks to the weather. Hopefully I'll get out there next weekend and check some stuff while installing the Hughes FI Air Gap I just ordered. (truck has bad plenum issue, and I decided to go the air gap route on this one as opposed to the plenum fix.) I think I might have a bad starter, gonna pull it and have it tested. I recharged my battery and tried to start the truck and my voltage dropped from 12.05 to 3.03 on the first turn of the key and then it just clicked

 

Sounds more like a bad battery.

 

it should be a little closer to 14.

 

13.5-14.5V is the acceptable range, although the truck should sit at 2000RPM while you check voltage.

 

Check light in cup holder as well as the items mentioned.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone! I found a bad starter, and bad (brand new) battery. replaced both and checked again - was showing no amp draw when testing between neg battery cable and neg battery post. hopefully I got it.....but I now have a new issue posted in a new thread....glad I love learning and tinkering with these trucks, lol if not i'd be getting frustrated.