Battery is dead and fog lights on?

[Dirt_uber_]

Ok I hope this is posted in the right area... anyways, my 2006 sierra seems to have the battery drain over night. Now i have seen people say it's their radio, or something resetting, can't remember exactly what it was. Now I haven't read anything on my exact symptoms. The battery will drain in 10 minutes or it will take all day/night. It seems to vary or not even affect the truck at some times. When I try to start it the usual happens. Clock is reset and radio is on a default station. On top of that I have noticed that my fog light switch is in the on positions(orange light is glowing). I don't have any lights wired to this switch therefore I have no reason to press the button. But why is the light glowing when I get the truck running again?

 

Anyways I would like to know what everyone thinks is going on with it. I also had my battery, alternator, and starter tested. They are all fine

[O_J_Simpson]

Your choice:

 

Replace the battery, cables and clean the connections well on both ends.

 

or

 

Take it to a real shop and let them diagnosis the problem correctly and let them replace the battery, clean the connections on both ends and replace the cables if needed at $95 an hour.

[eddiefromcali]

do this and see what circuit is at fault...likely the radio and fog lights are killing your battery

 

 

[Dirt_uber_]

Just checked all connections. Checked amp draw (2.7) with all fuses in and then pulled every fuse one by one and checked again amp draw hasn't changed

[Dirt_uber_]

Update*

 

I have pulled every fuse and relay on the truck. Fuse box in the engine bay, box in the cab and even the box that my trailer break controller goes to which is located in the driver foot well. I un plugged the electric seats, radiator fans, alternator, and a few other things throughout the truck that I'm not even sure what they were. I feel like I have to go through the whole truck to find the problem . My plans for tomorrow is to remove every fuse and relay all at the same time and test for amp draw, if that doesn't work I'll un plug the gas pedal, starter, throttle body, fuel pump, and ignition coils..

 

Before I do so does anyone have an idea what to do?

 

I feel like my situation is unique compared to all of the forums and videos that I have watched. I've tried testing everything that the videos and forums have suggested and nothing seems to change the amp draw. It stays around 2.7-2.9 right after shutting the truck off or after waiting 60 min and with the doors open or closed. I'm running out of ideas and forum threads to refer to. I just want my truck bakc to normal ahah

[silveradosid]

check your starter the starter solenoid may not be fully releasing and at 2 amps it is not enough to turn over the starter. i have found this on a couple of gm trucks that were draining the battery. one test is to let everything cool down for hours and then touch the starter if it is warm then this is your problem

[Dirt_uber_]

Perfect haven't touched it all night and I'm getting ready to leave for work I'll try that

[eddiefromcali]

any aftermarket accessories?

[Dirt_uber_]

Ok so I forgot that I left the battery un plugged overnight so nothing was warm but I'm home from work now and it can sit for a while then I'll test it.

 

The only after market electronics on the truck are the trailer break controller and my light bar. Both my controller and light bar are un plugged.

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that my battery is mounted in my bed. From the bed to the engine bay it is insulated by radiator hose so I don't believe that anything is rubbing against the frame and my cable extensions are tight.

 

My only thought with my set up is that I have ran two equal length cables from the battery to the engine bay rather than running one long power cable and two short grounds(ex. Ground to the frame up front and then ground to the frame under the bed). With so much power going through these cables and being crammed next to eachother in a radiator hose could they be arching in the same way that spark plug wires will arch?

[Dnt]

I would be tempted to pull the alternator wires and retest. The diodes could be shorted allowing a voltage back feed to ground. Sounds like you have done some mods to your truck so it might be something else that you forgot that you did like a sub or something but check the alternator since that is easy and quick.

[Dirt_uber_]

I would be tempted to pull the alternator wires and retest. The diodes could be shorted allowing a voltage back feed to ground. Sounds like you have done some mods to your truck so it might be something else that you forgot that you did like a sub or something but check the alternator since that is easy and quick.

no my truck has stock electronics besides the light and controller. it has the stock bose sound system in it. i pulled my altenator cables yesterday and it was still drawing amps so im thinking its the starter

[eddiefromcali]

Ok so I forgot that I left the battery un plugged overnight so nothing was warm but I'm home from work now and it can sit for a while then I'll test it.

 

The only after market electronics on the truck are the trailer break controller and my light bar. Both my controller and light bar are un plugged.

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that my battery is mounted in my bed. From the bed to the engine bay it is insulated by radiator hose so I don't believe that anything is rubbing against the frame and my cable extensions are tight.

 

My only thought with my set up is that I have ran two equal length cables from the battery to the engine bay rather than running one long power cable and two short grounds(ex. Ground to the frame up front and then ground to the frame under the bed). With so much power going through these cables and being crammed next to eachother in a radiator hose could they be arching in the same way that spark plug wires will arch?

 

Youd have major issues if the + and - touched. What did you do with the sensor that was on the negative battery cable?