Parasitic Battery Drain From Bcm

[ktg]

My 2004 GMC quadrasteer has developed a parasitic battery drain that kills the battery if it sits for more than a day. I've traced it to the BCM. I checked the drain with a meter after the truck had sit for 4 hours. The drain was about 3.5 amps. The drain after sitting for 12 hours was about 2.5 amps. If I pull all 4 of the TBC fuses then the drain drops to about 20mA. If I put in any one of the 4 TBC fuses the drain jumps back up. I notice there's a service bulletin for 2003 trucks about reflashing the BCM to fix the same problem. Might this apply to my 2004 also or am I going to have to find a new BCM? Anyone have experience with something like this?

[desrtrat]

the BCM issue goes back to 02. model year and up. what i had herd was to reflash the BCM. something in there is not switching off when it is programed to.. also people stated that it did not do it all the time, maybe 1-3 times per mo. which made locating the problem a night mare..

 

good luck

[ktg]

I took my truck to the dealer and had them check it out when they were also fixing an ABS problem. They said they monitored the parasitic drain for an hour and it was within specs, less than 40mA, but I don't remember exactly what, then they charged me an extra $60 for checking it. I took it home, let it sit for 3 hours and then checked the drain. It was about 3.5A still. I checked it several times since and it's never been lower than about 2.5A and only that low after it sits for a much longer time. i don't know what thier fancy machine was checking but they should have used a simple meter.

I took the truck back to the dealer and had them reflash the BCM. That was a waste of another $140. It's still doing the same thing.

The letter from GM that I found for 2003 trucks mentioned something about the BCM needed reprogrammed because it wasn't reading the steering wheel position correctly.

The only thing I can think of is a bad BCM or steering wheel position sensor. There are no error codes to give me a clue.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[duke_hearts_denali]

Hi!

 

Friend did you ever get this resolved, I believe I am having the same problem.

 

I have a post over on denali trucks if anyone wants the specifics of my problem.

 

http://denalitrucks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=27433

 

I need help as I am desperate to resolve this.

 

Thanks!!

[5Alive]

I had same problem in my 2005. I have put up many detailed posts both on this forum, as well as the denali forum mentioned above, as well as the quadrasteer club forum (I have 4WS too) that detailed my parasitic battery drain, as well as my solution.

 

In the several years since I implemented my solution, I've never had a dead battery again.

 

The posts that identify the cause and cure are comprehensive, and are from so long ago, I cannot even recall the specifics. But you can search "parasitic battery drain", as well as "dual battery", and you are sure to find them. Same on the DTC forums (different username).

 

From what you describe as the recent onset of this problem, it is highly probable that you can solve it by replacing your battery. No matter how much voltage it shows, no matter how much the servicing dealer believes it has been sufficiently charged... replace it.

 

I recommend a very specific battery to replace it with. It is an absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery made by Enersys, the same company that provided spill proof high ampacity long reserve dual purpose batteries to the military for use in fighter jets. These AGM batteries used to be difficult to get, even after Enersys created a retail brand for them called "Odessy". Eventually, Enersys enlisted the retail force of Sears to resell their batteries under the Sears Die Hard Platinum brand.

 

It is important to distinguish the various Sears Die Hard batteries from the Sears Die Hard PLATIUNUM. If the battery costs anything less than $200.00 per individual battery, you are not getting the right battery that is (was???)* made by Enersys. The paticular model you are looking for is called the P-4, which is the Group 78/34 dual terminal size for our GMT800s.

 

Having said all of that, I am concerned that recently made Platinum P-4s may not have been built with the same quality as the original Enersys manufactured versions. What typically happens in business is that a good product comes out, it gains a great reputation, and that begets an even greater demand. Meeting that demand as well as meeting profit goals makes for some changes in manufacturing. I don't know if that is the case here or not.

 

What I do know is that I solved the parasitic battery drain issue by giving away my factory Delco battery, and installing not one but two P4s using all GM factory parts.

 

The automatic climate control module keeps alive for several HOURS after key off. The dual zone electronic climate control is a large consumer of parasitic current after key off. This is confirmed in the GM service information. Also, Onstar communications keeps alive for 2 days after key off. There are other modules as well, but I forget what they are.

 

Rather than tear apart vehicle electronics, and spend big bucks for dealership labor, diagnosis, and guesswork replacements of modules that are working as designed (even if the design is lame), I chose to just give the truck the power resources it was asking for.

 

Prior to changing the battery, my truck would be dead every two days. Since changing the battery to the $200.00 AGM battery with an 8 year warranty, 4 year free replacement, and 4 year prorated... I can leave the truck sitting for an indefinate period of time. I don't know how long, because it has never not started since. I left the country for two months, came back, and it still started.

 

Many posts on this forum speak to the parasitic drain issues. The most probable and simplist solution is to upgrade the battery.

 

Good luck!

[duke_hearts_denali]

Hey sir! thanks for the good info on the battery.

 

I did replace my battery with a p-4 and killed it also. But sears did replace that p-4 with another one.

 

My battery drain still exists and i believe it is also being caused by the bcm or possibly the ignition key switch.

 

I have no new updates on this problem but i will update when i make some more progress.

 

I do have to say it is extremely hard to work with the service representatives at the gm dealerships. i have been to three different dealers and they all tried to screw me out of money and not address my problem.

[ktg]

Update: My battery drain only seems to occur when the temperatures are cold, like below freezing. I've battled this for many years now without finding the exact problem, just that if any of the 3 BCM fuses are installed, the drain is WAY more than it should be. I decided to treat the symptoms since I can't find the problem and install dual yellow top optima batteries. I tried to get 2 Sears Platinum batteries as they seemed like a better deal but our local sears store doesn't carry batteries and I didn't want to chance a warranty problem being 180 miles from the stocking Sears store. I only got the job half done a couple Saturdays ago so I only had one of the optimas hooked up. It was dead a couple days later. Last Saturday I got the install completed and ran the truck for a while to charge the batteries. It sat untouched till today (7 days) in weather ranging from -5 to 25 degrees F. It fired right up without even seeming weak. I guess I've treated the symptons sufficiently but I still wonder what the problem is.

[chevrolet man]

I took delivery of my 2014 1500 silverado 1/27/14. below 0 weather. Next morning 1/28 dead battery, jumped it & returned to dealer.They tightened the cables. Next am[1/29] same thing.Returned to dealer they replaced the battery. 1/30 dead again. took it back & they kept it inside overnight & it started as I expected. THEY STILL HAVE THE TRUCK! Going to see if it starts Monday feb.3rd after sitting outside all weekend, but it's much warmer now.

[GMCustomerService]

Hey everybody,

 

Sorry to hear about all of the difficulties with dead batteries! We are happy to assist you get any of these concerns addressed or look into your situation further. Feel free to reach us via PM.

 

Sincerely,

Jonathan A.

GM Customer Care

[Hidebinder]

I had a 2001 Silverado 1500 that had this problem. The local dealer had replaced the BCM to the tune of a thousand bucks but that did not resolve the problem and the truck continued to eat batteries. Temperature did not seem to be an issue and I did not try any other brand of batteries other than the AC/Delco brand. After numerous trips to the local dealer with dead battery issues and their failure to resolve the problem I gave up and I ended up trading the truck in for a new 2014 model as I could not depend on my 2001 any longer. I had not become aware that this was an issue with other GM truck owners until reading this post today. I had an exhaust pipe hanger weld that broke and so I weld repaired it with my MIG welder. I have since became aware that prior to welding on these computerized trucks that a protective device is to be placed on the battery to prevent possible damage to the electronics in the vehicle from the electric welding process. Could this have been the root cause of the possible subsequent suspect BCM failure? Perhaps, but I would have thought the dealer would have seen the failure of the BCM to go into the sleep mode. I also had a failure of the remote entry system that the dealer could or would not diagnose. I really liked my 2001 but was frustrated with the lack of dependability due to this issue. Caution to other owners who may have welding done on their vehicles whether by themselves or repair shops.

[chupe442]

So prior to welding on the truck (exhaust or whatever), are you supposed to pull the ground on the battery?

[montyss]

We use a protector that clamps on the battery and stops the spikes and surges when we weld , its called a Anti Zap Surge protector . One clamp on the positive and one on the neg and that's it , green light comes on and tells you your ready to weld

http://www.goodallmfg.com/antizap/surge-protectors/

[PH-Wolf]

So prior to welding on the truck (exhaust or whatever), are you supposed to pull the ground on the battery?

YES!! Always disconnect the battery before welding on any vehicle, especially when computer controlled.

[chupe442]

Good to know if the need calls.. I have been lucky and not have to do any welding on the past couple of trucks.

[kaufmankdk]

O.K.

Here is my .2 Cents worth.

And this thread is all but dead, but I have learned much from these Forums and this “Battery drain search”.

First off, I am an Electrician with over 32 years of experience. “Yes, useless fact”.

And Auto Electric is another animal, but that said. The more you work at it the better you get right!

1) Using a D.C. Amprobe on the positive Cable I pulled the Fuses one at a time, at first I noticed no change, but with a little amount of time there will be change.

2) This is where the cooler of beer and a friend come into play.

3) Dust and any Liquid is not good, Tracking can and will occur. Clean and dry is best.

4) Next, while pulling each fuse to search for the drain I used a New “Stainless Steel Tooth Brush” to clean each of the Fuse Tabs.

5) I don’t mean to say REEF on them until the silver is removed; this in itself yielded great results. Oh starting at about 2.2 amps draw and down to .5 Amps and now down to .3 Amps

6) During the search please don’t overlook the obvious like I did, the beer was instrumental in this equation. Doors, Glove Box and The last “Hood Light” that was not even lit. “Not working”

7) So, it’s o.k. for the doors and glove box and the hood to be open as long as you are accounting for each of them.

8) Clean and dry is the take away from all of this. And the finally was the “hood light fixture” has a mechanical Iron Pivot switch. Unplug the fixture to check for drain even if the light is not on.

9) Hi resistance is Not good ever, any hi resistance will cause or simulate Load.

10) The under hood lamp fixture was a mess; I might still have to replace the fixture. Years of bouncing “mechanical Iron Pivot switch” and probably will not hurt to go LED on all of the lamps anyway.

11) I have a DC Amprobe. VOM in line of the ground works as well. Plenty of good information here.

12) Thanks to all that provide support to U-Tube and The Forums, We all benefit from this.