We know how frustrating Dodge Ram battery drain problems are, but it’s better if you know why it happened. Here you will get to know what causes Dodge Ram battery draining, how to find if your truck battery is dying, the ways to troubleshoot them, along with some tips.
Rusted wire harness, a defective battery, or a flawed alternator- any of these can lead to the Dodge Ram battery drain problem. Sometimes it’s challenging to pinpoint the root problem. However, most troubleshooting is within reach.
Common Dodge Ram Battery Drain Problems
Discovering a draining battery in the early morning most often might be a mishap due to leaving the headlights or interior lights on all night. Sometimes, Dodge Ram truck owners find a draining battery after leaving it unused for several days.
Even they can face the same issue while the truck is in driving condition. In such cases, this is likely due to the battery or alternator. There can be other situations and reasons. But, whatever is causing battery draining that needs addressing immediately.
So, put the jumping wires aside and have a look into these reasons behind Dodge Ram battery drain problems.
01. Your Vehicle Wasn’t Properly Turned Off
Sometimes you need to remember to turn your car on properly, leaving the interior or headlights on or the car door or boot opening all night long. Any of these can lead the vehicle battery to lose charge faster.
Suppose your car’s electrical devices or lights remain ongoing while the ignition is off. In that case, they’ll drain the power from the battery gradually but massively, which is often referred to as a parasitic outflow.
As a result of this, the lifespan of your vehicle’s battery may be shortened. Before leaving your Dodge Ram, make sure the lights and doors are turned off and locked securely.
Also Read > Best Replacement Battery for Dodge Ram.
02. Corroded or Loose Battery Connections
You disconnect the cables attached to the positive and negative poles before any maintenance-related work on the vehicle. But it’s also imperative to reconnect them in the correct order. The battery may discharge if these cables get slack. Trouble starting the vehicle, flickering headlights, and heated wire cables are all symptoms of loose wires.
To fix it, you would need to tighten and, in some cases, reinstall them. But it would help if you always exercised caution while working on a car’s electrical system to prevent damage or shocks to the automobile. Electric or hybrid cars, therefore, should be only serviced by expert personnel.
On the contrary, over time, both of your Dodge Ram’s positive and negative connections may become corroded. As a result, the Dodge Ram battery can’t effectively transfer its power. And you may have to face difficulties starting the truck. Even worse, you can freeze out when driving or harm the electronic parts of the truck.
Cleaning the battery terminals on your Dodge Ram on a regular basis can be helpful in preventing corrosion-related issues.
03. Faulty Alternator
When you put the Dodge Ram in gear, the alternator provides a continuous power flow to stay charged. It may be challenging to ignite your vehicle if the alternator needs to be fixed since it can’t adequately charge the battery.
Even after driving, your truck won’t start; probably the alternator to be blamed. While your Dodge Ram was running, the alternator may have failed to transmit enough charge to the battery. If you face a battery-draining problem while driving, an alternator is a reason in most cases.
The alternator or battery light pop-on indicates that the alternator is failing to create sufficient power. You can notice strange noises coming from your vehicle, such as flashing lights or other problems, while the alternator diode starts to malfunction.
04. Bad Battery
If your vehicle’s battery drains while parked, it could be the bad battery itself. The alternator might cause your Ram’s battery indicator to turn on before parking. You might not notice the battery light when the vehicle is running; later, you see it won’t start again. In such a situation, the battery should be your first point of inspection.
If Ram’s battery gets drained off after leaving it parked for several days, the reason behind this is the bad battery being unable to hold enough charge for a long time. Your Dodge Ram battery can be problematic due to continued use. You may detect corrosion or a decline in performance if the battery is worn-out or old.
It might be time for a new battery if you notice such symptoms on the vehicle’s battery. Checking the battery with an expert will allow you to verify this. If the truck won’t restart even after starting it, it indicates the battery is dead.
A battery’s lifespan, which is normally five years, gets affected by a number of variables, including how frequently it is being used, the weather, and the amount of stress it is subjected to.
05. Frequent Short Drives
When your Dodge Ram starts, the battery generates a flow of power. After the vehicle is on the road, the alternator keeps recharging the battery. But, if you take short drives frequently, the alternator will need more time during pit stops to transmit power to the battery. Therefore, making many short excursions might harm the battery, leading it to drain faster.
06. High Temps
Immensely hot or cold temps can impact the performance of your Dodge Ram’s battery. The chemical processes occurring inside the battery are affected by temperature, which can have a consequence on the battery’s effectiveness and durability.
Your vehicle may require two times as much force to ignite in the cold. The essential liquids inside the battery may evaporate in summer, resulting in corrosion and increasing the chances that your battery will drain often.
Read Related More> Recommended Battery for Dodge caliber.
How To Find Out If Dodge Ram Battery is Draining
If your Dodge Ram battery comes up with an Upper and Lower mark on the sides of it, you can find out if the level of electrolyte is between both the marks. Otherwise, the following symptoms should be checked out to verify a draining battery:
- While starting the vehicle, the lights and gauges don’t switch on as you spin the key to ignite.
- It would be best if you jump-start your Dodge Ram battery every three to five days or more often.
- If you make the vehicle sit back with the engine off for 15-30 minutes, but the other accessories remain running.
- It would help if you turned three or four times for ignition.
How To Prevent Dodge Ram Battery Drain Problems
So, Dodge Ram owners! Now you have figured out the main reason behind your battery-draining problem. The next crucial step is to learn the ways to prevent the battery from depleting. The following tips will help to increase the battery’s lifespan.
01. Properly Shut The Vehicle
Ensure that you properly turn off your Dodge Ram, which goes beyond simply shutting the doors.
Confirm that the interior, headlights, and all gadgets, including the USB ports and phone charging socket, are all off before stepping out of the car. After turning off the engine, the battery can be drained out for using the GPS or the radio, so they also must be turned off.
02. Change Driving Habits
Often occurring, short drives can cause battery strain. To prevent that, driving your Dodge Ram for a long time while on-road would be best. Or, you can balance your driving habit by altering between short trips and uninterrupted, longer rides. Driving your vehicle for about 15 minutes would be enough to refill the energy consumed to start the vehicle’s engine.
If you don’t drive your vehicle frequently or for uninterrupted drives, consider purchasing a portable car battery charger to keep the voltage stable.
03. Continue Driving
You should continue driving your Dodge Ram every one or two days as it will enable the alternator to function properly and prevent the battery from depleting completely.
04. Continue Driving
Driving your automobile frequently will enable the alternator to function properly and prevent the battery from being entirely depleted. Regular driving prevents flat spots by lowering pressure on the wheels’ bottoms and lubricating the engine.
05. Regular Battery Checkup
To avoid the battery draining problem of your Dodge Ram, regular inspection of it can help you. So lift the bonnet and check out the symptoms of a worn-out battery yourself. Ensure your vehicle’s battery meets the following criteria:
- Firmly secured battery.
- Dust and debris-free battery top.
- Corrosion-free battery terminals.
- The voltage reading on the voltmeter is around at least 12.7 volts or overhead.
06. Use Trickle Charger
While your Dodge Ram is sitting back, but the battery is draining out, a trickle charger can help you out in this situation. It charges the battery at the same speed and amounts it depletes with the help of the battery regulator.
Also, this keeps the battery from becoming flare or overcharging because of parking your Dodge Ram for an extended period of time. If your Dodge Ram is particularly a weekend or second vehicle and you need to park it for a long time, using the trickle charger would be useful.
07. Safely park from extreme weather
To help protect your car from overheating in the summer, park it as much as possible under the shade. During the winter, store your Dodge Ram inside. Heat and cold may both deplete your battery. So, keeping a compact jump starter in your Dodge Ram for charging your truck while the battery dies would be better.
If you reside in a location where temperature extremes are common, investing in an AGM battery would be a wise decision since it operates in wider temperature ranges.
08. Replace the old battery
If something other than the tips mentioned above works out, it is possible that you are dealing with an old or worn-out faulty battery. Usually, a Dodge Ram battery lasts for four to six years. Check out the manufacturer’s specified expiry date; if yours is older than the usual lifespan, it is best to replace the battery.
Tips to Avoid Battery Draining Problems
Below you will find some tips to extend your Dodge Ram battery’s lifespan and avoid battery-draining issues:
- Keep the manufacturer’s specified battery expiration date and replace it immediately after the time is over.
- On a regular basis, check if there is any corrosion sign in the battery. If you find it worn out or corroded, getting a new replacement or buying a new battery is recommended.
- If a recently replaced or purchased battery is draining, you should check the wires, installation, LED lights and radio that can be consuming the power.
- You should check the performance level of your Dodge Ram battery with a professional technician.
- Planning your excursions to accomplish more errands in a single trip would be good for the battery.
Final Thought
Discovering yourself stranded in a sudden awkward situation or bad weather is so inconvenient. But unexpected battery draining can lead you to such painful conditions. Don’t let your Dodge Ram battery drain problems your headache. Please find out the root cause of it and follow the tips mentioned above to come out of the issue.
