BillT Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Hi. I'm new to the forum so I'm not sure if this is the right spot. Any way I have a 2011 Journey RT that has been having the dead battery issue. This time the car made ticking noises, flashhing of tail lights, VIC displaying -40C etc, not recognizing the FOB etc when trying to start it. This continued for a couple of minutes and then finally died out. The next morning the car was dead. The last couple of times this happened, we didn't try starting the car during this final stage of battery drain i.e. it was completely dead. The big difference this time is that when taking the car for a test drive after after it was jumpered, it would not go over 60 kph. Has anyone experienced this? Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramfrank Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 Start by getting the vehicle to the dealer. You should have had the vehicle reflashed long ago - multiple battery discharges are not good for the battery. At this point your only hope is to have the vehicle inspected. The good news is that it is still under warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pknier Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 sounds like a body control module issue...had the dead battery and a few other minor issues and they replaced the module...said that the connection was loose and it "fried" the connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillT Posted October 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 I took the car for a ride again today and all is well. The car must have gone into some kind of safe mode initially after being jumpered. I will be taking the car in this week with regard to the dead battery issue. Hopefully Chrysler will be up to speed with this issue now. When it first happened last September, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Official Dodge Support DodgeCares Posted October 9, 2012 Official Dodge Support Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Hi. I'm new to the forum so I'm not sure if this is the right spot. Any way I have a 2011 Journey RT that has been having the dead battery issue. This time the car made ticking noises, flashhing of tail lights, VIC displaying -40C etc, not recognizing the FOB etc when trying to start it. This continued for a couple of minutes and then finally died out. The next morning the car was dead. The last couple of times this happened, we didn't try starting the car during this final stage of battery drain i.e. it was completely dead. The big difference this time is that when taking the car for a test drive after after it was jumpered, it would not go over 60 kph. Has anyone experienced this? Any help is appreciated. Bill, The TSB on the dead battery issue is below. NUMBER: 08-016-11 REV. C GROUP: Electrical DATE: October 07, 2011 SUBJECT: Flash: No Start, Battery Drain, B1606-95, B16AF-15, B16B3-15, B1632-15, B1636-15, Passive Entry Slow Response, Trunk Lamps Shut Off Too Quick, Trunk Release Button Inoperable OVERVIEW: This bulletin involves flash reprogramming Body Control Module with new software. MODELS: 2011 (JC) Journey 2011 (LD) Charger 2011 (LX) 300 NOTE: This bulletin applies to JC vehicles built before July 2, 2011 (MDH 0702XX), and LD, LX vehicles built before June 29, 2011 (MDH 0629XX). SYMPTOM/CONDITION: The service flash corrects the following conditions: · No start, or drained battery, due to the BCM keeping the vehicle communication bus awake. · Diagnostic Trouble Codes: B1606-95, B16AF-15, B16B3-15, B1632-15, and B1636-15 · Trunk Lamps turn off after 30 seconds on the first time out delay after the ignition is cycled to OFF (A reduced time out delay after the first time out is normal behavior. The ignition must be cycled before a full ten minute delay may be observed again). · Passive Entry response time seems slow. User will typically complain of having to pull the handle twice to get it to work. · The trunk release button does not work while the doors are locked. NOTE: This software also includes behavior modification to police vehicle only wig wag behavior. DIAGNOSIS: Verify that the Body Control Module is functioning as designed. If DTC's other then those listed are present, record them on the repair order and repair as necessary before proceeding further. If a customer’s VIN is listed in VIP or your RRT VIN list, perform the repair. For all other customers that describe the symptom/condition or if the technician finds the DTC, perform the Repair Procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkplatner Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 I have a 2012 Journey that we picked up on June 26th. No issues until we took a one month trip out East in September, and returned to a dead Journey battery. We keep it in the garage, so I hooked up the battery charger and everything jumped to life, but required an over-night charge to get it started. Since returning from our trip, the battery has required charging, twice. On November 7th the same problem, but this time when I hooked up the charger, the green light immediately came on the charger and the Journey battery would only take about one amp on the gauge. The inside lights were going crazy, the windshield wipers were coming on and the gauges were swinging back and forth. I called service and they said to have it towed in. We live 25 miles from the closest Dodge dealer, so I left the charger on over night and the Journey started up the next morning. The gauges were still going crazy, and there was NO control of the throttle, but I limped along at 35 MPH MAX and got to the dealer. They said the ETC was fried and accused me of hooking up the charger backwards (not a chance, red-to-red, black-to-black. I've been doing this for 50 years). But they replaced the ETC at no charge and updated "all" modules. Two weeks later, November 20th, the battery was once again dead. Again, service recommended having it towed in. Same 25 mile issue, so I charged it over night and everything was fine for the next two weeks. Until Wednesday, Dec 12th. Not quite dead, but low enough to not start. Put the charger on, got it started and took it to the dealer. Where we were informed that this was "normal for this type of vehicle with passive entry". "These active systems will draw down the battery in 13 to 14 days." Really?? So if you go to the airport you better call AAA on your way back to your car? The dealer kept the Journey over night to run "cold" diagnostics, but found nothing abnormal, again repeating that the battery draining was "normal". The Journey is still at the dealer, waiting for us to pick it up. I've now called Doug Chambers, our sales member, and asked him if this was considered an acceptable battery life. Doug does not believe this is acceptable and is trying to get a straight answer. I will ask him about the Body Control Module, today, and report back when I have a good answer. This smells like a serious problem, but I'm hoping for resolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkplatner Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 No resolution!!! Picked up Journey with following recommendations: 1) Keep on charger 2) Keep keys away from vehicle 3) Turn off passive entry feature "All modules were updated" according to the service report. Only up side is this is a lease vehicle, which will be returned at end of lease. We will also be going back to GM cars, or maybe try a Ford hybrid this time. Dodge may have one the battle, but once again they have lost another customer!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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