What drains Dodge Journey's battery when switched off?

[Sthembiso Mkhwanazi]

I have had Dodge Journey RT 2.7 2010 model and have experienced numerous battery failures. I would like to know what causes this. I have had the battery replaced, but no change. I suspect that the car tracker installed by the manufacturer might be the cause. I learnt that the manufacturer installs tracker on all vehicles to enable them to track vehicles should the transporting truck be lost or hijacked on its way to the Dealer. I say this as just after I bought my car I got a call from a Tracker Company asking me if I would like to take over the tracker installed in my car. Though I did not take the offer, i still suspect that the tracker drains the battery. Last week I took my car to the Battery Center to have my battery tested and I was told that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the battery.

[Journey_SeXT]

Most likely a parasitic draw on the battery that drains it. Here is an excellent how to video if you would like to find what the culprit is on your own:

Edited July 8, 2014 by Journey_SeXT

[Neto]

Motor Age also has articles on this subject. (http://www.searchautoparts.com/motorage)

Search for parasitic electrical drain, or parasitic battery drain.

Also, it is possible that it is not necessarily a system failure, but some system that is not being shut down. I have read that if left set very long, even the auto lock monitoring system will drain the battery (the circuit that is waiting for you to hit the button on the key fob - Mine's a base model that doesn't have it, & now I'm glad). Maybe other things like the A/C, windshield wipers? I don't know how those are handled by the computer. What people are saying is that anything that keeps the computer awake will do it. The days of "When it's off it's off" are apparently past.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Neto

[bigtsr]

Anytime you add electronics to base OE electronics on todays

vehicles if it isn't done properly you will undoubtedly load the

load the off key system.

The add on must be controlled by the system (CanBus in our case).

There were some problems with the BCM (body control module)

staying on alert mode and this was resolved by reflash of software.

I believe the tracking system used in South Africa is just an add-on similar

to LOJACK which is availiable in US/CAN and your probably

correct that 24 hour ever on system is a source of constant

draw on the battery.

[Journey_SeXT]

I forgot to mention.....welcome to the forum Sthembiso Mkhwanazi!!

[webslave]

Had the same issue (twice) with my '13 R/T. After a lot of experimenting, at home and at the dealership (I get along very well with them; we're all good country boys :-), we found that where I hung the keys by the door was too close to the car. It sensed the fobik and kept all of the electronics active waiting for a command of some sort instead of letting the electronics go to sleep. I started keeping the keys in the bedroom, more than 15' away from the car, and have had no further issues concerning the dead battery syndrome...car goes to sleep and the battery stays good to go.

According to the research done by the dealership, the Journey should be able to last 3-4 weeks in "sleep mode" before the battery starts to go, but, when in standby, the count goes to a day, two days, maybe three depending on the base charge state of the battery at that time. When they are shipped from the factory, they are shipped in a "Transport Mode" that isolates the electronics from the battery and once the vehicle gets to the dealership, the shop turns off the transport mode to put the vehicle on the sales lot. Some vehicles, they said, that were going to be on the lot for awhile are left in the transport mode until someone wants to test drive them at which time the electronics would be activated again. They showed me the process on the car and the instructions for activation and de-activation on their StarScan device. It requires the simultaneous pushing of several buttons on the dash, but, though I wrote the process down, I can't remember where I put them...

[Zandy]

Hi.I also have the same problem with my Dodge Journey 2013 which I bought used,with 44,000 mileage. 5 months after I bought it,my battery went dead and got checked out from canadian tire and told me battery is defective (but when i bought it,battery was new)so they replaced it,it was fine for 2 months but battery died again,it happens everytime I dont use my car just for a day,so brought to Denham Chrysler lloydminster alberta for service,wherein they told me it's a faulty battery again(sorry,no idea bout cars so just trusted it to experts)so they just replaced battery again but after few months I need to boost my car again then return it to Denham(again) and finally did a parasitic draw test,told me they cant find any draw so something in my car might be left on when i dont use it,they just replaced my battery again and told me i need to make sure i turn off everything when i leave my car so that my battery wont be drained again so i did,lights,usb ports,radio,ac.and anything that i know that uses power.And just after a month,same thing happened,and i return my car again to the same service,unfortunately they said they cant find the draw,so just got my car back and brought it to denham vermillion.Leaving my car for few days in service like i always do for further checking,finally they found out that draw is coming from my hands free system,wherein it's trying to connect to my phone automatically even if i dont pair it(but i never use my handsfree or bluetooth;weird!)took my car home once but i still left it there for a week already and till now, they cant still figure out whats happening,still waiting for their update,feel hopeless now,dont know if they can fix it:((( Glad if somebody can help me bout my car problem,bought it for 19 gran and works hard to pay for it till now,but causes a lot of hassle especially on winter,wondering if i can still swap it if they cant really fix it..please help.

[jkeaton]

8 hours ago, Zandy said:

Hi.I also have the same problem with my Dodge Journey 2013 which I bought used,with 44,000 mileage. 5 months after I bought it,my battery went dead and got checked out from canadian tire and told me battery is defective (but when i bought it,battery was new)so they replaced it,it was fine for 2 months but battery died again,it happens everytime I dont use my car just for a day,so brought to Denham Chrysler lloydminster alberta for service,wherein they told me it's a faulty battery again(sorry,no idea bout cars so just trusted it to experts)so they just replaced battery again but after few months I need to boost my car again then return it to Denham(again) and finally did a parasitic draw test,told me they cant find any draw so something in my car might be left on when i dont use it,they just replaced my battery again and told me i need to make sure i turn off everything when i leave my car so that my battery wont be drained again so i did,lights,usb ports,radio,ac.and anything that i know that uses power.And just after a month,same thing happened,and i return my car again to the same service,unfortunately they said they cant find the draw,so just got my car back and brought it to denham vermillion.Leaving my car for few days in service like i always do for further checking,finally they found out that draw is coming from my hands free system,wherein it's trying to connect to my phone automatically even if i dont pair it(but i never use my handsfree or bluetooth;weird!)took my car home once but i still left it there for a week already and till now, they cant still figure out whats happening,still waiting for their update,feel hopeless now,dont know if they can fix it:((( Glad if somebody can help me bout my car problem,bought it for 19 gran and works hard to pay for it till now,but causes a lot of hassle especially on winter,wondering if i can still swap it if they cant really fix it..please help.

 

That really hurts to try to read.....I think you broke the longest run on sentence record.

[Zandy]

I'm sorry,just wanted to give a full detail,to sum it up,bought my dodge journey and battery keeps on draining,service said faulty battery,so was changed 4th times already,went for second opinion and said might be my hands free system thats draining,but theyre not sure and still cant figure out how to fix it....no idea about cars so i hope somebody could help me..

[lmoore1436]

This might sound incredibly simple but is the backseat power outlet being used? I know on mine it still charges even when the car isn't on. Other than that I'm not sure what else it could be unless like Zandy said, you are keeping the keys close to the car. 

[2late4u]

On 10/18/2017 at 2:43 PM, Zandy said:

I'm sorry,just wanted to give a full detail,to sum it up,bought my dodge journey and battery keeps on draining,service said faulty battery,so was changed 4th times already,went for second opinion and said might be my hands free system thats draining,but theyre not sure and still cant figure out how to fix it....no idea about cars so i hope somebody could help me..

find a different dealership..

[Zandy]

Thanks for the responses:).Anyways,never used my backseat outlet,so i dont turn it on,key is faraway from my garage.They told me they did further draw test,(car is been there more than a week now)and draw is intermittent as they say, I feel that service is really having a hard time.Do you think its a hopeless case?If this is a unit problem,can i still swap my car(bought it 2015),did'nt realize its not a battery problem anymore till this year.(because service keeps on telling me its just a faulty battery along the years):(((

[Domkrzy21]

I am having the trouble with battery as well and after reading some things on here I have come to the conclusion that the radio/gps is drawing almost 4 amps while the car sits in sleep mode causing the batteryto drain. All I had to do is perform a parasitic draw test and found the culprit. Now I have to find out him much it will cost to replace.  

[Journey2010RT]

Domkrzy21 how much did it cost to repair the radio/gps that is draining the battery? Was that the problem?

[Domkrzy21]

Joirney2010RT I have not replaced it yet, I’ve been just pulling the fuse when parked for extended amounts of time. My plan is to run a toggle switch inside the dashboard to just flip it on and off rather than popping the hood and pulling the fuse. The radio still works as well as the gps so why bother replacing it. 

[Journey2010RT]

What fuse # is the Radio and the GPS? Which fuse box is it in? I have to keep the horn fuse out all the time (which can be dangerous) otherwise it will randomly go off driving or when it is parked. I also need to know how to turn off the BlueTooth. Any help is so appreicated.

[Domkrzy21]

I believe it is M12 fuse under the hood and will be a green 30 amp fuse. As far as shutting Bluetooth off on the vehicle, I’m not sure but you can go into settings on your phone and delete that pairing as well. Since I disconnected the fuse I haven’t had a problem yet but that’s the key word with dodge journeys. I also installed a remote start after disconnecting the fuse and still no issues. 

[Journey2010RT]

My battery is shot per a reputable repair shop. I took my car back to The orginal repair shop that installed my battery, it was under warranty. The original repair shop said they replaced my battery and voided the remaining 6 months that the battery should be under warranty by noting on the invoice, "BATTERY WARRANTY VOIDED."

i don't believe it was replaced by original repair shop because it would not start 15 minutes after I left the repair shop.

Question......if I charge the shot battery for a long time will it make a difference? Or will I continue to have this issue?

It is my 3rd battery in 12 months. The labor to put in the battery is as much as the battery or close. I am exhausted with this issue but don't want to sell for a lose. It may be a simple fuse problem.

Any additional insight?

[Domkrzy21]

It is not your battery , I replaced it 2 times and still had issues starting it a few days later. You need to do the parasitic draw test to see what is draining your battery.  Mine just happened to be the radio. 

[natefrog2]

We have a 2012 Dodge Journey Crew AWD and this year starting having issues too.  I feel like we had it pinpointed to the bluetooth system, but just today the clock reset when we started the car, so I'm nervous again that we're going to have a dead Journey one morning again.  Anyway, here is my time line...

 

January 2016: Bought vehicle used at 47,000 miles.  

August 2017: Bluetooth system stopped working properly.

December 2017: Replaced original battery.  Car did not start after cold night outside.  CCA (Cold Cramp Amps) was low. 

March 2018: Car started slow and check engine light came on.  Determination was alternator was shot.  Seemed early (70,000~ miles), but made sense I guess.

April 2018: Car did not start, same check engine light diagnosis.  Battery was replaced under warranty, but at this point seemed like something else was in play.

May 2018: Almost exactly a month later, car did not start again.  Took car to our reputable auto shop and they had it the full week without being able to determine an issue.  Only 1 time during the week did they notice a large draw and by the time they started pulling fuse, the draw was done.  They did however pull out the bluetooth fuse.

July 2018: Radio speaker did not work.  Pulled radio and amp fuse for 5 minutes, put back in, and speaker worked.  This occured again in September.

July 2018: Bluetooth fuse was put back in and car started slow on mornings.  Removed bluetooth fuse and have not had a dead battery since.

Today (12-16-18): Radio clock was 12:00 when we started the car.  Car started fine.  

 

I thought we had it pinpointed since had no issues since July after bluetooth fuse was removed.  But today with the clock reset, I'm worried we may not... 

 

Any feedback on a similar issue is appreciated.

 

 

[natefrog2]

On 10/23/2018 at 11:08 AM, Domkrzy21 said:

It is not your battery , I replaced it 2 times and still had issues starting it a few days later. You need to do the parasitic draw test to see what is draining your battery.  Mine just happened to be the radio. 

 

Did you ever receive a quote on a radio replacement? I think that is my issue too.   I had no issues after removing Bluetooth fuse but lately feel like it's turning over slower in morning.  I think it may be the radio on mine as well.

[monkey]

On 12/16/2018 at 11:10 AM, natefrog2 said:

We have a 2012 Dodge Journey Crew AWD and this year starting having issues too.  I feel like we had it pinpointed to the bluetooth system, but just today the clock reset when we started the car, so I'm nervous again that we're going to have a dead Journey one morning again.  Anyway, here is my time line...

 

January 2016: Bought vehicle used at 47,000 miles.  

August 2017: Bluetooth system stopped working properly.

December 2017: Replaced original battery.  Car did not start after cold night outside.  CCA (Cold Cramp Amps) was low. 

March 2018: Car started slow and check engine light came on.  Determination was alternator was shot.  Seemed early (70,000~ miles), but made sense I guess.

April 2018: Car did not start, same check engine light diagnosis.  Battery was replaced under warranty, but at this point seemed like something else was in play.

May 2018: Almost exactly a month later, car did not start again.  Took car to our reputable auto shop and they had it the full week without being able to determine an issue.  Only 1 time during the week did they notice a large draw and by the time they started pulling fuse, the draw was done.  They did however pull out the bluetooth fuse.

July 2018: Radio speaker did not work.  Pulled radio and amp fuse for 5 minutes, put back in, and speaker worked.  This occured again in September.

July 2018: Bluetooth fuse was put back in and car started slow on mornings.  Removed bluetooth fuse and have not had a dead battery since.

Today (12-16-18): Radio clock was 12:00 when we started the car.  Car started fine.  

 

I thought we had it pinpointed since had no issues since July after bluetooth fuse was removed.  But today with the clock reset, I'm worried we may not... 

 

Any feedback on a similar issue is appreciated.

 

 

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but we have the same yr/model journey with the same issue with our bluetooth.  Which fuse did you pull?  I dont see one on the diagram specifically for bluetooth.

Thank you!

 

[Domkrzy21]

I had to take out the fuse for the alarm system because it was also draining the battery and sometimes my car alarm would sound for no reason. These journeys are a nightmare and seems like once I solve 1 problem another arises. 

[natefrog2]

23 hours ago, monkey said:

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but we have the same yr/model journey with the same issue with our bluetooth.  Which fuse did you pull?  I dont see one on the diagram specifically for bluetooth.

Thank you!

 

 

I dont have the exact fuse # handy but I know it was in the panel by glove box and was labeled bluetooth in the manual.  To this point I have not had dead battery issues when this fuse is out (over 1 year).  So I'm guessing a bad bluetooth module is causing the issue.  I bought a new BT module but haven't installed it yet.  Dealer wanted 600 to replace it but I found part for 250 online.  I'm just nervous that issues may arise again if i replace it... 

[Dadof5]

I have a 2017 SXT I bought new in early 2018.  When it was 9 months old, the battery was stone dead after being parked 6 days.  The dealer blamed the dashcam, even though the outlet is switched.  After charging it for 1/2 a day so it could be tested, they said nothing was wrong with the battery.  They were nice and didn't charge me $140 for no fault found.  The very next morning, it was stone dead again.  Rather than waste another day and potentially pay $140 for nothing, I just bought a new battery on my dime.  No problem since, and I do leave the dashcam plugged in.