04 Silverado - Dead Battery

[work sucks]

I have an 2004 Silverado that I only drive maybe once a week to tow the boat and haul bigger things...something is draining the battery in that time. The charging system is fine and I replaced the battery. Any ideas?

[Powerstroke]

Are you leaving a trailer hooked up to the truck? Does it have a brake controller? Any aftermarket accessories like lights or a stereo?

[work sucks]

Powerstroke, It sits in the garage all by its lonesome...No aftermarkets on it...?

[Surface Tension]

I'd look for some of these. A bad door switch that leaves the dome light on. A sticky brake switch that leaves the brake light on. A bad switch under the hood that leaves that light on. Have you blown any fuses?

Even a new battery can go bad. Have you added any lights, radio, trailer plug. You could start pulling fuses looking for any little bite of spark.

[Macgyver55]

A couple easily missed (or overlooked) things that will drain a battery over time are glove box lights and under the hood lights that are stuck on.

[Surface Tension]

Or a lighted mirror on your visor.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Aftermarket radio

or

The battery itself

The easiest thing to do is to remove the postitive cable end from the battery. Connect an amp meter in series between the battery and the possitive cable end. Anything less than .050 amps and I would be suspicious that the battery has developed its own internal draw.

Over .050 amps and the vehicle is the problem. Start in the main fuse box (after you have checked for anything abvious of course) and remove one fuse at a time until the draw goes away. Figuring out what part of the electrical system is causing the draw is half the battle!

If you are suspecious of the battery drawing itself down that simply leaving it overnight disconnected from the vehicle will confirm whether or not it is the problem. If the vehicle starts its not the problem if it doesn't than bingo you need a battery! It is rare but I do see about 1 or 2 every 3 or 4 years that have an internal draw.

[Powerstroke]

I have a similar problem with my truck. Its not a problem unless it goes more than 2 weeks without being started and charged. I'm not sure if mine is the aftermarket stereo or the suspected short in the steering column. Thats why I asked about any of the extras.

[Macgyver55]

Its minimal but some alarm systems use current and I believe that remote start may have some current draw all the time for the receiver, but neither should kill a battery in a week.

[Angler Don]

when you say the charging system is fine, I assume it recharges the battery once the truck is running? Or has it been professionally tested so it can be ruled out as the cause. The alternator may have a failed diode, which will drain the battery over a period of time, yet still recharge the battery once the truck is running. It might be worth the small cost to have it tested for this. Good luck,

Don

[efgh]

In a Delta alt. there is a shunt that only allows current to go only one way. this could be the culprut.

[ChemMechanicInc]

A bad voltage reg. would cause the battery to overcharge, overheat, and therefor go bad quickly.