Battery keeps draining?? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Ernie70 · 05-22-2020, 08:14 PM

So , to back up a bit . back in December , I had vacation for 2 weeks and the car just sat. I went to start it and it was weak , so I jumped it no problem. Just chalked it up to it sitting and the cool weather. Fast forward to the quarantine days. I got laid off both my jobs ( I work in live and corp. production ) back in March , so she sits most of the time. I have noticed a pattern in the battery. If she sits for about 2 days , it is to the point of almost not starting, but it does. The battery is only about a year old , is an Interstate and wasn't cheap. Is there a constant drain when she sits , or do I have a fluke of a bad battery not even 2 years old ? She is bone stock with no aftermarket stereo or alarm . I have never had a battery go south for just sitting for 2 to 3 days. So a little confounded.

Zspoiler · 05-22-2020, 09:12 PM

I have a "loaded" 1981 El Camino that did the same thing .And it turned out that I had a short in my power seat that drained the battery . So I put the seat in the position I wanted and disconnected .until I have time to change my carpet .This may not be whats wrong but its a start .Good luck to you.

PeteD · 05-23-2020, 12:10 AM

Well, if you bought it new, the battery should have a warranty. Have it checked and then replaced. if the battery is good then you will have to do a search for the power draw

acutron42 · 05-23-2020, 06:42 AM

I would check the battery ground strap in the trunk if you have not already.

Rock-It Man · 05-23-2020, 05:48 PM

Even if your battery is new, you may not be driving enough to keep it charged. So, if possible, hook it up to a battery tender until your schedule allows more driving.

So many places and activities are shut down that long joy rides are one of the few things we can do. So go for some long rides.

Silveradoss573 · 05-23-2020, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

Even if your battery is new, you may not be driving enough to keep it charged. So, if possible, hook it up to a battery tender until your schedule allows more driving.

So many places and activities are shut down that long joy rides are one of the few things we can do. So go for some long rides.

Mine drops to 50% after 2 weeks while sitting. I have to keep a battery tinder on it otherwise. Not sure if it's a battery issue or not? Been this way since I bought it almost 2 years ago.

Avenging Orange · 05-23-2020, 07:52 PM

Mine sits all winter and fires up at spring. Go figure.

davidscamaro · 05-23-2020, 09:14 PM

Ive had very bad luck with interstate batterys , the mega tron 2 is junk in my experience

davidscamaro · 05-23-2020, 09:15 PM

Must of replaced 3 in my c4 over two years. Was not impressed

Greenhornet2 · 05-24-2020, 06:15 AM

Perform a parasitic draw test and that will tell you if you have a draw while it's sitting. Disconnect the negative battery terminal, place a meter between the battery terminal and the now disconnected battery cable set to milliamps. The will always be some draw but if it's high then start pulling fuses and see if one makes the draw drop significantly then you know where to look. 2 days shouldn't draw down a battery much. You can also have the battery load tested it is possible it is a garbage battery. My car is on the original battery i believe and spend most of its like in storage, doesn't get driven in the winter and i've only had to charge it a couple times.

Ernie70 · 06-04-2020, 10:40 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys! Going to try all your ideas to pin point the issue .

Camaro__ss · 06-05-2020, 07:56 AM

My 2005 corvette had this problem. Always needed a battery tender I could never figure it out. I think it was a a bad BCM. I traded it, that solved it for me.

RonHolz · 12-27-2020, 07:23 PM

I have just bought a 2017 Camaro SS 6.2 Auto 8 speed. the battery went dead after sitting for 3 days, flat dead ,door opener would not work even. So I want to install the best battery I can get ? and I have a small batt. jumper I carry in my truck it has a plug in for the cigg lighter or I guess that would be a 12 Volt charging plug in now that is on the ft right of council, will that work to plug in my 12 Volt jumper to hold all my settings or should I take it to a shop to have the new battery installed, I do not want to fry anything. Does that Volt meter on the dash work, does that tell me the batter volts ? or charging volts ?

Thank you, I'm 73 and just finished a long battle with cancer and this has limited me to what I can lift or do now. the Camaro is like new with 13,000 miles. I always wanted one so I bought it for my get well present,LOL
Thank You for any help, the old grunt in WA. State.

Camaro__ss · 12-28-2020, 09:27 AM

Take the car back to the dealer. It’s a lemon

05-22-2020, 08:14 PM	#1
Ernie70 Drives: 2010 Synergy Green Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Orlando Posts: 202	Battery keeps draining?? So , to back up a bit . back in December , I had vacation for 2 weeks and the car just sat. I went to start it and it was weak , so I jumped it no problem. Just chalked it up to it sitting and the cool weather. Fast forward to the quarantine days. I got laid off both my jobs ( I work in live and corp. production ) back in March , so she sits most of the time. I have noticed a pattern in the battery. If she sits for about 2 days , it is to the point of almost not starting, but it does. The battery is only about a year old , is an Interstate and wasn't cheap. Is there a constant drain when she sits , or do I have a fluke of a bad battery not even 2 years old ? She is bone stock with no aftermarket stereo or alarm . I have never had a battery go south for just sitting for 2 to 3 days. So a little confounded.

05-23-2020, 12:10 AM	#3
PeteD Drives: 2012 2SS Victory Red with white st Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: NC Posts: 1,612	Well, if you bought it new, the battery should have a warranty. Have it checked and then replaced. if the battery is good then you will have to do a search for the power draw __________________ My YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCid...AUbfN2HOE71B9w

05-23-2020, 07:52 PM	#7
Avenging Orange Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clermont, IN Posts: 3,297	Mine sits all winter and fires up at spring. Go figure. __________________ 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419. Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!!

05-23-2020, 09:14 PM	#8
davidscamaro Drives: 2010 SS/RS M6 BIG cam Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: McDonald's DT Posts: 857	Ive had very bad luck with interstate batterys , the mega tron 2 is junk in my experience __________________ BIG cam ...... 305 45 18 Mickys ...... BMR suspensions

05-23-2020, 09:15 PM	#9
davidscamaro Drives: 2010 SS/RS M6 BIG cam Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: McDonald's DT Posts: 857	Must of replaced 3 in my c4 over two years. Was not impressed __________________ BIG cam ...... 305 45 18 Mickys ...... BMR suspensions

05-22-2020, 09:12 PM	#2
Zspoiler Zspoiler Drives: 1979 Z-28 RS Camaro Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Federal Way,WA Posts: 54	I have a "loaded" 1981 El Camino that did the same thing .And it turned out that I had a short in my power seat that drained the battery . So I put the seat in the position I wanted and disconnected .until I have time to change my carpet .This may not be whats wrong but its a start .Good luck to you.

05-23-2020, 06:42 AM	#4
acutron42 Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS AGM Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: WNY Posts: 733	I would check the battery ground strap in the trunk if you have not already.

05-23-2020, 05:48 PM	#5
Rock-It Man 376 cubic inches of fun Drives: 2023 Camaro ZL1 A10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MA Posts: 4,033 View My Garage	Even if your battery is new, you may not be driving enough to keep it charged. So, if possible, hook it up to a battery tender until your schedule allows more driving. So many places and activities are shut down that long joy rides are one of the few things we can do. So go for some long rides.

05-24-2020, 06:15 AM	#10
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	Perform a parasitic draw test and that will tell you if you have a draw while it's sitting. Disconnect the negative battery terminal, place a meter between the battery terminal and the now disconnected battery cable set to milliamps. The will always be some draw but if it's high then start pulling fuses and see if one makes the draw drop significantly then you know where to look. 2 days shouldn't draw down a battery much. You can also have the battery load tested it is possible it is a garbage battery. My car is on the original battery i believe and spend most of its like in storage, doesn't get driven in the winter and i've only had to charge it a couple times. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

06-04-2020, 10:40 AM	#11
Ernie70 Drives: 2010 Synergy Green Camaro 1LT Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Orlando Posts: 202	Thanks for all the advice guys! Going to try all your ideas to pin point the issue .

06-05-2020, 07:56 AM	#12
Camaro__ss Drives: 2013 L99 Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 185	My 2005 corvette had this problem. Always needed a battery tender I could never figure it out. I think it was a a bad BCM. I traded it, that solved it for me.

12-27-2020, 07:23 PM	#13
RonHolz Drives: Chevy Camaro SS 2017 Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 13	I have just bought a 2017 Camaro SS 6.2 Auto 8 speed. the battery went dead after sitting for 3 days, flat dead ,door opener would not work even. So I want to install the best battery I can get ? and I have a small batt. jumper I carry in my truck it has a plug in for the cigg lighter or I guess that would be a 12 Volt charging plug in now that is on the ft right of council, will that work to plug in my 12 Volt jumper to hold all my settings or should I take it to a shop to have the new battery installed, I do not want to fry anything. Does that Volt meter on the dash work, does that tell me the batter volts ? or charging volts ? Thank you, I'm 73 and just finished a long battle with cancer and this has limited me to what I can lift or do now. the Camaro is like new with 13,000 miles. I always wanted one so I bought it for my get well present,LOL Thank You for any help, the old grunt in WA. State. Last edited by RonHolz; 12-28-2020 at 11:42 AM.

12-28-2020, 09:27 AM	#14
Camaro__ss Drives: 2013 L99 Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 185	Take the car back to the dealer. It’s a lemon