Battery Dead - Did I just find the problem?!?!

[AbFOUR]

Got home around 10PM last night. I was using handsfree driving on the way home. Got up this morning and the battery in my truck was dead. 4VDC. Nothing was coming on. Manually unlocked the truck and had it jump started. Roadside tested battery and told me it was a bad battery. Dealership wants to keep my truck for 2-3days to test the battery and try to get it covered under warranty. I went back to my security cameras to ensure nothing was left ON and noticed something a little odd. I've posted the two videos showing the difference. In the upper middle of the windshield, you'll see a sensor that appears to active. Could this be the dead battery culprit? Is this sensor related to the handsfree driving? The second video shows the night before (i went back a few more days and it's never been active) where the sensor is clearly not active. Thoughts?

 

[OldSchool]

Got home around 10PM last night. I was using handsfree driving on the way home. Got up this morning and the battery in my truck was dead. 4VDC. Nothing was coming on. Manually unlocked the truck and had it jump started. Roadside tested battery and told me it was a bad battery. Dealership wants to keep my truck for 2-3days to test the battery and try to get it covered under warranty. I went back to my security cameras to ensure nothing was left ON and noticed something a little odd. I've posted the two videos showing the difference. In the upper middle of the windshield, you'll see a sensor that appears to active. Could this be the dead battery culprit? Is this sensor related to the handsfree driving? The second video shows the night before (i went back a few more days and it's never been active) where the sensor is clearly not active. Thoughts?

Hopefully someone will dig into this. I’ve started asking on the forums to see if the dead batteries are primarily hitting L1 and not L0 trucks to see if we can narrow it down to one or more of the L1 tech options. Haven’t heard anything yet.

 

[Irongoats]

Got home around 10PM last night. I was using handsfree driving on the way home. Got up this morning and the battery in my truck was dead. 4VDC. Nothing was coming on. Manually unlocked the truck and had it jump started. Roadside tested battery and told me it was a bad battery. Dealership wants to keep my truck for 2-3days to test the battery and try to get it covered under warranty. I went back to my security cameras to ensure nothing was left ON and noticed something a little odd. I've posted the two videos showing the difference. In the upper middle of the windshield, you'll see a sensor that appears to active. Could this be the dead battery culprit? Is this sensor related to the handsfree driving? The second video shows the night before (i went back a few more days and it's never been active) where the sensor is clearly not active. Thoughts?

I can't believe it would cause that much of a draw.

 

[MurphNH]

There are definitely bad batteries out there but I think the bigger issue is the computers not shutting off correctly. Like abfour the thing I could notice was the Ram puddle lights on from my camera the night my truck had issues. That is not to say other things were not on also. Last night I went out to lock the truck using the lock button on the door and shut it. Only got a few feet and I got 3 honks and the door unlocked. The keyfob was in my pocket and nothing was in the truck. Tried it a second time with the same results. I then tried it from the keyfob which did work but then I noticed my cargo light was not shutting off so I went back to the truck and started it up and when I shut if off this time I had zero issues like normal.

 

[JS59]

I don't think this is the issue. Wagoneers have the same issue and they don't have self-driving AFAIK.

 

[rhambo]

Truck just got delivered to my dealer (Utah). Batteries dead on arrival.

 

[jb37]

anyone know for sure ... will the truck at idle, charge the batteries ... or does it need to be under load (2000+ RPMs) ? read some conflicting information

 

[Gino-RHO]

I don't think this is the issue. Wagoneers have the same issue and they don't have self-driving AFAIK.

Correct - we have a 2023 Grand Wagoneer and same thing happened at 400 miles. No Hands Free, but woke up one morning and battery was dead. Dealership replaced both batteries, reset infotainment system - said something to the effect of software not completely 'going to sleep', which caused the dead battery. We're at 13,000 miles and so far so good.

I just put my order in for a new RHO and have my fingers crossed that by the time I take delivery in June-ish, they figure this out!

 

[JS59]

Correct - we have a 2023 Grand Wagoneer and same thing happened at 400 miles. No Hands Free, but woke up one morning and battery was dead. Dealership replaced both batteries, reset infotainment system - said something to the effect of software not completely 'going to sleep', which caused the dead battery. We're at 13,000 miles and so far so good.

I just put my order in for a new RHO and have my fingers crossed that by the time I take delivery in June-ish, they figure this out!

I've shared this on other threads, but my buddy bot a new 2025 Wagoneer. The batteries went dead twice. The first time they just replaced them - the second time he said they basically tore the interior apart and found a loose wire. Ugh . . . I don't love that idea.