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Message
Jeep battery always dead
Posted on 8/17/25 at 3:09 pm
Posted on 8/17/25 at 3:09 pm
I have a ‘98 TJ that I primarily use for hunting but will also cruise around on a nice day. About a year ago the battery died. It was 5 years old so I thought nothing of it. Bought a 3 year battery from Walmart to replace it. After a few months I go to crank and it’s dead. Jump it off and all is good. But if I went more than a few days without cranking it was dead. Took the battery back to Walmart and they replaced it. Haven’t had any trouble until last week (battery is about 3 months old) dead. Jump it off and run it. Got in it today and it’s dead again. I can’t think of anything pulling juice while it’s off. I haven’t done anything to it. The alternator seems to be working fine. It’s only when it sits for days at a time.
Could it just be the Walmart batteries aren’t as good? I just can’t seem to figure it out.
Could it just be the Walmart batteries aren’t as good? I just can’t seem to figure it out.
10
Posted on 8/17/25 at 3:18 pm to CrawfishElvis
Should be able to get your battery “load tested”, but it sounds like your Jeep may have developed a power draw somewhere…
Posted on 8/17/25 at 3:21 pm to CrawfishElvis
It sounds like you have a parasitic draw somewhere, but you also may not be running it long enough to get a full charge back on it. Leaving a lead-acid battery sitting discharged for any amount of time is damaging it. If you can rule out any little bs gizmo draining it, then sounds like you need to get a trickle charger for it while it’s sitting.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 3:51 pm to CrawfishElvis
Try disconnecting the battery between using the jeep. This might help determine if the issue is parasitic draw.
I have the same problem with a small '94 John Deere tractor. Fought if for a couple of year but now just disconnect the battery between uses and it starts up every time.
I have the same problem with a small '94 John Deere tractor. Fought if for a couple of year but now just disconnect the battery between uses and it starts up every time.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 4:05 pm to meltingman
quote:
Try disconnecting the battery between using the jeep.
This. I have a disconnect switch under the hood of my ranch taco. I also have it rigged with a magnetic plug to a trickle charger if I need to.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 6:06 pm to billjamin
quote:
This. I have a disconnect switch under the hood of my ranch taco. I also have it rigged with a magnetic plug to a trickle charger if I need to.
This x2. Disconnect switch on the ground post (like $13 on Amazon). Plenty of room for a 5 amp “battery tender” under the hood of my 91 YJ. Cable tied the charger plug right out of the grille. I’ll plug it in a day before using it and I’m always good to go for the weekend.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 7:41 pm to CrawfishElvis
To find a constant draw on a battery, pull the negative terminal off the battery, hook a multi-meter (on DC amperage) between the battery and the cable. Read what the meter says, start pulling fuses until you find the circuit that is the draw. You've found your problem
Posted on 8/17/25 at 7:50 pm to CrawfishElvis
Just leaving a battery connected without any kind of trickle charger is going to result in a dead battery in a few weeks. It's a bad practice to let a battery get weak, have to jump start, and repeat the cycle. You are deep cycling a starting battery by doing that. Take the battery out and charge it before storing it inside somewhere or put a float charger on it while it sits in the vehicle.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 9:03 pm to Barneyrb
quote:
To find a constant draw on a battery, pull the negative terminal off the battery, hook a multi-meter (on DC amperage) between the battery and the cable. Read what the meter says, start pulling fuses until you find the circuit that is the draw. You've found your problem
Excellent advice. Also be sure not to try to crank the motor over while measuring the DC current.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 9:21 pm to CrawfishElvis
Ignition switch going bad/has slop. Maybe when turning key off, you go past off to auxiliary mode??
Posted on 8/17/25 at 9:33 pm to roobedoo
If you have a radio, unplug it and see what happens.
We had a defective radio on our CJ-7 that was constantly drawing our battery down.
We had a defective radio on our CJ-7 that was constantly drawing our battery down.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 9:38 pm to roobedoo
I had the same problem. Changed the ignition switch and. I more battery drainage problems.
Posted on 8/17/25 at 9:42 pm to Barneyrb
Had to do this on my old Vette, apparently the wiper motor is still energized on a ‘68 when ignition is off.
Posted on 8/18/25 at 1:10 am to CrawfishElvis
Probably a bad alternator. Keep going like you are and it will start dying while driving. Faulty alternators won’t allow the battery to recharge and will absolutely drain it. Buy one that you could return and I bet your problem goes away. If not. Return it.
Posted on 8/18/25 at 8:50 am to CrawfishElvis
Same issue with my 2008 Wrangler. Bought a BatteryTender trickle charge and plug it in when parking it and have no problems with the battery since. It worked for the tractor, Polaris, and boat as well.
Posted on 8/18/25 at 9:59 am to CrawfishElvis
My 03 TJ did the same thing.
I cut the battery terminal connectors and installed these and it fixed the problem. Basically we figured out that the connections were not great and it could start and then the connection could come loose and the alternator would not charge the battery. we looked into it and the metal that they use on the battery terminals is shite and was causing problems
The bonus is when I know that it will sit for a couple of weeks it's easy to disconnect the battery without tools and then reconnect it when I an ready to use it. Plus if you really do have parasitic drain, this is a much cheaper fix than to try and figure out where it's actually coming from.
I cut the battery terminal connectors and installed these and it fixed the problem. Basically we figured out that the connections were not great and it could start and then the connection could come loose and the alternator would not charge the battery. we looked into it and the metal that they use on the battery terminals is shite and was causing problems
The bonus is when I know that it will sit for a couple of weeks it's easy to disconnect the battery without tools and then reconnect it when I an ready to use it. Plus if you really do have parasitic drain, this is a much cheaper fix than to try and figure out where it's actually coming from.
This post was edited on 8/18/25 at 10:06 am
Posted on 8/18/25 at 10:11 am to roobedoo
quote:
Ignition switch going bad/has slop. Maybe when turning key off, you go past off to auxiliary mode??
This was the exact issue i had on my 94 pickup
Posted on 8/18/25 at 11:06 am to roobedoo
quote:
Ignition switch going bad/has slop. Maybe when turning key off, you go past off to auxiliary mode??
This is a good suggestion too. Those year Jeeps had an issue with the cylinder lock and as they got older you could basically pull the key out while it was still cranked or if it was in accessory mode.
OP you can get this from Amazon for $50 and fix that problem yourself with just a screwdriver. Get the automatic coding one and it will use your same key that you have now:
Amazon
Posted on 8/18/25 at 4:50 pm to BigBinBR
Do you have a link to those? Did a quick google and didn’t find them
Posted on 8/18/25 at 5:49 pm to Chris4x4gill2
Wouldn’t I be able to tell if it’s in auxiliary mode? Like the radio or lights would be on right?
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