Hello,
I'm having issues with a '09 Dodge Journey SE where the battery drains very quickly. several battery and alternator replacements didn't fix it. Car charges fine, but doesn't hold a charge. Summers on a new battery might start up next day, winters, no chance even on a new battery. I found unplugging the radio fuse helped maintain enough charge for interior lights to turn on and locks to work (but still drains too much to crank the engine--relays tick). Always needs a boost. Car won't even boost if the radio fuse is plugged in. A lot of people have pointed to the PCM as being the problem where it tries to power the radio. Not willing to replace the PCM because that's more than half the value of the car to have it installed.
Would adding a kill switch directly to the battery be an issue?
I'm worried about the PCM having to be relearned if battery disconnected for to long. Not worried about clock settings or the driving habits learned, more worried about will the PCM recognize the vehicle, keys, and so on to allow me to drive it after being disconnected.
Negative or positive side?
Kill switch works but if pcm is bad...it can do anything at anytime re: vehicle running. So you had current draw, pulled pcm fuse and current draw wenr away? Still try other (all) fuses. Sometimes it can be misleading/deceptive.
PCM fuse removal fixes it. One of the highest drains when its plugged in is the radio, the only thing I could live without, but still too much of a drain on the battery without the PCM fuse off. PCM is nearly $2000 for the part (i think i have to go to dodge dealer with a new one from mopar to install it. Wouldn't mind a salvaged one if they would actually program it, but probably won't), car was $4500, transmission swap was the cost of the car... So, kill switch directly to the battery shouldn't have any issues with the PCM recognizing everything? Keys should still fire it up?
Well they are now so they should continue to do so...but it's up to your pcm...and whatever is drawing that current is getting hot and will fail eventually and thus causing other system/pcm issues. But yea, I'd do it knowing I was on borrowed time anyway.
@hillbilly
thank you
If you want to learn, research a little ohm theory (easy) and get you a multimeter. Pretty easy to find the culprit taking your amps ; )
Oh, p sry. Put a clamp on ampmeter on battery cable, watch current draw as you pull fuses ; )
@hillbilly
I got one, and I'm pretty sure it's the PCM that's effecting multiple circuits. Any idea if installing a kill switch on the battery would have any adverse effects on the PCM or not recognizing the programmed keys and such? (Heard about people having to reprogram the PCM/ECU after it being unplugged for so long)
Hi, I'm not sure if you'll see this or not, but I have another question.
I was wondering if you have any idea if the PCM is the problem or the TIPM (pretty much fuse box containing all the relays as well).
I swapped around 4 relays and found that two posts had some colour change on the posts of the relays that didn't have any colour change. Pretty sure the colour change originated from the PCM and starter relays and the rest had no issues.
Image 1: This one is before swapping the relays around. Two relays have no colour change on the posts.
Image 2: This one is after swapping the relays around. Colour change present on all the relays now.
I wanted to eliminate the relays as the issue, so I bought 4 new aftermarket relays since if this was the issue, its an $80 fix. None of them have changed in colour at all after 2 drives. The other ones changed over 2 days...
If the colour on the new relays don't change over the next week and the battery has no drain issues, I'll assume for now that the relays were the problem. If the battery is still draining, I'm going to have a bit of trouble figuring out if the PCM or the TIPM is the blame because it's possible that both are to blame. The PCM was definitely maintaining power while off causing a drain on the radio. Another thing I noticed about the relays was that the PCM relays were warmer when the old relays were on compared to the aftermarket relays. They weren't burning hot by any means, but they were warmer than other relays on the TIPM).
Found several places that sell remanufactured PCMs online, and I don't mind buying those and swapping them out with this one... if it's the TIPM however, I'm going to be paying full price at the dealer. Just wanted to be sure which it was because I don't want to be changing out both.