My 07 Pacifica will drain the battery if it sits for more than a day. I had the alternator checked and it tested good. A mechanic said it could be the Body Control Module going out. Any other ideas?

My local Chrysler dealership says their machine for the older vehicles is broken and they are not going to get it repaired and the next dealership is distant.

 

Quick check of the battery, what is the battery voltage with the engine off (wait at least 20 minutes with engine off)? Should be 12.4 volts or more. Less that 12.4 volts indicates a weak/failing battery.

 

Brand new battery. Less than a month old. I originally thought it was a weak battery also so I replaced it then thought it was an alternator failing so that was checked multiple times at a mechanic shop over a period of days due to an alternator failing could be random in the beginning (worn bushings and such) but it checked out good. I thought maybe a short but the mechanic shop checked for that and the car came up clean. Mechanically the car is good. A mechanic mentioned it could be the Control Body Module (he just dealt with a bad one on a Mustang) due to the unexplained power drain on the battery.

Any other ideas?

 

Update: I just talked to a service lady at a dealership and she casually said a Body Control Module once used can not be reprogramed to work in another vehicle. Is this true? It is the same part number but the S/N is the only thing different.

 

Electrical issues as this are a pita to locate which is likely why the dealer declined/refused to diagnose. I do not buy the line the machine is broken.

There is apparently a system not shutting down properly. I would first pull the IOD (Ignition Off Draw) fuse in cabin fuse block. This fuse typically has a special holder that allows the fuse to be pulled but not removed. Its purpose is to prevent battery draw to all of the various computer modules while sitting on a dealer lot for weeks on end.

If the vehicle starts after a day, you will need to start pulling fuses one-by-one, in thew cabin and under the hood, and to determine which system may be drawing excessive amps with the ignition off. If you have access to a meter that reads milli-amps you can get by with not doing one fuse a day but by pulling a fuse at a time and noting the the current drop.

I would not replace any parts until you have located the problem.
.

 

It's been over a year since my posts so I figured I would do an update. Replaced the BCM as it went out. This was not the unexplained battery draw but we did figure out what it was. The ignition switch does not switch off at times. It will actually flip back to accessory instead of off randomly. We want to get that swapped out but I have no idea if that would require a reset/reprogram or anything if we have it changed out.

 

Hi Pat_S.
I have a parasitic draw and I think it's my ignition switch that is draining my battery.
As you described in your one year update, I pull my key out of the ignition and sometimes the cabin bell rings as if I left the key in the ignition.
What solution did you have to resolve your issue?
Rich Ard

 

You will have to get your ignition module (electronic piece behind the key slot) or whatever it is called replaced. We never did it as the car decided to light up the dash like a Christmas display. The anti-skid, the abs, and some pump sound constantly running if the battery was hooked up happened so we just yanked the battery and now it sits till we figure out what to do.

Till that happened we just pulled a cable off the battery then reattached it when we were going to use the car.

 

I must pull the 15A fuse (#48) when I park my car to prevent a dead battery with in a few hours. Ammeter indicates approximately 100-110mA draw. BCM connects to doors, lights, windows - maybe everything. So... replace the BCM? I doubt it. The BCM attaches to sensors and controls throughout the car - doors, locks, windows, etc.

 

For my problem it was the BCM which is the main module. I got a used one for my year and make then had the fun time of finding dealership that would do the work as it had to be reprogrammed for my car. Doing that dealt with all my issues but the ignition going bad till it decided to go crazy. It is just sitting in the driveway till I figure out what to do with it. I might just scrap it as it is getting to the point of not being worth sinking more money into it.