Nissan Titan Forum banner

Battery troubles, Did I cook my new Diehard AGM, or do I have bigger problems still? 2018 5.6

1 reading
14K views 47 replies 7 participants last post by  Pathsquatch  
#1 ·
I've been chasing a dead battery issue for months, involving buying a new battery, trips to the dealership, and my independent mechanic.

Numerous times I came out to a dead battery, the truck wouldn't unlock with remote and no interior lights after unlocking with key. It had sat a couple weeks so I jumped it and everything seemed fine. This happened two or 3 times, parts store tested my battery and said it was bad. So I bought a new one but the issues continued. I took it to the dealership to confirm the alternator recall was done (it was) and they tested the battery and charging system and said they were fine.

The issues continued and I attempted to trouble shoot it my self with no avail. I took it to my local mechanic and he said the battery was bad (only 5 months old, but it could have been bad off the shelf.) I took the battery back to the parts store, they charged and tested it and said it was fine. While leaving the volt meter up on the display screen I noticed it would drop below 12 volts when running the truck more than 15 minutes. I took it back to my mechanic, he was able to recreate this issued, confirm it was a bad alternator and replaced it. He said he tested it, and as well as the drive home confirmed the voltage stayed above 13 with the truck running. It sat for a couple days and the battery is now dead again.

I know the numerous drain and recharge cycles aren't good for the battery, but would it still take a charge and show good on a cranking amps test like its doing? Should I spend the money on a new battery even if this one isn't failing the parts store test, or is it more likely something is draining the battery? I wasn't able to find a short and don't have the best meter for doing this/ but neither of those appeared to be an issue when I checked. I'm pretty sure my mechanic ran those test the first time it was in as well.
 
#2 ·
I had an issue for awhile due to a faulty remote start. Along the way two batteries tested as fine with an old school load tester and a Scotty Kilmer recommended (sponsored) cheapo Amazon digital one.

Both would seem fine and yet in 2-3 days of non use would drain enough not to meet minimum cranking requirements even though the truck would crank (thanks Nissan!).

So yes a battery can test fine and be functionally useless.
 
#3 ·
I had an issue for awhile due to a faulty remote start. Along the way two batteries tested as fine with an old school load tester and a Scotty Kilmer recommended (sponsored) cheapo Amazon digital one.

Both would seem fine and yet in 2-3 days of non use would drain enough not to meet minimum cranking requirements even though the truck would crank (thanks Nissan!).

So yes a battery can test fine and be functionally useless.
Was this the factory remote start? How did you test to find that? I'm out of bumper to bumper warranty so I'm just throwing money at the thing trying to find the issue now.

I charged the battery and used the truck a bit today. A clamp on amp meter showed it bouncing between 0 and 3 milivolts with the truck off, which I'm told is normal. My voltage is fluctuating again with less than 20 miles on the new alternator, I'm starting to wonder if this is normal. After shutting the truck off I the battery is at 12.9 volts. I disconnected the battery to leave it sit for a few days and see if it still drains. I checked for continuity between hot and ground leads while it's disconnected and it seemed fine.
 
#8 ·
Google and do a parasitic draw. Basically open the doors/hood and remove the key. Turn off interior lights or have them set to door. Disconnect your negative battery cable. Put a voltage meter between the negative and terminal. Note the voltage and wait for it to drop (Wait 30-40 min for everything to shut down via various computer modules). It may drop a few times as things power down.

I forget the reasonable max resting voltage draw but on a modern vehicle it’s far more than an old one. When it seems to be at its lowest (and if it’s indeed elevated) you can start pulling fuses and see what is creating the draw. Pull 1, check for appreciable voltage drop. Plug it back in. Rinse and repeat to find the issue.

Btw a new battery from Walmart is cheap and to my understanding decent quality as they are manufactured by Johnson Controls. $5 core charge applies. Just in case you want to try that instead and rule it out.

I know it’s frustrating and feels like good money after bad but after I had the remote start replaced and was still finding a low current battery if it sat for 48 hours I bit the bullet and bought a new one. Constantly draining a battery can lead to sulfated plates or something like that. Basically an internal short (again or something like that). Electrical stuff isn’t my forte which is probably why I was too stubborn post module replacement to recognize how bad my battery was especially when I had people telling me if it tests fine, it is. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’ve drained your battery to dead even once it might be time for a new battery. To dead = reversal of charges on plates (again or something like that).
 
#9 ·
Google and do a parasitic draw. Basically open the doors/hood and remove the key. Turn off interior lights or have them set to door. Disconnect your negative battery cable. Put a voltage meter between the negative and terminal. Note the voltage and wait for it to drop (Wait 30-40 min for everything to shut down via various computer modules). It may drop a few times as things power down.

I forget the reasonable max resting voltage draw but on a modern vehicle it’s far more than an old one. When it seems to be at its lowest (and if it’s indeed elevated) you can start pulling fuses and see what is creating the draw. Pull 1, check for appreciable voltage drop. Plug it back in. Rinse and repeat to find the issue.

Btw a new battery from Walmart is cheap and to my understanding decent quality as they are manufactured by Johnson Controls. $5 core charge applies. Just in case you want to try that instead and rule it out.

I know it’s frustrating and feels like good money after bad but after I had the remote start replaced and was still finding a low current battery if it sat for 48 hours I bit the bullet and bought a new one. Constantly draining a battery can lead to sulfated plates or something like that. Basically an internal short (again or something like that). Electrical stuff isn’t my forte which is probably why I was too stubborn post module replacement to recognize how bad my battery was especially when I had people telling me if it tests fine, it is. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’ve drained your battery to dead even once it might be time for a new battery. To dead = reversal of charges on plates (again or something like that).

I'm hoping it's as simple as a new battery at this point. I'm confused as to the parasitic draw test though. I did that already looking for amps drawn, the voltage should either be at 12 if anything is on or 0 if every thing is off unless it's draining the battery down too far, which would be the same as checking the voltage on the battery after it's been sitting.
 
#11 ·
I was thinking a normal switch type circuit, which would be zero volts if open. On further research I found there is a way to do it with voltage drop across a fuse or load, but it's just using ohms law to add an extra step to figure out the am draw.

Either way thanks for the advice, I've yet to find any abnormal amount of draw right the battery yet. It makes me think it may be an intermittent issue while the truck sits if not the battery itself at this point.
 
#12 ·
Parasitic draw tells you if something is draining the battery in real time. The difference between a minor and major constant drain will not be apparent just checking the battery voltage in say 4 hours after shut down. But you can see it immediately in an amp draw/parasitic load test. Then you can even track it down to which circuit by pulling fuses.

But yeah might just be a battery and that’s a simple thing if you don’t mind spending the cash.
 
#13 ·
Unhook that deal on the side of the battery that makes your alternator turn off and on. It's the black plug in the positive connection. You can unplug it and your alternator goes to making power full time, like a regular car alternator.
 
#15 ·
That one should have a plug hanging from the bottom that unplugs. If you try it and nothing charges, remind me and I will take a pic tomorrow
 
#16 ·
These are the connections on that side, I'm not sure what one it is you're talking about. The red wire for for the aftermarket power steps, the fuse for them has been removed since these issues started so I've ruled them out. Also with the battery sitting for about 2 days unhooked it dropped from 12.9 volts to 12.6.
Image
 
#17 ·
Pretty sure the connection he's talking about is on the negative side.
 
owns 2011 Nissan Titan Pro4X Crew Cab
#18 ·
looking at that picture, it might be on the negative side. it doesn't look like its one of those. when i get home, i will have to pop the hood on the truck and look/take a picture. i found out about it on the site so maybe i can find the talk about it and like it here.
 
#19 ·
here is a post on that deal. it is on the negative but i couldn't find a picture of it. i copied this from another thread in the second generation area

"Look for a Battery current/temperature sensor installed on the negative battery cable. Optimum voltage balance varies with temperature. But that thing has caused a LOT OF PROBLEMS for people. It can be bypassed. I believe it MICRO manages the alternator more finely than it's internal regulator. I think they are trying to unload the alternator as much as possible to improve MPG and maybe battery life. And it won't play nice at all with some of those 'fancy' batteries out there."
 
#20 ·
There's one on the negative side with 3 or 4 wires, I'm going to assume that's it. Do I just unplug it or have to do anything special? I think I'll let the truck sit for a couple more days with the battery disconnected to make sure it's not discharging on it's own. After that I'll try unplugging that and running some errands with it to see what happens.

Thanks for that info. I hope this lead works out after all the trips to the mechanic and parts store so far.
 
#21 ·
Yes, unplug that plug. Your alternator will go to normal alternator mode when that is unplugged
 
#23 ·
12.5 is actually below what it should stay above so you might also have a battery issue but as long as it doesn't go more than that, I would not be to concerned.
 
#25 ·
That's as low as it went disconnected, after sitting in the truck a few days it dropped down to 5 volts, charging the battery now and back to square one.



Newer alternators will fluctuate with voltages while running. It's called exercising the battery. Instead of it being in a constant state of recharge or use. The alternator tried to desulfate the battery intact getting more life from it. But this doaent seem to be the fact since it causes more damage than it fixes. My Chevy work van is 5 years old and it's on its fourth battery. So yeah it's a issue. As for leaving any newer car for 3 weeks could cause a no start situation. Did you do a parasitic draw test.
Did a parasitic draw test multiple times with my Ideal clamp on amp meter, might not be the best for this situation, but with every thing off it fluctuates between 0 and 30 miliamps.

I ran around with the truck on Friday with the plug for the smart charger on the negative side unplugged, volts stayed around 14 the whole time the truck was running. I left it sit for two days and went to start it today, no start, battery only had 5 volts. I'm taking the battery to get tested tomorrow, I'll see how that goes and if the battery is good (I'm starting to get a feeling its not even if their test isn't showing it since it lost half a volt sitting disconnected for 4 days). And pending taking it to my mechanic again pending the battery test.
 
#26 ·
thats huge drop for just sitting.
 
#27 ·
Sounds like a dead cell in the battery. Won't show up when the battery is freshly charged. But let it sit overnight or a couple of days, then take it in to be tested (transporting it in a different vehicle) and it will fail the test.
 
owns 2011 Nissan Titan Pro4X Crew Cab
  • Like
Reactions: Ride and busemans
#29 ·
Mid July and it runs as long as you start it everyday? I would wait till dealer and t let them figure out what's up. Just start it each day so the battery stays good enough to start
 
#30 ·
It may come down to that. Thing is my bumper to bumper warranty ran out last year, unless I luck out and this falls under drive train I'm not looking forward to that bill. I went there back in January and it was $200 for them to tell me they couldn't find the issue.
 
#31 ·
oh man.
 
#32 ·
I think you need an electrical shop if you're going to pay for any additional work. Dealer isn't going to call a battery drain power train. You're going to pay another $200 or more and get no results.

The folks testing your battery are not interested in honoring replacement of it. Flash charging will cover a dead cell every time. Refresh my memory - if you charge it up fully on your workbench in the garage and leave it for 3-4 days, does it hold charge or deplete? That's what I'd do before I did anything else. Get it charged up as completely as possible and then leave it out of the truck, totally disconnected, and see what happens.if it holds a charge for 3-4 days like that, it's a parasitic draw and you need an electrical shop to help you diagnose it.
 
owns 2011 Nissan Titan Pro4X Crew Cab
#33 ·
If I charge it disconnected it gets up to 12.9, and after about 4 days drops to 12.5. Connected to the truck it drops down to 5 in the same amount of time if not less. A clamp on amp meter with the truck off shows 30 miliamps at most (in a few minutes of testing, I don't have a way to leave it on for hours).

I'm debating if I should get a diffrent brand battery (currently the die hard platinum h6 agm autozone recommended). stick to my dealer appointment. My mechanic said his electrical go-to passed away a few years back so he has no one to recommended.
 
#34 ·
You have a parasitic draw. If it holds on the bench, but loses on the truck, it's the truck, not the battery.
 
owns 2011 Nissan Titan Pro4X Crew Cab
#36 ·
Battery sat disconnected for over a week after testing good again. Trying out a new mechanic, hopefull this one gets it sorted out. I'll keep the thread updated with the findings or what I wind up trading it in on.


I had an similar issue with my 2008 Pathfinder, I drove it daily for a while but after getting a company vehicle, 3-4 days and it was dead. I went through a AutoZone silver battery, then gold battery, then Optima red top. When the optima was toast is less than a year, I mentioned to the manager at advance auto. He said the newer optima’s were junk, he warrantied it for me even though I didn’t buy it from them and I bought the platinum AGM 70ah. It went a whole week once or twice without driving it. I bought a teardrop camper, rebuilt it, wiring and all. I couldn’t get my trailer lights to work. My small hauling trailer lights worked fine with just 2 brake lights. After unplugging lights starting at the back when I got down to just 4 marker lights, they came on. I had never checked voltage at the connections after installing all the lights, only after wiring. I had 12.5v at the connector at the truck, but after connecting all the lights back up, I only had 4 volts at the last light, I was stumped. I added a 10 gauge ground to the trailer box, didn’t help. I checked the ground strap from battery to block and all good. Ground is usually the issue so I added a 1/0 gauge ground from battery to block and block to body. Viola, fixed. Adding that ground actually fixed the parasitic draw I had also, I don’t know how, but it sat for 2 weeks once with my Iceco fridge running in the back, it was fall so it wasn’t hot, but that fridge draws about 2-2.4 running amps and about 3.5-4.5 inrush amps. Extra grounding in Nissan’s can cause an error code, why, I have no idea but mine went off after a 30-45 min drive, and never had another issue. I currently have a 2014 Armada platinum, I work from home so I only drive it about 1-2 times a week. No issues with the same platinum battery except 1000cca and 85ah. My wife’s pilot also had the platinum agm from Advance. This is my 4th time having these with zero issues! Good luck, electrical gremlins SUCK!!!
Maybe this is it? I took it to a guy with experience in this thing so hopefully he can sort it out regardless. I've been thinking a short since it had wires patched when my brake lights were fixed in the past, but I would think that would show up on a continuity test, pop fuses, amperage test etc.
 
#35 ·
I had an similar issue with my 2008 Pathfinder, I drove it daily for a while but after getting a company vehicle, 3-4 days and it was dead. I went through a AutoZone silver battery, then gold battery, then Optima red top. When the optima was toast is less than a year, I mentioned to the manager at advance auto. He said the newer optima’s were junk, he warrantied it for me even though I didn’t buy it from them and I bought the platinum AGM 70ah. It went a whole week once or twice without driving it. I bought a teardrop camper, rebuilt it, wiring and all. I couldn’t get my trailer lights to work. My small hauling trailer lights worked fine with just 2 brake lights. After unplugging lights starting at the back when I got down to just 4 marker lights, they came on. I had never checked voltage at the connections after installing all the lights, only after wiring. I had 12.5v at the connector at the truck, but after connecting all the lights back up, I only had 4 volts at the last light, I was stumped. I added a 10 gauge ground to the trailer box, didn’t help. I checked the ground strap from battery to block and all good. Ground is usually the issue so I added a 1/0 gauge ground from battery to block and block to body. Viola, fixed. Adding that ground actually fixed the parasitic draw I had also, I don’t know how, but it sat for 2 weeks once with my Iceco fridge running in the back, it was fall so it wasn’t hot, but that fridge draws about 2-2.4 running amps and about 3.5-4.5 inrush amps. Extra grounding in Nissan’s can cause an error code, why, I have no idea but mine went off after a 30-45 min drive, and never had another issue. I currently have a 2014 Armada platinum, I work from home so I only drive it about 1-2 times a week. No issues with the same platinum battery except 1000cca and 85ah. My wife’s pilot also had the platinum agm from Advance. This is my 4th time having these with zero issues! Good luck, electrical gremlins SUCK!!!
 
#38 ·
at least your new mechanic is getting somewhere
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pathsquatch
#39 ·
Another update. Possibly fixed? Fingers crossed.

Just got another call from the most recent mechanic, and it seems it may have come full circle to one of the first things I suspected. He said he disconnected everything from the control box for the Amp Research power steps and it's not doing the draw any more. I heard stories about them causing this so I pulled the 30A fuse going to the steps and assumed they would be out of the equation. It looks like it may have not been that simple.

It sat at his place a few days with out draining so I'm going to take it back and see how it goes. Hopefully that's the end of it and if it's back to normal I'll look into getting a new control box for the steps.
 
#40 ·
man, i hope its done and figured out
 
#41 ·
Same here. I picked the truck up and will give it a few days. I don't 100% trust it to take on vacation this week, although worst case it would be calling AAA for a jump to get it fired up to drive home. But that will give it a few days to sit and see what happens. If it fires up after that I'll have some confidence in it again.

The guy I took it to was very nice. He was somewhat eager to get it out of there because even being a relativly safe area he was tying up a bay to keep it inside, since being a newer vehicle he was worried about people messing with it when he wasn't around. He said he'll look into it again if this didn't sort it out, and to keep him updated if that was the fix and it's good from here out.

Assuming that was the issue I'll give it a month or so before I contact amp research and try to order a new box, maybe that's still even under warranty even though my dad was the one that purchased them.
 
#44 ·
Well it's been almost about 3 months and I've had no problems with the truck starting, until today. For a couple weeks the "Low key battery" warning has been on. Ignored it since I keep spares in the center console. I went out to the truck and the push button on the door didn't unlock it so I hit the button on the key fob and it unlocked. I got in and nothing happened when I hit the start button. I figured I would try the trick of pressing the button with the key fob, this lit the start button up but wouldn't start the truck. I swapped the fob battery and that didn't change anything. I got the battery charger back out and it showed about 25% charge on the battery. Left it on for an hour or so, got to 50% and was able to start the truck. I'm going to let it trickle charge over night and check the voltage in the morning. I never hooked the control box for the steps back up that seemed to be the problem last time.


I'm hoping the numerous drains and charges on the Die Hard battery shortened its life span and gives me a quick cut and dry solution this time so that gets replaced under warranty. I'll keep updating my findings in the thread just in case it can help any one in the future, or any one was still wondering.