Car battery keeps dying !?!

Coil

 

If it’s still under 36k miles, sounds like a potential trip to the dealer for warranty work/investigation?

 

you're getting good advice here, you should take it.

 

Drive it to the dealer and let them check it.. My 2 cents

 

With the ignition switch off position, everything off, disconnect negative battery cable, connect regular 12 volt test between negative battery post, and negative battery cable. It it lights up bright, you have major short someplace.
You have aftermarket stereo installed, who installed it? Maybe install person connected wires wrong, key hot is hooked up to battery hot.

 

Is there a wind up cord somewhere near the back of the truck that you can pull?

 

This doesn't work on anything since the early 90s, you have to use a clamp on amp meter or inline amp meter to check parasitic draw.

 

eww, electronic parasites. Better get the truck dipped asap.

 

When was the most recent battery put in service? If more than a few months, it is possible a bad cell developed in that time. I had the same symptoms as you at 30 months. Had to jump start my truck every time because it would not start on its own. Toyota gave me a free new battery under warranty and my replacement battery is coming up on 6 years.

Definitely use your warranty if you have some left.

 

Bad ground connection somewhere?

 

Got it. I learn something.

 

How old is current battery? How many CCA on your current battery? New battery was, brand new, correct? In # of days, When did latest battery stop starting your truck after install? Are you saying, a brand new battery was dead, immediately after starting your truck ONE time?

Do you play your stereo whilst the truck engine is NOT running, whilst the ignition is in accessories mode?

Yes absolutely.

I don't know, I think he just seems as frustrated as I would be in this situation.

Sounds like a bad ignition switch is draining the battery.

 

I have heard of a tracking device that was installed on a vehicle without the owner knowing it and his battery kept dying as it was actively tracking the vehicle and he did some looking around and where the obd harness is under dash he found the tracker and he pulled it out, again the toyota dealer did not inform him it was there, as it turns out after seeing his YouTube video, I just by chance felt under my dash and low and behold my obd port was hanging down by my left foot and there was a tracking device on it. I called Toyota and told them what I found and they pulled up my truck which was brought in from another dealership that installed the tracker and no one knew it was there, but told me it was not active, I still haven't gone to the dealer to have it removed and have obd reattached, I just shoved it up under dash for now, they also told me I might have to pay for it to be removed, I said no way in hell am I paying for something another dealership installed and that the sales person or someone there was going to pay for it, especially since I did not put it in and I was not informed until I called them and they looked it up in computer, as it was a dealer trade so they had the truck that I wanted to buy at my dealer. If that is the case where this tracker is there it would draw power continuously as the one that was on another toyota vehicle, that was never disclosed to the buyer. Just check under left side of dash obverse where the hood latch area is, or just look under there, mine was put on obd plug with 2 sided tape and it didn't hold, so now my obd plug is just sitting up under dash until I can go in and figure out what they want to do, but Im sure as hell not gonna pay for them to fix it, that's on them for not knowing or just not telling me it's there, hope this helps as just the little amount of draw was enough to keep killing his battery regularly. Look it up on you tube. Good luck and hope it's that and not something more.

 

But in your answer about it not charging after driving it some miles, I would look to the alternator first as you know that is what charges the battery, you can go to any parts store and most will test it for you free of charge to see if it is charging or not. Again good luck.

 

Where did you get the brand new batteries from? Maybe somebody dropped batteries, and never said anything, sold you internally busted battery. Never really know, people BS, keep quiet.

 

Don’t u have a warranty? Take it to the dealer

 

How does the truck run once started ? If it runs totally fine than it’s not the alternator . With all the systems , fuel injection and computer stuff , if nothing is charging the battery. The battery will drain in short order and the car will eventually shut off because of lack of current . Most vehicles after around 1985 this is the case . Older stuff would run much longer because you were only dealing with mostly ignition spark , so the battery would take a lot longer to drain . I’m thinking something else is wrong . This doesn’t sound right . Bring it to the dealer if you still have warranty left.

 

The truck runs fine when it’s on ,
When I cut the truck off it doesn’t start.
The battery is 3 days old

 

I do not have warranty guys I bought the truck from auction

 

So its a salvage or branded truck?

Then it could be anything, a bad ground, bad cable, or a bad starter.


You won't know unless you multimeter it. And if you can't do that, you need to pay someone who can.