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Battery Problem with My Van

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY WORK VAN. IN PARTICULAR A DODGE SPRINTER WORK VAN. A 2006. SINCE I PURCHASED IT I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WITH CONCERNS ABOUT LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE POWER, BRAKING, LOW MILAGE. AND A FEW OTHER ISSUES. FOR INSTANCE THE OUTSIDE ADJUSTABLE REAR VIEW MIRRORS STAY ON CONSTANTLY. EVEN IN 90 DEGREE WEATHER. WITH A INFRARED THERMOMETER THE TEMPATURE READING ON THEM CAN BE AS HIGH AS 100 DEGREES FARENHEITH. THE MAIN BATTERY DRAINS TO A LEVEL THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE SITS AS I MAKE SERVICE CALLS, FOR APPROXIMATELY 1-2 HOURS, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO TURN OVER THE ENGINE. I INSTALLED A SEPERAT BATTERY IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE FOR MY CONVENIENCE SO THAT WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURS I CAN SIMPLY RAISE THE HOOD, TURN A SWITCH, AND THEN START THE BATTERY FROM THE ADDITIONAL BATTERY THAT I CHARGE SEPERATELY AT HOME AT NIGHT. IT WAS INTENDED TO BE INSTALLED AS A AUXILLARY BATTERY TO CHARGE POWER TOOLS AND A COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH A PRINTER SO I COULD CREATE INVOICES OR PROPOSALS WHEN THE NEED ARISES. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AT A POINT WHERE I CAN ACTUALLY CONNECT THIS ADDITIONAL BATTERY TO THE SYSTEM. TO INTERGRATE IT AS A WORKING FUNCTIONAL PART OF THE SYSTEM.

THE CURRENT ISSUE IS THAT I HAVE A SWITCHED ALARM, SWITCHED BLUETOOTH HANDS FREE CELL PHONE AND A SWITCHED POWER PACK THAT POWERS THE COMPUTER AND PRINTER. IT IS MY BELEIF THAT THE LOCAL SERVICE GARAGE THAT IS TRAINED IN THIS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL SYSTEM IS UNAWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

FOR EXAMPLE: I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE ENTIRE ALARM/AUTO START/DOOR OPENED & LOCK SYSTEM TO PROVE THEM WRONG AS TO THEIR SAYING THAT THE AFOREMENTIONED SYSTEM WAS DRAINING THE BATTRY IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS CAUSING THIS NON START CONDITION. WELL, I DISCONNECTED THAT SYSTEM. STILL THE PROBLEM EXIST. NOT TO MENTION THAT I AM NOW INCONVENIENCED WITH OUT SECURITY OR AUTO START OR AUTO DOOR OPENING.

NEXT: I TURNED OFF THE BLUE TOOTH "PARROT" HANDS FREE DEVICE THAT SENDS A SIGINAL TO THE FACTORY INSTALLED RADIO SO I CAN TALK AND DRIVE WITHOUT USING MY HANDS TO HOLD THE PHONE. NOW THEY SAY THE "MUTE MODULE" IS THE CAUSE. ONLY THING IS, IT IS ELECTRICALLY "OFF". I CAN ONLY WONDER HOW MANY OTHER FOLKS FALL FOR THIS WITH THIS DEALERSHIP. THEIR CONTENTION IS THAT IT DRAWS 50 MILLIAMPS AND THAT IS "OUTSIDE" OF THEIR (CHRYSLER/DIAMILER) NORMAL SPECS SO THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT THE CULPIBLE PARTY, IT IS MYSELF. I DON'T BUY THE FACT THAT 50 MILLIAMPS CAN DRAW A 12 VOLT 800 AMP BATTRY DOWN TO A POINT WHERE IT WILL LOOSE ALL THE POWER AND NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER IN LESS THAN 2 HOURS.

THIRD: I ALSO HAVE TURNED OFF THE POWER PACK FOR THE COMPUTER PACK.

IN THE MEAN TIME. ONE MONTH TO BE EXACT THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MY PERSONALLY OWNED VEHICLE TRYING EVERYTHING THEY KNOW TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, I HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO A FORD VAN, A RENTAL VAN, AND I HAVE BEEN USING "THEIR" AUTO LOCK SYSTEM, ALL THE LIGHTS ON WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN DURING THE DAY LISTENING TO THE RADIO, WHILE WORKING, THE COMPUTER PACK OPERATING THE COMPUTER & PRINTER AND I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THIS EQUIPMENT OR WITH STARTING THE VAN. I AM ACTUALLY DOING WHAT I INTENDED TO DO WITH THE VAN THAT I PURCHASED IN THE FIRST PLACE WITH THIS RENTAL VAN AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. MY EXPENSIVE $40,000 DOLLAR SPRINTER VAN HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE.

I HAVE ASKED CONTINUALLY TO HAVE A NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED THAT OPERATES THE VEHICLE MAIN SYSTEMS AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER DOES NOT SHOW IT TO BE "BAD" SSO THEY CAN NOT SIMPLY REPLACE IT. AFTER THREE YEARS OF CONSTANT HEADACHES WITH THIS VAN I AM PERPLEXED. I HAVE BEEN AND I STILL AM A GENTLEMAN WITH ALL INVOLVED BUT I HAVE BEEN ON OVERLOAD WITH STORIES ABOUT WHO & WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS.

DO YOU BELEIVE THAT A STANDARD OR EVEN A HEAVY DUTY 800 AMP, 12 VOLT BATTERY, CAN BE DRAINED TO A POINT WHERE IT WILL NOT START THIS VEHICLE AFTER IT SITS FOR A 1-2 HOUR TIME PERIOD? HOW CAN SUCH TINY WIRES DRAIN A BATTERY THIS SEVERLY WITHOUT BEING BURNED UP AND AT WHICH POINT BE VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE AND ALSO BE NO LONGER A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE DRAINGING DUE TO THEIR DESTRUCTION?

WHAT INSIGHT, ELECTRICL FORMULA, COULD YOU SUGGEST THAT I SHOW/DEMONSTRATE TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY HAVE IT WRONG? IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THEM NOT WANTING TO MAKE GOOD ON A WARRANTY. THEY ARE LOST FOR THE PROPER SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ARE GRASPING AT ANYTHING AND NOW HAVE RESORTED TO "BLAMEING" ME FOR HAVING PURCHASED THIS VAN FROM THEM. WHAT A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.

I AM NOT HERE TO BURDEN YOU WITH MY LEGAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE ARE NONE GOING ON AT PRESENT BUT I AM CONSIDERING THEM AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. THEY WILL BE RETURNING THIS VAN TO ME ON FRIDAY AUGUST 14,2009 AND HAVE ALREADY SAID THAT THE MUTE MODULE IS THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. THE WARRANTY 36MONTHS/36,000 MILES IS AT THE POINT WHERE IT IS GOING TO EXPIRE. I HAVE NO FAITH THAT THEY HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. PERHAPS THEY HAVE FOUD A PROBLEM, REPAIRED IT, AND CONTINUE TO BLAME ME FOR THE PROBLEM? WHO KNOWS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION AS TO "HOW TO DEFLECT SOME RETORIC SUCH AS THEY HAVE BEEN FEEDING ME UP TO THIS POINT WITH SOME FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT PHYSICS AND ELECTRICITY CANNOT BE DISMISSED". THEY SIMPLY WANT ME & MY VAN TO GO AWAY. THEY ARE THE ONLY SERVICE PLACE WITHIN 250 MILES AND THEY HAVE ALL THE PARTS (AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE)AND I CAN'T JUST GO TO THE NEXT GARAGE DOWN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCHA NIGHTMARE TO WORK ON. I HAVE TRIED MY BEST TO ISOLATE ANYTHING THAT I HAVE DONE WITH VAN THAT I OWN OUTRIGHT AND KEEP IT SEPERATED FROM ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO WITH THEIR WARRANTY. I FIRMLY BELEIVE I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS. IT ISONLY AT THIS POINT WHERE THEY CANNOT RESOLVE THIS MOST PERPLEXING PROBLEM CURRENTLY THAT THAT ARE MOST ADAMATE ABOUT IT BEING A MUTE MODULE THAT IS DRAINING THIS BATTERY SO SEVERELY.

NOTE: I HAVE NOT MENTIONED AGAIN THE OTHER ISSUES THAT I WROTE ABOUT ABOVE. I AM SIMPLY FOCUSING ON THIS BATTERY DRAIN CURRENTLY. I HAVE SUGGESTED THE STARTER WIRE, STARTER, ALTENATOR, VOLTAGE REGULATOR, (PROBABLY PART OF THE ALTENATOR) & THE COMPUTER BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THAT IS WHERE THIS HEAVY EXCESSIVE DRAWDOWN COULD ONLY BE COMING FROM.

I WILL CLOSE WITH THIS AT THIS POINT. I THANK YOU FOR ANY THOUGHTS OR ELECTRICAL ANSWER YOU COULD PROVIDE ME.

SINCERELY,

KEVIN J. WHEELER

518 372-7324

[email protected]

KEVIN WHEELER
Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:58:42 +0000

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